La Café de la Casa in Copan is a great place to stay

Copan, Honduras is a quaint, colonial village near the famed Mayan ruins of Copan. The village with a traditional main square and cobblestone streets harkens back to the early days of Honduras.

A couple blocks from main square is the rose-colored, bougainvillea-festooned La Café de la  Casa. While it is listed as a B&B it is really more like a small inn with a family ambiance. The owners, Harold and Angela Rosenzweig, are there every day to make sure everything runs smoothly and available to help with any travel needs their guests may have. 

Rooms, while basic, have everything necessary are a comfortable

stay. Add to that the great service, the wonderful view of the mountains, the home-cooked breakfast, excellent internet, and lush tropical landscaping and La Café de La Casa is the perfect place to stay. It is especially great if traveling with the family. Some rooms can accommodate three or more. 

The gratis breakfast is made to order offering a variety of pancakes, eggs and traditional Honduran breakfast with fruit and locally produced coffee.  Meals can be enjoyed on the terrace or in the secluded garden.  There is a family-style dining table in the main house where there is a TV (who needs a TV when traveling??) and a variety of travel books.  

After a day exploring Copan’s archeological site return to La Café

de la Casa for a relaxing massage by Fatima.  The dedicated massage room is tucked in a secluded corner of the property with a view of the mountains and refreshing breezes. There is no better way to end the day. Fatima’s soothing Swedish massage will erase any aches and cares.

La Ensenada Beach Resort near Tela, Honduras is a great getaway

La Ensenada Beach Resort is located about 90 minutes from San Pedro Sula’s international airport.  The all-inclusive resort opened in 2007 on a long sandy beach with 150 rooms plus two- and three-bedroom villas. And, it is only the beginning as plans call for additional rooms, villas and facilities. It is one of the few all-inclusive beach resorts on the mainland of Honduras.  The north shore of Honduras is becoming the new ‘gotta’ visit area of Honduras.

The grounds are beautifully landscaped with tropical trees and

flowers. Along with the crystal waters of the Caribbean, there is a sandy beach a half mile long and two pools. The largest pool has a child-friendly area among its many levels. The well-appointed comfortable accommodations offer a choice of bed size,

cable TV, air conditions, mini-fridge, coffee pot and all the amenities one expects from a four-star resort. The all-inclusive resort has excellent meals with an expansive varied buffet, afternoon snacks, and a wide variety of libations including adult beverages and featured cocktails. In the evening there is a live family-friendly variety show and a disco for those looking for late night fun.

Besides enjoying the two pools and great beach guest can use the

kayaks, play volleyball, take part in aerobic exercises, enjoy a boat trip around the bay, be thrilled on a banana ride, plus there is a soccer and basketball court, and the staff will help to organize a variety of off-site tours including ones to eco-adventures to the variety of national parks in Tela and La Ceiba. There are also tours to Cayos Cochinos, Los Micos Lagoon, and Copan, the archeological site that is the pride of Honduras. Lancetilla Botanical Gardens is a short drive down the road where there are a multitude of tropical trees and tours. The staff is friendly and helpful. For more information check www.laensenadaresort.com.

Las Cascadas Lodge in Honduras is an amazing eco-resort

Located just outside of La Ceiba, Las Cascadas Lodge is a serene, tranquil first-class resort nestled in the tropical rainforest near the meandering banks of the Congrejal River. The beautifully designed lodge made of local materials with a thatched roof is in

harmony with nature affording guests with a drop-dead view of the waterfalls. There are several levels of waterfalls each with a plunge pool at the bottom. Stone steps and a wooden bridge lead to the second-level waterfalls with a groomed trail to the other ones. There is also a swimming pool and grounds that are dotted with towering mahogany, cocoa and other tropical trees and plants.

All meals are included in the nightly rate and are personally prepared by a private chef who specializes in great steaks, local seafood, curries, and Honduran influenced cuisine. Enjoy a typical Honduras breakfast of Huevos Rancheros (fried eggs ranch

style) with refried beans, cheese, Honduran spicy sausages called “chorizo” and tortillas. The lodge features amazing desserts and a variety of fresh, natural juices along with adult beverages. Las Cascadas Lodge uses only the highest quality and the freshest local products available. The staff takes great pride in their service and attention to detail.

Accommodations are luxurious with a lounge sofa and sitting area, plush beds, desk, and a large walk-in shower made of river stone. The view from all rooms is mesmerizing. There is hiking in Pico Bonito National Park, white water rafting on the

Congrejal River, zip-lining though the forest and repelling down the waterfalls. The tropical rainforest is alive with toucans and other birds. There are monkeys and other wildlife. Las Cascadas Lodge is perfect for honeymooners and those who love the great outdoors or people who just want to get away from it all. Staff will provide transportation to/for the La Ceiba airport. For more information check www.lascascadaslodge.com. 

Hotel near the La Ceiba airport in Honduras

Hotel Rainbow Village is situated close to the La Ceiba Airport; only about 2 minutes from the entrance and directly across the street in a quiet, gated, and secure location. It is the perfect place for those transferring between San Pedro Sula and the Bay Islands.The hotel offers personal service including airport pickup and dropoff. For travelers to the Bay Islands they offer a package that includes the room for one night, transportation from and to the bus station, airport or the ferries to the Bay Islands. The hotel offers a full service restaurant and fully stocked bar has increasingly earned a far reaching reputation as being one of the best not only in La Ceiba, but on all the North Coast or Honduras as well. Looking for imported German beer? You will find it at the Rainbow Village.

Rainbow Village is an intimate boutique hotel with five custom casitas accommodating four persons each with two separate bedrooms, private bathroom with hot water, kitchen, living room with cable TV, and a private terrace. The bedrooms are comfortably air conditioned. The hotel offer 24-hour front desk service, daily housekeeping, fresh water swimming pool, safety boxes, along with free Wi Fi internet. Their multilingual staff is fluent in Spanish, English and Germany. There is no sign on the main road but the turn is across airport by the “chicken” company. Coming from San Pedro is just before the airport entrance on the left. Coming from La Ceiba it is the first right after the airport entrance. For more information check http://hotel-rainbow-village.com

Palma Real: An all-inclusive beach resort on the Honduran mainland

Located only 30-minutes from La Ceiba on the road to Trujillo, Palma Real is a first class all-inclusive beach resort. The setting is breathtaking with the long sandy beach and ocean in front and the green mountains at the back. Truly a tropical paradise.

There are a variety of accommodations with160 rooms and suites decorated with a tropical flair in two connected adjacent properties. Every room is equipped with air conditioner, hot water, cable TV, telephone, safe box and blow dryer. Enjoy the best buffet-style dining prepared by international chefs in an informal Honduran-style setting. Enjoy with your choice of white or red house wine or local beer. There are various theme dinners on weekends. Guests can also dine at the snack bar and have a drink at the bar with swim-up service.

The sun, sand and sea are the main attractions but there are two beautiful pools and a water jungle, which is one of the best aquatic parks in Honduras with water slides, wave pool, lazy river and pool games in a jungle-like setting. Guests can also enjoy miniature golf, buggy boards, and scheduled pool exercises and games. In the evening enjoy the shows performed by the hotel’s activities staff before heading the disco. The hotel can arrange tours to Cayos Cochinos, Pico Bonito, Cuero y Salado National Park or to the Cangrejal River for white-water rafting. For more information check www.grupopalmareal.com.

Consider Casa 17 in Honduras for the ultimate in private getaways

So you want to get away from it all – really getaway, but you don’t want to rough it, then consider Casa 17 between Trujillo and Santa Fe, Honduras. Situated high on a hill surrounded by the tropical rainforest and overlooking beautiful Trujillo Bay the luxurious three-bedroom house in a gated community has everything you need. All the appliances including a dishwasher, clothes washer and dryer are brand new as is the beautiful house. The kitchen is fully furnished. All linens are supplies. The expansive porch is perfect for dining, bird watching, lazing in the hammock, or watching the sunset. You will have your own private pool with a view of the rainforest and bay. Bring your own food if you want to prepare your own meals (tip: stop at MetroPlaza in La Ceiba or Tocoa for grocery shopping) or you can venture down the hill to enjoy dining at Tranquility Bay, Campomento, or Banana Beach. Casa 17 is perfect for two but can comfortably accommodate eight people. At only $450++ per week it is an amazing value.

Other than enjoying the peace and quiet that is so hard to attain in this busy world there are other things to do including visiting the historic fort, zip lining, bathing at the hot springs, exploring Guaimoreto Lagoon, checking out a bizarre museum of “stuff,” fishing, visiting Cayos Cochinos, paddle boarding, kayaking, and sail boarding. But the best part is doing nothing but reading, resting, bird watching from the porch, and enjoying a refreshing dip in the pool. Guests enjoy free access to a lovely sandy beach for a refreshing dip in the Caribbean.

What doesn’t Casa 17 have? There is no television (ah, what a blessing) but internet access is available and, a special benefit, because of its location on the hillside above the beach there are no dreaded Honduran sand flies! For more information and images check naturalhonduras.com.

There’s a Lot to Like about the Metrotel in San Pedro Sula, Honduras

The Metrotel in San Pedro is a great place to stop over for a day or two. Located close to the international airport visitors can rest up before heading to Copan, La Ceiba or back home. The hotel, located on the main road between the airport and the city center, has a lovely pool and spacious gardens. The hotel rooms are super clean, with a choice of bed size plus a room with a mini kitchen. All rooms have cable TV, A/C, free local calls, free internet and a business center. Enjoy the pool, relax in the tropical garden, or make use of the fitness center.

The reasonable rate includes a continental breakfast. For lunch or dinner Larson’s Restaurant is just steps from the Metrotel’s front door where meals can be charged to the room. Check out the Metrotel’s tours to all the “must-do” sights in Honduras including Copan, Tela, and La Ceiba. For more information check www.hotelhonduras.com

Treat yourself to a tropical vacation at the Mayan Princess on Roatan Island

Located on the resort island of Roatan just off the mainland of Honduras, Mayan Princess is waiting to welcome you to a tropical paradise. The Mayan Princess is on one of the best beaches in the Caribbean. Enjoy the warm waters of the Caribbean and the soft sands of the beach along with the tropical sun. Feel at home in your own condo or suite nestled along the free-form pool with a Jacuzzi, and surrounded by beautiful tropical gardens.

Choose from the resorts 53 condominiums and suites located on the beach, poolside and in the tower. All sport large spacious accommodations with luxurious beds, fully equipped kitchens and private, covered balconies or terraces all with a Caribbean flair.

Pick your pleasure. Dive or snorkel on the world’s second largest coral reef. There is an on-site dive shop. Rejuvenate your body at the hotel’s Kukut Spa after a day in the sun. Or, just laze on the beach or around the pool with a good book. In the evening dine while watching the blood-red sun sink into the blue Caribbean. Then, while sipping your tropical cocktail, be entertained by Garifuna dancing or a fire show.

Whatever you desire, the concierge at Mayan Princess will try to meet your needs be it tours, shopping or car rentals. For more information check www.mayanprincess.com.

Finding Paradise at Tranquility Bay, Honduras

Your dream of a tropical paradise can come true at Tranquility Bay located between Trujillo and Santa Fe in on the north coast of Honduras. Picture swaying palms, a long sweeping sandy beach with no one on it, the warm waters of the Caribbean and lovely cabanas with a sea view and you will have a feel for this undeveloped part of Honduras. Everywhere you look –the sea, the mountains, the cabanas - is postcard perfect.

The Forseths, Larry, Linda and their son, Danny, are waiting to welcome you. At Tranquility Bay you can relax in your hammock with a view of the Caribbean, wander an old Spanish trail across the cloud shrouded mountain peaks of a tropical rainforest, or follow a crystal clear mountain river to a waterfall for a refreshing dip in the cool mountain pools. There is plenty to do. Visit an old museum in nearby historical Trujillo that has thousands of objects from the past to the present. Trujillo is located where Columbus first stood on the mainland of North America and is one of the very first towns founded in the early 15th century. Go snorkeling, sea kayaking, play with the monkeys, talk to the macaws, or better yet do nothing but enjoy the beauty of the area. Tranquility Bay has a great restaurant and wireless internet. Once you visit you will want to return again and again this tropical paradise. For more information check www.tranquilitybayhonduras.com

Turquoise Bay on Roatan Island, Honduras is for leisure travelers and divers

Roatan, one of the Bay Islands just off the north coast of Honduras has long been a favorite of the dive crowd but Turquoise Bay is great not only for divers but also for leisure travelers. Located on the North Coast on a beautiful bay protected by a long reef, guest can go diving and snorkeling but also kayaking, jet skiing, or just lounge on the beach or by the pool. Turquoise Bay is set on a hillside with spectacular ocean views. The protected bay means the water is calm - perfect for swimming and kayaking. Beach lovers will enjoy the private, 500 ft white-sand beach with palapas and palm trees offering shade. There is a beach bar, lounge chairs and a volleyball court. Turquoise Bay is the only dive resort in this lush and remote area of the island offering guests the opportunity to dive uncrowded, pristine dive sites.

The accommodations are excellent with each room having a distinct and unique character. The resort has a total of 26 rooms nestled decorated with signature items from each Central American country. There are 20 rooms in hillside bungalows set amongst palm trees and tropical gardens. Enjoy spacious rooms with stylish Caribbean décor and views of turquoise waters and the white sand beach from your private terrace. For guests who want to be closer to the dive shop, pool or beach there are six rooms in their "Central America" building. At Turquoise Bay Dive & Beach Resort you will enjoy individual and personal service that only a small dive resort can offer. Their friendly local staff takes pride in getting to know their guests and making them feel at home. Enjoy full waiter service at your beach chair and poolside. Whatever you desire, the Concierge at Turquoise Bay will assist you. For more information check turquoisebayresort.com