We were the first " semi inclusive guests" at the resort with sun wing.

The meal plan needed to be clarified and the owners, Jeff and Louis were very helpful and responsive to our concerns. The a la carte menu was nice option compared to buffet meals offered at most all inclusive resorts. The vintage pearl meal was exceptional!

Staff were fun and provided great service. Special recognition to Victor, Sheena and Jessica.

Our overall experience was very positive

I thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Bananarama. I liked that the resort was smaller, giving a very warm, relaxed and cozy atmosphere. The resort is located right on West Bay beach with stunning sunset views.

The rooms/cabanas are basic, but comfortable and clean. As they say on their website - they're rooms are for sleeping! Meliza was there everyday after breakfast to make sure our room was spic and span. The cabanas are rustic, really giving you that awesome caribbean vibe. We only used the AC the first night. We realized having the windows open was so much nicer with fresh breeze coming in.

The staff was AMAZING. Sarah from reception greeted us everyday with a warm and genuine smile, and always checked up on us. The owners and managers are always around to make sure the guests are happy. Louis was always there to answer questions and always gave sound advice. There was a good rapport between management and staff which resonates in the service they provide to the guests. The bar staff, especially Zebby and Steven, always guaranteed a fun time! Take the time to get to know the staff.. they are an amazing group of people!

The food at the Thirsty Turtle was awesome. I would highly recommend all the seafood items on the menu, especially the whole fried fish! Pizza at Pizzarama was pretty good. For the complimentary breakfast, you are given 2 options to choose from (which changes daily). Breakfast was good majority of the time, and there's always fresh fruit juice. The wait staff were efficient and always pleasant, especially Shanny and Carolina.

We are not divers, but have heard nothing but great things about the dive shop. If I ever do get certified, this is the first place I'm coming back to.

While in Roatan, do consider going on a tour to Cayos Cochinos. The fishing village at Cayo Chachahuete is a fascinating little community and made this trip that much more memorable.

November is still low season, so we didn't encounter too many cruise shippers. However, the weather at this time of the year is quite unpredictable, and the water might get a little choppy. It rained on and off during our stay, but we still managed to catch a lot of sun.

Sandflies. Do bring lots of bug spray. The sandflies aren't too bad around Bananarama, but avoid walking the end of West Bay (towards West End) at dusk. On our first afternoon, we walked towards West End (without bug spray), and got attacked from the waist down. NOT FUN.

If you are looking for jacuzzis and granite countertops, you might wanna consider another place. Or book a more luxurious cabana on the Island Pearl side. But if you're looking for something more homey and want to be treated like family, Bananarama is just right for you.

First let me say that some of the staff at Bananarama made our stay wonderful.

Sarah on reception couldn't be more friendly, helpful and truly caring. Nothing was too much trouble and she checked on us each day to make sure we were all good. Thanks Sarah!

Louise the manager was great, responsive and heard our concerns genuinely, and fixed our worries shortly after.

In the bar Eddison, Zebby and Derry were so much fun and made awesome drinks! I only wish they had fresh fruit for their Daqueries.

The location is the BEST on the island and they often spray to take care of the sand flies (which are a pest everywhere so make sure you have sunscreen AND bug spray on the beach ).

Concerns:

Some of the rooms are particularly noisy early on because of the staff talking and music - those being near the kitchens, the bar and the dive shop (where they prep the dive equipment). I would take a garden hut away from the dive shop if i came again. It rained a lot when we were there so were in our room a lot - which probably made the noise more noticeable.

Hot water is sparse. It is promised, but we ran our shower for 10 minutes one morning (on advice from maintenance) and it still didn't work. The pressure is terrible in some rooms (ours) but reportedly ok in others.

Room towels are ratty and have holes in them, not a big deal, but then when you are MADE TO PAY for your BEACH TOWEL for the week, you would expect them to spend a little money on upgrading some linen. I was so shocked - even though it was $5 each, this is the only resort i have been to where your very own beach towel isn't included - or at least you only leave a deposit. Not pay.

On a more positive note, movie night and crab racing is fun, and the bar and restaurant have a great vibe (ok food, nothing amazing for the price).

SO i guess it depends what your expectations are to begin with - I wish someone had warned us about these things and then we'd be prepared for them, not expect something more.

It was a fun experience though and i'm glad we went :)

We just returned from a week's stay at Bananarama. Prior to going, we did all of the typical research and scoured the internet. We don't regret our decision to stay at Bananarama for a moment. It has the personalized one-on-one service you find in an all-inclusive resort -- but it's not an all-inclusive. The staff goes out of their way to get to know you. From the room attendants, restaurant servers, to the office staff, to the most amazing bartenders, and the hands-on management... it was a memorable experience. Bartenders like Zebby, Derry, Stephen, Eddison and Sandra made you feel like "everyone knows your name". This review wouldn't be complete without highlighting their amazing Dive Shop! The staff at the Bananarama Dive Shop is just as accomodating and professional with attention to detail and tevery diver's safety. They quickly tune in to your invidual dive needs and go out of their way to be helpful and encourage your love of the sport. They offered a wide range of dives with small groups. Our divemaster, Martin, was extremely professional and made you feel safe. The reefs in Roatan are some of the best in the world. Our only regret was that we didn't go on a shark dive -- which is the perfect excuse to return to this resort and their dive staff.