Roatan Backpackers Hostel — Hotel in Roatán

My wife and I love staying in hostels, for the informal atmosphere and the fun of meeting fellow travellers from all around the world - we actually met in a hostel 8 years ago! For our week-long trip to Roatan, we needed a base of operations from which to explore the island, scuba dive, snorkel and relax. Roatan Backpackers' Hostel proved the perfect spot.

We decided to stay in one of the hostel's self-catered apartments, which meant we had two bedrooms (one of which we filled with luggage and diving/snorkelling gear), a cute little kitchen and our own bathroom. The king-size double bed was comfier than our bed at home, and we had a big balcony/porch, equipped with a hammock and overlooking the pool. The hostel also has smaller suites and dorms, but as a couple travelling with a bunch of luggage (rather than backpacks) the extra space was perfect.

We met a bunch of awesome people also staying in the hostel, several of whom we ended up exploring the island and scuba diving with. Everyone was friendly, relaxed and had interesting stories to share. The hostel has some great common areas, including a pool, sun-loungers and a little restaurant, so it's easy to meet other guests. We were fortunate to be around for the hostel's awesome birthday party, featuring a live reggae band, and the guests and hosts often go out together for drinks and dancing. The hostel has deals negotiated with some local businesses, including a big discount at Octopus Dive School for guests.

We've stayed in a lot of hostels over the years, and the thing that makes Roatan Backpackers' stand out to us was our fantastic host, Mel. From the moment we booked, Mel went out of her way to help us out, from arranging a driver to pick us up from the airport to hooking us up with a rental car to explore the island. With Mel's help we quickly got to know how Roatan works, and it was great to know we had someone to ask silly questions about things like transportation, banks and activities. On the last day we found ourselves short on cash (ATMs are in scarce supply on Roatan) and she was even kind enough to give us a free ride to...

I enjoyed my stay at this hostel. It’s not luxurious but you can tell a lot of work and thought went into it. You get exactly what is described and paid for. Bonus for being decently affordable, with on-site dining options (though not really affordable compared to local options like baleadas) and a nice (small but cold!) pool. I got the most value in my stay not in the room, but from the advice and guide books provided by Mel and her team, including estimates for reasonable taxi rates to avoid getting ripped off, and a super useful guide book available online and in person.

My room was a private bedroom with a shared kitchen/bathroom and while it’s hot without AC, the fan made it fine for sleeping. There’s a few small “quality of life” suggestions I’d recommend. The bathroom space being the main centerpiece of this. Like providing a hand towel in there would be nice. And perhaps something to help with the stink of non-flushable toilet paper, or a coverable garbage can.

The staff are all very nice and helpful- it was great to meet the owner Mel briefly. Grocery store is super close & walkable and they’ll have basically any (basic) supplies you need.

Beach access is close, but it’s sadly not ideal for a solo snorkeler (granted, not many places are lol. there is decent boat traffic and the waters a bit cloudy from the turtle grass- the reef was too far of a swim for me to feel safe.) Two brave solo travelers teaming up might have better luck!!! They do provide affordable rental gear ($5).

Overall I’m giving it 4 stars because it meets the expectations I had for it; but lacked a few quality of life things, and they also did not seem to have my reservation on file when I was checking in. I had to pull up emails to prove it- I imagine if it were busier when I visited, this would have been a big issue. I think it’d be easy to improve in those few areas. If I come back to Roatan and need a budget hostel, this place is one of the few options available and I’d...

Mel and her team have did an extraordinary job of building a ambiance of family and community at Sandy Beach on Roatan. You will greated with smiles and open arms! I enjoyed a private cottage that fit my needs for the week I stayed, but I could have stayed longer if I could have and felt I had a home on the island of Roatan. The restaurant is great if you don't feel like cooking. They even offer cooking classes! I had my own kitchen, but the communal kitchen was perfectly stocked as well. The pool area is great for lounging if you don't feel like making the trek to the beach. The best beaches close by are in West Bay. A little touristy, but if you walk down to the Grand Roatan, it is less touristy and the snorkling right off shore from here is amazing! West End is a $1 cab ride away for bars and nightlife. I listened to some great live music and Sundowners. West End also has some good beaches, but not as good as West Bay. There are a couple good restaurants close by the hostel as well and several pulparias. There is also good snorkling within walking distance of the hostel. Large supermarket is within 3 minutes walk from the hostel. If you rent a car, highly recommend making the trek to Camp Bay. The last 5 miles are a bit bumpy but totally worth it when you get there! Great beach for sunbathing, relaxing and just getting away from it all. I could go on and on about how great the stay at Roatan Backpackers Hostel was, but go find out for yourself! Mel is so helpful and accommodating. She knows everything about Roatan and Hondoras and can also give you travel advise about traveling through other parts of Central America. She even arranged for a taxi to pick me up at the airport and then take me back (you pay the taxi driver directly). Mel has really set the bar high for other hostels I have visited and will be visiting. This was trully a 5 star experience in customer service. Thank you...