Nightlife and Restaurant Help
News from the Honduras Bay Islands and North Coast
04 February 2001
By Pierre Renaldo, The Coastwatcher©

I have been buried under an avalanche of inquiries about where to stay and the good nightlife, best restaurants etc. on Roatan. I have had to hold up answering a multitude of e-mails because I need help from my readers.

Please, those of you who have stayed someplace you liked in West End, or West Bay, or any other part of Roatan. Help me to help others who want to know. Here's the kind of information I would like from you.

That you liked the place you stayed and you thought it offered:
Good value;
Clean accommodations;
Relaxing, secure, quiet atmosphere;
Courteous, helpful staff;
You would go back again;
You would recommend it to your friends.

Tell us of good restaurant experiences:
Clean tables and menus;
Attentive service;
Good wholesome food presented by pleasant efficient servers;
Good value;
Consistent quality on subsequent visits;
You would send your friends there.

Just Send me an e-mail at: elouis@globalnet.hn

Being a resident I do not have first hand information about the resorts since I do not frequent them in my daily life. This is not a food critique column so I hardly ever talk about restaurants unless it is something off beat that I have stumbled across on the mainland. I rarely ever eat out on the island, since I would rather invite friends in, and do the food preparation myself. I'm not the one to ask. Inconsistency in food quality and service, being my pet peeves.

No, I'm not really an introvert, but I am extremely fussy when I dine out, and resort areas are not usually a place to find a shining example of great food and service. I save my explorations for when I go to the mainland, where restaurants have to be better than good to survive. I have reported some recent discoveries to you in past issues of Coastwatcher.

Another deluge has prompted me to ask those of you who have been here before, other FAQ's. What do you consider the best time of year to visit Roatan? So there, I'm asking you for your opinions on some very important subjects, and now here is your chance to have your say.

I want your opinion. You don't have to give your name, or anything, just your opinion. Help! elouis@globalnet.hn

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Still for Sale: The World's Worst Telephone Company

We were really excited for a few days last November when we heard that Mextel (the Mexican Telephone Company) was trying to buy controlling interest of Hondutel, our beloved telephone company. But alas and anon! 'Twas never to be. The Mextel representatives walked out in frustration, never to return.

I have not been able to get any information from anybody who is supposed to be in the know about such things. Nada! So I guess it's all still in limbo. We are graced with yet another month of the usual lackadaisical, inefficient corruption, padded bills and putrid phone service.

The other morning I gave one of the municipal court judges a ride into town, and all he talked about was the long distance phone calls he had had to pay Hondutel because he could not prove he didn't make them. How would you be able to do that anyway? If a civil court judge can't do it, how can I?

Rain, Rain, Go Away!

I hope I don't blow it by commenting too soon, but the sun has been shining more days than not. I didn't say the rainy season is over, so if there is a hex on us, or the rainy season gods are listening, I really didn't say it. Not really.

Besides they have had their shot, big time so far this year, and enough is enough! I am sick of mud. I only said that the sun has been shining a lot lately, and that is a very welcome phenomena.

I have been getting good feedback about the Pico Bonito Eco Tour sponsored by Salt & Pepper Gourmet Club. For you outdoor and hiking buffs, this one is making good impressions on the touring public. You can see it all up close with great professional guides who will not only show you the real nature of nature, but you will have a fun time doing it. See Paul Cleveland, at Salt & Pepper Restaurant, West End Village, above the convenience store, where the paved road ends.

If your thinking of retiring in a third world paradise some day you may want to take a look at:

"How To Survive in Third World Retirement: The Handbook" Just click here: http://www.eroatan.com/cgi-bin/pierre.cgi?handbook

Ciao, Pierre

By Pierre Renaldo, Mountain Coastal S.A,. General Contractors, Construction Management and Construction Consultants.