Parrot Tree Beach Resort Marina

I'll start off by saying the hotel and grounds are quite beautiful. However, it kinda of ends there. When you arrive you receive the weeks itinerary which consists of one activity each day but without any actual information; i.e. where to meet, costs and time required. The activity for the day after your first wake up there - a trip to the grocery store, which cost each person $2.50 each way - you find that out when you leave on the shuttle. Meaningful trip considering you stay in a villa with a kitchen and full range of utensils, cutlery etc. But who wants to cook for themselves when they are only traveling for a week!! The food at the palapa, although very good, was easily the most expensive with the least amount that I found on my travels throughout the island. The resort is located within a gated community which is extremely far of the main road so if you want to explore or see other parts of the island and culture you HAVE to rent a car or get guided transportation. The resort itself offers nothing in this respect but can put you in touch with someone - negotiations required!!! Do not overpay and be wise to find out your options. I was traveling alone and like to experience the culture and life when I'm in new places and found it difficult from this resort; was sort of like being confined to a "resort prison". That said if you prefer to relax and not be bothered by people in a beautiful setting without much else than sunshine, sand and water, this definitely meets that criteria.

Oh and if you like to have a beer; they charge $5 most of the time, a far cry from the 30 to 50 lempiras you pay elsewhere.

Also watch the receipts you get, there's three taxes which includes a 10% service fee. That's supposed to be for the wait staff but it's apparent that they don;t get it and management keeps it so you actually tip twice if you want the servers to get anything craaaazy!!

Just one mans brief opinion. [Details]

The resort is very small with a small and separate reception area and only one restaurant / bar. There is no souvenir shop or convienence store and the nearest supermarket is about 15 min away by taxi making it inevitable that you spend more money at their restaurant (they include tip into the price of your dinner). They do not exchange money at the resort, and no bank or airport on the island will exchange Canadian. The staff had a lack of commutation, including but not limited to us entering our hotel room to find garbage from the previous occupants, no soaps/ towels and no pillow cases. The beach in nice and private but you only have access to a small lagoon that is rather smelly and littered with garbage. No direct access to the open sea as there are small barriers covered in shrubs that prevent you from going over. [Details]