Be prepared. As soon as you exit the ferry on Utila there will be a swarm of people begging to take you around to the hostals and dive shops and offer whatever they can to get you to their place. They are pretty harmless and if you want someone to take you around, it’s not a bad option to just follow along.
Utila Dive Shops
If you’re on Utila, more likely than not, you’re going to give diving a try. And with the deals the dive shops offer, it’s a smart thing to do.
All of the dive shops will provide you with accommodations — either dorm style, or private if there’s one open. Sure they are pretty modest, but it’s free! Every day you dive, you get a free night. When you’re done diving, you can still stay on for $5usd a night. And if you aren’t diving at all $10usd. Each shop has slightly different dorms (all have kitchens), so check them out and see which one suits best. But remember, you’re also choosing for best dive experience too — so the beds aren’t the most important thing. Example: Parrots‘ dorms are among the most basic, but the dive experience there was absolutely stellar!
And if you still would rather stay at a guesthouse in town, most dive shops will offer you a reimbursement of $4 or $5 dollars per night you would have gotten free. So check out the dive shops and see what deals you can figure out. We chose Parrots Dive Shop while we were there, and had an incredible experience.
Hotel Birds of Paradise
We were lucky to have been shown Bird of Paradise by one of the locals. It is a charming guesthouse located right behind Captain Morgan’s Dive Shop going inland straight down from the ferry dock. It is a welcome difference from the other dive shop accommodations. Instead of bare bones barrack style dorms, it consists of eight rooms in an old house with two huge shared bathrooms and one private bathroom upstairs. In the basement there is a big, clean shared kitchen and living area with a television and wifi. We shared a three person bedroom with a fellow tramper and paid $20usd/400 lemps all together, and if you’re dive shop offers accommodation reimbursement like Parrots, you will only be paying about $2.50usd for the days you’re diving.
The rooms are bright with large windows, high ceilings and a fan for every person in the room. The beds are clean and comfortable and even have matching, attractive sheets in each room. Everything is extremely clean and the showers are impeccable – big tile shower stalls with hot water and steady pressure. The woman running the hotel is always running around with her adorable son and is more than willing to help out with any problems or if you need new sheets or a fresh towel.
It’s in a great location, right in the middle of town – an even walk one way or the other for food, diving, swimming, shopping, or internet café. There is a brand new bank right next door as well, so you won’t have to go far to find a functioning ATM (the blue ATM down the road is usually working as well, but it charges a fee whereas the Banco Atlantida ATM does not charge a fee).
At Birds of Paradise you might pay a couple bucks more, but the comforts are well worth it. A perfect place if you have someone to share the room with.
Hotel Utila
Hotel Utila is a nice, quiet sleeping option with a kitchen and great open areas for guests to enjoy. Hotel Utila offers guests access to an awesome private beach with chairs and tables for relaxing, chatting, eating, etc. There is a small, equipped kitchen with refrigerators, and a peaceful seating area with great views of the water. They don’t have hot showers, but they aren’t uncomfortably cold either.
RATES
Dorm rooms with double beds can sleep 1 to 4 people.
Dorm with shared bath: $12usd/1 person : $15usd/2 people : $19usd/3 people : $25usd/ 4 people
Dorm with a television: $16usd/1 person : $20usd/ 2 people : $24usd/ 3 people : $30usd/ 4 people
For a room for one person with a double bed and AC: $35usd .
For two people to share the room, it’s $50usd for the night.
CONTACT
tel: 504-2425-3140 // 504-2425-3340
email: hotelutila@gmail.com
Sandy Bay, Utila
Tramp Note: The rooms upstairs at Hotel Utila are nicer, with more windows and fresh air. And the prices may be a little higher than a tramper would want to pay, but we were able to negotiate.
Hotel Rubi
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Here, let the very accommodating Tony and Rosa know that you found their hotel on BorderTramp, and you can rent a private room for 2 people without AC for $20 USD (normally $35 USD) All rooms have a refrigerator and private baths (but if you require a room with a hot shower it costs $4.00US extra.) An extra person is an extra $5USD. They offer drinking water refills for sale(.75US/Gallon) and have a kitchen for guest use. It’s a wonderful place to stay with a dock from which to view the beautiful sunsets, lay in the sun or to swim from. There is also an easy swim to a shipwreck under the water just off shore. There is a honey moon sweet with a large balcony overlooking the the sea for $35us, 2 people. AC is not a necessary luxury since you have a constant breeze from the ocean. You can have your laundry done here also at a very reasonable price.
CONTACT
Phone: 504 2425 3240
From the USA only you may call free of charge 504-298-0830
Email rubisinn@hotmail.com
Address; Tony & Rosa Rubi
Utila Bay Island, Honduras,C.A,
Apartments
If you’re coming to Utila and thinking about staying a while, it’s probably in your best fiscal interest to ask around about apartments. Affordable rental properties are abundant here and comfortable. The best way to find apartments is to ask in the dive shops. People coming here to do dive master courses most often live in a house or apartment that has a steady rotation of roommates moving in and out.
Just make sure you look around and get plenty of options before settling, because there are plenty of places to choose from.
Take me to EATING//DRINKING : UTILA
Take me back to UTILA // Take me back to HONDURAS // Take me HOME