When planning our snorkeling adventure to Roatán Honduras, we narrowed down our resort choices to Infinity Bay or the Mayan Princess Beach and Dive Resort. We eventually settled on the Mayan Princess, and we were glad we did.
Having stayed at numerous Mexican and Caribbean all-inclusive resorts, the Mayan Princess is probably the smallest of the resorts we have visited. With only 49 rooms, there is definitely a different vibe at this vacation destination. If you are hoping for a sprawling estate, lots of restaurant options, numerous pools and lively night life, you may have to look elsewhere. But if you are looking for a more laid back and relaxing getaway in a lush tropical paradise, this might be the place for you.
Granted, we were there in what would be considered late off-season, so the hotel was nowhere near full capacity. Apparently, come January and into the Spring months, things really pick-up at the Mayan Princess. But we certainly had no complaints about the number of guests. Sharing the resort with maybe 40 other people was a nice departure from the usual 1000+ throng we are used to rubbing elbows with at other all-inclusives.
The rooms at the Mayan Princess are pretty amazing compared to other all-inclusive resorts we have visited. More like a small condo – full kitchen, two large bedrooms, large living room and my favorite part – a beautiful covered patio overlooking the jungle environment surrounding the resort. You get great value, especially if you are traveling with your family or a group of friends. And for business travelers like us, the wireless Internet reception is pretty decent too – so you are never too far from the office.
In addition to the great accommodations, the grounds at the Mayan Princess are exceptionally beautiful and very well maintained. Super tropical feel – lots of flowers, trees and manicured hedges and a fun little winding pool with waterfall in the center of it all. Not that we spent much time by the pool with such an awesome beach and snorkeling only yards away. I will provide a separate post covering the amazing snorkeling available – some of the best we have experienced in our lifetime.
One topic of discussion that I frequently came across while researching Roatán was the quantity and quality of the food (or lack-there-of). Not only was this not an issue at the Mayan Princess, it was a strong point.
There’s a delicate balance to providing food at a smaller resort. You don’t really want to make giant heaps of food like you can at bigger all-inclusive resorts, as you don’t have the benefit of large crowds to consume these amounts. So instead at the Mayan Princess, the food is frequently replenished and is super fresh. Kind of refreshing not to see the chicken from the night before in the quesadilla the next day for lunch.
I’m not usually a big fan of buffets, but the food was just outstanding. Great chicken, fish, custom prepared pastas and delicious desserts too. And even with the small crowd, every night at the buffet there was a different theme. Pretty impressive. We ate at the à la carte restaurants twice, and while they were also very good – we actually preferred the buffet. Haven’t been able to say that about any other resort in our travels.
And since the resort is so small, you really get to know the staff. And the people at the Mayan Princess are simply exceptional. Super happy, friendly and attentive – you totally get the impression that they like what they do and they truly want you to enjoy your stay. Not that it mattered to us (I have noticed some negative comments online about language barriers at some Caribbean resorts) – the staff at this resort all speak English exceptionally well – even though we still tried to stumble through using our rudimentary Spanish. Just can’t say enough positive things about the staff at the Mayan Princess. Top notch.
So if you are looking for a nice cozy little resort in Roatán with quality accommodations, great food and excellent customer service, you just can’t go wrong with the Mayan Princess. Especially if your main goal is diving or snorkeling – you will not be disappointed. We will definitely be back. Highly recommended. For now, back to the cage.
