Life has highs and lows, and the hostel industry is no exception. There are very definitive seasons here, with our busy months running from mid-December to end of April and picking up again in July and August, and the off months being May-June, and then really, really slow in Sept-Oct, starting to get a little momentum again in November.
What does low season mean for potential visitors to Roatan? No crowds, no needing to reserve anything well in advance, sometimes better pricing, especially if you're staying around for a few weeks. The downside? Water taxis that go between West End and West Bay need a few people to make it worthwhile, so if you're trying to get down to the beach, you might be waiting awhile (sometimes it's more worthwhile to negotiate an expresso taxi fare with a land taxi), some restaurants close for the slow season, and if you're looking for lots of nightlife, you might find things on the quiet side.
Weather-wise, it's still sunny and hot (very, very hot) in September and the start part of October. Mid-October, our rainy season begins, with the rainiest months being November and December. Rain can be just a brief, heavy dousing, or can be an all-day affair for a few days in a row.
What does low season mean for business owners? Other than tightening up their personal budgets to get through the quiet times with greatly reduced income (some resorts shut down and lay off their employees for a few months), low season also usually is the time to get properties ready for high season, repainting rooms, doing repairs, maintenance and expansion projects. At Roatan Backpackers' Hostel, we've opted to stay open even during the slowest weeks so that backpackers who arrive without a reservation will always find a place to stay, but we spend this period doing lots of projects. Currently, we've been repainting rooms, exterior of the front building, deep cleaning interiors and patio furniture, and working on our latest project, the second cando jr. Low season requires a change in gears to get used to the slower pace, but it's a good time to recharge batteries and get ready for when things go into full swing.
What does low season mean for potential visitors to Roatan? No crowds, no needing to reserve anything well in advance, sometimes better pricing, especially if you're staying around for a few weeks. The downside? Water taxis that go between West End and West Bay need a few people to make it worthwhile, so if you're trying to get down to the beach, you might be waiting awhile (sometimes it's more worthwhile to negotiate an expresso taxi fare with a land taxi), some restaurants close for the slow season, and if you're looking for lots of nightlife, you might find things on the quiet side.
Weather-wise, it's still sunny and hot (very, very hot) in September and the start part of October. Mid-October, our rainy season begins, with the rainiest months being November and December. Rain can be just a brief, heavy dousing, or can be an all-day affair for a few days in a row.
What does low season mean for business owners? Other than tightening up their personal budgets to get through the quiet times with greatly reduced income (some resorts shut down and lay off their employees for a few months), low season also usually is the time to get properties ready for high season, repainting rooms, doing repairs, maintenance and expansion projects. At Roatan Backpackers' Hostel, we've opted to stay open even during the slowest weeks so that backpackers who arrive without a reservation will always find a place to stay, but we spend this period doing lots of projects. Currently, we've been repainting rooms, exterior of the front building, deep cleaning interiors and patio furniture, and working on our latest project, the second cando jr. Low season requires a change in gears to get used to the slower pace, but it's a good time to recharge batteries and get ready for when things go into full swing.
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