Welcome to Roatan Backpackers Hostel!
We hope you have a wonderful stay! We’ve worked hard to create a little haven that we hope you’ll enjoy. The hostel began in 2011, and is owned by Mel James, a Canadian who has been on the island for several decades, and her two sons, Deo and Auri. We have a friendly little dog named Watchie, our night guard dog at the back of the property, MJ, and a cat named Tortuga . To see bios on our staff and volunteers: just visit our page https://www.roatanbackpackers.com/about-us.html
The office is open 8-7:30 daily. If there is something that isn’t working properly or needs repair or improvement, please let us know right away so that we can take care of it. There is always someone on property at night for any after hour emergencies. The office phone, +50497140413, is set to do not disturb during the night as sometimes we get late night reservation calls, but in an emergency, if you ring 3x in a row, it will break the do not disturb mode. A first aid kit can be found on the office counter if you need to access it.
The communal kitchen is accessible 24/7, with the key left on the office counter if you want to use it after office hours. Please make sure to clean up after yourself when using the kitchen (dishes washed and put away, drain catcher emptied of food scraps, counters wiped down).
The office is open 8-7:30 daily. If there is something that isn’t working properly or needs repair or improvement, please let us know right away so that we can take care of it. There is always someone on property at night for any after hour emergencies. The office phone, +50497140413, is set to do not disturb during the night as sometimes we get late night reservation calls, but in an emergency, if you ring 3x in a row, it will break the do not disturb mode. A first aid kit can be found on the office counter if you need to access it.
The communal kitchen is accessible 24/7, with the key left on the office counter if you want to use it after office hours. Please make sure to clean up after yourself when using the kitchen (dishes washed and put away, drain catcher emptied of food scraps, counters wiped down).
Hostel Common Areas
There are lots of great communal spaces to enjoy at the hostel. Quiet time is 11pm to 7am out of respect to other guests and neighbours. The entire property, including interiors, porches, back porches, lizard lounge, is non-smoking except for the front porch. If you are a smoker and there is another guest that would like to eat at the front porch (which is next to the communal kitchen), we ask that you'd refrain from smoking until they're done. Marijuana is not permitted anywhere on property as it is illegal.
Important Information
EeTOILETS: We are on a septic system, and this means only human waste should go in the toilet. Toilet paper, tampons, condoms cannot be flushed, all of these should be discarded in the garbage can next to the toilet.
CLEANING: Private rooms and apartments are self-catering: once you've checked in, no one will be going into your room until check out, except in an emergency. If you want to take out your garbage, you can put it in the blue bins next to the entry of the hostel. If you need extra garbage bags, toilet paper, matches or anything else, please ask in the office. Recycling (plastic bottles, metal cans and glass bottles only), should be put in the crates located in various spots around the hostel. Compostable material (fruit and vegetable scraps, egg shells, coffee grinds- no meat, bones or dairy please), can be put in the compost bucket of your apartment and left outside the door so that our staff can empty it for you.
ELECTRIC: Electricity on the island is 110, with the same style of plug ins as North America. Our electric rates are very high here- please turn off fans, lights and a/c when you go out (a/c is available in some accommodations and has a surcharge of $10/night if you want to use it). Power outages occur semi-regularly. We have solar lights around property, our internet is connected to primarily solar, and some of our rooms are primarily powered with solar. If the island power goes out and you are in a room with primarily solar, please make sure a/c is turned off until island power is resumed, as the solar power is insufficent to power a/c, and leaving it running will result in the batteries being drained and the power going out completely everywhere, including for the internet.
WATER: Communal water is not safe to drink, but fine for brushing teeth and washing vegetables. We don't sell small bottles of purified water due to the plastic waste, but we have a refill station in the office (10 lemp for up to 1 litre), or sell 20 litre bottles for $4. Shower/washing water is run through a filtration system and reused to irrigate the garden.
INTERNET: We have Starlink as well as a local fibre optic provider for redundancy. Both feed into a mesh system. During power outages, the main connections are connected through solar power, so there is internet, but some of the mesh nodes are on island power and will not work until the power is back, so if you have lost your connection, try switching locations.
SECURITY: Our property is fenced, there are security cameras, a staff member stays on property at night, and we have 2 dogs that help to keep the property secure. Non-hostel guests are not permitted on property after the office closes at 7:30pm. If you would like an overnight guest, please go to the office with your visitor's ID during office hours to register them (depending on the room type, an extra person charge may apply). Belongings should not be left unattended outside on porches.
LAUNDRY: laundry machines at the hostel are for hostel laundry only. Guest laundry can be sent with a laundry service, which is $7.50 for up to 10 lbs (4kg) wash/dry/folded. If you would like to handwash some items, the main laundry lines in front of the office are for hostel use only, but there are some lines that run along the fence that you can use, or most porches also have a laundry line on them.
OFFICE SERVICES: the office can rent you snorkel gear ($5/day), and can also assist with arranging a rental car or scooter, ferry ticket purchases on the Dream, and arranging activities, and taxi transfers to/from airport or ferry. You are welcome to whatsapp the office for assistance as well.
CLEANING: Private rooms and apartments are self-catering: once you've checked in, no one will be going into your room until check out, except in an emergency. If you want to take out your garbage, you can put it in the blue bins next to the entry of the hostel. If you need extra garbage bags, toilet paper, matches or anything else, please ask in the office. Recycling (plastic bottles, metal cans and glass bottles only), should be put in the crates located in various spots around the hostel. Compostable material (fruit and vegetable scraps, egg shells, coffee grinds- no meat, bones or dairy please), can be put in the compost bucket of your apartment and left outside the door so that our staff can empty it for you.
ELECTRIC: Electricity on the island is 110, with the same style of plug ins as North America. Our electric rates are very high here- please turn off fans, lights and a/c when you go out (a/c is available in some accommodations and has a surcharge of $10/night if you want to use it). Power outages occur semi-regularly. We have solar lights around property, our internet is connected to primarily solar, and some of our rooms are primarily powered with solar. If the island power goes out and you are in a room with primarily solar, please make sure a/c is turned off until island power is resumed, as the solar power is insufficent to power a/c, and leaving it running will result in the batteries being drained and the power going out completely everywhere, including for the internet.
WATER: Communal water is not safe to drink, but fine for brushing teeth and washing vegetables. We don't sell small bottles of purified water due to the plastic waste, but we have a refill station in the office (10 lemp for up to 1 litre), or sell 20 litre bottles for $4. Shower/washing water is run through a filtration system and reused to irrigate the garden.
INTERNET: We have Starlink as well as a local fibre optic provider for redundancy. Both feed into a mesh system. During power outages, the main connections are connected through solar power, so there is internet, but some of the mesh nodes are on island power and will not work until the power is back, so if you have lost your connection, try switching locations.
SECURITY: Our property is fenced, there are security cameras, a staff member stays on property at night, and we have 2 dogs that help to keep the property secure. Non-hostel guests are not permitted on property after the office closes at 7:30pm. If you would like an overnight guest, please go to the office with your visitor's ID during office hours to register them (depending on the room type, an extra person charge may apply). Belongings should not be left unattended outside on porches.
LAUNDRY: laundry machines at the hostel are for hostel laundry only. Guest laundry can be sent with a laundry service, which is $7.50 for up to 10 lbs (4kg) wash/dry/folded. If you would like to handwash some items, the main laundry lines in front of the office are for hostel use only, but there are some lines that run along the fence that you can use, or most porches also have a laundry line on them.
OFFICE SERVICES: the office can rent you snorkel gear ($5/day), and can also assist with arranging a rental car or scooter, ferry ticket purchases on the Dream, and arranging activities, and taxi transfers to/from airport or ferry. You are welcome to whatsapp the office for assistance as well.
Other
GROCERIES: There's a grocery store called Ramirez about a 3 min walk from the hostel. The largest supermarket is called Eldons, and has 2 locations, one in Coxen Hole and one in French Harbour. There is a zero plastic bag policy- in each apartment and in the communal kitchen, there are some reusable grocery bags you can take with you.
WORSHIP SERVICES: if you'd like to go to a non-denominational protestant service, you're welcome to come with us on Sunday mornings. There is a Catholic mass in West End or Coxen Hole, and a JW Kingdom Hall in Coxen Hole.
FITNESS: there are some yoga mats you're welcome to use in the cafe by the book exchange. There is a basic gym right next to the grocery store.
MEDICAL: there is an excellent non-profit health care clinic, Clinica Esperanza, located a 5 min walk to the west of the hostel. They offer doctor, dentist and lab services, and medication is included with the doctor visit if needed. There is also a doctor and pharmacy at Anthony's Key, and a pharmacy a 10 min walk to the east of us across from the public school. For middle of the night emergencies, visit either the public hospital in Coxen Hole, or Woods Medical Centre in Coxen Hole.
IMMIGRATION: if you need a visa extension or have an immigration inquiry, the office is located in the Plaza Mar building in Coxen Hole.
BANKING: the closest ATM is just outside of West End at the Petrosun gas station, or at the far east side of Sandy Bay (not walkable) at the BIP Gas station. US$ are accepted everywhere, it's not necessary to go to a bank to exchange.
WORSHIP SERVICES: if you'd like to go to a non-denominational protestant service, you're welcome to come with us on Sunday mornings. There is a Catholic mass in West End or Coxen Hole, and a JW Kingdom Hall in Coxen Hole.
FITNESS: there are some yoga mats you're welcome to use in the cafe by the book exchange. There is a basic gym right next to the grocery store.
MEDICAL: there is an excellent non-profit health care clinic, Clinica Esperanza, located a 5 min walk to the west of the hostel. They offer doctor, dentist and lab services, and medication is included with the doctor visit if needed. There is also a doctor and pharmacy at Anthony's Key, and a pharmacy a 10 min walk to the east of us across from the public school. For middle of the night emergencies, visit either the public hospital in Coxen Hole, or Woods Medical Centre in Coxen Hole.
IMMIGRATION: if you need a visa extension or have an immigration inquiry, the office is located in the Plaza Mar building in Coxen Hole.
BANKING: the closest ATM is just outside of West End at the Petrosun gas station, or at the far east side of Sandy Bay (not walkable) at the BIP Gas station. US$ are accepted everywhere, it's not necessary to go to a bank to exchange.