Luxury arrives in Roatan

get a serious boost on March 1 when luxury resort, spa, private villa complex and golf community Las Verandas Hotel and Villas opens.

Upon soft opening the resort will have Palapa Bar & Restaurant, two infinity edge pools, 1,000 feet of private beach and six villas providing 12 large bedroom accommodations with views of the Caribbean sea.

Also ready for guests will be the island’s first championship golf course, The Black Pearl, which is an 18-hole, 7,200-yard course.

In July, five more villas and 36 rooms & suites will open along with a new restaurant and bar. Ultimately, Las Verandas Hotel and Villas will offer guests 60 luxury rooms and suites, 32 free-standing villas and a 6,000 square foot destination spa.

The development is a joint venture between Pan Caribbean Capital Partners, a privately held Houston based investment partnership, and Destination Resorts which is headed by J. William Sharman, Jr. who was an original founder of Small Luxury Hotels of the World.

He said: “Even by Caribbean standards, Roatán is a cut above.

“As a lush island with white sand beaches, serene turquoise waters and balmy weather, Roatán brings new meaning to the term tropical paradise.

“We are excited to open the first premier, luxury resort, spa and private villa complex in Roatán to cater to discerning travellers exploring the attractions of the island.”

Las Verandas Hotel & Villas is surrounded by rainforest-covered hills, white sand beaches and sits on the north shore with the Mesoamerican Reef nearby.

The resort is 15 minutes from Roatán International Airport and flights from the UK depart daily via Houston, Miami, and Atlanta with a 2 hour onward connection.

Alternatively Air Italy offers a Sunday weekly direct charter flight from Milan to Roatán. Flights via Madrid are also available into San Salvador, El Salvador and onward to San Pedro Sula in