Sante Wellness and/or Baan Suerte - spa, snorkeling, photos?

Hi all,

I did a few searches and can't quite find the answer I am looking for. I am interested in scheduling some spa services while we are in Roatan and both Sante and Baan Suerte look great. From what I can tell most have had good experiences at both locations.

Questions:

1. Has anyone taken advantage of the snorkeling or other amenities (ie - beach) they offer? If so - how was it? Any photos?

2. What were some of your favorite spa treatments and why?

Thanks!

I cannot speak to the snorkeling as the weather was terrible. However, Sante Wellness Spa is very lovely. A very nice touch is that there is a hot tub right on the water with a lovely place to sit sheltered in case the weather is bad--which unfortunately it was for us. The beach there is not fantastic--that does not mean the snorkeling would not be. We got our beach fix at other places. However, what was nice was being able to enjoy the water and the view in a setting where it could be enjoyed even in the bad weather.

Now what makes Sante Wellness so special is the overall beauty, tranquility, and atmosphere. This is not a huge bustling spa. This is really someone's very lovely home. You will be whisked by water taxi to this beautiful place that is very difficult to describe. I can only say that it is an experience. It is not a treatment, or an activity, it is. . . an experience. From the moment you see the spa, set foot on ground, and ascend the walkway you are somewhat transfixed. Angela very well trained in many treatments, as well as yoga. She will give you a private yoga lesson. The prices are incredible. I had one fo the packages that included massage, aruyveda (not spelled right) head massage, an eye treatment, and a couple of other things. She is unbelievable. My husband had a back treatment and he had no back pain for about 10 days (very unusual). The package I had would have been I know over $300 on the ship, over $200 here at my local yoga center, and there it was only $145. They also serve a lovely fresh lunch--fish right from the water, brown rice, and vegetable--healthy and lovely. You will love jsut sitting there on the porch looking out over the water. There is also a beautiful dipping pool--but again the weather did not warrant this on our trip. I would love to return to experience Sante on a beautiful day. It was actually quite lovely on a rainy day, but a different experience.

You would not like Sante if you like a real cutting edge, modern, busy spa type atmosphere. it is definitely toward the meditative, spiritual, healing type of environment.

Hope this helps. I assume you have been to the web site. I did not go for the chocolate treatments but they certainly sounded intriguing.

yoyocruiser

Thanks for the feedback.

This is exactly what I am looking for - we went ahead and booked Sante for our cruise. Can't wait!

Sante Spa can also provide you with a nice lunch. As the other post mentioned, this is a private home located at Parrot Tree Resort. The couple that own it are a wonderful couple and when we went, my wife had the spa treatment and my daughter and I sat on the large covered balcony overlooking the ocean and relaxed in the hammocks. They have a dozen of so parrots that just hang around. It was a nice relaxing day for us. They also have a hottub along the shoreline and they have a small swimming pool. All of this is available for use if you use their spa services. Enjoy!

Thanks for the feedback.

 

This is exactly what I am looking for - we went ahead and booked Sante for our cruise. Can't wait!

We're going there on our cruise next Friday. Don't know when your cruise is but I will try to post about our experiences there. If anyone is going to be in Honduras on 2.12 and is planning on going to Sante, let me know, I'm thinking safety in numbers as far as the shady cab drivers are concerned.

We're going there on our cruise next Friday. Don't know when your cruise is but I will try to post about our experiences there. If anyone is going to be in Honduras on 2.12 and is planning on going to Sante, let me know, I'm thinking safety in numbers as far as the shady cab drivers are concerned.

Shady cab drivers?? What's up with that?? Did you have a bad experience with a taxi in Roatan? Considering that the islanders know how crucial tourism is to their economy delivering a great experience tends to be very, very important to them.

Angela (owner of Sante) can assist you in arranging for a cab to drive you to the dock where the boat will pick you up - you might want to ask her to coordinate for you.

My2brads,

Actually you will get very detailed instructions from Angela regarding your arrival. She has a contact person that will help to ensure that your taxi assists you to arrive safely and without surplus fees. You will need to print her instructions out and follow them closely. You also want to arrive on time so that she can properly time your treatments.

Our taxi driver was wonderful, offered to stop at various places, let us stop for pictures etc. for the basic rate--I think that through Angela's contact she ensures a basic rate. We of course tipped this person signficantly because he took extra time and care, and he was promptly waiting for us for our return, which we most appreciated.

My2brads,

Actually you will get very detailed instructions from Angela regarding your arrival. She has a contact person that will help to ensure that your taxi assists you to arrive safely and without surplus fees. You will need to print her instructions out and follow them closely. You also want to arrive on time so that she can properly time your treatments.

 

Our taxi driver was wonderful, offered to stop at various places, let us stop for pictures etc. for the basic rate--I think that through Angela's contact she ensures a basic rate. We of course tipped this person signficantly because he took extra time and care, and he was promptly waiting for us for our return, which we most appreciated.

Actually, I think this depends on what Cruise line you are sailing. I checked our confirmation and Angela states that a representative will be there for ships arriving at the Coxen Hole terminal. This is not true for the Mahogany Bay (Carnival) terminal - no contact person for Carnival ships, as far as I can tell.

That being said - Angela still provides you with very detailed instructions on where to go and how to get the best rate for a taxi. We are arriving at Mahogany Bay (March 7th) and I am not concerned at all.

my2brads - please do post your experiences (and try to take some photos if you can). Look forward to hearing about it! :):):)

Oops, sorry to give misleading information. Yes, we did arrive at Coxen Hole. Still I think you will be fine. If you have concerns e-mail Angela and let her know. Obviously her business depends on people being comfortable enough to travel to her, so she will want to do what is needed to make you comfortable.

We are on Carnival going into Mahogany Bay and that is where the concern with the taxi drivers came from. Angela has been more than helpful in communicating with me, however, in her instructions she mentions several times the possibility of getting overcharged for a taxi. She also suggested to me that we leave the Mahogany Bay area and walk over a hill to where the regular taxi drivers are. There are no direct contacts in the terminal, and I think because of Carnival she is not allowed to have someone come directly there and pick us up. I'm sure it will be fine and I have travelled all over the world, but it is her warnings and these boards that have made me a bit nervous. And of course there is always the worry the driver won't come back in time as our stay at this port is short and with the time change it gives us limited time for error.

Hi All,

My partner and I will be doing a day trip to Sante when we arrive in Roatan in about 3 weeks. Based on the information shared by yoyocruiser and proy, it sounds like we are in for a wonderfully relaxing day at Sante. We've received our highly detailed instructions from Angela and fortunately we will be docking in Coxen Hole.

In her instructions, Angela asked that we call Sante when we are leaving the dock area. Does Angela's contact have a phone that he would be able to call Sante for us?

my2brads, I can hardly wait to hear about your experience.

Thanks to everyone for the shared info.

Regards,

Gregg,

I think all the taxi drivers have cell phones - ours was very happy to call Angela for us to have her send the boat. We docked at Mahogany Bay, so just got a driver out of the taxi pool, but he was fabulous. His name was Oscar and he spoke perfect English, was very helpful and polite and was waiting for us at exactly the time we asked. Angela was going to have him pick up a group for her the next day because we gave him such a great review.

There is also a call box at the marina at Parrot Tree - you can always call from there if your driver doesn't have a cell phone. It's only a 5 minute max boat ride, so you won't have to wait long.

We had the best day ever - truly a wonderful experience I've never duplicated either on ship or at any other resort. I know you will love your day there!

Cathy

Thanks Cathy,

Goodness knows we both are looking forward to a stressless and relaxing day and knowing that this should be achieve in a short time makes the wait bearable.

Thanks again.

I spoke with Angela today and she told me the problem with the cab drivers at Mahogany Bay seems to be sorting itself out. She had people get a taxi from within the cruise terminal (just specify Zone C, which is where Parrot Tree Plantation is) last week for 15-20 dollars per person round trip which is what you should be paying. I can't wait to go visit Sante, and I'll be sure to post all about it, and how we got there, when we get back!

I spoke with Angela today and she told me the problem with the cab drivers at Mahogany Bay seems to be sorting itself out. She had people get a taxi from within the cruise terminal (just specify Zone C, which is where Parrot Tree Plantation is) last week for 15-20 dollars per person round trip which is what you should be paying. I can't wait to go visit Sante, and I'll be sure to post all about it, and how we got there, when we get back!

That's great to hear - can't wait to hear about your experience. And I just noticed you are a fellow Clevelander! Hi neighbor :)

We were just there on the 26th of January and our ship docked in Mahogany Bay. We walked right up to the taxi area, told them where we needed to go and told them that we would pay $15 per person...there were four of us. The attendant didn't even bat an eye. He explained our rate to the taxi driver and we were off. I think as long as you know what the correct fee is, then you won't have any problems. Also, the taxi driver did not speak English, but my husband speaks Spanish and so we were able to borrow his cell phone to notify Angela that we were on our way. Leon was right there at the dock ready to pick us up when we arrived. Incidentally, the drive only took about 15 to 20 minutes.

Oops, I forgot to answer the question about the Snorkeling and Beach. We were at Sante on the 26th of January and the snorkeling was absolutely beautiful. Leon took us out in his boat to the reef area and then we just snorkeled our way back to their beach. The reef wall was amazing with a huge drop-off of deep ocean just beyond. There were not too many fish, but we did see a baracuda and a few different schools. Personally, I prefer snorkeling over a beautiful reef rather than just around a lot of fish so it was exactly what I wanted. The beach at Sante was also very beautiful and well kept...they had an employee raking and cleaning the grounds the entire time we were there. Sorry, we didn't get any photos, but I know that if you choose Sante you will not be dissappointed.

Also, my husband and I both had the massage, but now that I look back on it, I wish I had booked a package deal. One that included a facial or perhaps a wrap as well as the massage. The prices at Sante were so reasonable and the ship's prices were painful once we were back on board. I hope you have a fabulous time!

Best snorkeling ever was at Sante.

Check it out

http://community.webshots.com/album/558469991kYNBNI

http://community.webshots.com/album/559028870JdQACC

__________________

I was just in Roatan April 13/10, and visited Spa Baan Suerte with my husband. He did a 90 min massage in a palapa & really enjoyed the most relaxing massage ever.

I did the Mayan Mud Wrap. I've had mud wraps before, but had a skin reaction to the ingredients, resulting in a tingling, then stinging, then burning sensation. After risining off, my skin was red & hot (like a sunburn) in a couple of areas. Fortunately we put some real aloe vera on & it subsided so that we could continue. But the next day, I realized that there was an actual burn in a couple of small parts of my body. It's not their fault; it can happen to anyone any time, but just be aware & review the ingredients to see if you know of any potential allergic reactions. Even tho' the ingredients are all natural, it doesn't necessarily mean it's hypo-allergenic. Regardless, I would still highly recommend a visit.

It was one of the prettiest, lush & peaceful places I have ever visited. You can hear the birds calling while having your treatments. There is also a pool & small deck for your use.

Naedina is the proprietor & I think she's actually American and very helpful via email. They take credit cards too.

The cab ride would have been $15 per person to get there, but we wanted to also go to West Beach afterwards, so the taxi folks asked for $25 each & we got down to $45 for two. The cab driver stays with you all day.

I chose this place instead of Sante only because there was one less boat ride to take; I didn't explore the grounds much as we wanted to go to a separate beach.

One note, our ship was really late but they knew all about it (word travels fast) and it wasn't a problem. Our ship time was 1 hour faster than land time.

My friend and i returned last week from our Crown Princess cruise with a stop in Roatan (Apr 27) and we enjoyed a relaxing, serene day at Sante!

The taxi dispatcher called ahead to let Angela and Leon know we were leaving Mahogany Bay so we could be met at the dock. We had a short taxi ride about 20mins and saw a little of Roatan as we made our way to Parrot Tree Plantation a gated community where Sante is located. The Spa/House are located on the tip of the land but does not have road access to the Spa which keeps her location quiet and serene. We were picked up at a small dock by Leon and boated across the inlet to the Spa(5mins).

Leon showed us around the house and grounds(lovely) and introduced us to Angela and some young girls who were staying as overnight clients.

As my friend and I were having the same Spa treatments we were let outside to a Papala and had them together with the sound of the waves and the zen music in the background it was truly bliss! The weather that day was 41C(over 100f) with absolutely no breeze but out by the water having our treatments the temp was perfect and comfortable! Best massage ever!

After our massages we had lunch on the upper balcony with Grilled shrimp, rice and salad. yum! And a nice cold beer to top it off, after all it was 41C that day!

We later cooled off in the plunge pool and looked around the grounds of Angela and Leons home before heading back to the ship.

This was a "destination" that truly allows you to relax and unwind if only for the day!

My wife and I visited Sante on July 23. The spa was one of our highlights of our cruise on the Celebrity Solstice.

Sorry in advance - this may get a little long.

We were a little worried about the taxi situation, but it went flawlessly. When we entered the taxi area, I found the man that Angela told us to look for (note - he doesn't wear a name tag and is not in "uniform" so just ask for him). He made 2 phone calls - one to Angela to let her know we were heading that way and one to a driver that would take us. Leon was waiting for us when we made it to the dock and set up the return time with the driver (he was there waiting for us when got back with Leon).

We took the water taxi to Sante and found a beautiful refuge. From the minute we walked into their home, we knew we had made a good choice.

We each had a 1 hr massage - both of us had a great experience. I've had several massages at chain spa's; my wife has had many more.....the massages that we both received were as good if not better than any we have had before. After the massages we sat on the dock and enjoyed the hot tub overlooking the bay. Great views! We decided to try the snorkling - neither of us are big snorklers, but it seemed silly not to do it. We were able to get equipment from Leon. WOW!!!! It felt like we were swimming in an aquarium. We saw so many fish, with so many colors....awesome experience. The only thing I would have done differently is have Leon take us out to the reef instead of walk/swim out there. After snorkling we enjoyed the cold plunge pool and pool deck. It was a nice way to finish off the morning.

I loved their big parrot that squawked, "Hola" and "Hello" every time anyone walked past it.

We are very happy we decided to go to Sante. It was a tremendously relaxing experience. If we ever return to Roatan, there is NO doubt we will be heading back to Sante.

If you have any questions regarding the transportation that I didn't answer, I'd be happy to try and answer.

Ryan

my day was prefect too. the only thing wrong with it that we could of stayed about an hour longer and made the ship on time. so plan on the extra time there to enjoy everything including the lunch.

not sure if Leon can take you to the reef due to the shells and coral.. love that idea!:D

rebooked for this jan.