China Palace in French Harbor

We have a new place to pig out in Roatan. China Palace is open in French Harbor and after 2 visits I am ready for my review.

The owners came over from Tegucigalpa where the same family has another location. The dining room has a dozen or so tables and 3 or 4 tv's that will be turned up very loud (typical of Honduras). There is also a huge fish tank with nothing in it. So as you can tell your not going because of the ambience but frankly its not too bad and its clean.

The menu is fairly long but beware all items are sized for a portion to feed four hungry adults. So if you go alone you are going to have left overs and lots of them.

So far my favorite thing has been the wonton soup. Lots of veggies and very tasty. I also liked the fried rice and was satisfied by the chop suey. The sweet and sour chicken was not great and I was dissapointed that there was no spicy chicken or General Tsos chicken.

The funniest thing is no soy sauce but they did have worcester sauce on every table which I found odd. Prices are very reasonable and since its our only Chineese rest. it will have to do.

Nikki Beach to openin Roatan

Last week I went to a Nikki Beach party for local Real Estate Brokers. The plans and vision of this 5 star hotel are very impressive. I look forward to it opening and Roatan reaching another level of service and style.

Here is a little press release on the project. If you know anyone that is interested in the project let me know as we can help them here in our office.


Nikki Beach Resort to Open in Honduras



MAY 14, 2008. Nikki Beach Hotels & Resorts has announced that the Caribbean island of Roatan is the latest location chosen to become home to an ultra-exclusive Nikki Beach Resort & Spa. Scheduled to open in fall 2010, Nikki Beach Resort & Spa Roatan located in Honduras’ stunning Bay Islands will deliver over-the-top luxury and the brand’s signature Nikki style with more than 100 luxury suites, penthouses and ocean view villas; a lavish spa; a mega-yacht marina and an 11-acre interactive nature park and reserve.

Roatan has been recognized by the New York Times and CNN Money as one of the world’s top up-and-coming travel destinations and Nikki Beach Resort & Spa will create a private enclave where jet setters can experience the island’s natural beauty and sparkling waters along with Nikki Beach’s unsurpassed entertainment. The resort will be the centerpiece of Blue Ocean Reef, an exclusive 90-acre development bordered by 2500 linear feet of white sand beaches. For guests interested in an equal balance of nightlife and wildlife, the resort area is surrounded by the world’s second largest barrier reef offering spectacular diving and snorkeling. The on-site nature park and reserve is home to more than 20 species of exotic native animals.

“Over the last five years, I’ve had the pleasure of traveling the Caribbean in search of a magical place to create the next world-class luxury resort destination. When I first laid eyes on Roatan, its natural beauty captivated me, and I knew the island presented a one-of-a-kind opportunity,” said Todd S. Murray, developer of Nikki Beach Resort Roatan. “With TradeMark Developers, LPA International, Pluribus and Nikki Beach leading the way, we are well positioned to launch a project that will truly be a new luxury standard in the region.”

At Nikki Beach, every guest is a VIP; incomparable service and chic, luxurious amenities are the hallmarks of the resort experience. A personal assistant will greet guests upon check-in with a glass of champagne and will be available around the clock during their stay. Guests wanting to see and be seen will be able to lounge at the infinity pool, enjoy bottle service from the shade of Nikki Beach’s signature opium beds, indulge in global cuisine at Café Nikki and capture the spirit of Honduras while dancing to Nikki music at the high-energy Ultra Lounge.

“The pristine natural beauty of Roatan and its status among those in the know make this location a natural fit for Nikki Beach,” said Gary Sims, president of Nikki Beach Hotels & Resorts. “We look forward to welcoming our guests to this magnificent Caribbean playground where they will be able to combine adventure with indulgence for a diverse and unique experience.”

“Nikki Beach Resort and Spa is Roatan’s most exclusive and ambitious development to date, and it provides a tremendous economic opportunity for the entire country of Honduras,” said Josh Murray, Blue Ocean Reef principal and director of sales and marketing. “The glamour, style, first-class dining and incredible energy that Nikki Beach is known for will help us cement Roatan’s status as an in-demand destination for the upscale, international traveler.”

Meet Heston

This is Heston. Heston is a electronics and appliance repair guy and also does some alarm installations. he is a real life saver when your down here trying to get things fixed.

We use Heston at work to repair TV's, DVD's, Dishwashers, Fridges, Stoves, Dryers, Washing Machines, Alarms etc and the man can get the job done and is reasonable in his prices and by island standards incredibly quick to respond. Part of his response time is on us however since he does not have a car and we often have to go pick him up or meet his cab etc but thats ok.

Earlier this year Heston told me he was moving to his own shop. He had bought some land and built a small building. We had our truck and guys help move him and all his stuff (junk may be another good word). I finally got over this week to take a look at his operation and was amazed at the amount of work he was pushing out of the small facility.

As you can see in the pictures we have the shop exterior and interior and also the pile of circuit boards that are ready for the dump.

Another thing I learned about Heston is he is a Blues Man. Having lived in the states he aquired a love of Blues Music and since then we have been sharing CD's etc. In fact Heston and I are planning a Blues and BBQ party sometime soon.

Although he loves the blues Heston will be the first to tell you he has a good life with a few kids and a wife. Hestons wife is an RN and manages the nurses at the Roatan Public Hospital.

I just want to take this blog to thank Heston for all the hard work and repairs he has done. It really has helped our company.