Hi everyone,
What are your opinions on the Omega Lodge nr La Ceiba?
Tourist trap or good value for money?
Book or just turn up on the day?
We are looking to spend approx 2/3 days in surrounding area of La Ceiba before moving onto the Islands. We are interested in Hiking, seeing waterfalls and exploring jungle!
Thanks very much, your help is always extremely appreciated.
Russ
We had a blast at Omega in 2006 and were really impressed by the grounds, guides, food, value. We rafted, rode horses up through mountain villages, and kayaked through Cacao Lagoon to a secluded Caribbean beach. The adventures included lunch, always with incredibly delicious fresh fruit - I can still taste the pineapple we cut up and ate on the beach, it was that good. A few weeks later I hiked to the El Bejuco waterfall with a guide from my Spanish school, also an Omega offering with a local guide and highly recommended. You don't say when you'll be there but if that's where you want to go I'd book ahead. Lodging is free every day you go on an adventure; we paid an extra $15/night to reserve the Creek Cabin and it was a perfect choice for us. There were other travelers there but it wasn't full in July; we couldn't have had the cabin without booking way in advance, though. Photos and travelogue below. Keep us posted!
Bummer, margolu - our experience was completely different. We were there in the summer so the water was high and the rafting was excellent; guides and owners were great, too. Sounds like the prices have gone up, too. The lodge near there is Jungle River Lodge. We considered that one, too, but read some not-so-great reviews so chose Omega. JRL had a rafting death recently in a part of the river the Omega runs don't include - scary reading.
margolu ~ I am sorry to hear you had a bad time.
I was at Omega Jan 2006. I loved the place. I walked up the hill every morning to watch the jungle wake up and the clouds crawl over the canopy. The rafting is NOT for the faint if heart in Jan, plenty of water! . The hike I took was delightful, and Cacao Lagoon was quiet and peaceful. The food was top notch and the company grand indeed. As a matter of fact I made friends there that live in LA I go visit every year now.
My impression of the male owner is he is self - conscious about his English skills. One evening when it was just the two friends I made from LA and I eating dinner, the German guy came down to talk... Very nice guy, direct and honest. The lady was nothing but nice and figured my bill a bit low if anything. (When I was there the bills were all on a honor system, you wrote down in a notebook what you ate, drank and what tours you did). The 1st evening I was there I passed by the “staff table” I asked why they were not eating with the guests. I was told staff is not allow to eat with the guests and after dinner ya have to ask them down to visit with you. The two that decided to join us were all kind of fun and warm.
Interestingly enough, every one I talked to about Ireland and every one since has said you must visit Dingle…you must. “The Dingle area is far superior to Kerry” Thank goodness I had eight weeks to wander and make no hard set plans. Dingle was the ONLY place in the whole of Ireland I was treated with anything other than the best of manners. I had originally though I would stay in Dingle three days..I left the day after leaving thinking perhaps I was having a bad day cause the people were so nasty. Now..I would not recommend Dingle to anyone but I may well be the only person that doesn’t.
Why do I bother you with the above? Cause it doesn’t matter what other people say ..your experience is going to be exactly what it is. There are so many factors that make a vacation a delight including the way the people you meet are feeling about every little thing in there world. Remember what is vacation to you is a job to a lot of others. I worked at guest ranches for 6 summers running, a different bunch of people in every week, learning to ride and going out in the mountains. I had good days and bad ones. I met guests I loved and others I had to grit my teeth to deal with.
I recently hear about the place very close to Omega run by a Honduran family, Alex and his wife. I was having dinner at a friend's place on Roatan, come to find out Alex's sister was also at the gathering. I know nothing about the place but it is very new. Wish I could remember the name of it. I may be able to find out more.
Hmm, seems that would be my 4 cents worth.
Rusty,
We stayed at the Omega Lodge three weeks ago for two nights and it was the most expensive part of our trip. Tabs for meals, drinks, and tours are now kept behind the bar and payment is made upon departure. The German owners were a bit disengaged, but the staff, especially Isabella the bartender and a couple of the guides, were great company. Prices for food and drink are a bit high by Honduran standards, but still pretty inexpensive. They make most of their money on the rafting trips; it's really inexpensive to stay if you do one of their trips. It is probably good to book ahead, and if you pay in anything but lempiras watch how the exchange rate is calculated and your account credited.
It's basically a Gringo hangout...a good place to chill and share your rafting or other adventures with the other guests. A holiday is what you make of it.
Russty,
We stayed at the Omega Lodge three weeks ago for two nights and it was the most expensive part of our trip. Tabs for meals, drinks, and tours are now kept behind the bar and payment is made upon departure. The German owners were a bit disengaged, but the staff, especially Isabella the bartender and a couple of the guides, were great company. Prices for food and drink are a bit high by Honduran standards, but still pretty inexpensive. They make most of their money on the rafting trips; it's really inexpensive to stay if you do one of their trips. It is probably good to book ahead, and if you pay in anything but lempiras watch how the exchange rate is calculated and your account credited.
It's basically a Gringo hangout...a good place to chill and share your rafting or other adventures with the other guests. A holiday is what you make of it.
I just arrived from Honduras last evening. I am very glad to have included a stint at the Omega Lodge, as well as their tours, into my stay -- so much, in fact, that I was prompted to send the Lodge's owners a personal 'thank you.' I've pasted the content below in the event that it might be helpful for you.
Happy travels, Cidney
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Dear Sylvia and Udo,
What can I say? Thank you for making my Honduras vacation so very, very special! Simply put, you are both amazingly talented and wonderful people, and the care and professionalism you and your terrific staff share with every one of your guests is par none.
With the hand-crafted beauty of the Omega Jungle Lodge, so ingeniously luxurious and harmonious in its jungle surroundings, the oh-my-god-I-want-to-stay-forever food (ah, those home-made breads!!!) and the expertly-guided rafting and horseback riding in the midst of a rare paradise, you have created a very, very special asset for Honduras -- and the planet!
Thank you for giving me so many once-in-a-lifetime experiences that I will never, ever forget.
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