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The Grand Roatán Kimpton Resort quickly became one of our favorite family beach trips. It offers the right mix of relaxed luxury, incredible snorkeling, family-friendly rooms, and a location that makes your trip feel easy from beginning to end. If you are wondering whether this resort is worth it, especially for families, here is everything we loved, what to know before booking, and how we were able to stay here using points.
First Impressions and Overall Feel From the moment we arrived, the Grand Roatán Kimpton felt welcoming, calm, and upscale without being overly formal. The property sits on West Bay Beach, one of the most beautiful areas on the island. The water is clear, the resort layout feels intimate, and the atmosphere strikes the perfect balance between luxury and vacation ease. As parents, we appreciated that it felt elevated but not stressful or judgmental. You can truly relax here.
Rooms Designed for Families One of the reasons this resort works so well for families is that the rooms are thoughtfully designed. There are standard rooms and suites, but the standout option for many families will be the bungalow category. That is where we stayed, and it was exactly what our family of four needed.
Our bungalow had a king bed, a queen pull-out sofa, and plenty of space so no one felt crowded. The layout offered breathing room, a comfortable living space, and easy access to the pool and beach. It felt more like a coastal home than a standard hotel room, which mattered for a family trip. Everyone slept well, everyone had space, and that alone makes a vacation better.
Snorkeling Right at the Resort The snorkeling is what truly makes the Grand Roatán Kimpton exceptional. You do not need a tour. You do not need a boat. You simply walk from the resort into the water and you are immediately surrounded by beautiful coral, clear Caribbean water, and tropical fish. It is calm, swimmable, kid-friendly, and stunning.
We snorkeled multiple times a day because it was free, incredibly easy, and truly world-class. If snorkel access matters to you, this location is outstanding.
Resort Fee: What to Expect Like many Caribbean resorts, there is a daily resort fee. At the Grand Roatán Kimpton, the resort fee is $60 per day. Even when you use points to book, you will still pay this fee. It covers access to amenities, chairs, umbrellas, towels, some recreational equipment, and general resort services. Food, spa, and excursions are not included. It is important to know this ahead of time, and while it is an added cost, the experience the resort delivers makes it feel like part of the overall value.
Fun Extras That Make the Stay Better This resort does a great job offering things that make your experience even more enjoyable. Access to snorkel gear makes it easy to explore. Clear-bottom kayaks are a memorable experience and a fun way to see marine life. Pool floats, sunscreen availability, bug spray access, and thoughtful touches make the stay feel easy instead of stressful. These amenities are all apart of the resort fee.
What We Would Still Pack Even though the resort provides plenty, I recommend bringing reef-safe sunscreen, rash guards for kids, your preferred snorkel mask if you are particular, and aloe because Caribbean sun is strong.
Dining and Location Convenience You can stay completely on-property and be happy, but one of the perks of the Grand Roatán Kimpton is that it is easy to branch out if you want to. We ate dinner at the Sea Cat twice during our stay. The woodfire pizzas were great. You can walk to nearby restaurants, shops, treats, and local spots in the West Bay area. It feels safe, approachable, and convenient. You do not need to rent a car unless you want to explore more of the island.
My husband was offerend multiple welcome drinks during our stay that he took advantage of. There is a nightly drinks and snacks hour that is complimentary, and the pool staff comes around each afternoon with a small snack like a slice of pizza or slice of watermelon. These are all nice little treats that add to the overall enjoyment of the stay.
How We Paid for Our Stay Using Points We booked our stay using IHG points that we earned from opening an IHG Business Card when the welcome bonus was elevated to 200,000 points. Those points covered the majority of our stay. We still paid the daily resort fee and our activities and meals, but using points significantly lowered the cost of the trip and made a luxury stay feel doable.
If you want to learn more about earning and redeeming IHG points, including strategies and value tips, you can read my IHG guide here: Complete Guide to IHG Stays on Points
Why I Recommend This Resort for Families Snorkeling right in front of the resort, spacious and comfortable rooms, a calm and beautiful beach setting, proximity to restaurants and activities, and the ability to book using points make this resort a fantastic option for families. It felt relaxed, easy, and joyful. That is the best review I can give a family trip.
Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
I was researching index funds and happened upon the points and miles community through creators who also post about budgets, financial independence, and investing.
Points and miles allowed those people to travel and work toward financial independence simultaneously.
Thank goodness I got started when I did. The past almost two years of travel have been something we will never forget.
Earning points and miles through credit cards is only a good choice if you have the financial discipline to use them, like cash/debit cards.
Since we started traveling with points and miles, we have had more money going into our investment and savings accounts than ever.