I rented one of the top apartments at The Gardens of Utilahomeaway for the month of May in 2015. The building is up the hill from the main drag so it’s close to the action without being in the middle of it. In other words, you can get a good night’s sleep here. The owners, Tony and Jo, are great. They have lived on Utila for years and they know everybody. If you need something, they will either get it for you, or know someone who can. Need a restaurant or dive shop recommendation? Talk to Tony and Jo. They were also wonderful when I got sick, stopping in to check on me and bringing electrolyte solution and Ensure to keep my strength up. Really sweet people.
The apartment itself was perfect. It was a one bedroom with ensuite bathroom and a full kitchen. I never turned on the AC since electricity is so expensive on the island, but each room did have a ceiling fan. Cross-breezes through the open windows also helped keep the heat down. The bed was comfortable and Blanca came in once a week to clean. Water isn’t free but it is pretty cheap and you can arrange with Tony and Jo to have it delivered by the jug as needed. Likewise with electricity. It is not part of the rent. You pay for what you use, which is great motivation to not leave the AC running all day while you’re on the beach. There is a meter in the apartment that shows how many KwH are available. Just give money to Blanca or Tony & Jo when the meter balance gets low and they will top off the account. Just for comparison sake, I used about 6 KwH a day on average, which equated to ~ $3/day.
Keep in mind that you are on an island in Honduras, so you have to set your expectations accordingly. Over the course of the month, there were electrical outages at least weekly, some lasting up to 6 hours. Also, the wi-fi could be frustratingly slow. Like I said, Utila is not 1st world so you can’t expect a 1st world infrastructure. That said, it is still a lovely place to relax and do some diving, and The Gardens is a great place to lay your head at the end of the day.