What In The Heck Is Up With Little French Key in Roatan?

[Host Carolyn]

My son lives on Roatan...let me check with him. 

[smokeybandit]

So some extremely disgruntled former owners are doing their best to show their frustrations and seem to have some government allies in the process.

 

That'd be a quick cease and desist order in the US

Edited May 2, 2022 by smokeybandit

[bluegirlum]

Their instagram page has been crazy in the past few weeks.  The whole thing is so strange!

[crewsweeper]

LFK has always had run-ins with others on the island. There was a big blow out several years ago between them and the owners of Anthony's Key and Maya Key over animals.  Frequent changes of ownership or management too.  DW and SIL went there once many years ago before the ruckus and enjoyed it but wouldn't go back.

[mitsugirly]

This is just my take on it. I have been to LFK multiple times and met both owners, Larissa and Kevah. He seems like a very nice man and took a lot of time to talk to me. I am friends with him on his personal FB page and also the LFK page. I know him and his wife split up A few years ago and it has been a nasty mess since then. From things I have read online it has been a nasty divorce with him being unable to see his children and she moved back to the United States in California. I had recently read that she gained control of LFK and I believe that he is disgruntled and probably has control over the FB page, LFK, TripAdvisor, and of course he is posting the pictures of the fire from his personal page. Just my thoughts, he is trying to drive away customers and causing the issues. I have also read they deported him back to the US  and are awaiting trial for evasion of taxes from something that happened back when he lived in the US, which resulted in him moving out of the country and landed him in Roatan. Just my thoughts, things that I have read (which can be found online including court documents ), And of course I have no proof other than what I read.

[chriscec2012]

We just visited last week, spoke with the owner (lady) and Joel Silverman the GM, they are open fully and everything for us was great. It was a bad situation in the divorce but relax and be rest assured LFK is open just like it’s always been with no issues. Smaller crowd last week but that made it all the more enjoyable. 
 

Gen. Mgr. Joel Silverman 346-304-8923

[disneyfan551]

On 5/8/2022 at 11:10 PM, chriscec2012 said:

We just visited last week, spoke with the owner (lady) and Joel Silverman the GM, they are open fully and everything for us was great. It was a bad situation in the divorce but relax and be rest assured LFK is open just like it’s always been with no issues. Smaller crowd last week but that made it all the more enjoyable. 
 

Gen. Mgr. Joel Silverman 346-304-8923

Thanks for the recent review.  I can't decide if I should book ahead of time, or wait until we arrive, due to the current situation.  I just can't imagine going to Roatan and NOT going to LFK.  It's one of our faves!

[nydney1]

We are booked and paid in full. Hopefully it will all work out

[dman77720]

I’m not sure what to believe , but I emailed Larissa after she sent that email and she said to pay when I arrive as the web site money is being embezzled, IDK but I did report my previous booking to my credit card and will figure out what I do when we arrive.

[mitsugirly]

The "original owners" are Kevah and Larissa (married couple) and they were both operating LFK back when I was going. They split up, divorced and she has been fighting to get ownership of it. He has been running it the entire time. She now has ownership of LFK again and he is fighting back by posting all the fire pictures (both on LFK page and his own) to try to deter people from going there and her running the business. 

 

It's a divorce gone bad. He's out for revenge now that she took it from him. 

[#01 Racing Wife]

My husband and I went to LFK during our cruise on the Mardi Gras the week of 04/30. And let me say LFK is just as beautiful if not more than ever!! 
The food was some of the best jerk chicken we have ever had, the drinks were so delicious too! All of the employees are pretty much the same that was there last year when we went in August with some exceptions but they seem so much more happier and upbeat!! 
Just for clarification there are no burned buildings, no armed guards with AK or big guns walking around. (They do have security guards at the entrance) It’s very very clean and very safe. We spent an entire day there, from the time it opened (we were the 2nd couple in the gate) until less than hour to leave port and never one time felt uneasy! 
This is one port you will feel like you could stay forever. I’d move tomorrow!!
The new owner was actually there telling everyone thank you for coming and spending the day, saying hello & working along with the GM, Joel. We met our taxi driver Ernie who had picked us up in August and he took us both ways. I am actually friends with all of them on FB now and stay in contact. 
Please do your research, look on FB with public searches at people who are there week after week, ask the staff on the ships (the day we were there almost all of the entertainment staff and staff from the shops were there, so if the ship staff goes you know it must be safe!!), post in your roll call fb groups…. I give you my word & promise you, that you will have the best day on your whole trip there! It’s the best $70 per person we spent and that included transportation to LFK from the port (plus tips of course for the driver & waiter). Of course they have other options to pay less or more with so many activities. I believe to add the sloths was only like $20-30 I can’t remember exactly, but anyone needing information or wanting the name of the driver who we’ve used every time (Ernie is what we call him) please lmk and I’ll be glad to pass it along!! 
 

The previous owner is trying to sabotage everything such as their FB & social media along with their travel sites and website! So contact them direct if you must, they welcome you too. They are wanting to build LFK to what it was many years ago and must have our support to do so! Please let’s don’t let this beautiful place go to waste!! Plus she is doing all she can to relocate all of the exotic animals to get them out of cages!!! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest 2000]

From what I gather... Larissa is doing her level best to get things back on track... unfortuniuety she is having to battle her exhusband (Kevah). If Cruise Critic allows... this ARTICLE shows just what kind of man Kevah is. 

 

Little French Key under Kevah had a long nasty history of animal and enviromental abuse. The fire and sieges for desperate animals was years ago.

 

I am hopful Larissa and her team can find a way to make the place less about animal abuse and more about fun in the sun. 

 

 

[mitsugirly]

1 hour ago, Guest 2000 said:

From what I gather... Larissa is doing her level best to get things back on track... unfortuniuety she is having to battle her exhusband (Kevah). If Cruise Critic allows... this ARTICLE shows just what kind of man Kevah is. 

 

Little French Key under Kevah had a long nasty history of animal and enviromental abuse. The fire and sieges for desperate animals was years ago.

 

I am hopful Larissa and her team can find a way to make the place less about animal abuse and more about fun in the sun. 

 

 

 

That article was insane. I had read a lot of this here and there online but wow! I really don't know why they need the animals at all. That places is heaven just for its surroundings...no animals needed! I don't think they would really lose money if they got rid of the animals. I wish Larissa all the best. It's too bad she has to deal with this. I thought he was such a nice man when we met him, but then again, he was still married and living there with her at the time.

[SarahinCA]

Does anyone know if they still take the Jaguar in the water for photo ops with people? Freaked me out when I was that in 2015. Only thing I didn’t like about it. 

[Ellaleah]

The last post here is 9/27/22.  Any more current info?  Has anyone ever done the “ Swimming with pigs” that is offered as an “add-on?”  We are going to Roatan around Xmas and I have a day planned with Rony’s.  I guess that this would be an either/ or situation as one would need to take a boat to LFK.  I’ll be appreciative of any info you might be able to provide.  Thank You

[yourvenezolano]

On 10/24/2022 at 12:07 PM, Ellaleah said:

The last post here is 9/27/22.  Any more current info?  Has anyone ever done the “ Swimming with pigs” that is offered as an “add-on?”  We are going to Roatan around Xmas and I have a day planned with Rony’s.  I guess that this would be an either/ or situation as one would need to take a boat to LFK.  I’ll be appreciative of any info you might be able to provide.  Thank You

Did you book LFK? If so, which site is the legit one?

[mitsugirly]

On 11/4/2022 at 3:16 PM, yourvenezolano said:

Did you book LFK? If so, which site is the legit one?

Their official website by the wife (owner) is HERE  their official fb is called Little French Key Resort -LFK (not the others which is still under control by the ex husband). You could also reach out to Larissa on there.

[wolft927]

On 10/24/2022 at 1:07 PM, Ellaleah said:

The last post here is 9/27/22.  Any more current info?  Has anyone ever done the “ Swimming with pigs” that is offered as an “add-on?”  We are going to Roatan around Xmas and I have a day planned with Rony’s.  I guess that this would be an either/ or situation as one would need to take a boat to LFK.  I’ll be appreciative of any info you might be able to provide.  Thank You

I have done the swimming with the pigs, it was fun! $20 per person, they took lots and lots of pictures 

[Taylor2018]

Anyone been to LFK in past month or so?  This whole situation seems so sketchy, trying to decide if I should take my family of 5 there when we cruise in a couple months.  

[wolft927]

1 minute ago, Taylor2018 said:

Anyone been to LFK in past month or so?  This whole situation seems so sketchy, trying to decide if I should take my family of 5 there when we cruise in a couple months.  

I am wondering as well!!!! We are going in April and want to go again taking our daughter and her friend but not looking for anything bad

[llarsen]

On 1/5/2023 at 4:36 PM, wolft927 said:

I am wondering as well!!!! We are going in April and want to go again taking our daughter and her friend but not looking for anything bad

Hi,

My husband and I will be going to Little French Key next month on our cruise while in Roatan.

I was nervous reading some of the things going on with the website and FB page...until I emailed the owner Larissa.

She replied very quickly to my email and also provided her website link  littlefrenchkeyresort.com 

little french key resort dot com

Also see post #42 for contact info.

I also read recent reviews on a website (trust index dot io) that were positive reviews.