Belize
 

A great place to stay on Ambergris Cay is the San Pedro Holiday Hotel, a group of four colonial-style houses with cheery pink-and-white trim and seaside ambience. This is the closest that you will get to a resort in the center of town. It is slightly overpriced, but there is an excellent dive shop. Ceili's, on the property, is one of the better restaurants. tel. 011/501-26-2014.

We stayed at Ramon's Village on Ambergris Caye
and had a great time! Ours was not an air-conditioned room which was really not aproblem in Sept. until the last nite when we really were ready to get to civilization.....their restaurant was good for suppers. Elvi's Kitchen downtown was very good,too. Some friends stayed at Victoria House and enjoyed it. Dive facilities at Ramon's were adequate--great dive sites in area.
I suggest day trip up the river to the Altun Ha ruins and lunch at the Maruga Spa and Jungle Resort. Have fun---Ambergris airport was a trip!!!

If you have time on the mainland, I suggest boating to the Mayan ruins at Lamanai, and overnighting at the nearby lodge if you can. Good food. Nice area. Ruins among best uncovered in Belize.

Hi Lois. This past March, I stayed at the Caribbean Villas on Ambergris Caye. I highly recommend this retreat. The staff was very friendly and they are located on the southern stretch of hotels near the center of town. I'm not sure of what size group you're going down there with, but they have rooms starting around $85 to deluxe suites. The Caye was very safe and the streets were of sand. Good excursions to the reef from here. I also suggest checking out www.belize.com/amber.html. This is a great web site on hotels, sightseeing, restaurants. etc.. Enjoy your trip!!

My husband and I stayed at Ramon's Village last year and liked it so much that we leave next week to return. San Pedro is such a delightful town. Great restaurants, snorkling, diving and the people are fabulous. the main form of transportation is golf carts. You will love this part of the world.

Get off ambergris as fast as you can, leave the americanized island and head for real culture and beauty. Caye Caulker and San Ignacio. Take the jungle river ride in San Ignacio and visit the Panti Trail. Stay at Vega Inn on Caulker. You'll love it. If you need more, e-mail. Good Luck!

We are considering a flyfishing trip for bonefish in
Belize. Since you have experience with both Ramon's
Village and with Victoria House--which one would you
recommend? You mentioned that your room at Ramon's
was not air-conditioned. Do they have any rooms that
have air conditioning? I have brochures on both
facilities and want to stay at whichever one is the
nicest and has the best beach/facilities for others
that do not fish that will be going with us. Thanks
for your help! KFW

Ramon's Village does have air-conditioned rooms but you have to specify that you want such. We really enjoyed Ramon's due to location,facilities,food,fun and would stay there again. However, our friends who stayed at Victoria House did say that fishing is the thing at Victoria House and they have THE BRADLEY BROTHERS who do all the water sports from fishing to scuba. It is more remote evidently and no pool but some of their friends go every year and always stay at Victoria and they are fishermen. Tough decision-----I'd personally go with Ramon's unless you really want to be isolated Have fun!

Thanks for the info. It appears that we can't go wrong either way! Thanks again. KW

Forgot to mention be sure to take time to visit the ruins (esp Altun Ha ruin) on mainland---can take an exciting boat trip up the river thru mangroves,etc
and visit the Maruba Jungle Spa and Resort for a different side of life in the jungle....On Ambergris the town of San Pedro has sand streets and food at Eva's Kitchen downtown was good but some hotels have very good food,too (Curry at Ramon's was great ) and the special theme nights are always something to visit at the various hotels (coz there's nothing else to do at night unless you night dive, I guess!!!) Let me know what you all do!

Grant, I'm interested in hearing more about Vega Inn on Caye Caulker. I was thinking about Ambergris but would like to do something different since I've been there many times and would like a little less commercialism.

Was Patti's bar at the split still there. It was being run by ex pat from florida. OJ and Patti

Caulker is a iny place to be. Golf carts instead of cars. Bank open 2 days a week. Food was very good, they have something called fry jacks. Spent 4 days there, if it wasn't for the diving I would have had nothing to do but drink. Prices are about 1/2 of Ambergise