Belize Accommodations
 

Hay any help?
Paradise Resort
Mata Chica
Exotic caye
Portifino

Any suggestions?
JOHN

MC and Portofino are both upscale small inns 6 miles up the island from town, a bit more secluded than the other two options. Neither have pools, but both have good dining and good style.

PR and EC are closer to san Pedro town, are larger, more people in the area, have pools and are for people with moderate budgets and want to be closer to town.

Thank You! Have you stayed at Portifino? I have a question about bringing cash. I understand there are no ATM's.
JohnB

There weren't any ATM's that would accept American cards (I don't remember if therer were any at all) in June.

I underestimated the amount of cash to bring and ended up having to go to the bank and get a cash advance on my credit card. Cost $15.00BZ plus the interest the credit card starts to charge immediately. But, it was quick and relatively painless.

I've re-visited all four in the past month or so. I'd guess you're looking for a thatch-type resort. The other four hotels on Ambergris with thatch are Victoria House (the casitas, Ramon's, Captain Morgan's and Hotel del Rio.

Mata Chica and Portofino are both a big step up from Paradise Resort and Exotic Caye. They are on North Ambergris, and getting back and forth to town usually mean a water taxi (US$10 per person each way) or sometimes you can take the hotel's shuttle boat. You can get to these resorts by golf cart, but it's a LONG trip and the little hand-pulled ferry across the river channel (US$2.50 roundtrip for golf cart) stops operating around 8 p.m.

Paradise Resort is probably the best value of the four -- it's an older resort at the north end of town. Exotic Caye is just south of town.

On the question of ATMs: Most banks in Belize do have ATMs (three in San Pedro do) but these ATMs in San Pedro do NOT accept ATM cards issued outside Belize. The offices of Barclays in Belize City, Dangriga and Belmopan do accept foreign ATMs, but those are not practical if you are in San Pedro. As noted, it's easy to get a cash advance on a bank card from most any bank, with the local fees ranging from US$2.50 to $7.50 plus whatever your bank charges.

--Lan Sluder <I wrote San Pedro Cool, the guidebook to Ambergris Caye>