Belize Yacht Club
 

I am looking for information from anyone who has stayed at or seen the Belize Yacht Club. Looking for nice accommodations with a nice beach.

Gina, <BR> <BR>If nice beaches are your most important requirement, then Ambergris Caye is not for you. The beaches here are narrow, and the bottom grassy -- a trade-off for having the world's second longest barrier reef just offshore (the islets on the reef, however, have awesome beaches). Most hotels have some sand and palm trees, but that's about it. <BR> <BR>However, Belize has lots of other great things to offer. Tours of Mayan ruins, manatee-watching excursions, jungle tours, and the best snorkeling I have ever experienced in 15+ trips to the Caribbean (the boat trip to snorkel with the sharks and stingrays is the most amazing thing I've ever done under the water). <BR> <BR>While I am a confirmed beach-a-holic, these other historical and natural attractions were a fair trade for the lack of beach. The key was managing expectations -- KNOWING before I went that I would not have the beach of my dreams -- and that made all the difference. <BR> <BR>Feel free to e-mail me directly if you have any further quesitons. <BR> <BR>

Eva, although I like to have a nice beach to lie around on, our main reason for picking Belize was the snorkelling. Also, we are very interested in day-trips to the ruins and the jungle. The problem is I'm just not a "sleep-in-the-jungle" kinda-gal. I was brought up on the ocean and to me, it's not a vacation unless I can see the ocean! My other problem is that I am a little bit of a hotel snob. I don't need the Ritz but I am not interested in most of the dive-hotels I've seen either. Any info about decent accommodations on the beach would be appreciated!

Gina, <BR> <BR>Based on what you are saying, Belize (esp. Ambergris Caye) may still work for you. <BR> <BR>As for accomodations, we stayed at Ramon's Village when we went last year. It is considered one of the nicer resorts on Ambergris, and has the nicest beach. Most of the lodgings have thatched roofs to give that tropical feel, but all other modern requirements are there as well -- phone, AC (which I NEVER use), good plumbing, clean, etc. but no television. Some other highly recommended places are Victoria House, Captain Morgan's and Journey's End. <BR>However, if you want to be close to San Pedro, all three of these places are a bit of a trek, either by golf cart or water taxi. Ramon's, on the other hand, is just outside of San Pedro, a funky little village which has restaurants, shops, etc. -- but all with a very laid-back attitude. The streets are "paved" with sand, and the attitude is "No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problem." <BR> <BR>From most hotels, you can take the excursions you seek, many of which combine several elements -- our manatee watching tour also included a beach stop on Goff's Caye, snorkeling in Shark Ray Alley, and a stroll through Caye Caulker. If you would like to read my journal of that trip, visit my website at www.homestead.com/islandtime/MainPage1.html, or if you would like more information, please feel free to e-mail me directly.

Hi there-I have read your postings on Belize accommodations and would like to get in on the discussion! I am like Gina, who is a "hotel snob" (awful to put it that way, but we always stay at the nicest places), but I am also going with my 2 boys ages 12 and 13, and our primary goal is to scuba dive! (we just got certified last summer). I am looking for what you would say is the poshest hotel (hopefully with TV for the kids at night), and convenient for us to dine out you know? Where would we stay to be near the best dive shop, and what IS the best dive shop, does any one know? Thank you SO much!

Look into Placencia, there are a few upscale beachfront inns that might work better for you: Rum Point Inn, Luba Hati and Roberts Grove. Only RG has cable tv in the inn living room. <BR> <BR>If you need cable, then you'll have to stick to Ambergris and mainly the condo-hotels. Victoria House has a great 1, 2 or 3 bdrm house that has cable. <BR> <BR>My favroite dive shop on San Pedro is Amigos Del Mar. <BR> <BR>Katie Valk <BR>Belize