My boyfriend and I are wanting to stay in Belize for about 2 or 3 weeks, and I am looking for the cheapest way to go. I have found a great fare, but I have never been there before, so I don't really know what to expect. <BR> <BR>I'd appreciate any suggestions on inexpensive places to stay, perhaps one with a kitchenette, and places to go. <BR> <BR>Thanks a lot!

We stayed at Ruby's hotel in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye. We were there a couple of years ago and I think we paid about $25 /night. It's a budget hotel, but we were really pleased with it. The one thing to keep in mind is that all the rooms are different - some are probably pretty confined, but it was fine - we had a good cross breeze and we were happy with ours. (That was important - it was very very hot there.) The people who own the hotel were very nice. I am sure they have a web site - if you're interested and can't find it, let me know and I can try to dig up the card I have on them. We were more or less in town, but I was pleased with the location.

Iwas in Belize two years ago and was not impressed. I woud pick Costa Rica hands down.

I agree wholeheartedly with the second poster. We were in Belize over Christmas and were not impressed in the least - expensive, not much to do, completely devoid of local culture, terrible food, non-existent swimming, whatever there is available to do is really expensive (tours, diving, fishing, etc). <BR> <BR>However, we did stay at a fabulous new hotel/condo development on the beach in Ambergris Caye called the Banana Beach Hotel. Everything was brand spanking new with a kitchenette. Owners from Montana were extremely helpful. We paid $80/night for an ocean-view suite.

go to site "ambergis caye" every business has a site here, all hotels & most rates. once you get to know the people you will keep going back.Fantastic food , try the Lions Den bbcue on Fri & Sat.)all rest. good.even carts on main street. Paradise villas & Rocks also have kitchenettes.

After trying repeatedly to post a message I am posting a reply to yours in hopes that someone will read this and answer my question about the Seven Seas who shows a rate $66.50 if you book direct with them. Iwant to hear from anyone that has stayed there. I'm @: [email protected] THANKS

I'm not sure what the two dissapointed posters were expecting to find in Belize. If you're looking for the kind of vacation you can take in Las Vegas or Miami, save the air fare and go there instead. If $1200 a week for a two people in a condo on the beach including 2 Scuba dives a day seems expensive, then scratch Vegas and Miami as well. If you can't find anything to do when there are Mayan ruins to investigate, jungle rivers to canoe, and some of the best Scuba diving in the world, I'd say the problem is more with you than the destination.

Belize covers a good bit of territory, so it's not possible to list all the good, safe budget hotels in the country in a brief message, but here are a few. Most of these have rooms for US$30 or less, especially off-season when you're going, but a few are more than that. <BR> <BR>Ambergris Caye: Ruby's, San Pedrano, Hideaway <BR> <BR>Caye Caulker: Just about any hotel is budget. Some of the best include Tom's, Trends Beach Hotel, Seaside Cabanas, Seaview, Tree Tops, lots of others. <BR> <BR>Placencia: Deb & Dave's Last Resort, Tradewinds <BR> <BR>Hopkins: Beya Tipple Tree Inn <BR> <BR>Cayo: Aguada, Trek Stop, Martha's, Venus <BR> <BR>Belize City: Seaside, Downtown, Freddie's <BR> <BR>Corozal Town: Downtown Guest House, Nestor's, Hok'ol K'in, Smuggler's Den <BR> <BR>PG: William Tate's Guesthouse <BR> <BR>--Lan Sluder <BR>Belize First Magazine

"Unimpressed" Michelle -- <BR> <BR>Were you in Belize, or were you just on Ambergris Caye? If you actually travel in Belize, you'd find a wealth of local culture -- Garifuna, Maya, Creole and Mestizo, not to mention the least touristy ruins in the region, wonderful diving and snorkeling (and even swimming, if you knew where to go), world-class jungle lodges, some of the best birding and animal spotting in the hemisphere, just to name a few things. <BR> <BR>--Lan Sluder <BR> <BR>I do agree, though, about Banana Beach. Good spot, and a good value.

As between Costa Rica and Belize, I've been traveling to Costa Rica since 1982, longer than to Belize. I agree that Costa Rica is wonderful, but so is Belize. The two have a few similarities -- great birding and wildlife spotting,f or example, but in most ways are different. <BR> <BR>Costa Rica has better beaches, more dramatic scenery (on land, that is) and a much larger and more "sophisticated" urban area. <BR> <BR>But Belize has wonderful Maya ruins, a more diverse multicultural society, far better diving and snorkeling. And, of course, unless you are fluent in Spanish in Costa Rica it is difficult to be more than a tourist passing through, with contact mainly with tourist workers and perhaps some well-educated Ticos, whereas in English-speaking Belize you can get to know people at all levels. Belizeans in most cases are very open and friendly. <BR> <BR>--Lan Sluder <BR>&lt;did the update to the Belize section of the Fodor's Belize & Guatemala guide and also to UpClose Central America&gt;