Looking for Beach Lodging in Belize
 

I asked this question about Costa Rica, but now asking the same question about Belize. We're in the very early planning stages of a trip to Belize. No date set yet. We're looking for beach front lodging in the form of hotel room or bungelow in a quiet location. We like to snorkel , kayak and just lay on the beach. We plan on renting a car for checking out the local sites. Looking for something $200 or less. We've never been to Belize or Centeral America for that matter, so we're open to suggestions.

We stayed on Ambergris and loved it. It's close to Hol Chan where we saw big turtles, rays, nurse sharks, and lots of tropical fish - really cool. Most of the snorkeling is done by tour rather than from the shore there. Lots of sea grass in the water close to shore. http://www.victoria-house.com/ is the link to where we stayed. I think they have some rooms in your price range. The property was very quiet when we were there. Sometimes we had the whole beach and pool to ourselves. A taxi to town was $5. Lots of good restaurant in town, but the food at the hotel is also excellent. Beautiful soft white sand and pretty water. People don't rent cars there - you can walk, taxi, use the free bikes, or rent a golf cart. English is the dominant language spoken in Belize, so that makes things pretty easy. A lot of people like to do a split between staying on the ocean and staying the the jungle. Jungle offers easier access to ruins and caving, etc. if that interests you. Caye Caulker and Placencia are popular too.

As someone who's been to CR, but not yet visited Belize, sounds like Belize is a better fit for type of vacation you're seeking. Certainly Costa Rica offers natural beauty, great volcano viewing, jungle experiences ....... but when I've read about where to go for great snorkeling and beaches, more suggest going to Belize.

And hopefully you'll get additional feedback from those who have been to Belize.

Also look into Caye Caulker. It is more laid back (no cars) than Ambergais Caye. We stayed at Iguana Reef hotel which is on the ocean, large rooms, beautiful pool, short walk to town, great breakfast included, best location on the island for sunsets.

I like Caye Caulker, but it is sadly lacking in beaches. The only swimmable bit of sand is at the Split, and that can get loud and crowded.

Have a look at the Maine Stay- we spent 10 days last February and it has everything you are looking for:
http://www.vrbo.com/55689

Robertsgrove.com

Xanadu Resort 2 best for me

Cozycorner-belize.com cute for budget

Victoria House also cntraveler.com for upscale budget goo recent article

Has a geat vibe prefer it to Xnadu actually

You will defnitely find better rates on Caye Caulker than on San Pedro, but i agree, the beaches aren't that great for either island. For Caye Caulker it is more about the charm of the island, which is only 4 miles long. The roads are sand, not paved, the traffic is golf carts and bikes and pedestrian. San Pedro has paved roads and a lot of traffic. Caye Caulker is much smaller than San Pedro (Ambergris Caye), the people are friendly and the split (which is a beach and beach bar) is a fun place to hang out. Crowded for the split is not what you might think of as crowded. Not sure when you are planning on going, but most days, there is maybe 15 to 25 people hanging out around the beach bar. At christmas time it will be busier, but you are not going to find hundreds of people there. I love the split, its a a great place to spend your afternoon.