Located 8 km north of Placencia, on 6 hectares backed by Placencia Lagoon and fronted by a fine sand beach, this operation is the most complete resort in the area, a well-established enterprise that includes two restaurants, a marina, two pools, a whirlpool, a tennis court and three two-story condominiums. The beach here is among Placencia's best.
Guests check in at the office which is next to the pool at the center of the resort. The office can be somewhat tricky to find from the gravel parking lot near the road. Most of the socializing takes place in the great room of this two-story hacienda-style inn, where there is a bar, library, game boards, TV and a music system. An Internet room serves guests who want to catch up on their e-mail at an hourly rate of US$20. Those who bring their laptops can get the same high-speed access for US$15 per hour.
Alfresco dining at the air-conditioned Seaside Restaurant serves up full ocean views and well-prepared Italian and American dishes featuring local seafood and chicken and imported U.S. beef. Habanero's Mexican cafe—a palm-thatched structure stilted in the water—is on the lagoon side. At the Saturday poolside barbecues guests graze on shrimp and lobster kabobs as a
live band plays Caribbean music.
A conference room attracts meetings of up to 60 people seated theater-style, and offers AV equipment, projectors and PowerPoint capability with Internet access.
Two whirlpools are next to the infinity pool. In addition to the three pools overlooking the beach, there is a lighted tennis court—the only one in southern Belize. On the beach, kayaks, sailboats and sailboards are available for guests to use on a complimentary basis. Guests can also take the hotel's bikes and pedal to Placencia, or they can work out in air-conditioned comfort in the fitness room.
A 48-ft dive boat has been added to the dive operation here, one of the best in the country. Other activities include fishing, snorkeling and day trips to see Mayan ruins and wildlife sanctuaries. At day's end, guests can take their drinks to seven rooftop pools and enjoy views of both the beach and the sun setting over the lagoon.
Most accommodations overlook the beach or pool. They come with jalousie windows, locally made furnishings of native wood atop Saltillo tile floors, and original artwork and antiques. Though the same size, those on the second floor are the better choice, for these have better views, cathedral ceilings and rear balconies.
All rooms come with hair dryers, safes, 19- to 23-inch TVs with numerous channels, phones, refrigerators and air conditioning. The oceanfront junior suites are 50% larger and can host small families: They feature small nooks with bunk beds as well as extra futon sofas. The deluxe suites feature master bedrooms with king beds, living rooms with sofa beds and big wraparound verandas overlooking the beach.
New oceanfront villas offer one to three bedrooms with kings or two twin beds, private terraces, tropical and hardwood furnishings, and woven fabrics and rugs on Mexican tile floors. The latter have an outside door and can be booked together for family reunions. Baths in all the units have tiled showers, adequate counter space and well-lighted mirrors. Many have hand-painted sinks from Mexico.
The large staff here includes knowledgeable guides. Same-day laundry service is available.
Similar in quality to the Victorian Inn on Ambergris Caye, this well-rounded resort offers a sophisticated experience in a somewhat remote setting. This ranks alongside Turtle Inn as one of the best choices on the Placencia Peninsula.
For those guests who truly want to get away from it all, the resort offers cabins on two semiprivate islands, Roberts Caye and Ranguana Caye. Some of the cabins extend over the water. The islands have their own generators, communication systems, boats and staff.
