Here's a hotel and other visitor facility damage report round-up. If I've missed someting or made errors, please let me know. Thanks.
--Lan Sluder
Belize First
http://www.belizefirst.com/ >>
HOTEL, RESTAURANT AND VISITOR FACILITIES DAMAGE REPORT: What hotels, restaurants and other visitor facilities in Belize were damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Iris in October? Which ones are open now? Here's a list BELIZE FIRST has compiled, based on first-person reports in Belize and information straight from the hotels and other facilities. We've tried to cover as much ground as we can, but we know we've missed some hotels, as communications with remote areas are still difficult. It's also likely that some of this information could change, as hotels rebuild and recover from the storm. The information contained in this report is believed to be accurate but is not guaranteed. If you're planning to stay at a specific hotel in an area that received significant damage, such as Placencia, the best advice is to try to reach that hotel directly, to ask about the status of repairs and the reopening date.
If you have additional information, updates or corrections, please contact BELIZE FIRST.
The GOOD NEWS is that with exceptions of Placencia village, Monkey River and a few other areas, most hotels and other visitor facilities in Belize are open and operating as usual. Come on down!
Ambergris Caye: No damage -- all hotels operating normally.
Caye Caulker: No damage -- all hotels operating normally.
Belize City: No damage -- all hotels operating normally.
San Ignacio Area, Cayo District: No damage -- all hotels operating normally.
Belmopan Area: No damage -- all hotels operating normally.
Mountain Pine Ridge: No damage -- all hotels operating normally.
Corozal District: No damage -- all hotels operating normally.
Orange Walk District: No damage -- all hotels operating normally.
Dangriga: Very little damage -- all hotels operating normally.
Punta Gorda Town: Very limited damage -- all hotels operating normally.
Hopkins/Sittee Point: Only limited damage from high waves. Some debris on beaches. Swinging Armadillo restaurant and Over the Waves restaurants destroyed. Swinging Armadillo is rebuilding. Dock at Hamanasi destroyed but hotel and pool are undamaged and are operating normally. Jaguar Reef undamaged and operating normally. No other reports of significant damage in the area and hotels are operating normally.
Placencia Peninsula: The center of the hurricane came ashore near the south end of the peninsula, causing severe damage to wooden structures in Placencia and Seine Bight villages. Maya Beach had less damage. Electricity, water, telephone (except cell) and Internet service is still out in most areas. These services may be operating again by late November, but in some areas this could take longer. Larger hotels are trucking in water and some properties have their own generators.
Maya Beach (Placencia Peninsula):
Barnacle Bill's: Some damage to one cottage. Expected to be ready for guests in November.
Mango's Restaurant: Roof blown off but being replaced.
Green Parrot: Moderate damage.
Maya Playa: Destroyed.
Maya Beach Hotel: One building heavily damaged.
Maya Breeze Inn: Status unknown.
Singing Sands: Cabins damaged. Pool destroyed.
Ocean's Edge: Little damage. Both cottages okay.
Seine Bight Village Area (Placencia Peninsula):
Inn at Robert's Grove: Little serious damage. Ready to accept guests by November 1. At least one pool open.
Miller's Landing: Some damage. Expected to be ready for guests by Christmas. Pool damaged and will not be open by then.
Luba Hati: Main hotel building and cabins appear okay. Status unknown.
Nautical Inn: Some damage but buildings still standing. May reopen in November.
Blue Crab: Significant damage, including restaurant and some cabins. Rebuilding and could be open in November or December.
Angelfish Inn: Heavily damaged.
Bahia Laguna: This vacant hotel is still standing but was damaged.
Placencia Village Area:
Kitty's Place: Little damage. Restaurant open and most units including beachfront cottages ready for guests.
Mariposa: Some damage. Will not reopen until mid-January 2002.
Blancaneaux's Turtle Inn: Mostly destroyed. Work has begun on rebuilding. Reopening date not announced.
Mother Ocean: All but two cabins destroyed and these are in poor condition.
Serenity: Main buildings okay.
Rum Point Inn: Some damage. Newer quad units only minor damage. Expected to be ready for guests by Thanksgiving. Pool damaged and will not be ready by then.
Seaspray: Older buildings damaged and condemned. Newer building expected to be ready for guests in December.
De Tatch Restaurant: Destroyed.
Sea Horse Dive Shop: Destroyed.
Tentacles and Dockside: Destroyed. Expected to rebuild.
Sonny's: Destroyed.
Purple Space Monkey Cybercafe: Lost roof but now reopened (still without Internet access, however.)
Westwind: Heavily damaged but still standing.
Village Inn: Seriously damaged.
Sun and Sea Cabanas: Seriously damaged.
Ranguana Cottages: Destroyed.
Coconut Cottages: Destroyed.
Barracuda & Jaguar Inn: Damaged, including roofs blown off, but being repaired.
Sunrider: Destroyed.
Julia's and Lawrence's Guesthouse: Destroyed
Manatee Inn: Some damage but may be ready for guests in late November.
Atlantic Bank: Office has reopened for business.
Placencia Grocery: Open.
Olga's Grocery: Open.
Cozy Corners: Destroyed
Tradewinds: Two cabins destroyed. Other cabins damaged but can be repaired. Main house lost roof but can be repaired.
Soulshine Resort: Seriously damaged. May reopen by Christmas.
Monkey River: This village was almost completely destroyed.
Bob's Paradise: Destroyed.
The Monkey House: Destroyed.
Rural Toledo District: Although the town of PG escaped serious damage, many rural areas of Toledo were heavily damaged, mostly by high winds. Thousands of people are temporarily homeless (rebuilding of thatch houses and other houses has begun.) In some areas, up to 90% of the rainforest was blown down.
IZE's Blue Creek Lodge: Some cabins damaged, rainforest canopy walk destroyed, many trees down.
Ranguana Caye: Most cabanas at Ranguana Lodge heavily damaged.
Tobacco Caye: Gaviota and Reef's End lodges seriously damaged. Other hotels expected to reopen in November.
Long Caye at Glover's Reef: Slick Rock's facility received some damage -- three cabins were knocked down but probably can be repaired. Expects to be ready for first guests of season in late November.
Southwater Caye: Some damage from storm surge. IZE Leslie's cabins damaged, expected to be ready for guests in late November. Some damage to Pelican Beach properties.
Turneffe: No significant damage -- lodges operating normally.
Lighthouse Reef: No significant damage -- Lighthouse Reef Resort operating normally.
St. George's Caye: No significant damage -- hotels operating normally.
Southwest Caye: Manta Resort reportedly received significant damage -- reopening date unknown.
Frank's Caye in the Sapodillas: No significant damage to Serenade Island Resort.
Whipray Caye: Cabins and facilities virtually destroyed.