AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums The Cayes Ambergris Caye Which Resort?

First time potential visitors.
Hoping to find something special in Belize ans AC. Read an awful lot of posts and we are looking for info on staying in either Victoria House or Ramon's. Can anyone give us the straight poop on these resorts?
Also want to see some Mayan history preferably a day trip.
Thanks

Sorry I can't help, just wanted to give your post a bump. You deserve a better reply than that. While you're waiting, do a search on those two properties, there's lots of info out there. Good luck.

Janet

Ramon's is one of the oldest resorts on the island, has expanded a lot over the years and remains very popular, especially for first-timers to Belize. It still has some of the thatch and sand ambiance that people come to the cayes for (but which isn't all that common anymore in an age of reinforced concrete.) It has the best beach in or near town, a small but very nice pool and a popular bar. The location is handy, right across the street from the airstrip (but no noise problem) and a short stroll from town. Ramon's is known as a party place, and while that really isn't true if you compare it to real party hotel destinations in the Yucatan or the main Caribbean, it's true on Ambergris. The downside of Ramon's is that it's a little pricey for what you get, and some of the units in the back aren't that great. There's a restaurant, okay for breakfast, but definitely not one of the top eateries on the island. Overall, a well-run resort with high occupancy.

Victoria House is also one of the older places on the island. It has more of an barefoot upscale feel than Ramon's. It's about 2 miles south of town, so you need a taxi, golf cart or bike to get back and forth to town regularly. The grounds are in great shape now, and the pool, a couple of years old, is one of the nicest on the island. There's a nice beach, and the bar, in a thatch palapa or cabana, is great. The accommodations are always a bit of a surprise, because they vary a lot. There are older thatch casitas (said to be a little hot despite A/C though I have stayed in them myself, sorta motel-like rooms, larger rooms in the main building, and deluxe suites in the what used to be called the owners' villas (plus there are now suites in a private home south of the resort.) Good restaurant. Well-run. Expensive, and the villas are very expensive.

There are places with more space and much lower prices on Ambergris, but both these places have solid guest satisfaction levels.

--Lan Sluder <San Pedro Cool, Fodor's, Adapter Kit Belize, etc.>

If you have time, send for Lan's books Adapter Kit Belize and San Pedro Cool through Amazon.com. I've been reading through them and they are a wealth of information. Lots of good tips.
Jennifer

As a former resident of San Pedro and know the island well, I would, without a doubt reccommend Banana Beach. Check it out.

The question was about Ramons or Victoria House....

I also reccomend banana beach, its the new "spot"! Why is it either VH or Ramons. There are many nice places to stay and all your really gonna do is sleep in your place anyways. I would stay just south of town somewhere. Just go there and decide when you get there. Its not like you wont find a place to stay. I prefer that method anyways. Soon as you tell the taxi driver you dont have aplace yet., hes gonna go crazy telling you where you should stay and why, and youll get a ocean of info from them. Have him drive you a round a few places, its only 5bze for a taxei, throw the guy 10 us and tell him to take you to see banana romons and victoria than make a decision, that would trully make your time and choice most pleasurable. The pool at romons is awesome, very exotic surrounded by flora.

I have to put in another plug for Ramon's. I think I enjoyed staying there so much because of the overall ambience. The grounds and the fabulous pool are jungle like. The beachfront rooms on the non sewall side situate you right in the mist of the beach (25 feet away from your porch), ocean and palm trees. I felt one with that enviroment. Yes - the rooms are small, but we only showered and slept there. I liked the thatch cabana - it felt exotic to me. Anyways, check out my website for lots of pics of Ramon's (if you want.) http://mywpages.comcast.net/iwehmeier/ Have a great stay wherever you choose. 8 days and counting!!! mobunny

PS My avatar icon is a view from our porch at Ramon's.

The sea view rooms at Ramons are very nice but I agree with Lan's post.
All the hotels mentioned on this post are amongst the islands best.

As a new member, seems to me that mustang6, like myself, has performed substantial island research and narrowed the choice to the two expressed lodging locations; and has asked for more information from board members who are acquainted with these locales.

I would expect opinions to be limited to those lodging choices without injecting subjective preferences. Otherwise, what evolves is a narcissistic competition, which while fascinating, dilutes the topic.