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Posted By: pryor1997 sunbreeze hotel - 03/23/03 05:51 AM
after reading the posts we do want a pool, we like staying in condo's, kitchen is nice. we saw a few people recommended the palms or the carribien villas. we like the look of both from their web sites, the deciding factor is who to dive with and where to stay based on that. the recomendation for the palms was to dive with ramon's next door, the person who stayed at carribean villas said they dove with amigo's del mar and they picked them up on the pier, does any one have a preference between the two, we are novice to imtermediate diveres weve been certified since 1990 but took a 6 year break until two years ago and have gone diving one week each year since. we want a friendly helpful crew with personal atention and a nice boat with easy exit/ rentry.
Posted By: seashell Re: sunbreeze hotel - 03/23/03 06:08 AM
I'm not familiar with the Caribbean Villas but I didn't think that they had a pool just a hot tub.
Just as an aside, I want to make sure that you aren't getting Caribe Island and Caribbean Villas mixed up, are you?

I really like the Palms even though its pool is in the back courtyard. Certainly you could use Ramon's for your diving and it would be convenient but I still prefer Amigo's and they will pick you up anyway.

When you talk about ease of entry/exit on the boats, do you mean that you need a boat that doesn't require you to climb a ladder after your dives? By far, the majority of the dive boats in San Pedro are set up for backroll entry (I love that) but getting back into the boat requires a ladder.
Posted By: pryor1997 Re: sunbreeze hotel - 03/23/03 06:41 AM
I was looking at carribean villas, i guess I thought they had a pool and hot tub, that would make a difference. the dive company in Cabo we use was ironically also named amigos del mar they had a trimaran that had a step off the side and platform on back for enty, guess we got spoiled the web site for amigos shows an nice boat for the blue hole dive the pro 48, guess we'll just do what everyone else does and roll off the back for the local dives, thanks for the info.
Posted By: seashell Re: sunbreeze hotel - 03/23/03 11:54 AM
The Pro 48 is like what you describe and that's what they use for the Blue Hole day trip and the other Atoll day trips. They don't use that boat for local dives.

By the way, you should use the search function (if you haven't already done so) and enter the names of the hotels that you are interested in. You will get any number of posts/threads come up to help give you more information.
Posted By: Sandy C Re: sunbreeze hotel - 03/23/03 05:30 PM
Caribbean Villas has a dive arrangement with Amigos del Mar, ask CV about the special dive prices. AdM will pick you up at CV dock and return you there and store and clean any dive gear you own between each dive. Great divemasters with AdM - I think they would be sensitive to your concerns of large groups, recomend you ask them. CV does have an exclusive feel since it is small and has so much land, gardens and 300+ foot beach. It does not have a pool; it has 2 hot tubs. CV has an arrangement with a condo/hotel down the beach where you could use a pool - about a 5 minute beachwalk. Xanadu is just down from CV; they have a new beachside pool and a good dive shop next door - they are also a very nice, small resort. And the Palms is quite nice. Happy trip.
Posted By: Marie Re: sunbreeze hotel - 03/23/03 07:39 PM
Please, do me a favor. If you want to pool, be sure to ask your prospective hotel the dimensions of it so you aren't disappointed. Once, my pet PRH was full so we had to go to Paradise Villas for part of the trip. It was a nice enough place and it has a nice enough pool, but I'm only 5'4" tall, and at the deep end, it just came up to my neck. And about five good crawl strokes, and you are at the end. From what I've seen and heard, most hotel pools on AC are that way. There may be others I'm not aware of, so those of you are, please enlighten us. But, do be sure to check on the size of your potential pool, or you may be sadly disappointed.
Posted By: toad Re: sunbreeze hotel - 03/23/03 08:24 PM
are you wanting to swim laps?
Posted By: Barbara K Re: sunbreeze hotel - 03/23/03 10:45 PM
I think Banyan Bay has the largest pool on the island.
Posted By: LB Re: sunbreeze hotel - 03/24/03 12:01 AM
Caribbean Villas is a pretty place but right next to a municipal pier where the barge frequently makes noise all day or all night. Also, condos being built there,too, with construction noise all day. You might like some place a little quieter.
Lacy
Caribe Island
Posted By: Marie Re: sunbreeze hotel - 03/24/03 12:46 AM
Hi Toad! Maybe not laps, but at least far enough to think you did something akin to swimming!
Posted By: Sandy C Re: sunbreeze hotel - 03/24/03 02:10 AM
Incorrect information, Lacy. Caribbean Villas is not next to the barge or the condo construction - CV's Villas are hundreds of yards away from both. Also, the condos' construction north of the barge is mostly finished. We had no problem with noise. CV is small and quiet with lots of land, large beach, gardens and wildlife.
Posted By: Marie Re: sunbreeze hotel - 03/24/03 02:18 AM
By the way, Seashell..what is the pro 48? I've never gone to the Blue Hole (remember my ear issues, but I have great confidence your good suggestions will help me next year...so just may. Otherwise, What a waste...to take forever to descend, and then you only have a couple seconds left!). Would'nt it be more fun to go and stay a day or two. Okay, you know my profile. What's the most Belizean place in the area I could stay at. NO CONDOS!!!!!!! Thatch roofs work for me!
Posted By: seashell Re: sunbreeze hotel - 03/24/03 03:03 AM
The Pro 48 is Amigos big dive boat for the long haul trips. There's a nice picture on their website.

As for your ear problems, if you have trouble equalizing on the Blue Hole dive, you only have a certain amount of time, 3 minutes or so, and if you are unable to equalize and meet up with the group before the descent over the ledge, you must return to the surface. No Blue Hole dive for you. Therefore, I recommend you do not bother to go on a Blue Hole dive day trip until you have your ears sorted out.
Posted By: Marie Re: sunbreeze hotel - 03/24/03 03:36 AM
I agree Seashell! That's why I've avoided it...yea..these many years. But I have faith in what you suggested when I first got back, and will equalize my head off next time before I leave the ground. What you said makes sense, and I really did wait in the past until I was at 15 feet and it began to hurt. Will do it better this next time. Thanks for your input! You are very knowledgeable.
Posted By: pryor1997 Re: sunbreeze hotel - 03/24/03 05:06 AM
we are planning to dive three maybe four days max while on ac for a week. we like to relax every other day and do nothing between dive days, we plan to do the blue hole and a 2 tank local dive, is it worth the extra money to go out to the atolls for the other days, how do the local dives compare??
thanks for all your help . we bought our tickets for june 14-21 today and got a good fare from LA.
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