I have been searching the AC web pages looking for a hotel. I am looking for a cabana. Something on the beach. Nothing to fancy. I don't expect I'll be spending much time in a hotel anyway. But I haven't been able to find anything. Does anyone have any suggestions?

frank

Frank - search this message board with the word "cabanas" and you will find out about all the cabanas on this island. We have been visiting San Pedro for more then ten years and only stayed in a cabana once. I think they are overated. Plenty of rooms on the beach that are not cabanas, but are wonderful places to stay!
Nice job on your web page!
Belize it!

margarita,
Thanks for the info. I am going to search cabanas now. And thanks for checking out the web page. One day I will have an entire section devoted to my Belize trip. I like the idea of a cabana. Just a bed and a bathroom. Very primitive and relaxing. I can get the air conditioning, tv and all that other stuff here.

Frank, Just for the heck of it let's think this through...September...Hmmmmm, warm (real warm) and skeeters (SKEETERS!). I think that screen windows and AC might be not be a bad thing. It is low season and you can find bargains galore. The primitive cabana sounds like an adventure (so did Southeast Asia) but you might want to set your sights just a few degrees the other direction. Either way you will have fun, that is virtually assured.

Frank,

If you mean by cabana a thatch-roof cabana there are not many of those on Ambergris Caye. From memory, may have left out one or two, there are thatch cabanas at Mata Chica (very classy, highly designed, fairly pricey cabanas with A/C) on North Ambergris ... also some at Captain Morgan's (slowly being replaced by condo villas) ... some at Ramon's Village (avoid the ones at the back) ... a few at Victoria House ... at Paradise Hotel ... some at Exotic Caye/Playador ... and at what used to be called Maya Katut, odd place not on the water.

There are lots of thatch cabanas at jungle lodges in Belize including Lamanai Outpost, Chan Chich, Chaa Creek, Crystal Paradise, Pook's Hill, Clarissa Falls, to name a few. Also there are some in Placencia (Singing Sands, Turtle Inn, Maya Playa and others) and in the Hopkins/Sittee Point area.

Bay thatch is expensive to have done properly and has to be replaced fairly frequently, plus it can harbor bugs and scorpions, so it is becoming less common in Belize.

--Lan Sluder
Belize First Magazine http://www.turq.com/belize

and Fodor's Belize & Guatemala Guide ... Belize First Guide to Mainland Belize ... and UpClose Central America guide

Frank by cabana are you speaking of small rooms, with bunk beds, wooden door and window, just for sleeping and locking up your gear, with a common bath house?

Frank,

Lan's got it right. The "Robinson Crusoe" thing is largely gone on AC. Once again, it is low season, find something on the lodging pages that appeals and negotiate a bit. There's a house just north of the cut (Agape? somebody help me here.) that is reasonably secluded but with certain creature comforts that will be nice in September. We heard about it and read the listing. Sounds about right. You still have to get across the channel from time to time.

[This message has been edited by CHOOCHOO (edited 08-28-2000).]

frank (incidentally my hubbys name) this is the real thing:

just got back from Journey's End saturday 8/26. bad points; let me say now, lots and lots of mosquitos, and for some folks, have to take a 10 min. water taxi to town (no big deal to me). then there were the mosquitos. good points: in an oceanfront casita (non-thatched) which was not fancy but quite nice, fairly clean, no tv (one at the bar) phone in office only, toilets worked, clean towels daily, terrific staff, little hot water trouble (apparently copper pipes don't like salty water), pool, great dive shop on premesis, yummy (but pricy) retaurant, beach bar, best looking beach i saw (coconut palms swaying, frigate birds and ospreys hanging, iguanas sunning, free kayak & hobie cats, etc etc. but yep, lots and lots and lots of mosquitos! its a trade off, but i am very glad we stayed out of town. there is very little night life after a late dinner but chatting until 10:30 with other laid back guests and drinking. bar closes whenever last person leaves. we were beat by then anyway (in our 30's ya know). it is a little more $ than the condotels in town, but i wanted the nature, the peace and tranquility, barefoot everywhere, etc. there are less expensive rooms that are >1 min walk from the beach. the have a website journeysendresort.com i think. jonathan answered all my questions and then i met him there, he brought me my welcome rum punch on the pier! (he's based in houston, also just visiting)
take 2: hubby said it was okay, but there was the mosquito thing. he dove with the dive shop there everyday but one and had great dives, no complaints (save for a little seasickness to turneffe 1.5 hrs away). most trips like 10 min away and liked them all. good restaurant, rendevous resort, next door (french-thai) too. but, there is the mosquitos. if you come properly equiped, you can battle them, but it does put a kink in the vacation. never quite saw anything like them, hang out on your door and wait for you, really! got pretty good at smacking them though. dont get me wrong, everyone complained of mosquitos in town too. "worst in 10 years" said the owners of victoria house down south. there were plenty of 'squitos in town too, especially south end (choochoo is this right, i didnt go there, only south as BC's). still had a great time, don't know whether i'll come in august again, though. did sept 1993 and don't remember them being like this at all. anyone?

did ramones in 1993, not impressed really. i hear victoria house is nice and heard of agape house too but didnt see either.
as for captn morgans, i had some people say they liked it, others were pissed about the construction. they are putting up some pretty big structures (JE is all one story). didnt see it much except from its pier, but JE is prettier, just not thatched. a few cm guests were diving only at JE's shop (dont know why), and i talked to many who came to JE to beach it 'cause i dont think they have that beach lounge chair stare at the palms & birds thing, not sure, but everyday there were several at JE. (?)

whew didnt mean to write all that...it wasnt spectacular by US standards, but i thought it was pretty darn good for a third world country like belize (no offense belizians, please). made some friends and buddies too. sorry so long!

as if i didnt say enough yet...i should mention that the 'squitas only got really bad the first saturday (8/19) and friday & saturday (25th &26th) when the wind died down after the rain. sun - thursday were glorious breezy beach days for me, bites worst at dawn and dusk. luckily for us sat and sat were both travel-all-day days. okay, bye.

Thanks for all the information folks.

Lan Sluder/Belize First: I was not necessarily looking for a thatched roof cabana. I was just thinking of someting small. All your information was very usefull.

Chloe: You hit the nail on the head. What I was looking for was essentially a room. Bed, bath, and a lock on the door.

After doing a little searching and emailing I narrowed my decission down to two places. Ruby's Hotel and Paradise Resort Hotel. I guess that is not exactly "Robinson Crusoe" but they both seem okay.

Any comments on either of these two places?

Frank