AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums The Cayes Ambergris Caye Not sure...but gonna ask anyway

Where is a good place to stay on the beach, w/pool, small facility, near town, with kitchen and a dive op near by? Not a resort type place. looking at 2 weeks in may.

Thanks in advance.

Check out Mata Rocks

Thx, Ernie. Checking now.

We stayed at Mata Rocks 2 years ago and are going back in Feb. Low key, nice beds and the sweetest staff. and the squirels nest was perfect. Sherylynn is there in the evenings and has a warm smile.

May is off season, you should have many options. I was trying to get you some contacts but my connection keeps failing. You should be able to get , rooms with kitchenettes, pool on the beach at many very nice places for under $99, a night, as low as $60 a night.On a weekly rental. I will try to send more info if I can.

Mata Rocks is indeed lovely . . . if you are interested, try and book ocean front rooms. It should be noted tho', if you are really interested in a pool, that the Mata Rocks' pool is just a little dipping pool.

If a "pool" is important to you then look at a place like Xanadu.

It would be easier for us to tell you the names of places that "are" resorty, than to tell you of the places that aren't.

thx all. the mata rocks looks awesome, but with a diving habit, i really need to keep accommodations to about $100 a day or less. not into the 'resorty' type places, but the smaller 20 (or less) unit places on the beach. plunge pool is fine. just need to get wet every once and a while when i'm not underwater taking pictures.

cooper - i appreciate your efforts. ; )

i have been looking forward to visiting ambergris caye for many years, just now finally, getting around to it.

Check out Mayan Princess, perhaps you can strike a deal that comes closer to your preferred rate by taking their dive package. All the rooms are studio suites with kitchenette. Amigos del Mar is the dive op, which is steps away, seriously. Mayan Princess is right on the beach, in the middle of town and all the action, diving and otherwise. I know you said you want a pool, and that was certainly what I believed those many years ago, on my first trip to San Pedro. But on that first trip, the reservation got screwed up, and our group ended up staying at a place that didn't have a pool. Despite my initial disappointment, realized didn't care and so returned to that same hotel over and over again. Eventually, that hotel became what it is today, the Blue Tang. Blue Tang subsequently put in a little wading pool.

OK, so how did I end up at the Mayan Princess? Well, on one the dive trips, somewhere along the way, I was with a dive group that booked into the Mayan (no pool) instead of the Blue Tang and I've been staying at the Mayan ever since. (I've been to San Pedro, somewhere in the neighborhood of 25-26 trips, lost track a couple of years back) There are many things I really like about staying at the Mayan, but two of the things I just love, are the fantastic balconey/patios and being right at the dive shop. It's great to be able to run back to my room during surface intervals. (local dive surface intervals are always done back at the dive op)

Another place that a lot of divers like is The Tides Beach Hotel, with Patojo's dive op. They do have a pool and a little bar. Most of the rooms are pretty basic, but they do have a couple of suites. Same advice applies, perhaps you can make your dollars go around, if you were to get a dive/acco package.

There's a dock between Mata and Bananna Beach. Aqua scuba picked me up at the dock every morning so staying and diving from either place shouldn't be a problem. About 15 minute walk to the action and you will almost always be offered a ride on a passerbys golf cart. Also there's a small store around the corner for beers n such.