AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums The Cayes Ambergris Caye thinking about AC 1st time trip...need advice

mikell~

Since nobody has mentioned it yet, take a look at AquaMarina Suites. True they are suites w/ full kitchens, maybe more than you need, but a good deal if you are staying a week or more, I think you'll get a break for the longer stay. All rooms have balconies looking at the ocean (some better view than others), pool, nice little pool bar, plenty of shady spots by the pool. Right at the north edge of town, plenty of places to eat within walking distance. We just stayed there and we loved it. Just more info to confuse you

Banana Beach has a lovely restaurant. It is pretty pricey, but we really enjoyed our meal there. Worth doing, as there are so many other relatively inexpensive, good places to get a bite.

re: snorkeling, not expensive to go by by boat($25 - 30 US PP), several good operaters around. Seaduced, Searious, Bottom Time, etc. are all good. The closer spots on the reef will take only 20min or so to get there. Snorkeling is also good under some of the docks (no boat needed); some have artificial reefs built under them. The docks at Belize Yacht Club and Ramon's are like this; well worth doing...

Good luck trying to filter all the info Plenty of good places to stay, actually I think it's hard to go wrong unless you have very specific needs / preferences..

MIkell-

Like JohnBoy said Mata Rocks is wonderful. Small with nice rooms. The Jr. suites are nice the regular rooms are fine also. There is a great bar -with some wonderful people working there.

Erica is a wonderful person and the owners Terrie and Liz are really great people. They make you feel right at home and are more like nice neighbors than owners.

Phillipa and Sharlyn are two really nice people who run the Squirrel's Nest bar and they will make your stay a memorable experience.

WE are going back for our fourth year - thats how much we like it.

Byron

Sunbreeze does have a balcony running around the second floor but it is not really your own private one (tho they did put in privacy "sections" recently). Also, no coffee makers in rooms. Banana Beach & Mata Rocks do have private balconies. Only the jr suites at MR would have coffee making facilities. All suites at BB have full kitchens but the standard oceanview rooms do not. BB does have a very fine full service restaurant - huevos rancheros to die for! MR just has the beach bar serving light snacks and their continental breakfast. MR & BB are directly next door to each other. Both very nice & friendly helpful staffs but different ambiance.

thanks...this is helping a lot...

leaning towards banana beach mostly because of the private ocean view balconies...we like to hang out around the room from time to time...and it's nice to have some privacy...the rooms look very airy...nice place for early morning coffee and late evening stargazing or taking in the hot night air before bed...

mata rocks looks more intimate...i like the smallness of it...but from their sites...banana beach looks like it has the nicer rooms for about the same price for a 7 day pkg.

we got spoiled last year in negril when we really splurged on a cliffside private villa with snorkeling at our doorstep...can't afford that every year...but these AC properties look lovely too...and let's face it...anywhere on AC is going to look good compared to Upstate New York in February!!

Hi there,
Nobody has mentioned the Coral Bay Villas but I really loved it down there....nice 1 bedroom oceanfront condo, lanai, quiet. I thought it was great. I have also stayed at the Sunbreeze which is really convenient. I still prefer the Coral Bay Villas....can't go wrong either place though. I just love drinking my coffee on my private lanai on right on the sandy beach!! Enjoy!

Where in upstate NY? I used to work at the travel agency in Woodstock for many years. Lived in New Paltz.

We too are a 50 something couple who made our first trip to Ambergris Caye in June. We stayed at Blue Tang and enjoyed it alot. They don't have any truly priate balconies, but our room was facing the north with a partial ocean view on the third floor and no one had any reason to walk that way but us. I got up every morning to watch the sun rise and also could watch the street activity start up at the same time. Large room with a full kitchen (we only used the fridge). Nice small pool area. It's located on the north edge of town, very conventient to restaurants.

We like to walk, walked past most of the places mentioned. Banana Beach looked nice, but more like an American hotel than the others. Aquamarina Suites looked very nice too, may try that on our next visit. Also looking at The Palms. Might be more than you want to spend though. I think golf carts are fairly expensive, something like $50.00 a day, more than I'd want to spend for a week. I don't know as the resorts will let you have the bikes out past dusk. Lots of taxis appear to be available though.

We aren't real experienced snorkelers either, but we had a wonderful time in San Pedro and our planning a return trip this winter. Jean

I think you would really like Banana Beach and if you enjoyed the private villa in Negril you can't go wrong with the ocean view suites at Banana Beach. I think you might surprised and really be glad to you have the kitchen with microwave, dishes, refrigerator etc when you end up bringing back half your dinner from the great restaurant there. Especially the Brazilian Rodecio (spelling?). It's really nice to open the french doors to the the private balcony overlooking the sea. The rooms are very airy and spacious with some beautiful art and comfortable seating. The staff is great and it's quiet there. There is a travel shop on site that can help you with snorkel and/or other trips.

Mikell, have no idea when you're thinking of coming to Belize so very hard to help you.

Please give a rough idea of dates of arrival and departure and tnen you'll get good answers, I'm sure.

In the meantime, I'll recommend Banana Beach as they have so many different options from mid priced (or even a bit lower) right up to deluxe luxury mega-splurge.

blm...

hmmmm....coral bay villas...looks nice too! can't find a web site for them...any idea what the prices are?

barbk...

we are in a suburb of Rochester NY...not sure where new paltz is...as a travel agent...maybe you have some suggestions for getting the best prices on travel to brazil...

chris...

we plan to travel in late february...probably the last week...

glad to hear that banana beach has so many fans...i don't usually like "hotel-like" settings...but there is still something that appeals to me about the rooms with the balconies...need to be able to open doors and sit outside with some privacy...as long as it isn't a crowded noisy place...

again...thanks so much for all the help here...