Boutique resorts in Belize

We booked a 10-day/ 9-night luxury package in Belize, "Escape to Paradise," through Global Travel Club (1 Kiln Shaw, Langdon Hills, Essex, U.K., SS16 6LE; phone +44 [0] 1268 541732, fax +44 [0] 1268 541363, e-mail info@global-travel.co.uk or visit www.global-travel.co.uk).

We found this tour on Global Travel's website, discussed the details of the trip with Ann Miles and decided to place this booking as a celebration of our 40th wedding anniversary in December '03.

* Our trip involved 3-night stays at three different boutique resorts. First was Portofino (visit http:// portofinobelize.com) on Ambergris Caye near the town of San Pedro. The resort was only three years old and served about 22 guests. We stayed in one of their two treetop suites. The room was spacious but not especially well decorated. The amenities were minimal. There was only one bar of soap for the room, for example.

Portofino was the only resort where our meals were not included except for a Continental breakfast. We felt meal prices were very high for rather ordinary food. A chicken dinner entree cost about US$25. Appetizers and desserts were equally expensive.

During our stay it rained frequently. There was little to do at the resort on a rainy day except use the free Internet. The sand flies were a real problem even though the resort sprayed for insects every day.

In general, beaches in .this area were limited. Swimming was almost impossible off the beach since it was shallow and the water was filled with sea grass. Farther offshore was a reef where we could have snorkeled in good weather, but due to the rain and cold we never were able to take advantage of that option.

At over US$400 per room per night, the resort was overpriced for what they offered, we felt. If you want a beach vacation, there are better destinations for less money.

* We next stayed at The Lodge at Chaa Creek (www.chaacreek.com), located near the Guatemalan border and outside the town of San Ignacio. It was in a beautiful setting on a bank of the Macal River. The grounds were landscaped with a large variety of tropical plants.

We stayed in a treetop Jacuzzi suite with a view across the river and into trees where iguanas perched. The suite was built on three levels and pleasantly decorated in Maya motif. Large windows allowed lots of light to penetrate. Their attractive dining room served a variety of tasty regional cuisine. For the shopper, there was a small store stocked with many handmade Guatemalan goods, from simple to elaborate.

Chaa Creek was by far the best-run and most attractive resort of the three we visited.

Included in our Chaa Creek package were several excursions. On the way from Belize City we visited the Belize Zoo; local animals and birds were well presented in enclosures simulating natural habitat. We also visited Xunantunich, a well-restored Maya ruin near the border with Guatemala. Views from the temple summit were excellent. It is in a pleasantly quiet location, especially when compared with Mexican Maya sites such as Tulum.

Other excursions were to the Mountain Pine Ridge area with caves and waterfalls. Very few tourists see these backcountry sights. From the lodge we canoed the Macal River with a guide for two hours and saw only two other parties.

* From Chaa Creek we were transferred by taxi to the south coast between Dangriga and Placencia for our stay at the one-year-old Kanantik Reef & Jungle Resort (www.kanantik.com). There are 25 luxury casitas, some with beach views and others back in the jungle. They are all too dark, since the palm leaf roofs extend below the windows.

Although the quarters are large, the decor is rather sparse. Walls are undecorated. We felt the Italian owner/manager, Roberto Fabbri, was less than pleasant to both guests and staff. The beach was narrow and the water shallow and not clear. The insects, especially the sand flies, were everywhere, including in the restaurant, bar and rooms.

Excursions were included, so we elected to take the hour-long trip to the reef and Southwater Caye for snorkeling each day. Out there, the water was clear and we escaped the sand flies.

All drinks and food here were included in the package. The food was well presented, although there was no choice. It was tasty but not gourmet, in our opinion. The staff was very attentive.

At the time of our visit there were only six to eight guests, though the capacity was 50. At over $600 per couple per day, this resort too was overpriced for what was offered, we felt. It did not compare well with beautiful beach resorts in other parts of the world.

At the end of our stay we were transferred to the Kanantik private airport and flown back to Belize International Airport in a Maya Island Air twin prop plane for our return to Houston.

For two people, the complete package as booked by Global cost about US$5,100 excluding international flights. We had a few coordination problems on the transfers (including a missing air ticket from Belize to San Pedro), but these were resolved to our satisfaction and we incurred no extra unexpected costs.

Belize is an interesting, small country. It has only 250,000 people, but they speak seven languages. Since English is the official one, it is easy to get around. The people are very friendly and want to help tourists rather than rip them off as in some countries.

If you are looking for sun on the beach in the winter, Belize may not be the place. It rains a lot and the beaches are minimal. Also, we found the insect population out of control!

DAVID M. HUMMEL, Jr.

Billings, MT

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