Mahogany bay resort and beach club belize

Location

The resort is on the southern end of Ambergris Caye, a 25-mile-long island off the northeast coast of Belize. Guests fly into Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport in the capital, Belize City, and then take a 15-minute flight to Ambergris’s tiny, golf buggy trafficked town, San Pedro. From here, it’s a 10-minute drive to the resort. The compound is 15 minutes by boat from Hol Chan Marine Reserve’s Shark Ray Alley, where visitors can swim with – you guessed it – sharks and stingrays.

Style and Character

The 'new urbanist' village was conceived as a resort, residential and commercial community. It comprises a waterfront, British Colonial-style house; three streets lined with white clapboard, canal-facing cottages and villas; and the 'townlet' – a cluster of independently owned restaurants, food shacks and shops. The set-up is reminiscent of The Truman Show’s Seahaven Island but with a Caribbean setting – it's a palm-lined model of seaside perfection.

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See more images at Booking.com

Service and Facilities

Mahogany Bay is Ambergris’s first luxury hotel and part of Hilton Worldwide’s Curio Collection. Staff, while unfailingly friendly and willing, were still finding their footing during my visit, four months after opening.

But any lapses in service are soon forgotten once guests immerse themselves in the ample facilities, which include the Bay Club (a pool deck with adjacent fitness centre, massage cabanas and a bar) as well as the townlet’s restaurants and food shacks; a yoga studio; golf cart rental agency; and a tour desk, which offers sailing, snorkelling and diving excursions. Belize boasts the world’s second-largest barrier reef. However, the highlight of a holiday here is undoubtedly The Beach Club, a quiet cove which is 15 minutes away by boat, where a pristine scallop of white sand, shallow seas and a clutch of over-water Bali beds await.

• Parking
• Restaurant
• Bar
• Room service
• Pool
• Wi-Fi
• Fitness centre
• Beach

Rooms

Rooms are set in cottages and villas along three streets; they range from studios to three-bedroom/two-bathroom spreads with private pools. The latter reference British Colonial style, incorporating classic design elements such as louvred windows, deep verandas and vaulted ceilings. Cottages and furnishings are all constructed locally, using sustainably harvested hardwoods. All rooms have safes, tea/coffee service and wall-mounted televisions, and several also feature kitchenettes with a hot plate and mini fridge. While some units lack tubs, all have rustic-chic showers (some outdoors) with hardwood floors and walls made of corrugated iron sheeting. Black washcloths designated for makeup removal are a thoughtful touch.

Food and Drink

Start the day with room service (a small menu of just four items) or a complimentary continental breakfast in The Verandah – the handsome indoor/outdoor restaurant in the Great House. Hot items are also available à la carte, and the Belizean breakfast of scrambled eggs, refried beans and papadum-like fry jacks (£12) is a must. Options for lunch and dinner are plentiful: there are seafood snacks such as ceviche and fish tacos at The Beach Club; salads and sandwiches by the pool or at The Verandah; or you could head to any of the restaurants and stalls in the townlet, where you will find everything from Texas-style barbecue and Japanese cuisine to a gourmet doughnut stand and an artisanal Belizean chocolatier.

Value for Money

Double rooms from $248 (£184) in low season; and from $366 (£272) in high. Continental breakfast included. Free Wi-Fi.

Access for guests with disabilities?

The resort has not been adapted.

Family-Friendly?

Children are welcome and the resort does offer babysitting ($14/£11 per hour), but there is no kids’ club nor any organised children’s activities.

Is Mahogany Bay private?

Who owns Mahogany Bay Belize?

Can you stay on Ambergris Caye?

Where is Ambergris Caye?