I neglected to mention that we're actually staying in a small town down the road from Sanctuary Belize for a couple of days called Placencia. The town is actually in the Guiness Book of Records for having the narrowest Main Street in the world (see pic below). Other than that, it's renown for its resort and boutique hotels (including one owned by Francis Ford Coppola) and laid back backpacker hostels. There's not much in the middle ground really. Placencia is strung out along a long thin peninsula a little south of Sanctuary Belize and once you get past that, southern Belize gets very sparsely inhabited indeed, even by Belizean standards. Diving here is supposed to be great but I haven't had the time and there are numerous cayes offshore, including the private one that I mentioned yesterday 😉
Because we are both true adventurers, we headed straight for the same beach bar that we visited the last time we were here and sat there until mildly sloshed. Actually, it's changed quite a bit, so it was both comfortingly familiar and new and fresh at the same time.
I haven't done a hotel review for a long time now, .......so for one final time;
Roberts Grove Boutique Hotel - Placencia
Accommodation - 5 filet mignon
The lounge is a little on the poky side, the in-room wine selection a touch limited and the veranda only has furniture for six between the two of us, but to mark them down on these small points seems churlish.
My bed could have easily accommodated 8 people alone.
Facilities - 5 filet mignon
The three swimming pools are largely empty and inviting but they seem to have removed the beach jacuzzi that I remember from last time. Dive shop, kayaks, bicycles, beach bars, all the usual amenities are but a flip flop stride from the villa.
Restaurants - 5 filet mignon
The beach restaurant is excellent. I heartily recommend the lobster fritters with piquant cayenne dip in particular. The Belizian restaurant to the rear is untried but looks good. Beer on draught, which is unheard of in Central America. Breakfast was disappointingly short on marmite but otherwise, superb.
Location - 5 filet mignon
About five steps from the gently lapping Caribbean. Literally. What else do you want?
Value - unrated
Best not talk about the price.
Overall - 5 filet mignon
It was very nice, very boutiquey, and very Caribbean. Almost rustic in some ways but with more than a touch of class.
The view from the veranda.
Every effort was made to use all available furniture.
The narrowest Main Street in the world.
An menacing pink sundown.
The Tipsy Turtle appetiser plate x2. Tostadas, sliders and wings, plus fully loaded fries (never heard of that before but I wasn't complaining). Burp! Urgh. I feel fat again!
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