Hotels Near Hol Chan Marine Reserve in San Pedro

This was by far THE BEST family vacation we've taken in 29 years!. I can't say enough about our experience but will try to give you the highlights to ensure your experience is just as good as ours. Little did we know July is not ”in season” in Belize, but for Americans looking for a relaxing, beach getaway with as little or as much as you want to do, this is the place to visit. In addition, July starts Lobster season there, so we had fresh lobster options at every meal. We looked at Air B&B and VRBO listings before looking at resort options, and I'm so glad I made the choice to stay at Mahogany Bay. This property is unique in that you get your own ”villa” for your accommodations. There are small villas to accommodate a couple of people. And there are larger villas to accommodate a small or large family. Mahogany Bay is a 5-10 minute golf cart ride from where our flight landed. Because we were Hilton Diamond members, they arranged complimentary shuttle service to and from the airport. Word of caution, if you are taking a puddle jumper from Belize City to San Pedro (which I highly recommend as it takes less time than a boat road and the boat ride is not that smooth), don't be surprised if your gate agent is also your pilot : ) Upon arrival at the resort, we were greeted by Dennis who not only helped with our bags and getting us to our villa, he got us complimentary Lemon Grass Teas (non-alcoholic) which was unbelievably refreshing on a steamy day. I'm not sure he ever leaves the property, because any time I needed something he was there...including when I was trying to find the name of one of our excursion guides. We had prearranged a gold cart rental through Mahogany Bay which we recommend doing versus arranging your self, as it will be waiting on you at the hotel and can be serviced / traded out should you have any issues. Sephenie, the concierge, assisted us with this in advance which was extremely helpful. I would guess 96% of the island runs on gold cart traffic. There are cars, but almost everyone is on a two wheeler or golf cart. This can seem a bit overwhelming at first, but there are three main roads that you have to know, and by the end of the first day, you can easily get around. As well, Sephenie assisted us in making several of our dinner reservations in advance as well. We did a couple of excursions through Tuff E Nuff Tours (see their page for that review), but if you don't want or decide not to spend the money on the excursions, VISIT the private island and make sure you find Duane. Duane is by far the best waiter / porter / all-around amazing employee/ person this property has. Duane not only suggested what became known as our favorite drink ever (frozen coconut mojito), he also took the time to hand write a list of restaurants we should try if we had the chance. He was a plethora of information. I don't believe he's a manager, but he should be because he understands service and getting to know his custo

+ The nearness of the airport and ferry The central and near restaurants and all the comforts The spacious and clean room The friendliness of the owners Bon wifi Climatisation that works well and quiet - The location it is quite noisy, noise from the road and especially dogs who swallow all night The gardens are not obscuring, a lot of light from the rise of the sun Mauvaise insonorization in the rooms, the noise of neighbors and the corridor No fridge or hairdryer in the room The hotel has no charm

The food is not bad, the design of the swimming pool is also very considerate, the parent-child trip is very suitable, especially the service is very attentive and thoughtful, the children are very happy these days, the catch is that the seaweed problem just these few days caused the air to be very smelly

We originally booked our stay at Hotel Del Rio in February of 2020. Once Covid had everything shut down, the hotel graciously let us keep our booking for a future date. We were able to rebook our trip for March of 2021. The owner, Jim, Christine, and Katnie were very accommodating. Communication with them during the pandemic was easy and straight forward. Once we arrived, they greeted us promptly and were very friendly. Having been in such close communication with them over the previous year, it felt like we knew them already and they welcomed us like family. We opted for one of the un-airconditioned, thatch roofed huts. Our room was clean and comfortable. We did also have a small refrigerator that we used mostly for our bottled water that we bough daily. They do have air conditioned units available, also units with kitchenettes if that is what you are looking for. Even though we didn't have A/C, with the windows open, we got the nice ocean breeze and were never too warm while sleeping. The main palapa in the courtyard became our favorite place to sit and relax. We ate most of our meals there at the table. We loved that there are several local ”delis” just behind the hotel. The restaurants on the beach were great, but we liked the little hole in the wall places that the locals eat at. And they were much cheaper! The hotel has an amazing view of the ocean, from just about anywhere on the property. There is also easy access to the beach and swimming just across the street. Along with a dock overlooking the Caribbean with two Adirondack chairs at the end for enjoying the views. I would highly recommend Hotel Del Rio for anyone going to San Pedro. They are one of the few more authentic Belizean style hotels, and they will make your stay enjoyable! We can't wait to go back!!