Stay & Play

The Belle of Belize
Mahogany Bay Village

by Susan Campbell

Belize had been on my bucket list for a long time, so I was very excited to get there recently. After flying into Goldson International Airport, it was a quick hop with Tropic Air in a tiny little plane to San Pedro on Ambergris Caye. Though the flight was short- less then 15 minutes, the view was glorious below- all stunning aqua seas peppered with tiny little islands… and I couldn’t wait to get into that sparkling turquoise ocean.

We arrived at Mahogany Bay Village quickly- it’s a mere two miles from the downtown- and I could instantly see why they called it a “village”. Actually, I heard it referred to as a “townlet” more often- a new word for me- but I get it. It’s a sprawling 6-acre community of accommodations, all with their own streets. Like a town, there are chic shops, restaurants, cafes, bars and a standalone yoga centre and spa as well. And the entire complex revolves around The Great House, a two-story grand colonial style mansion that sits on the edge of a lagoon. That’s also where you’ll find the pool and you can rent private cabanas for more luxurious lounging if you really want to live large. But I must admit, I was disappointed to discover that the resort is not on a swimmable sea. The brackish lagoon surrounding it even has a resident crocodile! So, swimming is absolutely verboten. But once I found out that there’s a complimentary water taxi to their very own private beach a few minutes away, I was relieved. We enjoyed a marvelous dinner in the main dining room that night, and also enjoyed our breakfast buffet on the Great House terrace the next day before we took off to the beach. Food was great, and staff were super.

Private Island Life

Enroute to our tropical retreat, we passed an island that’s owned by Leonardo di Caprio who intends to turn it into an eco-resort this year. Nice neighbours! Just beyond it, is the Mahogany Bay Beach Club with a bar/grill with a rooftop lounge, and plenty of shade palapas and hammock. The sand is brilliant white and water calm, clear and inviting. But my favorite lounging spot was the oversized daybeds on stilts right in the water. And having the staff walk through the waves barefoot to deliver your snacks and cocktails is really a trip!

The Stays

Touted as “Belize’s first global luxury branded resort” the stay options are very eclectic. As part of the upscale boutique Curio Collection by Hilton, you can rent hotel style suites, or you can opt for cottages or even a multi-bedroom house, some with their own pools, designed by the Mahogany Group. Ownership option are also on the table with customizable Coastal Living branded homes. And everyone can have their own golf cart! Seems that golf carts are the transportation mode of choice for the entire San Pedro population. They are everywhere! It’s lots of fun to take them to town for some shopping, dining or an excursion. I highly recommend the snorkel trip excursion to Shark Alley, it’s chock full of stingrays and colorful fish besides the sharks. And not a crocodile in sight!

mahoganybayvillage.com