August 20 2007
"Perfect Perfect Perfect"
This was a perfect place to relax and get away from the crowds. Don't go if you want mall shopping and disco dancing. The front office people were very helpful, polite and happy. The Crazy Canuck's very entertaining and the bartenders the best! The dive dock would accommodate any request. The rooms and grounds are immaculate. The weather in April was beyond belief. Close to fine dining as well as George's Kitchen where they cooked our fresh caught wahoo as well as sent us back to Exotic Caye with vegetables and spices to cook the rest of the fish the night they were closed.
The island and the people were friendly and we felt very safe. We rented a golf cart with mud tires and took a drive as far south as we could go. We could walk from the hotel to downtown in less than 15 minutes. American groceries are only 5 minutes away, or go local 5 minutes the other way. The island is beautiful, sand, water, people, everything. The only downturn in our visit was we couldn't stay long enough.
waterweaver, San Francisco
July 24th 2007
"Loved the resort and island"
We stayed at Exotic Caye from July 9th through July 16th. Check in was smooth and easy. Room was nice and spacious. It had a nice kitchen with a fridge, coffee maker, microwave, and everything you needed to cook there. The grounds of the resort were well kept and quiet. Never used the pool, but it was always being cleaned. The bar on site, Crazy Canucks, is great with live music. We ate at Monkey Bites, which is the restaurant on site, only once for breakfast and it was good food. The dive shop on site, Ocean Adventures, is great. Went snorkeling and diving with them. The beach area was nice. For some really great snorkeling go to the pier at Ramon's Village. The food in town was awesome everywhere we ate. We ate at Caliente, Blue Water Grill, Carumba's, Sunset Grill. My only complaint is the
distance from the resort to town. It's a little far. About a 20 minute walk, which gets tiring after a week. Overall, Ambergris Caye is a wonderful place to vacation and will definitely be going back!
txjld, Texas
"Great Vacation"
June 27th 2007
We recently stayed at the Exotic Caye for 10 days. We were with another couple and had a great time. Our rooms were the deluxe condos on the second floor and they were great! They were large with a seperate large bedroom and we had an upstairs loft and another bathroom upstairs. The floor was tiled and the whole place had a tropical feel. From the balcony you look right out to the water.
There is a pool which was clean and refreshin. There is a beautiful sandy beach area.
They have a great little place for breakfast and lunch- Monkey Bites Cafe. Great food and good prices! They also have a great bar which alot of the locals go to- Crazy Canueks Beach Bar.
We were there in May so it was not filled up but there were quite a few people there.
It is about 1/2 mile to town and easy to walk to on the beach.
You can walk to most restaurants - Wild Mangos, Cassa Picasso, Caliente to name a few were very good.
I found it to be a good place to stay. It was clean, large rooms , was on the water and had a beautiful view and was central to everything.
karden, Long Island NY
June 2007
"Hello Aldicia!
Just want to thank you for doing such a super job helping with my daughter's
wedding. Everyone agreed that Exotic Caye Beach Resort was the perfect place and
you were the perfect wedding planner.
The way you handled taking care of legal papers, the minister, the flowers, the
butterfly release, and countless other details made the whole wedding go
smoothly. We were able to just relax and enjoy the beauty of Kerilynn and Dana's
marriage. You are a VERY professional and proficient Guest Relations person.
That you are friendly and courteous was a really big plus.
We were all very pleased with the rooms at Exotic Caye. They were very spacious
and well equipped with any thing we could want. The housekeeping was excellent
in their daily visits refreshing the room and keeping an abundant supply of
fresh linen.
Your resort and island offers plenty of beauty and plenty to do. It really is a
Belizean Paradise. Thank you Aldicia and all the staff at Exotic Caye for making
this family's destination wedding PERFECT.
Sincerely, Lynne Ponte"
June 2007
"Hi, Aldicia!
We made it back to Seattle safe and sound. We're super excited about being
married but neither one of us can say we're too happy to be back at work. It's
totally harsh coming back to reality from such an amazing week. Thank you soo
much for all you did and who you are! You are a star and made the most important
day of our lives shine and sparkle and we will never forget it. Exotic Caye is
totally lucky to have you!
Enjoy the pictures!
Take care of yourself and we'll be seeing you in a few years!
Cheers!
Melissa & Chris Cashbaugh
PS... we're still daydreaming about that hammock shop across the
street. It's a nice thought when things have gotten crazy hectic!"
August 2006
"I just want to say thank you so much for what a wonderful
time we had staying at your RESORT. You guys are absolutely fun and full of
love. We miss our nights laying on the beach and looking a the stars in that
awesome warm Ocean breeze..
We stayed on the upper floor Honeymoon Suite, Jacuzzi rocked and yes we did
spend lots of time enjoying every minute that we could.
Thank you Evalee for helping me out Surprise my dear loving Husband with all
this excitement...you are the best.
Please thank Housekeeping in my name for decorating our room with flowers and
Champaign...we will for sure see you next time. I recommend all love birds and
families to visit Exotic caye, it is the BOOM !!!- awesome memories, thank you.
We also enjoyed live music at Crazy Canuck's Bar....thank you Canada.
Thank you a lot from me and Rurik."
Ibadete Wagner
June 2006
"Hello to all at Exotic Caye,
We want to "thank you" for making our trip to Ambergris Caye a great one!!!
Despite the rain/wind each day we managed to have a wonderful time!!!
We had flight delays due to weather and arrived home this morning about 2:30 am,
not too fun!!!
Thanks again for making our stay on your island home so memorable.
Kim & Alan"
May 2006
"Evalee,
i was so sorry to miss you when me and my husband left the resort on Saturday!
I really wanted to say good bye to you since you were so nice when we checked
in. We had such a great time while staying at the resort. Everything went well
and we had great food and had a lot of fun. We would definitely stay at your
resort again and I went into the trip advisor this morning and wrote a glowing
review about you, the staff, the owners, housekeeping and just everything about
the resort. Thank you for such a great vacation. Please give my best to
everyone- Josie, Nellie, Carol, Don, Ollie-WE MISS YOU!!!
Karen Fisher"
March 2006
"Hi Carol, Don & Evalee,
I want to thank you and all of your staff once again for making our stay and our
wedding so incredibly wonderful. It certainly wouldn't have been what it was
without all your assistance and caring. I also want to thank you for looking
after all of our guests so well. Everyone loved the resort, but most
importantly, the management and staff who make it such an incredible place to
spend one's holidays. I cannot and will not ever be able to thank you for
everything everyone at the resort did for us.
I wish you all very well, we will keep in touch and with spirits and angels
willing I hope we will be back to San Pedro very soon.
Take Care
Love Lori & Nick Craig"
March 2006
"Hi Don and Carol and the rest of your staff.
Thank you very much for your great hospitality. Nick and Lori are so lucky they
found this place. Anyway have a great rest of the year
We will be back!.
Thanks
Rosscoe and Brook"
March 2006
"Hi Don and Carol,
It's good to be home , but we miss you already. We had a fantastic time
in Ambregris Caye , and it had a lot to due with your Canuck
hospitality. Say Hi to Dave, Roger ,and the crew for us.
Take care , and keep in touch.
Love Sonyia & Mike"
March 2006
"We would like to say thanks for a great place. We both enjoyed our
stay at the Exotic Caye. The facilities were what we had planned on and your
staff made if very special.
Please give our thanks to all of the staff. A few that we would like to mention
are Evalee, Josie and Ben. All the staff that we had any dealing with were very
good and make one feel welcome in your resort."
Ben and Marg West
March 18 2006
"My wife, daughter and I had a wonderful stay at Exotic Caye.
This was our first trip to Belize. After quickly adjusting to the fact that we
weren't staying at one of the mega-resorts like you find in Cancun, you quickly
come to appreciate the much more genuine, relaxed and beautiful surroundings in
Belize.
The staff at the Exotic Caye were all very helpful. We stayed in one of the
newer units (Deluxe One Bedroom w/ Loft) and loved it.
We took a snorkeling/lunch cook-out trip from the hotel dock. This was arranged
by the hotel staff and was great. A perfect outing."
Bill Parmelee
February 21 2006"Larry,
Thank you for all your help in planning the vacation. We had an EXCELLENT
time! Mary got certified with no problem and the diving was incredible.
We really liked the Exotic Caye resort. The bar scene there was a lot of
fun and we had a great ocean view from our balcony. We walked through Ramon's
Village and while that was very beautiful it felt more "sterile" than Exotic
Caye. There were so many palm trees you had an obstructed view of the ocean and
the bar was way back from the beach. We were very happy with our resort and it
was a great place for couples (Romantic). There was actually a "Fairy Princess"
there. The food in Belize was amazing! We ate at a different restaurant for
lunch and dinner everyday and never had a bad meal. Everything was very fresh
and flavorful. One restaurant in particular was extraordinary, Casa Picasso. It
was the only restaurant we ate at twice. Luckily when we saw the weather report
on Friday we called AA and changed our flight to leave Saturday. We were
the last flight out of Laguardia on Saturday and the airport was closed the next
three days so we avoided disaster.
Thanks again."
Todd
November 16 2005
"Hi Carol!
Yes we all made it home safe. This is my first day back to work and it is very hard to get motivated.
The adventure went by so fast, it felt like a dream.
We enjoyed the island part much more than the main land trip. We all felt the
hospitality with you and your team were much more friendly and helpful. You guys
went out of your way to make it a memorable wedding and vacation for all of us!
We will definitely be back.
Thanks again for all your hard work. I will be in touch."
Julia
August 31 2005
"Dear Mike
Just got back from your condo in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye (Exotic Caye Beach
Resort). We had a fantastic time ? loved every minute of it! Everyone at
Exotic Caye was friendly and helpful. We left you a few cold Belikins in the
fridge. Thank you very much for giving us the opportunity to stay at your
place. The week in San Pedro was just what the doctor ordered. A great
donation to Fabretto. Knowing that the funds for the vacation in San Pedro were
going to Fabretto made it that much sweeter. Again, thank you, Mike.
Regards,"
Vincent and Jennifer M. Boca Raton FL
August 14 2005
"We returned from San Pedro Belize 12 hrs. ahead
of Hurricane Emily last month, and man was that a great trip. You booked us
w/Exotic Caye. From the time we all arrived, everyone from Don the resort
manager to Raul who sweeps the beach, made us feel like the only guests on the
island.
My nephew and myself were placed with a divemaster who owned his own little
boat. Each morning Everette (the divemaster) would be waiting @ the dock for us
ready to dive. Thanks to you all"
Bruce Henry
May 23, 2005
"We miss you guys already! We are home! Finally!!!
Long day of travel with...golf carts, boats, planes buses, trains, trams, and
automobiles....Finally, we are home!
Only for a short while...we will be back! What great accommodations and your
staff was such a joy to see with their sweet smiling faces each new day! You
should hang onto Little Nellie! She is FANTASTIC! We LOVE her!
I truly enjoyed myself and appreciate your kindness during our OH....soooooo....fabulous
vacation!
Many Thanks!"
Jennifer Lyons, Terry Lyons, Theresa Britt, Ben Pruitt
May 12, 2005
"
Hi
Evalee,
Just wanted to tell you what a MARVELOUS time Steve and I had
staying with you guys last week. The place was great ~
extremely clean & tidy, and even larger than we'd ever need! Maybe next time
we'll get one of the smaller ones to try out.
But, we will definitely be seeing you again ~ thanks"
Jill
December 23, 2004
"HI ,
Just wanted to say what a fantastic holiday I had staying at The Exotic Caye
Beach Resort !! Since I was traveling alone I did have a few worries af how
things might turn out, but those worries very quickly disappeared when I arrived
at the resort. Your front man Hilberto was totally relaxed and easy going ...
first impressions count !!! Then to my room which was very comfortable ... thank
god for a/c !! ... .
After getting settling in, it was down to the Crazy Canucks which was one of the
friendliest bars I've been to. A couple from Columbus, Ohio staying at the
Banana Beach Resort told me they thought it was the best bar on the island.
After 2 weeks on Ambergris Caye I would DEFINITELY agree . . . The bar staff are
a credit to the bar. But I'd definitely have to single out Chris ... I've rarely
seen such a good natured, funny, relaxed barman. Even when the cruise ships come
in he can adapt to the variety of characters that come to the bar, including
some incredibly rude and abrupt customers . When he wasn't busy Chris took time
out to chat to me and that was an enormous plus for someone traveling alone .
He's an asset to the bar , for sure .
It has to be said that a solo traveler to Ambergris Caye would never feel alone
. I met so many people without even trying.
Thanks also to Carole and Don who also made me feel so welcome. As bar owners
and resort managers , it was nice that they were so approachable . I must admit
to seeing an advert for someone to run the front desk at the resort ( San Pedro
Times I think ). Wow ! If I could find a way I might well submit an application
! Belize life seemed to suit me. A world away from London .
Thanks again, have a wonderful Christmas and a superb new year. Please pass on
my best wishes to Chris."
Steve ( Robinson )
September 27, 2004
"I have stayed at Exotic Caye Beach Resort four times for ten days with
groups of 10 to 12 dental students from Loma Linda University School of
Dentistry in California. These trips are working holidays The students
volunteer during the school breaks to go to other countries and work on
school kids and needy residents at no cost.
We have always been so pleased with the accommodations at Exotic Caye
and the wonderful treatment we receive from the staff. Each student pays
for half of their travel costs and accommodations and it is matched by
the school alumni association. It would not be possible for us to stay
at the island were it not for the generosity of the Exotic Caye Resort.
I know that many of the students plan on returning to the cayes and
mainland of Belize after they are in a practice of their own.
Many thanks! We look forward to returning with other groups soon."
David C. Brodeur DDS, MPH
Primary Attending Faculty
Loma Linda University -School of Dentistry
May 23rd 2004
"Thanks again for making our vacation to Belize fun for the whole family! The kids are still talking about the Mayan ruins, snorkeling with sharks and of course Brandy. We will be sure to recommend the Exotic Caye Resort! Say Hi to Kathy at Monkey Bites! She makes the best French toast!
keith McCoy
May 3rd 2004
"Well, all we can say about Exotic Caye is " WOW " !
The entire time there was wonderful.The office staff,grounds staff (please tell Blanca Jack needs another key) dive staff,Crazy Canucks and Monkey Bite were top notch. Jack and I discussed the pros and cons before this letter , and the point is , there are no negatives to be written!!!!!!!
The island is great and the people are so very friendly. I was sad to see the " cars and trucks " though. It seems all you really need are feet, bikes or carts to travel there. The exception would be service vehicles such as ,construction and delivery.
All in all everyone in our " GREAT LAKES SCUBA " group enjoyed everything and many are wondering" when are we going back?"
I hope this finds everyone well and hope to see you again in the near future."
Sincerely,
Jack and Shelley Enger
Great Lakes Scuba
2004
"I just wanted to let everyone know how much my husband and I enjoyed our stay at Exotic Caye Beach Resort. We got married in March and stayed in the honeymoon suite. Everything was taken care of and it made our stay so wonderful and relaxing. We especially loved the in-room massage which we needed after the wedding stress!
If you are looking for a wonderful place to stay in Belize, this is it! The location, the view, the pool, the staff, and of, course, the bar, were all perfect! We can't wait to return!"
Heather and Robin Joyner
2004
"Don, Carol and Sam,
I just wanted to let you know that our vacation was fabulous. We had a great time !
You all were so helpful and friendly. I know this was my second time on the Island but it was a first for my mother, and she loved every minute of it thanks to you guys. Just wanted to say thanks for all you did and expect to see us again soon."
Debra and Monica Olson 6B
2004
"Thanks, and I have to admit it was one of the best vacations we have had as a family ever. It rivaled the trip my Dad took me on at 16 to Grand Cayman when I first got certified to dive and he let me have my first Black Russian and wine with dinner. Curt was wonderfully nice to Meghan and all of us, and the Pro-Tech guys were all great, the very best. I thank Carol and Don for upgrading us and will highly recommend Exotic Caye to anyone here in Pensacola, FL. I only wish we had stayed longer. I can see why people fall in love with the island and find a way to retire there. It was the hardest first day back at work I ever had. Thanks again."
Jerry
2004
"Thanks for everything while Banks and I were in Belize last week. I thoroughly enjoyed Belize and your hotel. I'm glad I was able to make the trip and experience your great hospitality. Hopefully, I'll return soon. Maybe, Banks can round up even more folks for sailing next year! Once again, Thanks for everything!"
Steve
2004
"Hello to all of you at Exotic Caye!
We miss you so much and can't wait to come back to see all of you. I have to tell you how fantastic everything was! All of you were so helpful and so willing to do whatever you could
to accomodate us. I know that everyone was completely satisfied!
Thank you so much for such a wonderful experience and several memories beyond just
wedding memories. Of course, the wedding was simply blissful. It could not have been any more perfect. Thank you for all your help with everything. Sam, I could not have pulled this off without you. You are the main reason for our stay at Exoyic Caye. Thank you for the months and months of emails helping me figure out how everything works. You are so appreciated!!!
As for Carol and Don, it was such a pleasure to meet you guys. Thank you so much for all you did to make our stay perfect. Like I said before, we cannot wait to come back and try to have even more fun. You guys are the greatest and I wanted all of you to know just how much we appreciate all you did for us! Thank you, thank you, thank you! Thanks again!"
Missy and Travis Mayes
2004
"We had the best time! It was so relaxing and wonderful. We decided on the flight home that we would definitely go back again. Sam, thanks for everything. You were so helpful. We really appreciated everything you did for us. You were exceptional. The accommodations were quite nice and Blanca was superb at getting everything we needed done. We had a great time at the bar and Kathy's food was very good at Monkey Bites. She was very sweet also.
It was the perfect spot for a wedding. My daughter was married there! I will never forget all of you. Thank you all so much. Carol, Great job! Loved your Mom too.
That's it. Have a wonderful day and hope to see you soon. We have some digital prints of the wedding to follow soon. Thanks for everything,"
Ann and Roy Musacchia
2003
"Dear Sam,
Thanks so much for all you did during our stay at Exotic Caye. It truly made our time there very enjoyable. We are thinking of coming back and wondered what you have available during the first week of June. We would possibly be 7 or 8 people and would love to stay with you again. Let me know about the rate at that time as well. Thanks,"
Patsy Jones
2003
"Hi Sam
I want to thank you & everyone for showing us such great time & helping with our wedding. Wish we were still there, instead of here. Thanks."
Keith & Karla
2003
"Hey there, Sam, just saying hello. We had a wonderful time at your place and I still miss being there--so hard to get back to the grind. Hope all is well with you and the rest of the staff."
Darlene Wood
2003
"Dear Sam, we really want to thank you guys again for the nice days at the exotic caye beach resort. Our travel back home to germany was long. The weather here is between 56 and 65 K and lots of rain. Summertime is far away. So we remember with warm thoughts our time in Belize.
We really enjoyed beeing with you guys and we will come back probably next year ;-)
many greetings and a warm kiss for Sammy ... from a cold europe....;-)
best regards:
Tina & Andi
November 26th 2003
"You made our daughters wedding dreams come true. I truly appreciate all of your assistance during a very busy week full of fun and laughs. All of our guest had nothing but raves and many plan on returning. Your staff was very helpful like the housekeeper who ran and got flowers for the cake when we ran out. I could name many times during the week that someone went out of their way to make our time in Belize so memorable. 5 thumbs up!!"
June Cougle
October 7th 2003
"Actually, we ended up staying at the Exotic Cay Beach Resort because we decided we preferred to be closer to town. We had a wonderful time there and would highly recommend the resort, cafe and bar both for friendliness and excellent service.
Best,
Rié Shigematsu Collett
Septemeber 4th 2003
"Having traveled all around the world and stayed in numerous locations I must admit I've never felt compelled enough to respond to a message board. But after spending 8 days and 7 nights on Ambergris Caye at the Exotic Caye Beach Resort I feel it is finally time to break my silence.
I've always been a firm believer that a resort is a resort, but the management and staff can completely make the resort. Understand I've stayed in countless countries, five-star hotels and resorts, but being a true "people person" I've been under whelmed by their attitude and approach. My statement here is nothing more than to underscore this belief. Many 3 or 4 star hotels can equalize themselves to a 5 star location with flexibility, creativity and friendliness.
Exotic Caye Beach Resort is an icon for this type of mindset. Those who know Ambergris Caye understand that it is not San Diego, Miami or Cancun. Therefore you won't see the 10 story resorts with 3 swim pools and tons of brass, gold and marble trimmings. This is just not what Belize is all about.
What you will see at Exotic Caye Beach Resort is a pristine full service room kept by Blanca, immaculate common grounds worked feverously by Moses and a low-key watering hole named "The Crazy Canuck Bar" ran by a master bartender Rick and his sidekick Christian. The bar is an incredible location to meet locals along with various visitors from the island. If you are getting up from the bar and haven't met people like Ma and Pa, Rich from "Missour-ah" and Pirate then you probably need to stay for another drink. Trust me, if you can't have fun at this mellow bar drinking and playing the local game of "3s" then you probably can't have fun anywhere on Ambergris Caye. The Monday night Punta dance party is a huge party that shouldn't be missed.
If you are a pizza lover, Dave from Seattle has a place called PepperOni's just across the street that rivals any pizza from the United States. Exotic Caye Beach Resort even has a quaint new breakfast/lunch spot called "Monkey Bites" that can serve you up something quick if you are on the go.
The resort itself is ran and managed by a top rated staff. I'd put this staff up against any in the world. Husband and wife team, Don and Carol and a one-time Iowan transplant Sam. These 3 folks are the nicest and most flexible group you will ever come across. They are attentive to every need you have and will bend over backwards to make your stay as enjoyable as it can be. If you take 10 minutes to know these people you'll quickly see just how special they are.
Island life isn't for everyone. Everyone is friendly, the shops are small, and you might even hit a restaurant or two that is out of eggs because the weekly shipment hasn't been delivered to the island yet. Ambergris Caye is island life at it's best in this regard. But if you are looking to further enhance an already great place to visit, I would suggest staying at the Exotic Caye Beach Resort to ensure that your time on Ambergris Caye is top rate."
Rick
May 19th 2003
"I cannot thank you enough for all of your time and work you put into making our trip so wonderful!
EVERYONE at the resort was fantastic. We couldn't have been happier with the room, the hospitality etc. We look forward to many more trips back.
Fortunately, Norm and I are adventurous travelers. All of the power outages didn't phase us one bit. That is what made the island so unique!
As the winds were blowing so bad, we ended up going to Cozumel for 3 days. In a way I am glad that we did, as it made me see how commercialized and 'cruise shipized' Cozumel had become. I no longer care to ever go back there. They know that the people are there and have the $ and if the person doesn't like whatever, they don't seem to care anymore as someone else will come along in 5 minutes! We hope that San Pedro doesn't get that big. It would lose so much of the feeling of 'home' that is there.
Once again, thank you and we WILL be going back!"
Ali
April 13th 2003
"Just wanted to say again what a wonderful time we had staying at your hotel. The whole staff went the extra mile to make sure our stay was memorable and trouble free. It is only 50 here is Seattle and raining! Take care and thanks!"
Brett
Seattle, WA
March 6th 2003
"I'm having a hard time getting
used to the 15 degree weather and 10 inches of snow!!!
(which definately is no fun compared to lying topless on the beach!!)
Listen, you guys are great. I am a assistant V.P. and General Manager
to a 61- story residential highrise...I deal with people every day who
expect perfection. So for me, good accomodations are really important.
And I have to tell you, you are all wonderful. Jayne and I had a
fabulous time. I will recommend this to any one of my residents (and
already have)
who come looking for a great place to go. The town, the people, your
resort were all top notch.
That's about it..I'll be back in October or November of this year so
save me a room!!! And hopefully you'll have some of my Tenants headed
your way. Thanks again! "
Michelle Bank
wanted to drop you a line to say thanks for the Belize connection. Jainee and
I, along with 40 guests, had one of
the best times of our lives at Exotic Caye Beach Resort August 5th-12th, 2007.
We were married on the beach of the resort at sunset on Friday the 10th. The
whole week was incredible, hot, but incredible for everyone. Aldicia, Carol,
and Don did an incredible job with planning the wedding stuff, fishing trips,
snorkeling, taxis, golf carts, etc. You name it, they took care of it. 