Cayo Espanto — Attraction in Belize District

This was our honeymoon destination for 2 weeks staying in Villa Estrella July - Aug 2023. To be very clear this review is in no way a reflection on the staff who took very good care of us the entire time. Considering the money we paid for this vacation I can not give 3 stars after what we experienced.||We booked here for a few specific reasons - looking for peace and quiet, isolation and the ability to enjoy the water sports (Hobie sailing, Kayaking and paddle boarding) as advertised on the website and in reviews and we were really looking forward to being able to use all the toys. There were supposed to be 2 Hobie Waves available. When we arrived 1 Hobie had ripped its trampoline and was unusable and sails on both boats were shredded by the wind and in very bad shape with incorrect ropes being used on all parts of the rig. The staff tried their best but could only work with what was available to them. The state of the paddle boards was dire - Kayaks had no seats that could support as straps had frayed and broken off and the Kayaks were short of the usual trimmings like handles, bungee cord and plugs and paddles were equally poor - I spoke to Erika, who worked her magic and somehow the next day there was a brand new original sail for the Hobie and a brand new 2 seater scrambler kayak with new seats and 2 new paddles out side our door. The second Hobie was never seen again so we were never able to race as planned. ||The water around the island has sea lice (maybe this is seasonal - but it was present during our visit) so walking in the shallow water resulted in being bitten - This happened very time I took a kayak out. The water was so shallow we were unable to swim and again this was not made clear on the web site. Prior to our arrival we were asked to complete a preference sheet where we clearly outlined our desire to participate in all the activities listed above. At no time did anyone inform us that there would be a problem with swimming and that there was no snorkelling in the near vicinity. It is also not outlined in the website otherwise we would have not selected this destination to begin with. We can appreciate that guest who stay for 3 or 4 nights are happy to just unwind in the their sun loungers and hanging out in the plunge pool and chill. ||2.5 days prior to our departure from the island - construction work started on the villa right next to us (taking up a long wooden dock and the entire roof of the villa) and we complained about the consistent noise but it continued for the rest of our stay. We did speak to management and were offered a day trip off island at no cost which was not what we wanted to do as we had already done the excursion we wanted to do. We were aware that the island was to close soon after our departure to carry out some repair work but they obviously thought no problem starting while guest were still there - again this is not what we signed up for so another disappointment.||With regards the Villa - yes as the photos depict it is tropical, rustic and the wood work amazing, but the overall feel was tired - in our villa lamp shades were stained and marked, most bathroom and kitchen taps were corroded and pitted - downstairs bathroom had no mirror by the sink, downstairs bathroom had a boat toilet - no fun - very poor pressure in the shower and overall just not what you expect from 5 star lodging and not like the photos on the web site. Toiletries provided in my opinion were not 5 star quality. Sheets, Bath towels and robes were lovely - pool towels faded and thready. I wrote a very clear review to the company which I asked to be forwarded to head office. We have been home for 2 weeks now and no one has reached out to us - again considering the price tag on this vacation - very very disappointing and as we said in our end of stay review to head office we are unable to recommend this...

My husband and I went to Cayo Espanto to celebrate our anniversary and my birthday. We have traveled extensively and have been to many luxury resorts in the Caribbean. Hands down, Cayo Espanto was over the top! The level of service, the amenties, the food, the setting... all perfect. |We stayed in Villa Olita and felt that it was the most private one on the island. Obed and Jose (our housemen) made sure that every single detail was exactly as we wanted. I asked Obed if there was a deserted beach he could take me to gather sea shells. Voila, he whisked us on the hobie cat to three different spots and even joined me in collecting shells! The level of privacy was superb. No one ever came to our villa with out first saying "hello" to alert us of their presence. |The food was over the top. Chef Richard came every morning to discuss lunch. We were presented with three choices but if that did not please he would prepare anything we requested (we were always thrilled with the choices presented ). The first day I asked for a chocolate chip cookie and from that point on, every day, two warm cookies arrived without asking. Mid afternoon Richard would arrive again to discuss dinner. We never ate in the same spot twice. Obed and Jose set up tables and decorated the surrounding area with lights and tiki torches. Service was neither rushed or too slow. Just right. |Our days were spent lolling on the dock looking at the bluest water you could imagine. We opted for a snorkeling trip one day and I have to admit that I was a bit aprehensive and started thinking of excuses..."the water is too cold" answered with "we have wet suits" etc. Our guides put me totally at ease and had me in the water (without a wet suit) in no time! The snorkeling was simply surreal..... sea turtles, barracuda, sting rays, nurse sharks, every kind of fish one could imagine, all in utter silence. The majesty of God's creation right before my eyes!! |At the last minute we decided to go for the helicopter return to Belize City. It was expensive but so worth it. |Cayo Espanto is the place to go to totally unplug from reality. If you need lots of activities you should come here and totally unplug and just be. Its important!!! It seemed to be the balm of gilead for us after a crazy year. We cannot...

Everything was perfect from the moment we were picked up at the San Pedro municipal dock to the return trip back to San Pedro. Our journey started when we were met at the dock by our houseman Kevin and the boat captain. The relaxing boat ride is less than 10 minutes from dock to dock. Upon arriving to the island we were greeted by the entire staff waving as we pulled up to our private dock. Everyone introduced themselves and provided the four or us with one of their frozen island specialty drinks.| |We stayed in the 2 bedroom, 2 bath Casa Aurora. The views from this villa were breathtaking. We experienced 100% total privacy our entire stay. The private plunge pool had plenty of room for four. The bedrooms were spacious, and the beds were more comfortable than our beds at home. A medium-sized living room separates the two bedrooms providing additional privacy. Linens, pillows, soaps, shampoos, etc. were top of the line. The large wrap around deck had two separate sunning areas with chaise lounge chairs and hammocks. The front bedroom had 180-degree views of the ocean. Your are literally steps from your own private beach area. The villa has a bar refrigerator stocked with soft drinks, water and several types of beers. ||Each meal is prepared by the professional chef based on the questionnaire you fill out prior to arrival. There were multiple choices for each meal and the food was prepared to perfection. Additional snacks, adult beverages, soft drinks, etc. were available around the clock. Everything we asked for arrived within minutes of being requested. Two housemen are assigned to each villa. Kevin and Jose were our housemen. Both have been with the island for ten years. They were extremely professional and maintaining your privacy while providing 5-star service was their main priority. We enjoyed our talks with them throughout our stay. Request them if you plan to stay and you won't be disappointed. This was our fifth trip to Belize and I can’t remember a more relaxed atmosphere than the time we spent at Casa Aurora. We will definitely return...