Umaya Resort & Adventures — Hotel in Maya Beach

We decided to spend our honeymoon together here in Belize at the Belize Ocean Club. When we arrived after our 3 hour drive from Belize City, We were greated with fresh squeezed watermelon juice to drink while checking in. We have been very fortunate as a young couple to travel and spend our time in beautiful resorts, and were extremely excited to stay here. We had a beautiful ocean front room, with a huge balcony. This is classified as a 5 star resort. I'm not quite sure how. At best a 3 star.

There was no welcoming packet, or daily event calendar. We slept our entire first day due to all the traveling. Next morning, we went to breakfast at the poolside bar. I was assured when booking there was gluten free options for my wife as she has Celiacs. It lists gluten free bread on the menu and she was very excited. When she ordered said gluten free bread, she was informed they had none. I made it a point to bring it to their attention that we were staying all week and to make sure that they got it. Fast forward to our last day here and there's still no gluten free bread for her. (After asking ever single morning here) I decided to ask for the manager. He said it was never brought to his attention. He was very apologetic but nothing was done. He told me to meet him later in the day and he would figure something out for her (too late at that point). When I looked for him, I never did find him later...

They should definitely make everyone aware of the sand fleas on the resort. I personally have over 100 flea bites from just sitting at the poolside bar. They are absolutely horrible. We were both eaten alive. We went through two full cans of bug spray to avoid any more. (It's funny how they sell Benadryl anti-ich cream in their gift shop with quite a large stock) between the mosquitos and sand fleas we were both hesitant to spend much time outside on the beach or at the pool. Benadryl became my best friend for the itch.

The rooms themselves are okay. Definitely need to reconsider how the shower is constructed. There's just one pane of glass, and the bathroom floor becomes quite the source of fresh shower water.

The food on the resort was about double that of eating in Placencia. I definitely recommend renting a vehicle for the duration of your stay. Rumfish y vino, Wendy's, Barefoot were excellent choices for food. The resort was very inconsistent about the food as well. First time I ordered 2 eggs over medium, Toast, and Bacon. I received 1 slice of toast (which seems common in some places) and my eggs were No Bueno. The yolks were broken and hard. I didn't say anything and ate it. Bacon was fantastic. The next day I decided to try again. This time ordering 2 orders of toast. Somehow I ended up with 4 slices of bread this time, and eggs showed up the same way again. Highly recommend sticking with scrambled. French toast was good as well. My last day the bacon was terrible. So the restaurant was very inconsistent.

The staff: This was easily the best part. We are here during their off season, so they were about all we had to talk to here. John the bartender was extremely friendly, We talked to Jason the pool tender, who was extremely nice. Lidya the waitress was super friendly as well! We loved the staff!

The resort offers Guided tours - Highly recommend looking elsewhere. Pricing was extremely high compared to what we paid outside the resort. Trip advisor is your best friend. We did the ATM Cave where we were told it would be $240 a person. Through mayawalk it was $190 for us couple! We saved over 50% booking ourselves. Same with the cave tubing. We used butts up and got the early bird special (9-10am) for $35 a person, where we were quoted $120 a person through the resort.

Overall I'm in the middle about this place. It's not what I expected booking a 5 star resort. I wanted to be thorough with my review to explain my concerns...

Our wedding at the Umaya Resort in Placencia, Belize, was a magical affair, thanks in large part to the extraordinary efforts of Kimera, the wedding planner from The Belize Collection. Over many months, Kimera worked closely with us, meticulously planning each detail to ensure our day was perfect. Her dedication was evident in everything from the beautiful ceremonial arch and the romantic ambiance of twinkling lights to the thoughtful touches like rose petals and a heartfelt congratulatory note in our room. Kimera’s role was pivotal in arranging the elegant table settings, selecting the stunning flowers, and coordinating the delicious cake. She also recommended a fabulous local DJ (DJ Kris) and photographer (Sombra+Luz), both of which contributed significantly to the success of our celebration. Her passion, creativity, and attention to detail were truly beyond what we could have hoped for.

However, despite the unparalleled service and planning provided by Kimera and the resort staff, our week-long celebration with 24 guests faced challenges, particularly with the food and beverage service. The wedding meal’s late delivery, by over an hour, dampened the festive atmosphere and shortened our evening's enjoyment. This was due to the management not properly staffing the kitchen when they had both a wedding and a full house due to a group of kids that were staying so the restaurant was packed, I was told they prioritized the meals for the folks in the restaurant over a prepaid wedding service.) The handling of the pre-paid drink package, marked by a lack of transparency and unexpected charges for drink substitutions, further complicated our experience. I would NOT recommend any sort of pre paid drink or meal package you will be double charged!

Moreover, the general manager’s approach to gratuities was concerning. We were informed that all tips intended for the bartenders and wait staff were to be given directly to him, to allow for a 30% deduction for the resort. This practice not only seemed to diminish the value of our expressions of gratitude but also raised questions about the fairness to the hardworking staff who made our event special.

Additionally, the resort had a sewage back up and a complete loss of all water during the stay. The jacuzzi tubs are old and in need of repair and replacement they do not work and the bathroom sink leaked terribly leaving a huge puddle that seeped into the bedroom daily.

Despite these issues, it's important to highlight the incredible work done by Kimera and the staff, which created a truly magical setting for our wedding. Their dedication and hard work deserve the highest praise. Kimera and the staff's kindness and care overshadowed many of the other concerns.

However, future guests should be aware of the resort's practices regarding billing and gratuities. While Umaya Resort provides a breathtaking backdrop and the potential for a dream wedding, the management's practices concerning additional charges and tips significantly detract from the overall experience. We advise future guests to seek clarity on these matters to ensure a transparent and fair...

Our time at the Belize Ocean Club was very nice. The Resort spans both sides of the main road that traverses the peninsula. Belize is an amazingly beautiful country with so much to offer. Our Two bedroom, Two bath suite was very nice and well decorated and presented very well.

Customer Service - Our check in experience was smooth and we had a great conversation with the agent who welcomed us to the area and gave us a great overview of the resort and what is nearby. They have an “Adventure Desk” where you can book all of your excursions - We did learn that they charge more than the vendors do so below I have concluded the contact details to the services that are available in Belize so you can save hundreds of dollars.

Facilities/Amenities- The resort is absolutely overdue for a refresh. The Pool is missing several tiles and is not as large as the pictures make it seem. After speaking to the front desk, I did learn they are expecting a refresh in the coming weeks, so for future travelers this will not be an issue. The rooms are nice, clean and well manicured. If you want to use the kitchen, call in advance to request flatware and cookware. They also offer free bike rentals which come in handy to travel to nearby restaurants and bowling alley or just to ride to the local grocery store to get a few items.

Food - This is where it became monotonous - the food doesn’t change and there is only one restaurant and one menu. After a few days you’d rather cook your own food or travel down the road the Maya Beach Bistro which has AMAZING food! Much better than our resort (and less expensive also).

Price/Value - Given we did not get the all-inclusive package - we are satisfied with the price and value we received. The quickly made friends with the drivers so that we could travel to the store, different restaurants and places on the peninsula.

TL;DR: We greatly appreciated our time there but we are unconvinced if we would stay there again. The rooms were great but the food was limited and lacking. The Pool needs help and it has a very shallow beach. Great time in Belize - most of it took place...