AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums The Cayes Ambergris Caye Banana Beach or Caribbean Villas

I would like to get some of your opinions as to which of these you think would be the best choice.
My wife and I are planning on staying for a week for our wedding anniversary at the end of May.

Both places are right for our budget and the accomodations are what we are looking for.

I want to know which you think is best and why.

Any thoughts will be helpful.

I have stayed at Banana Beach twice. Good location (not too far out of town), very good on site restaurant and two swimming pools, also a martini bar. They have a sea wall, but you can enter the water via a beach on either side at adjoining properties. Lots of lounge chairs in the sand and plenty of courtyard seating around the larger pool. Beachfront units are always the most desirable(and of course more expensive).We stayed in "courtyard" units with a full kitchen and only really used the fridge. There are phones and TV's in the rooms if that is important to you (it is for me on stays of more than a couple of days). The tour office (Monkey Business) arranged our golf cart rental for us.
My only complaint I had was the very hard mattress. When I inquired about a switch I was told that "all the mattresses are the same".
I think Banana Beach is a good value, but I wish they would get some new beds.
Can't comment on the other property as I have not stayed there.

I've stayed at both and like them both, though they are quite different in some ways.

Banana Beach is a good bit larger, about three times as many units. Banana Beach has two swimming pools; Caribbean Villas has none. Banana Beach is a little over a mile and a half from town; Caribbean Villas is about half that far. Caribbean Villas has larger grounds and in some ways a better beach, including a nice pier, but then Banana Beach, while as Tincup notes has a seawall it is just steps from one of the beach areas south. Banana Beach has a restaurant; Caribbean Villas doesn't, though in both cases there are plenty of restaurants nearby. Banana Beach is newer, and the units in the addition are only about a year old.

Both are well managed. Both provide a nice introduction to Ambergris Caye.

If you are looking for someplace that has all the modcons, including swimming pool, phones in rooms and cable TV, I'd say Banana Beach is the way to go. I'd personally spring for one of the beachfront units on the second or third floors -- you're literally just a few feet from the water. But if you're looking for a quiet, low-key spot on lovely spacious grounds and don't need all the amenities, Caribbean Villas could be right for you.

--Lan Sluder

We stayed at Carribean Villas in September. As Lan says, there is no pool, cafe or bar. Rooms have telephones, but no t.v. We walked to San Pedro every day (10 to 15 minutes). We did not miss having a pool - we swam off the pier and went snorkeling. We loved eating at all the different places in San Pedro and did not miss having a place to eat at the hotel. They do have some rooms with kitchens if you want to cook. They arranged our snorkeling and mainland trips for us. They do have a nice beach area and an outdoor hot tub. They also arranged for us to rent a golf cart for a couple of days so we could go exploring. My daughter got married on their beach. You can find pictures at http://community.webshots.com/user/kathyferguson We will definately stay there again.

Thanks for the input on this. I really appreciate it.
I am leaning toward CV, but it depends on what the boss says. She hasn't given me her input yet.

I really like what I have read about Wil and Susan @ CV in some of the other posts. Good hosts and their knowledge and experience can make up for fewer amenities.

Thanks again.

A local real estate company shows Carribean Villas as recently "sold", so you may have new managers in place by May.

I stayed at Banana Beach and did not care for it much. Felt like an up scale motel, with to many people in to small a space. We were on the court yard (no view), might feel different if we had an ocean view room. A lot of people really like BB- this is just one more opionon. Enjoy!!

I have stayed at Banana Beach 5 times and going back real soon and have never found it to be "crowded". I was there at all times of the year, Christmas/New Years, May, August. There were always, available loungers and chairs around the pool and at the beach.
The staff is excellent and they go beyond the call, for there guests.
The rooms are extremely clean and the beach area is well maintained.
I have stayed in all three types of rooms and of course the ocean front are very nice,because of the ocean view, but you get the same in the courtyard suites,except you get a view of the pool area. There are 500 plus sq. feet and include a full service kitchen with dining/living room area. Not a motel style room by any stretch of the week mind...
The on site restuarant/bar is very convenient and the food is very good.
I know different strokes for different folks, but a motel is not even close to a bad description.
Jackie

If it was me, I would choose BB!
It is a very nice place, with great staff, delicious restaurant and Bar, and a wonderful owner... (Whish is also very important)
All the rooms are very clean, and comfortable, and they do have a great view.

How many times have you stayed at CV to compare with BB?