Victoria House Resort & Spa

Since opening in the early 1980s, Victoria House transformed itself from a hotel for fisherman into one of the island’s swankier stays. A long, sandy driveway leads to a mahogany pergola and colonial-style lobby with mahogany front desk. Arriving guests cool off with a cold towel and ginger lime-aid drink. Rooms and villas are scattered around the resort’s grassy oceanfront property, full of rustling palm trees and blossoming hedges. Unfortunately, the beach is overgrown with sea grass (like most on Amgergris Caye) and separated from the ocean by a sea wall, so this isn't the place for romantic swims in the sea. 

Luckily, there are plenty of other places for guests to hang out. These include two freshwater pools -- one of which is an infinity pool overlooking a manicured, grassy field with ocean views. For something a little more lively, the Admiral Nelson Bar has a vaulted, thatched ceiling and open-air walls that makes it feel like it was pulled from a Tommy Bahama advertisement. Lucky visitors have their pictures immortalized on one of its walls peppered with guest photos. Victoria House guests range from young honeymooners -- often dolled up in stylish swimsuits and high-heeled sandals -- to more mature couples. We didn’t see any children during our visit, but for a kids-free stay, Thanksgiving and major holidays should be avoided. 

Victoria House is a seaside resort located on Ambergris Caye’s southern shore. The resort is a 10-minute drive to the airport and a 15-minute drive to the heart of San Pedro, the island’s bustling heart. The resort’s free shuttle heads to town four times a day. Closer to the resort, three restaurants serve up Belizean and international cuisines, all within a five-minute walk. There are also a few resorts within a five-minute walk, all of which have pricier dining options. The nearest full-size grocery store is a 10-minute walk (or five-minute drive); it's located next to a bakery, pharmacy, and a Chinese restaurant. The islands top diving and snorkeling spots -- Hol Chan Marine Reserve and Shark Ray Alley -- are 10-minute boat rides from the resort. The island’s best beach -- the perhaps inaccurately named Secret Beach -- is a bumpy hour-long drive from the hotel. For a splurge, there’s an on-site helipad with direct connections to Belize International Airport (a 20 to 30-minute ride). 

Rooms at Victoria House range from State Rooms to high-end villas with private infinity pools, full kitchens, and flat-screen TVs. Most rooms have ocean or pool views, and interiors are air-conditioned and painted in earthy tones. Expect rattan couches with plush cushions and mahogany furniture that's made on-site. There's a traditional colonial look to it all, and decor includes everything from vintage prints of British commendations to naturalist sketches to big, cheery paintings of tropical beach scenes. Bedrooms have big, four-poster king beds with mosquito nets that ups the romance factor. It's worth avoiding the cramped State Rooms, though, as they've above the restaurant and can be noisy. 

Standard features include air-conditioning, safes, minibars, and free Wi-Fi, though it can be spotty. Some rooms also have iHome iPod docks and not all rooms have TVs. The One Bedroom Infinity Suite stands out the most through. The two-story units have full kitchens with stainless-steel appliances, granite countertops, and beautiful lattice mahogany cabinets that look lifted from an interior-design magazine. The upstairs bedroom has a vaulted, mahogany ceiling and bathrooms with granite counters and glass-brick stand-up shower. Otherwise, all bathrooms come with Mayan Honey Bee shampoo, conditioner, lotion, bar soap and we loved the small-batch oatmeal bar soap. For the price, we wish showers had rainfall showerheads or whirlpool tubs like some of Victoria House’s higher-category competitors.

Victoria House has a beautiful oceanfront location and a sandy beach, but the waterfront is overgrown with sea grass (like most of the island’s beaches) that make for a slimy swim. A breaker wall thankfully keeps the sea grass off the beach. Guests can swim in the ocean off the resort’s pier, which also has a thatched cabana and lounge chairs. The hotel’s sandy beach area has a ton of lounge chairs and beach sports like sling ball, bocce ball, and corn hole. There’s also free kayaks and stand-up paddleboard rentals. The two freshwater pools are surrounded by lounge chairs and the chic infinity pool has a shady area with a thatched-roof covering. 

The hotel’s restaurant, La Palmilla, serves Belizean and international cuisine under a ceiling of bleach-white exposed beams and quirky wicker monkey sconces. Unfortunately, reviews are mixed. A free breakfast is included with all stays, but gets mixed reviews due to its limited selection and tiny portions. The nearby Admiral Nelson bar has daily happy hour drink specials and live Cuban music on select days. If you’re lucky, you might end up with your picture plastering the wall of guest photos. 

The on-site dive shop, Fantasies Watersports Dive Shop, offers excursions to diving and snorkeling spots around Ambergris Caye. The hotel opened a  3,500 sq. ft. spa complex in late 2016, after our visit, which the hotel claims is the biggest on Ambergis Caye. The facility includes a fitness center and a courtyard for yoga. Bicycles are free and the hotel also rents golf carts (for a fee). An on-site helipad provides direct connections to the Belizean mainland. Wi-Fi is free throughout the resort, but service can be spotty and a free shuttle runs into San Pedro multiple times per day.