Return to Paradise!

My husband and I spent our honeymoon at the Green Parrot two years ago. We had such a great time (peaceful, adventurous and relaxing) that we decided to return for our second anniversary and were not disappointed. Rueben, Leo and the rest of the staff worked non-stop to provide top notch personal service and beyond....Rueben & Leo are very personable and filled with local Placencian and Belizean knowledge and we felt very comfortable trusting them to guide us in the right direction for places to go and things to see and do.

The food was very good, varying between fish, shrimp, lobster, chicken, pork chops and BBQ plus side salad or soup. Yummy. The servings were just the right size, too...not the over-large, super-sized meals of the US. The cabanas have kitchenettes, so we went to the local store and bought basic staples like rice, beans & eggs. Leo fixed us up with whatever we needed for cookware and we ate at "home" when it was too wet to go out.

While staying at the Green Parrot, we popped over to the Inn at Robert's Grove and it was very nice / posh, but it was too American. The beauty of the Green Parrot is that it feels like you're a long way from home, yet it's very homey. The constant onshore warm breeze, sound of the waves and the incredible views make it one of the nicest places on earth.

We'll definitely go back again and we encourage our friends and family to go as well.

Barb & Dave

Santa Barbara, California

Wonderful place to stay in Belize

My wife and I spent a week at the Green Parrot recently and it was the best trip we'd ever been on. We found the resort on the internet and after reading numerous positive reviews on this site, we decided to take the chance and book our cabana. From the start, the owner, David corresponded with us via e-mail, answering all of our questions and wishing us a good trip. We arrived at the resort and were greeted by a cool breeze and a breathtaking view of the beach. Leo, the manager, greeted us and helped us to our cabin. We had the fortune during the week to stay in two different types of cabins and each was charming, clean, and romantic.

We ate most of meals at the restaurant on site and were very happy with the food and the excellent service. All the staff at the resort were extremely friendly and helpful and made our stay a fun and memorable one.

There was a lot to do there as well. We went kayaking and canoeing, took the resort scooter to the nearby town of Placencia, went snorkeling, visited some Mayan ruins, and visited Monkey River. All the trips were arranged by the resort and Leo took us to the ruins.

We had such a great time at the resort and would highly recommend it.

Green Parrot is the absolute BEST in the Placencia/Maya Beach area!

I'm not sure where the last reviewer stayed but it could NOT have been at Green Parrot Maya Beach, Belize! If you want a posh 5 star resort, this is not for you. This is unique.

This small intimate resort was one of the best cabana beach resorts I've ever stayed at and I travel alot. From the time we were picked up at the Placencia airport by Reuben to the moment we left with hugs from all, we felt like it was home away from home. The cabanas are very spacious and very clean. Housekeeping is done immaculately by the managers wife and is cleaned with fresh bed linens changed daily. Fresh water in the frig is refreshing on those hot days. Upon arrival, either the manager Leo or his assistant Reuben take you around the resort, show you where everything is, including nearby resturaunts, just in case you'd like a change of pace. Mango's just 3 doors down, looks like a shipwreck gone bad, but they have the BEST burritos on the beach for lunch. Just look to see if the windows are open and that means they're serving.

Meals at GP: Excellent!! They have different dinner specials daily.

Breakfast is either free continental with fresh baked breads, banana, lemon, etc. with juice,coffee. Or eggs/bacon/banana pancakes, the works. Lunches: variety of sandwiches and snacks. Dinner: Always a 3 couse meal. The first night we were so tired from traveling all day, they brought a bowl of green soup, at first I thought, oh no, what's this. It was bell pepper soup and if was fabulous!! Amy usually cooks all the nightly dinners and will be happy to share her recipies. Fish cakes are to die for. And for that special treat. Ask Reuben for some fresh lobster. It is mouthwatering.

They have a very nice dock with palapa. Sunrise is about 5:30, a must see! With the portals in the loft area of your room, you can lay in bed and watch the sun rise too.

The last reviewer mentioned not being able to walk far on the beaches...???

You can walk for miles on these beaches! Yes, they are not wide such as Daytona, but you are in Belize, they are wonderful and secluded. The best part for me was waking up for a sunrise wallk and having the very friendly area resort dogs tag along. Spikey is the Green Parrot dog. When I first met him he 'showed me his teeth' I thought he was growling. Come to find out, that's how he 'smiles' at you! He never left my side and joined me everyday for our walk. Max, from Mangos also went everyday.

They have an extensive library that includes different language books also. And as for the music. It was also on, but very low. 'Background music' They have a huge selection cd's in the library, just walk in take a look and have one of the guys put in whatever you want to hear. And it's definately not just from the '60's! And always off by 10pm.

Want a fresh coconut to drink? Just have them pick one off the tree and cut off the top! Yum.

They will schedule your tours for you, get taxi's and are a wealth of knowledge. While using a taxi one day, I left my very expensive camera in the back seat. They call one of the drivers they know in Placencia, he tracked down the cab we were in, it was still there and he brought it all the way back up to Maya Beach. They are just that kind of great people.

I will certainly return again and again. If you can't enjoy this place, it's no fault of theirs.

Thanks Leo, Reuben, Amy and all the staff for a wonderful week. We miss you all already. Kelly & Brian.

The Green Parrot: A disappointment

My husband and I recently stayed at the Green Parrot. We were disappointed with our experience. There are only 8 cabanas and ours was the one close to the restaurant and bar. I objected to it because of the potential noise but we were told that the bar closes early, before 10PM. This was not the case. We had to sleep with earplugs in our ears to quiet the noisy people and the music. The music from the 60's was often played over and over. I can't tell you how many times we heard Petula Clark!

There was little choice in the food we ate. Breakfast was always sparse. Dinners were sometimes chicken wings and another entree. We felt that the food was mediocre at best. Two other guest who stayed there had diarrhea and vomiting and I experienced the same the last two days there. I don't know what caused it but I question the knowledge of sanitation by the cooks. Was the mayonaise left out too long?

Our cabana couch was old with tears. The pictures on the web look a lot better than the actual cabana.

We were also diappointed in the beach. Yes, you are right on the beach but for a walking beach it is very narrow and difficult to walk far.

The Green Parrot was not a good choice for us and we normally like places like that where it has some character and is small and intimate. But that is not what we experienced. It was the first trip that I was relieved to be home.

My daughter's wedding at the Green Parrot

The Green Parrot was one of two places we stayed in Placencia. The main purpose of our trip was my daugher's wedding which was held at the Green Parrot. The Green Parrot staff was very helpful in making all the arrangements necessary for a beautiful wedding. I can't tell you how impressed we were with all the preparation the staff put into making my daugher's wedding day lovely and memorable. Our accommodations (cabanas) were beautiful with a breath taking view of the ocean. The owners, Linda and David, responded promptly to every question I had via email. Ruben and Leo gave us the best service I've experienced anywhere. Thank you everyone at the Green Parrot for a wonderful wedding and vacation!

Great Vacation at the Green Parrot

Belize & Placencia are beautiful and the Green Parrot was a great place to stay for a week. We visited for a week in January with a large group, and each couple had their own cabana or beach house. There are 2 smaller thatched-roof cabanas and 6 larger wooden beach houses. We were the only ones in our group in one of the smaller cabanas, everyone else was in beach houses. The cabanas were very cute, up on stilts, 1 room, mini-fridge, filtered water, small dressing area & bathroom, and an enclosed outdoor shower- which cracked us up for the whole week. The thatch was screened (so no bugs) and the cabanas had a bigger porch than the beach houses. They advertise the cabanas as being perfect for honeymooners and they are right- I think they were a little more private and secluded than the beach houses.

Right away we noticed that the level of service at the Green Parrot was excellent. There were about 6 of us who checked in at the same time and Manager Leo and Bartender/Waiter Rubin learned our names immediately away and used them all week. They brought our drinks out to us on the dock if we wanted, and concocted all sorts of fun tropical drinks, including the mandatory Belizan Panty Ripper & Pants Droppers. The housekeepers unpacked all of our clothes and put them away in clever spaces- even utilizing the top of the fridge to lay out accessories and neatly folding up lingere. The brought a bag for our dirty laundry and washed our clothes (at our request) in the middle of the week.

The staff was very accomodating- arranging a surprise party & bonfire for us while we were on a day trip, changing the menu around to get some things in we wanted to try, and being very helpful in arranging our day trips. They sent a staff member along to accompany our group on 2 of our longer trips- to Xunantunich at the Guatemalan Border and to the Jaguar Preserve. Ruben even picked and chopped open individual coconuts for each of us near the end of the week- great fun!

We suggest that you sign up for as many trips as possible through the GP- that was much easier than trying to arrange onour own. We went on the Monkey River Tour (the only tour arranged through GP that also had guests from other hotels on it)- great lunch, great tour guides, and fabulous wildlife- birds, crocs, dolphins, manatees, howler monkeys, turtles and bats! The next day we went on a Scuba/Snorkel trip that we had arranged ourselves through Robert's Grove, as they are one of the more recommended dive shops & we had 4 people in our group getting certified. The Caye we went to was amazing and everyone had a great time. I understand that Green Parrot typically uses a different snokel outfit that picks you up right at the dock- sounds fun, but with the Scuba, we wanted Robert's Grove.

We also took a trip to the Mayan ruin at Xunantunich. I believe they only run this tour if there are a minimim of 4-6 people wanting to go- because it is a 3 hour ride. Leo went with us, plus we had a local guide. Again, a good lunch and it is BEAUTIFUL. We stopped at the Blue Hole (inland Blue Hole, not the dive site) on the way back- very fun. For our last trip, we went to the Cockscomb Basin Jaguar Preserve, again a great local guide, more great birds, an interesting jungle hike and fun tubing down the Stann Creek.

Placencia is a great place to visit if you want to do outdoorsy stuff- mosquito repellant is mandatory for any time that you leave the beach and go to the jungle- as well as long sleeves, pants, and sturdy sneakers/hiking shoes. The Green Parrot is a great base, especially with the attentive staff. We enjoyed the restaurant and personal service that we received all week.

A special note- this is considered upscale for Belize, but not what your average US traveler would expect- this is a small, personal resort where you will feel very comfortable by the end of your stay, but remember, this is Belize. You won't find little toiletry samples or things like that. We did check out several of the ultra-deluxe resorts while we were there- drinks at both Robert's Grove and Turtle Inn. Those were both totally over the top fancy and had ultra-expensive price tags. They were nice to visit, but you get much more of a feel for the people of Belize by staying at a smaller place like the Green Parrot. We liked being able to connect with the small and personable staff at the Green Parrot.

About the beach- it is very pretty, and it is raked every morning by Clifford, one of the employees. This keeps it clean and keeps away bugs. You can tell the difference by just looking down the beach at the other properties. Also, the resort has a dog named Spike, who adopts all of the guests and chases away the few peddelers that wandered up the beach about once a day. Birdwatchers: you must go to Belize! My main regret is that we missed the Scarlet Macaw Tour- another couple went and said they were magnificant. They are seasonal and migratory, so be sure check on the dates. All of our tour guides were very knowledegable about the birds/animals/fish/ and plants & trees that we saw. They pointed out so many things that we would have missed otherwise.

We loved the Green Parrot, and would stay there again. Great for couples or honeymooners who want privacy, and perfect for large groups of friends or couples. Good cook- fresh fish & fruit every day!, clean kitchen, clean rooms, nicely decorated, cute gift shop, easy to work with and deal with, and the staff is very understanding of any special requests.

Highly Recommend the Green Parrot

I stayed at the Green Parrot for a week in January with 10 of my friends. We booked 6 of the 8 beach cabanas and had a fantastic time.

The service: Service was excellent! Ruben our bartender and waiter went out of his way to see to all of our food and drink needs. Leo also deserves special praise as the manager who did everything from booking our trips, handling special requests, and helping us with transportation. While they were the most visible staff, I was constantly surprised by the work of everyone at the GP. On the first day, we were in a hurry to hit the beach so our unpacking was incomplete and haphazard. By the time we returned to our cabana, the housekeeping staff had completely unpacked and either folded or hung all of our clothes in the closet. I also have to thank the entire staff for setting up a beautiful birthday celebration on the beach for myself and my friend Tom. It came complete with a bonfire, palm fronds, hats, balloons and two cakes that were flown in from Belize City.

Grounds and Cabanas: The grounds are beautifully landscaped and the beach is well-maintained and raked every day. It has that great tropical feel with palm trees, stone-walkways, hammocks etc. The cabanas are clean and all wood inside with newly tiled showers. The lofts have large porthole windows so you can see the ocean from your bed. There is no air-conditioning but there are ceiling fans and numerous screened windows. Since it was January we only used the fan on low one night since the ocean breezes kept the room cool. I thought the cabanas were fabulous. Some people may miss in-room microwaves, tvs, internet access or phones, but I prefer not to have these distractions on a beach vacation. (You can use the office computer/phones to check e-mail etc. as some of our group did need to do).

Food: We ate most of our meals at the Parrot, and I enjoyed the food very much. I especially liked the fish, soups, and coconut pies. The style is mainly local Creole, but with some general international basics for variety. In response to the poor review on the GP food that was previously posted, we did have rice and beans at a couple meals that week (which I personally like) but we also had different pasta or vegetable salads on other days. All salads such as coleslaw were made more interesting with different spices from what you normally expect. We did have one lunch at the Maya Beach Hotel (within walking distance) and a dinner at the Purple Space Monkey, I thought both were excellent although a couple people in our group found some of the combinations on the Maya Beach sandwiches to be a little strange. You can also pop over to Mangos next door during happy hour if you have a craving for standard barfare like chicken wings. However, we had such a great time at our little paradise resort that we rarely left outside of the daily excursions. BTW I highly recommend using the Parrot to book excursions rather than trying to arrange this on your own. Prices are pretty standard across Placencia and by booking with GP you have "no worries" since Leo will handle any problems that might arise (like changing dates because of weather etc.). All of our guides and drivers were outstanding.

Highly Recommend the Green Parrot!

Cindy Wilczak

Baltimore, Maryland

Loved it!

I was a recently deployed soldier and I was able to make all my reservations and plans easily from overseas. Right away it was apparent that the one thing that really made the Green Parrot stand out was the attention to it's guests. While we were there we felt like guests at a very hospitable friends house. The staff were very friendly and helpful but you didn't feel like you were being waited on by some staff just punching the clock. They live on the site as well so it's their home really. The manager there takes great pride in the Green Parrot and you it's noticable after you meet him and everybody there.

They have one of the best beaches on Placencia. Placencia beaches are white sand but they are more natural then some you may see in huge resorts. Green Parrot keeps theirs clean and it's open with plenty of room to spread out. We ate almost every meal at GP. We hadn't planned on doing that when we arrived but after a few meals there we looked forward to every other one so we didn't go anywhere else.

We stayed in one of the thatched roofed cabana's and loved it. They are the perfect size for two people and you can't beat the hammock out front. My wife and I spent a night or two after dinner on the porch drinking Belikin beers and playing board games while we watched the sun go down. The larger beach house looked great as well but we didn't need the space.

Having never been to Belize before I was wary when it came to booking tours. GP made me forget all of that. I booked with them and checking prices at other vendors theirs were competitive and we left everytime from right there at their office. Most of the tours you are accompanied by a member of the GP staff and the tour guide. Do monkey river and Xinantunich! They are worth it. Just wear LONG PANTS and lots of strong bug spray when you go on these. Hehe... Buy your souveniers at the Mayan ruins where they are much cheaper. If someone says you bought a handmade bowl at their shop don't be surprised to see the same one at another shop somewhere else. But you don't goto Belize for souveniers.

Placencia is off the beaten path so to say. There is little of the "touristy" stuff in the village unlike other places in Belize but there's plenty to see and do. The people are friendly as long as you are.

Placencia and Green Parrot are a perfect escape if you are like us and looking for a place to escape to for a while. It was perfect relaxation. That says it it all I think!

We love the Green Parrot

We have just come back from our second visit to the Green Parrot in the past two years and we love the place. If you are looking for a hotel with hot and cold running waiters, olympic sized swimming pool, gourmet dining and lots of night life, don't bother to come here.

What you will find is tranquility, very friendly and obliging staff, rustic but clean and comfortable beach cottages, safe ocean bathing - no undertow and crashing waves. The food service is simple, portions are adequate and if there is anything special you want, the staff do their best to oblige. Any tours you wish to take are arranged with excellent guides. Of all the places we have been in the Caribbean, etc this is the one place to which we will return for another visit - same time next year!

Ate a lot of meals here, but didn't have a room....

Our breakfasts and maid service came from the Green Parrot as part of a deal with a nearby beach house, so we didn't stay in one of the Parrot's cabanas or rooms. There are never more than 2 choices on the menu for any given meal (breakfast is either modest continental style or one entree choice, never a variety), and you must make reservations for your meal several hours in advance because they cook only enough food to cover the number of reservations they have on the books. The cooking is native creole, and expect to get rice & beans or beans in some form at EVERY meal. The appetizer soups were quite good, the entrees and desserts average, wine choice extremely limited: white or red; however, the service is superb. Ruben, their only waiter, is a VERY nice young man, eager to please, yet modest and reserved. Leo, the manager, is also very capable and helpful. We did not book accommodations here because we wanted a place with A/C and satellite TV, neither of which is at this place. A wide variety of tours can be booked thru Leo, and he helped make our time in Maya Beach a little better.