Xanadu Island Resort San Pedro

There were two families in our party and we occupied two separate units. We would definitely stay at this property again when we return to Belize.

The staff is especially helpful. From the very beginning when we were corresponding with Xanadu, Susan provided us with lots of good information and returned emails much faster than expected. Lupe arranged some nice snorkeling activities for our family with John Henry. The housekeeping staff and grounds staff were very cheerful and willing to help.

The property has a nice pool. And the kayaks and bikes were great to borrow.

I had to do a little work on my vacation, and the internet connection and the direct dial phones in the condos allowed me to stay in contact with the office.

(Whether that is good or bad is up to you.)

The staff made you feel like you were at home and made you feel like family.

Xanadu "resort" is an okay place to stay. We had a 3 bedroom condo. The condo was very outdated and did not overlook the water. The pool area is nice along with the workers. No restaurant at this hotel. Be prepared it is not a "resort" as one expects. It is a third world country so lower your standards accordingly. The free bikes are a great idea if you want to go into town, etc. There are a few more "upscale" places if you are looking for that, Victoria House is one of them. We had a great time but just be prepared that it's not the luxury you would expect from a "resort".

Unfortunately I cannot just review the hotel here as it is relevant to discuss some of the surroundings...

However, I will say that when we arrived at the hotel the a/c wasnt working in our room so we were switched to another room (actually quite a bit better than the one we booked).

The staff seemed quite helpful although they worked in what could only be described as slow motion.

Amberges Caye however is basically a sump. All dirt roads which although interesting at first, gets old real fast. Dont even consider going to Belize in anything that remotely looks like the summer.. Practically nothing is air conditioned and the room a/c's in the hotel dont work very well at all.

Very little to do there, and it is a nightmare to first fly in to Belize City and first have to boat out or fly out to the Caye to then get in a cab and go to the hotel. By the time we got there we were exhausted beyond belief.

Like I said the rooms were nice... service was nice but painfully slow - the island is terrible.

We spent the week of June 27-July-4 at Xanadu. Great hotel with terrific service. The OUTSIDE experience was difficult at times. The mosquitos were on steroids, so bothersome that it was difficult to eat at restaurants, go anywhere. Bug spray worked, but they would always find a place you hadn't covered, like the bottom of your feet ! Even snorkeling a half mile of shore you were not safe. Wrong time of year I guess.

For the money, and tropical experience, it is, in my opinion better to go somewhere else like Costa rica or Hawaii. OK place, but not on my top 10 list by a wide margin. We travel all over the world looking for the "Ultimate Tropical Experience"

The hotel itself is great, and I think by far the best in the area( Ambergris Caye). The snorkeling good, but we have seen better in Jost Van Dyke, Fiji, Great barrier reef, and even San Jose Del Cabo Mexico

We stayed at Xanadu from June 15-20, 2005. The place is a little piece of heaven. The staff was very friendly and helpful. It's an ideal tropical getaway with swaying palm trees and lush gardens. It had a very island feel the moment you step onto the property. The free bicycles and kayaks came in very handy, especially when rentals were very expensive on the island. We checked out the other resorts in the area and they don't compare to Xanadu. The pictures on the internet are very decieving. But for Xanadu, the pictures didn't do it justice. The must have when going to San Pedro is mesquito spray.

My wife and I had a great time at Xanadu. We staye seven nights and didn't want to come back. The staff is friendly and helpful. Alex will climb a coconut palm and cut down a coconut for you. The pool is nice and has a nice view. The only draw back is the snorkling is not great at their pier. I would go to Victoria station and snorkle if you want to beach snorkle or Ramons pier. Lots of fish there. We have a full trip report with pictures at dave-lori-home.com. Lots of pictures of other hotels tool Xanadu is a great value also because of the free bikes and kayaks.

Just returned from an eight night stay at Xanadu, and the only bad thing we can say is that we couldn't stay longer! This was paradise at its best, enjoying the wild beauty of a country not overly developed as yet, (remember this is a third world country), but with the comforts of home provided on the resort itself. Set amid tropical palms with a large deck to catch the ocean breezes, our two-bedroom unit was comfortable, well appointed and provided a panoramic view from the floor-to-ceiling windows stretched across the entire width of the living room. Another amenity we found very helpful was the complementary use of kayaks and bicycles to help navigate around the island.

The most impressive "amenity" at Xanadu, however, is its staff. From the moment we arrived until they bid us farewell there was nothing we desired that they didn't make happen! And they take care of every detail so none of your precious vacation is wasted making tedious arrangements for taxis, airfare, tours, etc. My husband and I have traveled to many places in the Caribbean and throughout the states, and both agreed we have NEVER visited a resort where the staff was so very efficient and helpful. Susan checks you in and gives you a lot of very helpful information to make you feel comfortable and get you settled in. When you need help setting up tours, renting golf carts, advice on restaurants or you just have questions, Martin and Lupe are quick to assist you. Need help after hours? Look for Barry keeping a watchful eye on things. Alex takes care of the property and helps with kayaks, etc. He can tell you about the Mayan culture and even brought us freshly caught snapper... on his day off!

If you're traveling to Ambergris Caye you WILL NOT go wrong staying at Xanadu. We're already planning a return trip!

We stayed at the Xanadu for a week over New Year's and had to most wonderful time. The staff was super nice and accommodating. Our room was huge with a wonderful deck overlooking the lovely pool area and the ocean beyond that. It was extremely peaceful and private, yet close enough to town that we could hop on our bikes or stroll the beach walkway and hit the clubs. We had the best vacation, met tons of fun people and are already daydreaming about our next trip back!

We stayed at Xanadu in February '05 and would definitely return! The resort has clean, hut-like rooms with complete kitchens. We found the staff to be friendly and super quick at booking anything we needed from a golf cart, snorkeling trip, fishing excursion, massage, etc. Xanadu is a short walk to restaurants and bars closer to town, which most of the time we didn't mind. San Pedro is a charming beach town of about 12,000 people who are very friendly and speak English. The atmosphere and dress is super casual. I brought sun dresses and never wore them. Belize was more expensive than we thought it would be, especially groceries. A box of cereal was $6, a beer at the bar was $3. The food was much better than I expected! The only thing we didn't like is that the beaches are not good swimming beaches because they have lots of seaweed. Also, we missed having a bar by the pool at Xanadu. There is a restaurant next door called Rico's which was very good. Overall, a good mix of fun and relaxation!

What a jewel in paradise. Have been to Belize many times and have found Xanadu to be perfect in every respect. The owners are marvelous and so accommodating. The condos and grounds have such a wonderful feel of the tropics. Close to town but away from the hussle and bussle. Xanadu provides bikes free to their guest as well as sea kayaks and canoes. Dive trips and inland tours are very easy to have booked. Can't wait until I return this winter.