Welcome to Cayo Espanto, Belize
Welcome toCayo Espanto, Belize
Welcome to Cayo Espanto, a private island resort off the coast of San Pedro Town in Ambergris Caye, Belize.
Cayo Espanto isn't your run-of-the-mill private island resort (if there is such a thing) -- it's the most prestigious resort not only in Belize, but also in all of Central America. The private island's five spacious, private villas have welcomed the likes of Tiger Woods, Robert De Niro, Harrison Ford and Leonardo DiCaprio – who loved Cayo Espanto so much, he purchased another private island called Blackadore Caye to build a Belize resort of his own.
What’s so compelling about Cayo Espanto? The location, of course, is hard to surpass: white sands, golden palms, turquoise Caribbean shallows in every direction. And the accommodations are the definition of island luxury. But the truly standout quality of Cayo Espanto is the service – like nothing I’ve ever experienced. Read on...
For Cayo Espanto contact info, visit our Guide review of Cayo Espanto.
Photo: Cayo Espanto paradise.
Service in Style at Cayo Espanto Resort
Photo: a Cayo Espanto welcome.
At Belize's Cayo Espanto, the top-shelf experience begins long before you reach the four-acre private island. As soon as you make reservations, you’re encouraged to fill out a survey, with questions like “How do you take your coffee?” and “What’s your idea of an ideal lunch?”
Once you arrive at the airport in San Pedro Town on the Belize island of Ambergris Caye, you’re whisked onto a motorboat for a brief yet idyllic ride to the tiny island.
Hot? Here’s a chilled towel to cool your face. Thirsty? The Cayo Espanto staff member who is to become your personal houseman will radio it in for you, and it will be waiting for you at the dock, along with the entire staff of Cayo Espanto.
About that houseman? He's yours and only yours. His entire obligation is to accommodate your every whim, no matter how trivial – whether it's a margarita, a second course of those fresh-baked cookies, or a DVD of 13 Going on 30. In fact, he presents you with a walkie-talkie, so you can summon him at any time. He brings your meals, blends your drinks, seals up the walls at night and opens them to the sea in the morning. But don't forget – he works for tips.
Cayo Espanto Resort's Private Island Villas
Photo: My cabana at Cayo Espanto.
Cayo Espanto's level of luxury runs at a high price -- if you're lucky, you can land a room at $995 US a night in low season, on up to $2,495 for a larger, two-story villa in high season. For $10,000 - $12,000 a night, guests can rent the entire Belize island for a group, a small wedding or the world's best private island party.
Cayo Espanto's rates are all-inclusive, covering everything but wine, cordials and champagne.
And in the case of Cayo Espanto, all-inclusive really includes everything.
Step inside your private villa and look around: Trillion thread-count sheets (rumor has it they retail for $3,000 a set). A private plunge pool, refreshingly cool by day, a hot tub by night. A refrigerator stocked with icy beer, bottled water and soda. The bathroom, stylishly appointed and stocked with bathrobes, high-end soaps and bath products. The shower? al fresco.
Since relaxation is Cayo Espanto's mantra, there's seating all over the place: rattan armchairs in the room, Adirondack chairs facing the horizon beside the pool, an immaculate white hammock under the palms, beach chairs on the sand, and of course, lounge chairs at the end of the private dock.
And if you're missing anything, just pick up that walkie-talkie.
Private Everything on a Private Island
Photo: Cayo Espanto's palm tree jungle.
Privacy at Belize's Cayo Espanto is almost absolute. The four-acre grounds of the Belize resort are forested with palms, and mangrove trees mask adjacent villas.
The only time you see anyone other than your houseman and his assistant is when you're lounging at the end of your private dock, under your private umbrella, in your private lounge chair lined in terrycloth – and your neighbor is too.
Dining at Cayo Espanto, Belize
Photo: It's not a vacation from calories at Cayo Espanto!
In every essence, Cayo Espanto is dining at its most decadent.
Whenever you choose to wake up, your houseman will arrive with a colorful fruit platter, coffee or tea, and an expansive breakfast menu to flavor the day. Upon my noontime arrival at Cayo Espanto, I was brought a "light snack": an enormous quesadilla, artistically arranged. Two hours later, my houseman presented me with my chosen lunch, a charbroiled chicken salad, and after that (as if I could eat anything else), dessert.
However, dinner is the real show at Cayo Espanto...
The Private Island at Dusk
Photo: A Cayo Espanto sunset.
Remember that survey? Around 5pm, the Cayo Espanto chef stops by to present you with a customized dinner menu, designed by your specific preferences. You choose the time.
When it comes, your houseman and his assistant arrive to set the scene: dragging your dining table out to the end of the dock, lighting torches and candles, setting the table with engineered perfection.
Once you sit, they'll present each course on a silver platter before stealing away, leaving you to enjoy your meal atop the silent water, beneath the stars.
While you dine, your houseman will seal the walls for the night, while a housekeeper will sneak in and turn down your bed. She'll also draw the mosquito netting canopy – a necessary part of sleeping in the Belizean cayes.
Keeping Busy at Cayo Espanto
Photo: Love at first sight -- Cayo Espanto, a private island in Belize.
Even if you're on your private island honeymoon, there's a point when lounging in your Cayo Espanto villa might afflict you with cabin fever -- or rather, cabana fever. Fortunately, Cayo Espanto offers a list of activities and excursions to amplify your Belize vacation.
Visitors can summon a boat to San Pedro at any time, for no charge.
From San Pedro, you can take a water taxi to explore Caye Caulker, or book a tour to the mainland jungles and Mayan ruins. The Cayo Espanto Divemaster is onsite to show certified PADI divers the wonders of Belizean diving, or to certify non-divers. Snorkeling is another option. Or ask your houseman to organize a "remote picnic" on a deserted island, which will be raked and arranged for your personalized, private meal.
A colorful line-up of kayaks is yours for the using: just ask your houseman to prepare one for you, and you can circumnavigate the island and its shallow waters. In this case, unfortunately, shallow means too shallow for swimming, unless you head way offshore. The waters around Cayo Espanto also have a problem with sea lice – staff provides you with a special repellent. I had no trouble.
Working and Playing at Cayo Espanto
Photo: Welcome to my office at Cayo Espanto!
By now, you've explored the outdoors. Hungry for a little unnatural entertainment?
No problem. Cayo Espanto's cabanas come appointed with surround-sound stereos, big screen televisions with occasionally spotty satellite television, and a long list of DVD selections presented upon request. If you feel the need to connect with the real world, the staff will bring you a laptop – the island boasts wireless internet – or you can bring your own.
Photo: The over-water villa at Cayo Espanto boasts a matchless setting. The sacrifice? No pool.
Before you leave Cayo Espanto, you're invited to record your experience in a fat, dog-eared guestbook, jam-packed with positive experiences. Some past guests wrote a quick letter, but most scrawled a novel-length testimony, proclaiming their love for their houseman, their villa, the cuisine and the island itself, and declaring how soon they plan on returning (as soon as possible, in most cases).
The most frequent comment? "We never wanted to leave!"
For Cayo Espanto contact info, visit our Guide review of Cayo Espanto.
As is common in the travel industry, About.com travel Guides may receive free food, lodging, or travel for the purpose of reviewing those services. However, these perks will not influence the coverage on About.com.
Welcome to Cayo Espanto, a private island resort off the coast of San Pedro Town in Ambergris Caye, Belize.
Cayo Espanto isn't your run-of-the-mill private island resort (if there is such a thing) -- it's the most prestigious resort not only in Belize, but also in all of Central America. The private island's five spacious, private villas have welcomed the likes of Tiger Woods, Robert De Niro, Harrison Ford and Leonardo DiCaprio – who loved Cayo Espanto so much, he purchased another private island called Blackadore Caye to build a Belize resort of his own.
What’s so compelling about Cayo Espanto? The location, of course, is hard to surpass: white sands, golden palms, turquoise Caribbean shallows in every direction. And the accommodations are the definition of island luxury. But the truly standout quality of Cayo Espanto is the service – like nothing I’ve ever experienced. Read on...
For Cayo Espanto contact info, visit our Guide review of Cayo Espanto.
Photo: Cayo Espanto paradise.
Service in Style at Cayo Espanto Resort
Photo: a Cayo Espanto welcome.
At Belize's Cayo Espanto, the top-shelf experience begins long before you reach the four-acre private island. As soon as you make reservations, you’re encouraged to fill out a survey, with questions like “How do you take your coffee?” and “What’s your idea of an ideal lunch?”
Once you arrive at the airport in San Pedro Town on the Belize island of Ambergris Caye, you’re whisked onto a motorboat for a brief yet idyllic ride to the tiny island.
Hot? Here’s a chilled towel to cool your face. Thirsty? The Cayo Espanto staff member who is to become your personal houseman will radio it in for you, and it will be waiting for you at the dock, along with the entire staff of Cayo Espanto.
About that houseman? He's yours and only yours. His entire obligation is to accommodate your every whim, no matter how trivial – whether it's a margarita, a second course of those fresh-baked cookies, or a DVD of 13 Going on 30. In fact, he presents you with a walkie-talkie, so you can summon him at any time. He brings your meals, blends your drinks, seals up the walls at night and opens them to the sea in the morning. But don't forget – he works for tips.
Cayo Espanto Resort's Private Island Villas
Photo: My cabana at Cayo Espanto.
Cayo Espanto's level of luxury runs at a high price -- if you're lucky, you can land a room at $995 US a night in low season, on up to $2,495 for a larger, two-story villa in high season. For $10,000 - $12,000 a night, guests can rent the entire Belize island for a group, a small wedding or the world's best private island party.
Cayo Espanto's rates are all-inclusive, covering everything but wine, cordials and champagne.
And in the case of Cayo Espanto, all-inclusive really includes everything.
Step inside your private villa and look around: Trillion thread-count sheets (rumor has it they retail for $3,000 a set). A private plunge pool, refreshingly cool by day, a hot tub by night. A refrigerator stocked with icy beer, bottled water and soda. The bathroom, stylishly appointed and stocked with bathrobes, high-end soaps and bath products. The shower? al fresco.
Since relaxation is Cayo Espanto's mantra, there's seating all over the place: rattan armchairs in the room, Adirondack chairs facing the horizon beside the pool, an immaculate white hammock under the palms, beach chairs on the sand, and of course, lounge chairs at the end of the private dock.
And if you're missing anything, just pick up that walkie-talkie.
Private Everything on a Private Island
Photo: Cayo Espanto's palm tree jungle.
Privacy at Belize's Cayo Espanto is almost absolute. The four-acre grounds of the Belize resort are forested with palms, and mangrove trees mask adjacent villas.
The only time you see anyone other than your houseman and his assistant is when you're lounging at the end of your private dock, under your private umbrella, in your private lounge chair lined in terrycloth – and your neighbor is too.
Dining at Cayo Espanto, Belize
Photo: It's not a vacation from calories at Cayo Espanto!
In every essence, Cayo Espanto is dining at its most decadent.
Whenever you choose to wake up, your houseman will arrive with a colorful fruit platter, coffee or tea, and an expansive breakfast menu to flavor the day. Upon my noontime arrival at Cayo Espanto, I was brought a "light snack": an enormous quesadilla, artistically arranged. Two hours later, my houseman presented me with my chosen lunch, a charbroiled chicken salad, and after that (as if I could eat anything else), dessert.
However, dinner is the real show at Cayo Espanto...
The Private Island at Dusk
Photo: A Cayo Espanto sunset.
Remember that survey? Around 5pm, the Cayo Espanto chef stops by to present you with a customized dinner menu, designed by your specific preferences. You choose the time.
When it comes, your houseman and his assistant arrive to set the scene: dragging your dining table out to the end of the dock, lighting torches and candles, setting the table with engineered perfection.
Once you sit, they'll present each course on a silver platter before stealing away, leaving you to enjoy your meal atop the silent water, beneath the stars.
While you dine, your houseman will seal the walls for the night, while a housekeeper will sneak in and turn down your bed. She'll also draw the mosquito netting canopy – a necessary part of sleeping in the Belizean cayes.
Keeping Busy at Cayo Espanto
Photo: Love at first sight -- Cayo Espanto, a private island in Belize.
Even if you're on your private island honeymoon, there's a point when lounging in your Cayo Espanto villa might afflict you with cabin fever -- or rather, cabana fever. Fortunately, Cayo Espanto offers a list of activities and excursions to amplify your Belize vacation.
Visitors can summon a boat to San Pedro at any time, for no charge.
From San Pedro, you can take a water taxi to explore Caye Caulker, or book a tour to the mainland jungles and Mayan ruins. The Cayo Espanto Divemaster is onsite to show certified PADI divers the wonders of Belizean diving, or to certify non-divers. Snorkeling is another option. Or ask your houseman to organize a "remote picnic" on a deserted island, which will be raked and arranged for your personalized, private meal.
A colorful line-up of kayaks is yours for the using: just ask your houseman to prepare one for you, and you can circumnavigate the island and its shallow waters. In this case, unfortunately, shallow means too shallow for swimming, unless you head way offshore. The waters around Cayo Espanto also have a problem with sea lice – staff provides you with a special repellent. I had no trouble.
Working and Playing at Cayo Espanto
Photo: Welcome to my office at Cayo Espanto!
By now, you've explored the outdoors. Hungry for a little unnatural entertainment?
No problem. Cayo Espanto's cabanas come appointed with surround-sound stereos, big screen televisions with occasionally spotty satellite television, and a long list of DVD selections presented upon request. If you feel the need to connect with the real world, the staff will bring you a laptop – the island boasts wireless internet – or you can bring your own.
Photo: The over-water villa at Cayo Espanto boasts a matchless setting. The sacrifice? No pool.
Before you leave Cayo Espanto, you're invited to record your experience in a fat, dog-eared guestbook, jam-packed with positive experiences. Some past guests wrote a quick letter, but most scrawled a novel-length testimony, proclaiming their love for their houseman, their villa, the cuisine and the island itself, and declaring how soon they plan on returning (as soon as possible, in most cases).
The most frequent comment? "We never wanted to leave!"
For Cayo Espanto contact info, visit our Guide review of Cayo Espanto.
As is common in the travel industry, About.com travel Guides may receive free food, lodging, or travel for the purpose of reviewing those services. However, these perks will not influence the coverage on About.com.
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