Corozal Town
Corozal is still as sleepy as ever, but things are happening at the margins.  The Las Vegas Casino is open, joining the two other casinos at the border adjoining the Free Zone.  I understand it’s not doing as well as expected, but perhaps with the season starting things will perk up.  Las Vegas has broken ground on a new 300+-room hotel, which if it opens will be the largest hotel in Belize by far. 

The casino’s market is almost entirely Mexican, as to visit the casino tourists in Belize have to go through the border exit process and pay US$18.75.  So a couple pays nearly 40 bucks just to go gamble – what sense does that make? 

While Corozal sleeps, Chetumal prospers.  A new Sam’s Club has just opened, and the city’s restaurants and hotels are doing boom business.

Some have good views of the bay, though I can’t figure out why the stairs are on the bay side of the building, taking some of the best views.  Indeed, I can’t figure out why you’d spend this much on a five-story hotel and not put in an elevator. A Chinese restaurant will open at the hotel shortly.  Currently, there’s street parking only, but the hotel may get the use of a nearby vacant lot for parking.

I toured Las Palmas again, and it’s looking great.  Charlie, who was a chiropractor back in the States, and his beautiful espousa Marina, have done a fine job with this property.  Basically, the old Nestor’s hotel has been rebuilt from scratch, from the foundation up.  The rooms, as at Mirador, all have A/C and cable.  Priced at US$45 to $55 double, this is one of the best values in town.  The restaurant space is being totally renovated, and a new restaurant will also open here soon.

Patti’s Bistro is still the best restaurant in town, and the best value.  Cactus still has cheap, tasty Mexican food.  The fajitas and other dishes at the palapa bar at Tony’s Inn are as good as ever.  Tony’s is popular, and the setting can’t be beat.

Quite a bit is going on around Consejo.  Bill Wildman’s Consejo Shores is still my pick for the best residential development in Belize. What a quiet, beautiful area!   Bill says more houses have been built at Consejo Shores in the past couple of years than in the previous two decades. 

Mayan Seaside and Wagner’s Landing both are seeing some activity and building, and a lot of other bayfront property in the area has been sold, though few homes have been built so far.

The golf course at Xaibe may actually be built one  day, I’m told, and the little 9-hole course at Consejo Shores is looking good.

Two of Corozal's best-known expats, Rick Zahniser (he started the www.belizenorth.com  web site) and Margaret Briggs, (www.localgringos.com) got the heck out of Dodge in 2005, Rick going to Arkansas and Margaret to New Mexico.  They indicated they were fed up with crime, anti-gringo sentiment, and just generally with Belize, although other factors may also have been behind the moves.

Across the New River on the shores of Corozal Bay is the charming little village of Copper Bank, which now has a real hotel, the Copper Bank Inn.

Orange Walk
The new bypass around Orange Walk Town saves a little time and avoids some of the sugar cane truck slowdowns, but it’s still worth driving through town once in a while.  Not too much has changed in Orange Walk, but here are a couple of notable additions:

I enjoyed the newish El Establo Bar & Grill, a friendly, family-run eatery near the northern end of the Orange Walk bypass.  It’s run by Albino and Ada Vargas.  The escabeche was delicious!  Indian Hill, Northern Hwy; tel 501/322-0094.

Orlando de la Fuente's and his wife have opened Hotel de la Fuente,  a nice addition to the very limited hotel scene in Orange Walk Town.

Out in the country, Lamanai Outpost Lodge, with its beautiful setting on the New River Lagoon, has switched to a near-all inclusive plan with all meals and activities, such as boat trips to catch and tag crocodiles, included, and rates are concomitantly higher.  One change that concerns me is the addition of airboats for trips on the lagoon -- they are insanely LOUD. 

Lamanai South Lodge is a new spot that is a less-expensive option for overnighting near the Lamanai ruins.  On 52 acres right at the edge of New River Lagoon, the lodge has four rooms in a coral-colored building.  Rooms are around US$150 double.  Indian Church Village, tel. 501/615-1892; www.lamanaisouth.com. 

Ambergris Caye 
Ambergris Caye remains the most popular destination in Belize, and I guess the question is:  Is it getting too popular?  Every time I come back there are lots of new houses and condos and way too many cars. 

Just look at all the development that’s going on, mostly condos and houses:  Sueno del Mar, the “fractional ownership” upscale membership development, The Phoenix condos where the old Paradise Resort used to be at the north end of town, Grand Colony south of town, Blue Reef Island Resort up north, Tranquility Bay, and others.

There’s still plenty of room to spread out and develop, but, especially south of town, some of the development looks ill planned.

With the new bridge open to the north, in my opinion now’s the time to implement logical, well-thought out land use planning systems for the miles of North Ambergris territory, to make this the best island it can be.

I still miss the hard-packed sand streets downtown.  The paving stones I’m sure are a big improvement after rains, but a little of the unique charm of San Pedro has been lost for me.  With all the taxis and cars on the streets, it’s getting dangerous to walk or even drive a golf cart, especially on that stretch of Coconut Drive at the airstrip. 

I had a great dinner at Rendezvous, one of the very best restaurants on the island.  I also enjoyed El Divino at Banana Beach, especially the terrific Mexican-style ceviche, Papi’s, Casa Picasso, and many of my old favorites on the island, including Elvi’s, Caliente (with a new branch up north), JamBel Jerk (with a second location at the Coral Beach Hotel), Cocina Caramba,  and Blue Water Grill are still going strong.  I haven’t yet had a chance to eat at the new Wild Mango’s, where chef Amy Knox, who moved north from Victoria House, has taken over, but I hear great things about it--great food, big portions, fair prices. Sweet Basil has closed.

Capricorn has new owners.  Let’s hope they can bring it back to its former glory.
With the new bridge open to the north, in my opinion now’s the time to implement logical, well-thought out land use planning systems for the miles of North Ambergris territory, to make this the best island it can be.

I still miss the hard-packed sand streets downtown.  The paving stones I’m sure are a big improvement after rains, but a little of the unique charm of San Pedro has been lost for me.  With all the taxis and cars on the streets, it’s getting dangerous to walk or even drive a golf cart, especially on that stretch of Coconut Drive at the airstrip. 

I had a great dinner at Rendezvous, one of the very best restaurants on the island.  I also enjoyed El Divino at Banana Beach, especially the terrific Mexican-style ceviche, Papi’s, Casa Picasso, and many of my old favorites on the island, including Elvi’s, Caliente (with a new branch up north), JamBel Jerk (with a second location at the Coral Beach Hotel), Cocina Caramba,  and Blue Water Grill are still going strong.  I haven’t yet had a chance to eat at the new Wild Mango’s, where chef Amy Knox, who moved north from Victoria House, has taken over, but I hear great things about it--great food, big portions, fair prices. Sweet Basil has closed.

Capricorn has new owners.  Let’s hope they can bring it back to its former glory.

El Fogon opened with a bang, as did the San Pedro outpost of Chon Saan Palace, but locals say both seem to have failed to live up to their early promise. The same family that owns El Fogon also operates Hacal Kiik, a bakery that has great local breaks and buns.  I’m still mourning the closing of Jade Garden and Taste of Thailand, two of my fave eateries on the island.

The breakfasts are still marvelous at Estel’s, where I shared a table with Josh Berman, who is updating the excellent Moon Belize Handbook, and Marty Casado, of AmbergrisCaye.com and BelizeSearch.com fame.

Tim Jeffers of Banana Beach and Peter Lawrence of Pedro’s tried to lure me into a poker game at Pedro’s Sports Bar, but I didn’t bite.  I did enjoy a rum and tonic or two at Peter’s bar, which has become quite a spot to hang out.  More than one person told me that Pedro’s now has the best pizza in town.  Pedro also is adding some air-conditioned rooms to his hostel.

I understand Victoria House is getting a new chef, a young man from Japan.  The resort itself finally has the physical facilities to match the service and setting.  The new villas are among the most beautiful beach accommodations I’ve seen in Belize, and there’s a new infinity pool with black marble (so there are now two main pools at the resort, plus two private pools at individual villas.)   Even the old casitas have been redone, and they look lovely.  Brent and Janet have done a first-rate job with this property.

Some of the new developments on Ambergris Caye:
Seascape Villas is a group of six luxury homes on four beachfront acres, built by Bob and Diane Campbell.  Each villa has around 3,000 square feet, with a sunken living room, slate floors, outdoor garden with hot tub, and unobstructed views of the sea.   There’s a gorgeous swimming pool.  To rent one of these babies you’ll pay around US$900 a day.  The villa colony has no restaurant, but you can have meals prepared and served in your beach house. North Ambergris, 4 miles north of San Pedro, tel. 501/226-5203; www.seascapebelizevillas.com. 

Azul Resort is where I’d like to stay if I had the money -- about US$700 a day.  This new resort has only two beach villas, but, man, they are nice. The two-level villas have 20-foot ceilings with beams of mylady wood.  Custom kitchens feature Viking appliances, and the cabinets and most of the furniture are made of zericote wood. Each villa has a Mac computer, 50" plasma flat-screen TV, and Bose theater system. On the rooftop, you can relax in your own hot tub.  The two beach houses share a beautiful pool, 400 feet of beach, and about 10 acres of prime property.  Rojo Lounge, run by the same couple, Vivian and Jeff, is next door for drinks in a romantic beachside setting and some of the best food on the island.  Conch pizza is US$19 and grouper stuffed with cashew-crusted lobster is US$31. Killer mojitos are US$8.  Not cheap, but then this is probably the hippest restaurant on the island, if not in all of Belize.  North Ambergris, 4 miles north of San Pedro, tel. 501/226-4012; www.azulbelize.com. 

Grand Colony Villas, built by the Paz dynasty that also did Villas at Banyan Bay and other projects, are among the most upscale condos on the island.  The 21 two-bedroom, two-bath apartments, ranging from 1,100 to 1,900 square feet, rent for US$500 to $900 a day.  The tony condos have 10-foot ceilings, marble and  hardwood floors, and mahogany doors and cabinets.   Coconut Dr., 1 1/2 miles south of San Pedro tel. 501/226-3739; www.grandcolonyvillas.com. 

The little yellow cabins lined up in rows at the Royal Caribbean Resort remind a lot of people of army barracks, or DFC by the Sea, but inside the 45 rooms are fairly spacious, with tile floors, wicker furniture, and kitchenettes.  There's a pool and 400 feet of beach next door (south) to Victoria House.  The price, US$125 double, is attracting some guests. Coconut Dr., 2  1/4 miles mi south of town; tel. 501/226-4220;  www.ambergriscaye.com/royalcaribbean/. 

To be continued in the February 2007 issue of the Offshore Real Estate Magazine