Las Terrazas in a Nutshell:
Visitors generally arrive at Las Terrazas by water taxi, which deposits them at the end of a very long dock. Beyond the wide stretch of beach lies Las Terrazas. As a condo hotel operation, the property is best for couples who've already visited Belize and need little staff assistance. The young, friendly staff is not adept at handling guests professionally. Worse, our quarters smelled from smoke; potted plants on the terrace were dead; few tropical flowers enhanced the property. When we requested a different room, we were told they were not made up, despite the few guests on the premises.
Guest Rooms at Las Terrazas:
Units at Las Terrazas are privately owned and rented out. The furnishings leave much to be desired. In a land blessed with exotic woods and craftsmen, rooms are appointed with nondescript furniture made of cheap wood painted black (we spotted several areas where it was peeling) and dominated by big, flat-screen TVs. Wired Internet connects only near the TV, far from any surface suitable to rest a laptop. Dark granite countertops impose a heavy hand on kitchen and bathroom areas. Most accommodations at Las Terrazas overlook the pool. A few units look out to sea.
Dining at Las Terrazas:
Las Terrazas' one restaurant, O, includes a glass-tile bar made of several shades of turquoise that evoke the colors of the Caribbean Sea. The bar is deep and catches the eye, but is built too tall for the average height of a Belizean bartender, who shrinks behind it. Dine at one of a few tables inside or at one of several tables poolside. The menu ranges from international to Central American cuisine cooked nicely to order and made of fresh local ingredients. We can still taste O’s delicious Key lime pie, topped with a fluffy inch of tasty meringue.
Destination Weddings at Las Terrazas:
With its angular, all-white background and handsome deep-blue infinity pool, Las Terrazas could provide a beautiful photo op for a wedding. For a beach ceremony, the property can create an aisle bordered by tropical fruits and flowers for the bride to walk down and a dramatic palm-frond archway under which to get married. The place really could work, but would need a loving touch, which during our visit was lacking.
Honeymoon Package at Las Terrazas:
The honeymoon package includes five nights in a one-bedroom, two-bath town home. Quarters will be upgraded at no extra charge if the penthouse, with its private plunge pool, is available. Breakfast, lunch, and a four-course a la carte dinner at O restaurant is included. Likewise, a snorkel trip for two to spots for marine life viewing, a couples massage, a sunset sail, and a private candlelit dinner on the wide beach with an attendant at the ready are part of the package.
Activities at Las Terrazas:
The beach at Las Terrazas is furnished with comfortable chaises longues shaded by umbrellas. Down time can be spent relaxing here or by the long pool, reading a book or playing cards. That's what most guests do. If you order a drink from the bar, the bartender will offer to cut a hole in a coconut and serve it with a straw; the milk is refreshing. Sea kayaks and paddle boats are available on the beach for guests' use. Complimentary bicycles with wide tires can be ridden across the beach or over a bumpy path in back, on the lagoon side.
Nearby Las Terrazas:
Ambergris Caye is a well-known area for underwater exploring and the dive spots of Hol Chan and Shark Ray Alley are worth the short trip. Caye Caulker, a smaller and sleepier island nearby, can be included in a day sail with snorkel stops at those locations. Back on land, the town of San Pedro bubbles with life. The Thursday night Chicken Drop (an activity likely to offend animal rights supporters) draws both tourists and locals. A chicken is placed on a platform of 100 squares. Bets are taken on where the chicken will make a deposit.
What Could be Better at Las Terrazas:
Las Terrazas looks like a resort, but lacks the service and attention to detail that defines the category. We sorely missed seeing fresh flowers at the front desk or in the bar, much less in the room. And having two totally dead potted plants on our terrace was an affront. The front desk always had someone to answer questions or call for a water taxi, but it appears they were not instructed by management to go much beyond perfunctory service to satisfy guests.
Las Terrazas Vibe:
This is a hands-off place. Guests come and go almost without notice. The place lacks the graciousness more professional management could have provided, but guests who find their way here seem to accept that. Despite a long mural that repeats the words “The Natural Way of Life” in bright blue letters, the large cavern of white concrete that is Las Terrazas provides a nearly nature-free encounter that longs for some affection and a tender touch.
Las Terrazas Info and Reservations:
Las Terrazas Resort
Ambergris Caye
San Pedro, Belize
713-780-1233
U.S. 800-447-1553
Official Hotel Web Site
Ambergris Caye
San Pedro, Belize
713-780-1233
U.S. 800-447-1553
Official Hotel Web Site
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As is common in the travel industry, the writer was provided with complimentary accommodation and meals for the purpose of reviewing those services. While it has not influenced this review, About.com believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest. For more information, see our ethics policy
