Belize turned out to be wonderful

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Category: Belize Vacations

Published on Thursday, 04 October 2012 01:22

Written by Trys

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“Belize turned out to be wonderful”

Reviewed September 3, 2012

This year, without much time for research and planning, my family and I ended up going to Belize where it turned out to be wonderful.

Our package, which was well prepared by Orchid Garden/Eco-Village Hotel, included accommodations, delicious cuisines, and abundant excursions. We explored the beauty of the tropical ecology in Belize; granted knowledge and history of the Mayan cities; adventured the awesome underground caves; and fascinated by the pyramids and temples in Tikal, Guatamela.

We truly enjoyed the time we spent in Belize. The hotel staffs were welcoming and courteous. Their food was extremely delicious, and our tours were privately guided and well planned from one point to another. We could not stop talking about our vacation after coming back to America. Several friends and families had asked for information and I sure would not hesitate to recommend Orchid Garden/Eco-Village Hotel.

Stayed August 2012, traveled with family

As they say in Belize, you'll have an Un-Belize-Able Time!!!

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Category: Belize Vacations

Published on Saturday, 18 August 2012 15:25

Written by Trys

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“As they say in Belize, you'll have an Un-Belize-Able Time!!!”

Reviewed July 7, 2012

We had a truly wonderful experience in Belize during mid June of 2012. My wife and I (30's) booked a 3 day, 4 night trip to Belize with Orchid Garden being the only place we were going to stay. Our experience started off with very prompt and clear responses from Jason, the owner of Orchid Gardens. He allowed us to completely customize our trip, choosing a base package and swapping out and adding on different excursions. While we were in shock of the great deal we received on our package, our excitement grew as our arrival date came closer. We received an excellent PDF with tips from Jason outlining what to expect, how to dress, temperature expectations, what the bring, the works! 

Finally it was arrival day and we landed in the Belize Airport, retrieved our luggage and Alfredo was already waiting there with a huge sign to welcome us. He was extremely polite and as we saw other groups heading into vans to travel back to their hotel, I noticed Alfredos van was one of the nicest on the lot (as far as I could tell)! As we made our way back to the hotel, Alfredo began to spread his knowledge of this beautiful country and I grew thirsty for more. We stopped at the grocery store and headed to the hotel to find out we truly did have the place to ourselves and no one would be checking in until our departure day! We checked into our room and I was immediately impressed with the size of the room, complete with two desk areas, two padded chairs, a king bed and a buffet style table. One thing I wondered before I left was if each room had its own bathroom or not, so you know, you do have your own bathroom with tiled walls and a shower with nice warm water and a decent sprayer. It was very clean and I felt right at home. Then we met Christine, Jason's wife, who (with staff) prepared true culinary masterpieces. Every meal I was excited to see and taste what kind of edible artwork she had crafted for us. The food was exquisite and I loved the fact that there was no menu. Christine did present what we would be having for the next meal during the previous so you could make adjustments accordingly. My favorite was the fresh lobster tails they retrieved from the city, so good! The Wi-Fi was down during our stay, but the laptop in the media room/lounge was connected to the internet so I could check in on Facebook and email my family and friends.

Alvaro took us to the zoo and I was amazed at all of his knowledge and the personal experiences he shared as they related to what we were seeing. Let me jump really quick and say I was extremely impressed that our hotel guides (Alvaro and Alfredo) came with us on every excursion. Alvaro walked us through the zoo and explained different things, and Alfredo came with us on the river cruise and tour of Lamanai (quick tip, its pronounced La-Ma-Nai-EEN (but I'll let them tell you why :). No other couples we met on the tours had this service. The second day we switched things up due to the weather. It was the rainy season there, however it was just supposed to have started and it had started three weeks earlier. What a blessing! During the dry season it gets up to 110 but we were sitting around 89. It never rained, where we were, except for a 5-10 min sprinkle (which was so welcomed). We did the river cruise and tour of Lamanai. On the river cruise, Juanita the monkey jumped out of the trees, came onto the boat and sat on my lap for pictures. It was priceless and a truly unforgettable experience. The ruins were gorgeous and our boat guide took us through all of the different ruins with detailed explanations. (Make sure you take the river cruise!). 

The next day we went jungle horseback riding and learned a ton about how the Mayans use SO many things from the jungle to cure different ailments. Alvaro drove us to the stables and the horseback guide took us through the jungle pointing out all of the different plants and wildlife and how they are used by Mayans. Then we headed over to river cave tubing. Alvaro talked the guide into taking us further up the river (farther than the normal tour goes). We spent the afternoon floating down the river with our guide educating us further on Mayan culture and the history of the three cave system we were going to see. Our guide was awesome here, younger and funny, we laughed and traded stories the whole time. He also took the time to stop and show us different plants along the way, watched him eat termites, it was great and none of the other groups were getting this kind of service. One part of the cave is completely pitch black, and we turned off our headlamps and floating in complete darkness (cannot see hand in front of face), with only the sound of falling water and the squeaking of fruit bats to accompany you. It was a great excursion, there was also some stopping for swimming and rock jumping.

When we got back we met Alfredo again for the Eco-tour. We walked all around the entire hotel, which used to be a college, while Alfredo told us everything about the history of Belize, to the reclaiming process they used to build the hotel, to everything about every single plant or animal we saw along the way. I loved the fact that you constantly had to look down at the ground to avoid geckos and iguanas scattering about. The iguana sanctuary was awesome, and we saw multiple iguanas over 3 feel long gathering near the water. Christine and Jason have even opened the first floor of their home to the guests and has an entire museum of artifacts from Belize. The next morning we got up early with Alfredo again and went bird watching which was neat and very informative. Alfredo and Alvaro could have their own shows on the Discovery channel, I was so impressed with the sheer amount of knowledge they shared with us.

We were sad to leave Orchid Garden, but for those who are looking for a place to call home while you're there, I HIGHLY recommend Orchid Garden Eco-Village. The staff really went out of their way to make us feel welcome and taken care of, the facility itself was a piece of artwork, being made from reclaimed materials. If you are looking for a luxurious hotel to lay on the deck and swim in a pool all day, this may not be for you. But for those looking to truly experience all Belize has to offer, lodging at Orchid Garden Eco-Village will ensure a plethora of pleasurable and truly unforgettable memories.

One Night in Belize

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Category: Belize Vacations

Published on Friday, 31 August 2012 03:19

Written by Trys

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Orchid Garden is the ONLY place we'd stay! EVERY detail of our trip was made perfect by the owners and staff.

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Category: Belize Vacations

Published on Saturday, 18 August 2012 15:23

Written by Trys

Hits: 21957

“Orchid Garden is the ONLY place we'd stay! EVERY detail of our trip was made perfect by the owners and staff.”

Reviewed July 20, 2012 via mobile

My daughter(17) and I had the pleasure of spending the first week of July here, and we would return to Orchid Garden in a heartbeat!

Prior to arrival: Don't hesitate to email Jason, the owner. He was always prompt in his responses and offered various options that catered to the specific needs of our holiday, with clear details of the activites and any cost involved (btw: best rates by far, and so easy with paypal!)

From the airport: we were met right outside with a clearly labelled, reassuring sign bearing our full names! (Without hubby there I was nervous!)

The Hotel: Jason is obviously a true naturalist; there is a simply comforting feel to the eclectic buildings that sit sleepily within this jungle. 

Our Room: Huge! Immaculately Clean! A small fridge and air conditioner. (thank god!) This is not the Hilton, we didn't want the Hilton. Simple and VERY clean.

The Restaurant: first of all, our meals were included in the package, so no worries about finding a place to eat! Stone and Bamboo walls, tree trunk slab tables, and a central interior garden (bananas growing right there!), and even electrical sockets hidden in coconuts all leave you feeling you're in a secret jungle garden . . . and then we have Christine! 

She is Jason's wife, and is an amazing chef! Breakfasts were 3 courses, dinners 5 or 6! We were treated daily to a unique blend of Asian and Belizean creations! Come to the table hungry, you will be very tempted to lick your plate! (please publish a cookbook Christine!)

Excursions: Each evening as we finished our meal, Catherine would arrive like a tiny hummingbird to tell us what we would be doing the next day (as there are various guests, all with unique holiday plans, arrival and departure dates, you must understand that they are constantly working to coordinate excursions and drivers-just go with the flow, they've got it all covered!)

She also provides towels for excursions that require one, so don't waste room in your suitcase!

Each excursion outside the hotel also includes their own meal provision-so seriously, no worries!

ATM: so very much more than you can imagine! And the expression, "half the fun is getting there!" certianly rings true! The place should be one of the wonders of the world. My daughter said it was her ultimate favorite!

Zipline and cave tubing: a fun, fun day; the caves were amazing, our guide was hilarious! (yes Danny, you have a GREAT office!)

Maya Ruins: I was ill this day, but this is how incredibly safe we felt at Orchid Garden: my daughter was escorted by their driver, Alfredo, to the excursion, where she was met by the tour guide (whom they personally know), who then escorted her throughout the tour, ensuring she had a wonderful day! 

Caye Caulker snorkeling: spend money on a GOOD digital camera; it is a breathtaking day and we cherish the amazing photos we have!

Eco-village tour: our main driver, Alfredo, is also an excellent historian and botanist! Beginning at the restaurant we were treated to a brief history of Belize, then led through the grounds where we were shown numerous indigenous and introduced fauna and flora, along with tidbits regarding their medicinal or nutritional uses. Our tour ended at the private home of Jason and Christine . . . A hauntingly beautiful museum occupies the first floor - Jason's private collection of ancient glass bottles, carvings, paintings and semi precious stones that cry out to you and whisper stories you can't put words to. Yep, i don't care if that sounds dorky - I can't explain this place - it just whispers beauty and was a precious place to be.

Of note, we had also booked two additional days to visit family. Each day we were driven directly to their home, and provided with our driver's cell phone number so that we could call when we were ready to be picked up. On the days I was not feeling well (I struggled with the heat!) they graciously drove my daughter to the local grocery for numerous supply runs. 

We so appreciated their care and kindnesses toward us each and every day of this holiday.

I am sure to return to Belize . . . and will only stay at the Orchid Garden!