Victoria House Resort
Casual elegance on the sands of Ambergris Caye
The Victoria House complex is nestled in a tropical garden on the beach front, two miles south of the town of San Pedro. The central building is a grand colonial-style structure, accented by coconut palms wafting in the breeze. Situated around this are several thatched “Casitas,” which rim a large lawn, and two four-plexes called the “Plantation” rooms. The bar is separate, close to the beach, and two fully self-contained villas are at the south end of the property, with an unimpeded view of the blue Caribbean. All combined, this resort offers style and elegance in an unpretentious atmosphere.
This diverse selection of lodging alternatives offers a range of room rates, but it is still a bit of a splurge for most folks. The Victoria House would be a lovely place for a celebratory holiday, and particularly for a wedding and/or honeymoon. Weddings are common here-often occurring twice a month! Some are spontaneous events for couples who just get the urge to tie the knot during their visit, others are well-orchestrated affairs. Virtually anything can be arranged by the able staff, from bouquets and cake to musicians, the presiding official and the license. The exceptionally beautiful Honeymoon Suite (also dubbed the Windsor Suite) would surely provide memories that last for ages.
The thatched Casitas are quaint little cottages, fully-screened and cooled by fans and sea-breezes. The remaining rooms are located on the second floor of the main building and in the two-storey Plantation buildings. These are all surrounded by lush, tropical gardens, and have small private verandas. (The vegetation does somewhat obscure the view of the sea from the ground floor rooms, so if that is critical for you, be sure to specify a second floor room.) These rooms are nicely furnished and appointed with cool white linens, and have air-conditioning units.
The suites and villas are truly luxurious and nicely decorated, offering additional living space, and each of the villas has a full kitchen. The villas can be rented as a whole (two and three bedrooms) or they can be divided off and rented partially.
The dining room is located in the main building and offers a delicious interpretation of Belizean and Caribbean cuisines. It also features a “Fiesta Night” every Tuesday with a Mexican buffet. We savoured the “Caribbean Night” buffet (every Friday) and the serving tables were adorned with tasty delights such as, conch ceviche, spicy chicken wings, fresh salad, grilled fish and barbecued chicken. Don’t forget to leave room for the Creamy Carrot Cake and Caye Lime Pie afterwards. The entire production was beautifully presented in a flourish of hibiscus flowers and tropical arrangements. For breakfast, a continental buffet is standard, and a choice of a la carte selections can be prepared to order.
Activities
A complete array of sea activities are available to you here, as well as trips to the mainland sights. Surprisingly, over 50% of the guests at Victoria House are fishing enthusiasts, and many of them are repeat visitors. Both deep sea and reef/flats fishing trips are available. The evening we were there, the staff was busy cleaning a batch of large grouper brought in with the day’s catch. Your catch will even be cooked for you, if requested. The Admiral Nelson Bar is no doubt the source of plenty of fish stories every night! The comfort of the rooms here is a welcome relief after a hard days’ fishing.
The independently owned Fantasea Watersports on the Victoria House pier is fully equipped to handle all your diving needs, including PADI certification, and dive/snorkel gear rental. The majority of dive sites on the reef are only a ten to fifteen minute boat ride away, allowing you to rest comfortably on shore during your surface time. More extensive dive trips to the Blue Hole and Lighthouse Reef can also be arranged.
The management of the Victoria House is in the able hands of Janet Woollam and Brent Kirkman, and it is a full-service resort. Your comfort is assured and all your needs or requests will be looked after promptly. If you are looking for a luxurious Caribbean holiday, the Victoria House is sure to please.
UPDATE:
A swimming pool has been added; and all rooms, including Casitas are now air conditioned. The restaurant now has air/con, too, and has been renovated; and new decor added to the rooms.
Dining room now serves a la carte, exclusively.
