A romantic getaway in a boutique hotel type on Ambergris Caye in Belize sounds idyllic when you read about it in a brochure, and the Cocotal Inn & Cabanas certainly sounds ideal.
Then you do a bit more checking and you discover that the Cocotal Inn & Cabanas is self catering, and yet at least one guest was quoted as describing it as a wonderful boutique hotel.

Somehow the words hotel alongside fully equipped kitchen and self catering don’t seem to mix too well.

When is an hotel not an hotel is the question, and perhaps the answer isn’t the expected, that an hotel has a restaurant and serves food, whereas self catering accommodation does not.

Having said that many people stay in hotels on a no meals basis and eat out all the time because the food choices are cheaper and better.
On this basis the Cocotal Inn & Cabanas has every right to be described as a boutique hotel with the added advantage of your own equipped kitchen, so you can self cater if you wish, something you don’t get in a hotel with restaurants.

Cocotal Inn & Cabanas has just four accommodation units accommodating a maximum of ten guests, and purely on a size basis, this makes it ideal for a romantic getaway beachfront on Ambergris Caye.

What you will find is quality, both in the sense of the accommodation but also the amenities, so Cocotal Inn & Cabanas very definitely lives up to its stated goals, and with prices starting at USD100 it is also very affordable. Ideally situated north of San Pedro town you have the best of all worlds here for peace and tranquillity yet access to nightlife and partying, it is about twenty minutes on a bicycle and there are six supplied free to guests.

A number of little things like the bicycles are thoughtfully taken care of by the staff who are very helpful, cheerful, friendly, and efficient. Things like picking you up at the San Pedro airstrip on arrival, and the driver will stop at a grocery store so you can stock up before you get there. By the way the transfers to and from the airfield are included in your rate.

In terms of food, there are several restaurants within walking distance, and it is difficult to recommend any in particular because what is good to one person is lousy to another. There are none that are dire, and some that are really not bad at all, but be prepared to be surprised at how expensive things are. The same holds true for dining out in town, and you’ll be able to check out menus in the office. My suggestion is to always ask about a restaurant in the office beforehand, and you’ll get an honest unbiased opinion.

Significantly a large number of guests would return to the Cocotal Inn & Cabanas again. This boutique hotel, whilst very much self catering has a high and growing reputation on Ambergris Caye, and bears further investigation.