Casa Tortuga is a two-story five bedroom villa which accommodates 10 guests on the beach in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize.  We also have a guest house, The Pelican's Nest, that accommodates 4 additional guests.  Casa Tortuga is located 1.75 miles south of San Pedro and the taxi fare from the villa to town is $10 US dollars per van, which seats up to ten people. The Property has 250 feet of beachfront, surrounded by 73 coconut palms, and overlooks the reef and Hol Chan Marine Preserve.  Guides can pick you up at our dock for scuba diving, snorkeling, fishing and sightseeing.

The pale pink villa consists of 4,128 sq. ft. including 60 ft. verandas on both levels, facing the sea. Located on the upper level are two large bedrooms each wit a private bath, the living room, bar, large kitchen, and two dining areas, as well as a third dining area on the veranda. The beach level includes three bedrooms each with private bath and dressing areas.  These rooms open onto the veranda, pool, and fountain which overlooks the second largest barrier reef in the world. 

San Pedro is a quiet village with friendly English speaking inhabitants. Island law dictates that no buildings be taller than a palm tree, so fortunately, three stories is the maximum limit on the island The restaurants in San Pedro serve great food at average prices, although we believe that our staff at Casa Tortuga cook the most delicious food on the island! The lobster in Belize is also excellent. The Belizeans on the island are happy, content people, and the atmosphere is delightful.

The pool is the largest private pool on the island, measuring 38 feet long and 18 feet wide, which includes an 8 1/2 foot circular alcove that holds the 300 year old bronze horse fountain from Versailles, France.

The master bedroom, the Casa Tortuga Room, on the upper level has a king size bed. The closet doors are mirrored and the room is furnished in antique dark green Captain's furniture handpainted with clipper ships. This bedroom has two sets of french doors which open onto the veranda overlooking the Caribbean. The Tortuga Bath has a shower and bathtub.  The marble topped antique vanity is beautifully carved and is from Germany.  

The second upstairs bedroom, the Jungle Room, is large, 14 ft. by 24 ft. with a king canopy bed of large bamboo. At one end of the room is a mantelpiece under a large carved mirror flanked with sconces. Two mirrored doors open into the private bath on the second floor of the turret.  The domed ceiling holds 16 windows around the top with a chandelier suspended from the center.  Stained glass doors open onto the antique wrought iron balcony overlooking the back gardens.

The living room has a white sectional sofa and a marble coffee table. It has two sets of French double doors opening onto the veranda. The antique walnut bar seats three at the front, and has a back bar with curved glass cabinets and shelving, while the ceiling of the bar holds the crystal stemware and lighting.

The Dining table is oval glass with a brass base and Parsons high back chairs with covered legs. A large leafy chandelier with white shades on the candlelight bulbs light the dining area. Blue and lavender hydrangeas in an Imari container serve as a centerpiece.

The kitchen is equipped with all G.E. appliances including a microwave. All of the cabinets, doors and ceilings are mahogany. The stove hood and kitchen counters are tile. The floors throughout the entire villa are tile also. The kitchen has a table and seating for four. An 8 ft. tall antique walnut china cabinet contains the glassware and china service.

The upper level veranda is 60 ft. long, with Pawley Island double hammocks at each end. There is a comfortable wicker lounge, chair and ottoman with plush oversized white cushions at one end of the veranda, and the other end has a round wicker table with four high back wicker chairs with cushions.

The beach level has three additional bedrooms. The Maya Room opens directly onto the veranda and beach. The view of the turquoise Caribbean from the canopied bed is wonderful. This room is accented with Mayan artifacts and paintings of jaguars. There are more jaguars in Belize than in any other country in the world. They inhabit the rainforest on the mainland of Belize. The private bath has a shower and bathtub.

The second beach level bedroom is the Palm Room. This room is spacious and opens onto the pool and ocean.  The entry has a daybed featuring two panels of carved monkeys from Guatemala.  An eight foot carved alter table from China sits across from the daybed.  The four poster bed and furniture in this room were commissioned locally.  The dressing area includes a mirrored closet with and antique settee and plenty of light. The two mirrored doors at the back of the room open into the first floor of the turret which is your private bath.  Three diamond patterned windows look out to the gardens.  The custom cabinetry is locally made and compliments the intricate tile work.  The chandelier drops from the center of a midnight blue ceiling studded with gold stars.

The third bedroom is the Seabreeze Room which has a queen bed and a beautiful view of the sea.  The large french doors open onto the veranda and pool and overlook the sea.  The Seabreeze has a dressing room with imported vanity and mirror and a large beautifully tiled shower.

There is also an outdoor shower, which is convenient for those returning from water sports. A barrel of fresh water is supplied for your snorkel and scuba gear. 

There is a plentiful supply of games in the bar, a regulation dart board with sets of darts, and a set of horse shoes set up under the palms as well. The villa is also equipped with color Cable TV, a VCR, tape player and CD player. To make long distance calls from the telephone at Casa Tortuga Villa, you will need a calling card number from your long distance carrier, or you may call collect.

Activities in the area include snorkeling, scuba diving, fishing, sailing, windsurfing, parasailing, sea kayaking, jet skiing, and daily snorkel excursions to the nearby island of Caye Caulker on a skiff or catamaran. There are boat trips to the ancient Mayan ruins of Altun Ha on the mainland, nature trips to Bird Island and daily round trip flights to the largest Central American Mayan ruin in Tikal, Guatemala.

Our staff live in a casita on the property, and take excellent care of our guests. Although daily maid service is included in the rent, our cook and her assistant will prepare up to three meals daily for your group for $50 per day plus groceries. She will prepare regular or virgin piña coladas and appetizers on your arrival at the villa.

For your Arrival Dinner, she usually makes a typical gourmet Belizean meal of BBQ red snapper, green salad, fried plantains, a vegetable, beans and rice cooked in coconut milk, and dessert. For the first breakfast she serves coffee, fresh squeezed orange juice, fresh fruit, eggs, bacon, beans, homemade fry jacks, sweet bread, toast and cereal if desired.

You may choose to bring gourmet coffee with you. There is a $300 deposit for the initial groceries for the first few meals. After your arrival, you can plan the other meals with the cook, and give her grocery money as needed. She keeps grocery receipts and returns any unused money to you.



All rates in US Dollars.

Daily Rates For 2009-2010:

Rates:
AVAILABILITY
DEC. 19-26, 2009
DEC 18-26, 2010
DEC 26, 2010 TO JAN. 2, 2011

Rates include daily maid service. Rates are subject to a 9% government room tax and a 10% service charge for W.A.S.A. and B.E.L. services.

The staff at Casa Tortuga prepare three meals per day for our guests for a fee of $70 plus groceries.

Rental Payment Schedule:
A payment of half of the rental fees is due within 7 days after the reservation is made. The final half of the rental fees is due 60 days before arrival.

Cancellation Policy:
If a cancellation is made 90 days before arrival, all except 10% will be refunded. If a cancellation is made less than 90 days before arrival date, all except 10% will be refunded, if the villa can be rebooked.