We had a great time at the Casa Santa Maria in the Belizean jungle. When we arrived after a long day of travelling we were hungry and very irritated. That last 10.5 miles down that unpaved road is no joke!! When Jim advises you to get there before dark (especially if you are driving yourself) he is serious. Once we got to the eco-village we had a hard time finding the house, so we were not in the best mood when we arrived, but Lucy greeted us with a smile and welcome beverage. She also already had our dinner prepared and took us on a quick tour of the house. The house looks exactly like it does in the pictures.....its beautiful and the views are breathtaking. Hopefully during your stay you will get a chance to hear and see the Howler Monkeys.

Lucy will be your host and cook while you are there and she is FANTASTIC!!! She is a total sweetheart and an excellent cook. The Martz Farm (her family farm) is just 2.5 miles down the road and if you plan on doing any excursions, some of them are done by her brothers and/or sisters on the family farm. We did the Pontoon Boat Tour with her brother Lazo and sister, Millie. We went to 3 different waterfalls, checked out the wildlife on the river and just had a great afternoon with them. They are just as sweet and kind as Lucy. We also got to meet her other brother Joe when we got back from the boat tour and he shared 2 poems with us. Lucy and her family are just all around great people, so make sure you get in at least 1 excursion with them while you are there.

Our communication with Jim before our arrival was excellent. He was super responsive and didn't seem to have a problem answering all of our questions.

Things to remember: If you are driving yourself to the house, PLEASE GET THERE BEFORE IT GETS DARK!!! It gets dark in Belize at 6pm. The last 10.5 miles to the Casa Santa Maria is down an unpaved road. IT IS VERY BUMPY!! It will take you at least 45 minutes to get down this road. Follow Jim's directions!!! There are no street signs (besides the signs at the junctions) so make sure you follow his directions to a tee. When you get to Benque Viejo, DO NOT GO OVER THE HIGH BRIDGE!! We almost made this mistake. The high bridge is just a landmark, to let you know you're going in the right direction.

All in all, we had a great time. We would definitely come back and we LOVE Lucy. She is best.