Nothing can prepare you for the experience you will have when you first set foot into Casa Santa Maria. Descriptions, photographs and reviews cannot come close to the feeling you will have when you walk out onto the verandah and that VIEW simply overwhelms you. Be prepared to spend hours and hours sitting on the beautiful patio furniture just taking in the majesty of the jungle.
Of course the view is not everything. The beds, linens, and pillows are up to North American standards, which is rare in this part of the world. There is no air conditioning but during our stay in January, night time temperatures were perfect for sleeping. The night sounds of the jungle are a nature lovers dream. I’ve never been more relaxed.
We were worried about mosquitoes, but during our stay we used no bug repellent, despite being outdoors constantly.
We heard howler monkeys on a regular basis and even had a small troupe of them hang out in the trees around Casa Santa Maria one morning.
The kitchen is well equipped but don’t expect to use it because you definitely want to book Lucy to prepare your meals. Lucy is the most kind, thoughtful, and generous person you can hope to meet and she effortlessly produces fresh, home cooked, from scratch meals and juices for your enjoyment. It felt like an extravagance to book a personal chef but it was an absolute bargain.
Our host, Jim, also went out of his way to provide us with all the information we needed to safely get to and enjoy our stay at his place. I don’t know how he does it, but I never waited more than a minute or two for a response to a question.
The only caveat I should mention, and Jim will tell you as well, is you must have a 4 wheel drive vehicle to make the trip. The road to Better in Belize is rough so you will go slower than you expect (I grew up on a gravel country road, and this is a whole other game), but nothing difficult. The trick is climbing the steep hills on your way out of Better in Belize. I managed the first hill with my Jeep in 2 wheel drive but the sound of the wheels slipping told me this was luck more than skill. Switching into 4 wheel drive got me out with ease.
To sum it up, I can’t imagine a more beautiful, serene environment to get away from the world and lose all your stress and worries.