Beautiful Home Away From Home

Guest: Shannon (Bay Area)
Date of Stay: 12/26/11 Review Submitted: 01/06/12

My friend & I recently stayed at the Arches for 4 nights. The pictures of the condo don't do it justice. The photos are nice, but we were pleasantly surprised. The condo has hardwood floors throughout and hardwood carvings from local wood. The place is super clean and is in a great area. The private tower is a great added touch. Unfortunately because we had excursions planned for every day, we didn't get to fully appreciate the condo or the village. If/when I go back to Belize, I would definitely stay here again. Ginny is great to work with.

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, tourists without a car, age 55+, girls getaway, romantic getaway.

Beautiful Rental

Guest: Melissa (Long Lake Minnesota)
Date of Stay: 12/20/11 Review Submitted: 01/02/12

"The Arches" suited us wonderfully for our stay in Placencia. It is centrally located for walking access by active individuals to beautiful beaches and restaurants, and lovingly decorated with authentic Belizean woods and art. We did experience a few problems with the wifi, the microwave, and the dryer; but the problems were not enough to deter us from renting the unit again or to recommend renting it to friends. Having the option of AC really helped after some of our active days in the outdoors.. Our family enjoyed scuba diving, tours to Cockscomb Jaguar Reserve and Nim Li Punit Mayan Ruins, and meals at the DeTatch, the Secret Garden, and Wendy's. We dealt with Ginny who was very helpful with information and was very accomodating.

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, adventure seekers, age 55+, romantic getaway.

The greatest time at the Arches!

Guest: Tanner P. (Cave Springs, AR)
Date of Stay: 07/03/11 Review Submitted: 09/26/11

I cannot begin to find words as to how wonderful our trip was while in Belize. Staying in The Arches, by far, topped it off. It was truly a dream vacation. Belize is every bit and more like books, magazines, movies, and people describe. My wife and I came to Placencia on our honey moon during the first week of July. We stayed in The Arches and had the most wonderful time. In the mornings we would hang out at the local (and only) coffee shop, and listen to the stories of local sailors who are now retired and run some of the local sailing and fishing operations in the town. Here, we even met the builder of The Arches - and you can bet that we made sure he knew he did a fine job on the house! Just like it is said in ALL of our readings on this time of year in Belize - Yes, it is the rainy season, but you really don't worry much about it. The coastal storms would come during the night and might carry on through the early morning, but by 10:00am we were on the beach with sunscreen in hand. The rain never bothered us a single bit, and because it was the off-tourist season, we were sometimes the only two people on the beach aside from a few locals. My advice when there is to explore the area a bit more, and see just how wonderful you have it at The Arches. We took a 45minute trip to the Cockscomb Basin and Jaguar Reserve to hit some of the hiking trails and experience real Belizean jungle. After a long day of visiting ancient Mayan ruins, and pinning your nose to the ground trying to decipher what might be a jaguar track, it's a wonderful feeling to make it back to what is your "home away from home" for the duration of your trip. Ginny and Mark did a wonderful job on the house to make you feel comfortable and clean, and truly making it feel as if you are in your own home in Paradise. The best and most knowledgeable advice I can give to anyone planning a stay at The Arches is to never be afraid to ask Ginny! She was so helpful in the days before leaving on our trip. We got all the advice we could, and she was able to walk us through all of the major steps we were to encounter to get there. A wonderful trip takes outstanding service, and I cannot thank Ginny and Mark enough for making it a dream vacation! To anyone considering a trip to Belize, go and stay at The Arches in Placencia. You will come back feeling as if you have added years to your life, and will wonder immediately, "How soon can I go back?"

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, adventure seekers, sightseeing, tourists without a car, age 55+, girls getaway, romantic getaway.

barrylietz@gmail.com

Guest: none (Dana Point)
Date of Stay: 08/06/11 Review Submitted: 08/24/11

The house was very comfortable and showed great craftsmanship in the woodwork. The locals are very friendly and the village is quiet and convenient to the house. The weather was very hot and humid while we were there so the AC was a gift. The bicycles made the trip to town and around easy and fun.TV and wi-fi worked great and time spent on the tower reading was relaxing and provided a great view.

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, adventure seekers, sightseeing, tourists without a car, age 55+, romantic getaway.

The Arches

Guest: Whitney (Bentonville, AR)
Date of Stay: 05/04/11 Review Submitted: 05/16/11

The view from this house is amazing & The inside is beautiful! We rented bikes and could easily get around everywhere we needed to. The store is right down the street and you could walk or ride to any restaurants. The ocean is beautiful you can see straight through the water the sand was pretty and clean when we went. It is an easy trip there and an easy trip home.. very convenient location! We did a snorkeling trip and it was so much fun all of the stuff we got to see. I would defiantly go back again!

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, pet owners, adventure seekers, sightseeing, tourists without a car, age 55+, girls getaway, families with young children, romantic getaway.

Dream Vacation

Guest: Clay & Beth (NW Arkansas)
Date of Stay: 06/21/10 Review Submitted: 09/06/10

I cannot say enough great things about our stay! Where do I start???...The house is nicely located near everything you would want to do while visiting Placencia! This is such a great place to go on vacation because its not as touristic as Cozumel/Cancun areas. They provided nice bicycles so there's no need to rent a vehicle! We did everything from Diving/Snorkeling tours, to simply laying in the hammock outside this gorgeous place! The house is absolutely amazing! The photos definitely do NOT do it justice! The inside was very clean and the air conditioning works great! They even provide washer and dryer. I would highly recommend staying in this house while in Placencia! It was definitely the nicest house around! And it was practically a steal for the price!! We just got back and we're already planning another trip back next year! THANK YOU GINNY & MARK!!

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, adventure seekers, sightseeing, tourists without a car, age 55+, girls getaway, families with young children, romantic getaway.

beautiful belize

Guest: Helen & Basil (Canada )
Date of Stay: 07/15/10 Review Submitted: 07/28/10

It seems like a dream we were in Placencia Belize. Truly a beautiful break from our work, it was a peaceful & restful holiday. Your home gave us all the comforts of home experiencing this exotic part of the world. The people were all very friendly. It restores your faith in human beings. Stefano was very helpful and full of information that really made our stay effortless. The breezes in the evening were wonderful and we didn’t use the ac the whole time. There were a few overcast days but somehow that helped us fend off sunburn. But regardless of rain we went swimming and enjoyed the warm water, thalasa therapy! We discovered the Fish Co op bought fresh fish and lobster and in your wonderful kitchen had some great seafood meals. There was one super thunder & electrical storm that was amazing. Where does all that water come from?! The next day the sun was shining. The force of nature is really something. Thank you Ginny, I am sure we will do this again. Best Regards, Helen & Basil

Owner response:Someone who appreciates the wonders of Belize like we do ! Thanks for being a guest in our home ! Ginny

Recommended for:Tourists without a car, age 55+, girls getaway, families with young children, romantic getaway.

Guest: Katherine10 (Truro,MA)
Date of Stay: 05/14/09 Review Submitted: 05/14/09

We loved our stay in Placencia, Belize! The house was perfect in every way & very beautiful. The location was wonderful also - Convenient to all aspects of the beautiful village!

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Guest: Lowell1 (Bentonville, Arkansas)
Date of Stay: 02/18/09 Review Submitted: 02/18/09

Loved the Arches and Placencia. The Arches is on the main street on the north end of town within easy walking distance of everything in the village out of the busy and crowded area. Everything in Placencia is accessed from the main street and the sidewalk. The house is very comfortable with rich native woodwork, floors and furnishings. The decor reflects Placencia and Belize. The kitchen is well equipped for cooking fresh seafood and vegetables or making smoothies with the abundant fruit. The tower gives you a great view of both the lagoon sunsets and the ocean sunrises. While not on the beach, it is an easy walk across the road to nice beach access. The property owners and manager willingly supply information in order to make your stay enjoyable from lovely flowers on your arrival to recommendations for outfitters, bread and restaurants. We had a wonderful stay at The Arches and highly recommend it.

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