Vacation Rentals by Owner

Villa Tipsy Gecko is Wonderful!

Guest: Julie (Chanhassen, MN/USA)
Date of Stay: 12/23/11 Review Submitted: 01/02/12

My family and I thoroughly enjoyed our time at this beautiful home and in Belize. The pictures posted and shared by the owner 100% reflect what this home is really like. It is very clean and well cared for. We had 7 adults in our group and the home suited our needs very well. Both the owner and the on-site care takers were extremely helpful in providing information we needed in preparation and for day to day activities. There are fabulous restaurants nearby. Some of our favorites; Maya Beach Bistro, Wendy's, Habeneros, Rum Fish, Mangos, Barefoot Bar. The pool at the nearby resort is beautiful if you want a change of scenery. We spent most of our time on the amazing beach and dock. We also made use of the on-sight bicycles, golf carts and kayaks. We loved the laid back Belizian style and the wonderful culture. We did some diving, snorkeling and jungle hikes. There is a lot to see and do plus plenty of ways to relax with a good book. We all enjoyed this country and would like to return. If and when we do, we would most definitely rent this house again.

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

Lovely home with excellent support

Guest: Cathy (Washington, DC)
Date of Stay: 11/19/11 Review Submitted: 11/30/11

The house was all it appeared to be and more. Our stay was comfortable and we had everything we needed or wanted. The onsite caretakers are FABULOUS and kept a watchful eye on the place and on us, but were never intrusive. They take very good care of the property and tended to our every request with professionalism. We tried not to burden them with much, but whatever we needed they were more than glad to assist. We enjoyed scuba diving, snorkeling, tour of Monkey River, Mayan ruin exploration, hanging under the palapa, dining and shopping in Placencia and more. Thanks so much for your help in making this a memorable holiday vacation!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Luxury on the beach!

Guest: JJ (Grapevine,TX)
Date of Stay: 10/04/11 Review Submitted: 10/13/11

What a great house! Its luxury right on the beach and the dock out into the ocean complete with tiki bar is AMAZING! Had a great yoga class out there in the morning and cocktails and cigars as night. The service was fantastic as was the fly-fishing for bonefish (7 islands and not one other boat!). We will definitely back again and again!

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

The Best

Guest: fighter (Los Angeles, CA)
Date of Stay: 10/04/11 Review Submitted: 10/12/11

Truly a majestic experience. The house affords every accommodation even from the most demanding to those that just want a place to relax. I wouldn't hesitate, if afforded the opportunity, to return to this great Luxury Beach Estate.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, families with young children, romantic getaway.

The perfect house in Belize

Guest: Dasvunder (Los Angeles)
Date of Stay: 10/04/11 Review Submitted: 10/12/11

The Tipsy Gecko is incredible. The accommodations are incredible, the staff is excellent, the deck is amazing and of course the ocean front view is irreplaceable. I highly recommend staying here as often as possible and even more...

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Villa Tipsy Gecko - Excellent Experience!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Guest: Tony E. (Evansville, IN)
Date of Stay: 07/17/11 Review Submitted: 07/27/11

This was the third vacation we have taken where we decided to rent a home instead staying in a resort. This was by far my best home rental experience to date! The pictures posted of this home on the internet do it no justice! Everything about the home and property is in like new condition. The grounds keeper and his wife life in a small house on the property and do an excellent job. The house was cleaned thoroughly everyday, our laundry was washed and our bed sheets changed for us! The kitchen was fully equipped to cook for our group of 10. The outdoor kitchen and patio was also fully equipped and was the source of many late evenings entertaining our selves! The owner of this property is extremely organized, I was given a spreadsheet full of all necessary info about the home and contact information for grocery, restaurants, dive shops and even doctors! Getting from the airport to the home was taken care of by the grounds keeper and could not have been any easier! The home is away from the tourist section of Placencia, about 1/4 mile away from restaurants, It is secluded with no neighbors and everything you need is within easy reach by the provided golf cart which no other home I researched provided. The area has plenty to see and do, we are scuba divers and had several dive shops to choose from, Avadon was the most professional outfit I have used to date! There are several inexpensive things to do in the area, we went to a Jaguar Preserve and went tubing through a jungle river for $10 / person! I have never been a fan of vacationing at a particular place more than once but we are already discussing the possibility of returning to this home!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

A true paradise vacation

Guest: Maggie (Nashville, TN)
Date of Stay: 05/05/11 Review Submitted: 05/23/11

This place is a piece of heaven. I highly recommed this place, the house it's even better than what you see on the web.we had four couples and we were very confortable. the owner and the caretaker were very very helfull. Several people from work are planning to go there. Maggie

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

Amazing!

Guest: Melissa (Loveland, Colorado)
Date of Stay: 04/30/11 Review Submitted: 05/02/11

This is a beautiful home! The decor is beautiful, the views are breathtaking, and the layout is very versatile. This house is perfect for a getaway! I would highly recommend this house for anyone that is looking to vacation in the tropics. Placencia has a wide variety of restaurants with delicious food. The beach is beautiful and the snorkeling off of Silk Caye is one of the best. The house is in a great location and the set-up of the house is perfect for a large number of people or just a couple. The owners have taken such good care of the property and they have really good information on tours, restaurants and local information. We loved our time here!

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

Villa Tipsy Gecko - Most Amazing Family Vacation

Guest: tp (Austin Texas)
Date of Stay: 03/14/11 Review Submitted: 05/09/11

A family of four and our first visit to Belize....we couldn't have been more pleased. Not only was the Villa Tipsy Gecko amazing, but it was immaculate, well furnished, spacious and truly revealed the best of Belize. We loved the location - close to the charming village of Placencia, but private and remote just the same. The palapa, dock, hammock and swing allowed hours to pass while enjoying sunrises, sunsets, the beauty of the carribbean, the kids snorkeling feet away ( finding all kinds of sea treasures) and the wonderful breeze. When quiet became too quiet, the wonderful onsite golf cart made for a great trip into town. Meals were wonderful; groceries were plentiful and fresh for cooking inside or out; along with many nearby resorts and restaurants to enjoy locally grown and prepared amazing meals. We enjoyed three fishing days: one with a local guide through Avadon Dive Shop, one with a recommended local in Placencia and our final day with Percy (who also took us to a private island for shell collecting). We enjoyed Percy's Monkey River Tour (what fun), a full day of diving and snorkeling the Blue Hole with Avadon Dive Shop (long day but well worth the experience) and Cave Tubing only 45 minutes from Villa Tipsy Gecko. The home is beautiful, well managed, SAFE and allowed our family a well needed week of affordable LUXURY and R&R. We highly recommend this property as it meets the needs of a small family like ours, or a large group - comfortably. Decorated with local art and furnishings completed our experience of our Belizean experience.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Best place in Belize!

Guest: HNM (Denver, Colorado USA)
Date of Stay: 02/18/11 Review Submitted: 10/19/11

I'm very late in my review, as we stayed here in February of this year ('11). We have vacationed in the Placencia area 5 times in the past 10 years and this is the best place there is! We had a small family reunion with ages 2 to 70... every single person had an amazing time and most of it could be attributed to this amazing house, it's location, and the owners. Although we did do several excursions (inland and out on the water), we found that we didn't need to leave the house very much to have a wonderful time. This home has it all, especially with the great location- on a private beach with an awesome pier. The owners have thought of every amenity and are so kind to share all of it. We hope to return many more times! Thank you!! (and sorry for taking so long for doing this review!)

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

The lap of luxury

Guest: KK (Austin, TX)
Date of Stay: 02/08/11 Review Submitted: 02/22/11

I'd like to start off this review by stating that the pictures provided to us when we booked this house for our vacation in early February, the pictures did it ZERO justice! When we arrived we were pretty much floored at how gorgeous this house was and the property that is sits on. The dock/palapa was just finished before our arrival and what an awesome addition! We hung out over the water A LOT. The inside of the house is beautifully decorated and the rooms are very comfortable (the beds especially!) and each have their own bathroom. The kitchen is pretty well equipped with anything you might need to cook meals (we cooked several) and there is a market just down the road that you can take the golf cart to. It doesn't stock some essentials (like meat, fish, etc) and you'll most likely need to go into town to a bigger market to get stuff like that. Javier and Mabelle (the caretakers) were very kind and helpful and did an excellent job. I must say, coming back to a clean house (and laundry if you want) everyday made staying here pretty special. The beach that the house is located on is swim-able, but a little too murky when it's windy for good snorkeling. However, sitting out on the palapa, we saw manatees, baracuda, sting ray, various fish and birds, and it was just paradise! I highly recommend this as a rental for your Placencia stay. I think the only warning I can heed is that if you're interested in going into the town, it's a bit far away (8 miles, I believe) so taking a golf cart would take a pretty long time. Luckily we had Javier who was happy to drive us into town (with pay, of course) and we were able to grab cabs very easily on the way back. We had an amazing snorkeling guide who came right to the house to pick us up for the day trip. Just call Joy Tours in town and ask for Garrett. Also, the cab driver we had was super friendly - Deon Muschamp (cell 632-8827). Both are friendly people who know a lot about the area. Make sure to: go bowling @ Jaguar Lanes eat lunch & drink pina coladas at Mango's eat lunch or dinner @ Maya Beach Bistro check out Placencia Hotel and their organic garden (all above are just down/up the road from the house) If you're looking for a nice & romantic place to dine, check out the Mare Restaurant @ The Turtle Inn (Francis Ford Coppola's resort) - just south of the airport. Have a great time! Can't go wrong with the Tipsy Gecko.

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

Fantastic vacation!

Guest: 8 Canadians (Mississauga, Ontario, Canada)
Date of Stay: 01/01/11 Review Submitted: 01/17/11

We were four couples travelling to Belize for the first time to spend 2 weeks in Maya Beach. The listing on VRBO was very accurate and all our expectations were completely met. The house itself is absolutely beautiful, well-maintained and fully equipped. The information/recommendations provided by David prior to arrival helped us when making decisions on what to do/see and where to eat. Things not to be missed if you are heading to this area: - Monkey River tour with Percy "King of the Howlers" -- he is incredibly entertaining and about 50% fact and 50% bs, but so much fun! - call Alden if you want to spend a day fishing; our guys caught 5 barracuda and 1 King Mackeral that Alden cleaned for us -- absolutely delicious! - dinner at Yoli's in the village; the best lobster and shrimp and coconut rice we had - tubing down the river at the Jaguar Preserve -- we have never laughed so much! - bread, cinnamon buns, smoothies at Sam's bakery (on the sidewalk; he's from Switzerland) Things to come prepared for? The sand flies. I didn't think they would be a problem, but they were thick in the whole Placencia area and we all had a lot of bites. There is a local product called "Sand Fly Bye-Bye" that you can buy in the village pharmacy. Smells like a citronella tiki torch, but it will keep them away. Or bring Avon's Skin So Soft (in the green bottle). Regular/Deep Woods Off also helps with the mosquitos. And if you are looking to bring home some of the beautiful wood crafts, the most artistic and inexpensive pieces are at Spectarte which is less than a mile down the road. Be sure to have lunch at the Delite Cafe while there as well. The arrangements David made with The Placencia Hotel for us to use the pool there was an excellent alternative to our private beach as well. Be sure to take advantage of it! We HIGHLY recommend this property and all it offers. Javier and Mabel are great caretakers and will be sure you are comfortable throughout your entire stay. We hope to return one day!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children.

Fantastic !!

Guest: Gary (Toronto)
Date of Stay: 12/22/10 Review Submitted: 01/01/11

We were two families - 9 in total w/ older kids ranging in age from 15 to 22. We had an amazing time !! The villa was exactly as described w/ no hidden surprises other than it was better than the pictures showed. It was spotless and wonderfully maintained w/ staff lving in another building on the property. The staff were efficient, friendly, and very helpful with anything we needed and wanted. The house was wonderfully equipped and everything we could ask for was at our finger tips. The location was ideal. It was close enough to town so that we could go for shopping, dinner, diving etc. but far enough that we felt very private. The owners were very helpful in answering all our questions and in giving us tips about what to see and do,and where to eat. Some don't miss activities - Diving, Monkey River Tour w/ Percy ( Rambo), Cave Tubing at Ian Anderson's ( a bit of a drive but well worth it ). eating at Bonefish Grille, Bloody Mary at Maya Beach Hotel Bottom line - Belize is wonderful, we would definately come again and I hope that when we do, we can stay here.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, people with disabilities, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, romantic getaway.

Tam

Guest: Tam (Keller, Texas)
Date of Stay: 12/11/10 Review Submitted: 03/24/11

This is an absolutely beautiful home with beautiful surroundings! I would recommend this property and location to anyone who loves the beach and the "jungle". There is alot more to do in Placencia than you can imagine!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Guest: Jeff - North Carolina
Date of Stay: 05/25/10 Review Submitted: 05/31/10

David and Kathy, We just got home from Belize. Your house was really nice and we had a great time. There was not a hitch in the whole trip (your details and recommendations sure helped). The people at Singing Sands were also very helpful during our stay. Thanks a lot for a great week.

Recommended for:

a successful getaway for six snowbirds

Guest: Brian (Winter Park, CO)
Date of Stay: 04/01/10 Review Submitted: 05/02/11

We stayed at David's home here for about 8 days and it was a wonderful time. The house is exactly as shown in the photos, clear up to the long dock out on the ocean (what a peaceful place to swing in the hammock and read a good book). We (3 couples) had more than enough room to roam and the rooms were beautifully appointed and very comfortable. Javier and Mabel took very good care of us and the area was lovely. We cooked three nights on their wonderful outdoor kitchen, but the other meals me had out were all good to excellent. We went diving with Avadon Divers (whom I highly recommend) and you must do the Monkey River tour with Percy. Please be diligent about locking the house with deadbolts at night and leaving windows closed, as we had a theft incident the first night. After we became more careful, there were no other problems. All in all, a very successful trade and a wonderful time was had by all. I would highly recommend this property to others, friends and family alike.

Owner response:Yes, locking the doors when leaving or at night is a good thing but has not been necessary unitil recently as someone on bicycle coming in from beach front has on two occassions taking small items left out (my cell phone we leave for guest to use being the favorite) when doors left open or unlocked. In response in early April we installed a CCTV system to record and monitor activity outside of home, especially area of home along ocean from not visable from caretaker quarters as well as added a very easy to operate alarm system in the home that when activated by guests covers all doors, and area within the home. Since installation of the above equipment no incidents have occured nor would I expect any further issues.

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with young children, romantic getaway.

Luxury Private Beach front home in Placencia, Belize

Guest: cpt. Pat (Arvada, Colorado USA)
Date of Stay: 03/27/10 Review Submitted: 04/14/10

This house is one of the nicest VRBO houses we have ever stayed in! Nice sandy beach was heaven for our kids. Quite area with no neighbors! We could also get our 30 ft boat in and out of the beach which worked well for the short boat ride to nearby restaurants or the village of Placencia. The road to town is paved for all but a couple hundred yards which also made a Taxi to town easy (Taxe ride 20 Minutes and $30 to $40 US). The house is very nicely finished with travertine tile and trim and high end furniture. Having two master suites worked well as we had another family that we were traveling with and no one had to compromise. Daily maid service was great and David (the owner) was very friendly and easy to work with. We would highly recommend this house.

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

Beach front rental in Placencia Belize

Guest: Tiki Island Time (Galveston, TX)
Date of Stay: 03/14/10 Review Submitted: 03/24/10

The pictures gave us a very good idea about the house. We had stayed in this area before and I was a little concerned with the distance of the house to the villiage of Placencia. Since our last trip to the area we were pleasantly suprised that the road from the house to the village is almost completely paved so the trip just takes a few minutes. It was also great that several very nice restaurants have located in Maya Beach which is very close to the property. They have just opened a four lane bowling alley which was fun in the evening. Make sure to stop by the Singing Sands Inn for a very good meal, drinks and home like hospiltality. The new owners have remodeled the place and it has a relaxing almost zen like vibe without being pretentious. This is a great place to catch some rays and hang in the hammocks. Tell the owners you are staying in the house and they really treat you special or maybe they just treat everyone special. Try a "Dirty Banana" drink for something cold and different. The Maya Beach Inn is within walking distance from the house and offers great food and hospiltality as well. The home owner provided some clear instructions and suggestions for things to do and places to see including local fishing guides and doctors. I would definitely recomend this to family and friends. We had four adults and four children on this trip and the house never seemed crowded. There was always extra space to seek solitude if needed. Placencia is very laid back and nothing like Cancun or other beach spots but for us that is the charm. I would recomend snorkling and fishing at Ranguana Caye, horse back riding with outback trails located on the highway toward Belmapon. For a unique work out and adventure try visiting Mayflower National Park. There are nice water falls to hike to and a interesting lodge and place to grab a cold Belliken called Mama Noots located next to the entrance of the park. Climbing to the top of the water falls takes a good bit of work but swimming in the pools at top makes it worthwhile. This area does not get the traffic of the Cockscomb reserve. Belize is not for everyone. If your idea of a good vacation is hanging at the Ritz and being waited on by white coated attendents this is not the place for you. If you like a nice beach with a bit of adventure, lots of nice people and relaxation it could be your new spot. The area seems to be growing rapidly so try to get there while it is stay a bit unrefined

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

A Secret So Difficult to Reveal

Guest: Do Be (Philadelphia, PA)
Date of Stay: 03/11/10 Review Submitted: 04/26/10

Have you ever had a personal treasure you hid for fear of it being discovered? I struggled to write this review for fear that revealing the divine bliss of this "Shangri-La" might limit my ability to get a slot in the future. This is the property of movies, where a couple, a family, a group of friends, or a sole individual would escape to for their own private slice of heaven. (As I explain it to my friends, "have you ever seen those reality shows where they take several idiots and put them in the most fabulous property in exotic far away places? I was one of those idiots!") The property has all the amenities of home including fine appliances, fresh bedding, large comfortable beds with the softest pillows, a nice big flat screen TV and stereo system, not to mention an ice cube maker that makes the clearest ice cubes! Tile floors, wrought iron railings, are among the details that make this a high end property. And the showers! 9' foot ceiling showers with tumbled stone on walls, floors, and ceiling, with a cascade of water pouring down from the ceiling mounted shower head. And this house is CLEAN – meticulously cared for daily. The most amazing attribute of this property is the location. Situated on a narrow stretch of the Placencia peninsula, the ocean is out your back door and the lagoon is out the front door. You walk through the french doors onto the patio and onto sand, which extends right to the beach. Nothing to your left. Nothing to your right. All yours! No one walked by the entire time we were there. We marveled at the solitude. We just lounged in the sun by the waters edge sipping cocktails and listening to the quiet surf gently lap against the shore. The people of Belize are sweet. The exchange rate easy. Have Mara arrange a snorkeling trip out to Laughing Bird Caye for you or a trip up the Monkey River. The house can be stocked with supplies before your arrival. Otherwise you can stock up at a few small markets nearby. There's so much more to be said, but I'm limited to only 2500 characters. I've been to many places, but when it comes to relaxation in paradise in solitude, nothing else compares to the villa in paradise!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Luxury Private Beach front home in Placencia, Belize

Guest: Sun Catcher (Cleveland Ohio)
Date of Stay: 02/18/10 Review Submitted: 03/31/10

Wonderful home, well maintained, lots of room and great kitchen. Fun to walk the beach to the nearby hotels for lunch. Driving into the village, 5 -7 miles away, is a great day to spend the day.; lots of little shops and places to eat. We went snorkling, kakaking and bone fishing. . Don't miss the Monkey River Tour. .

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Private Beach Front Home in Placencia, Belize

Guest: Duuuude (El Lago, Texas)
Date of Stay: 06/15/09 Review Submitted: 03/29/10

Wonderful Trip! My family enjoyed every bit of the Belize experience. My kids loved the untouched natural beauty of the beach. We found HUGE sand dollars, conch shells, and starfish right outside the back door. The wildlife in the ocean was amazing. We spent one day fishing and another taking a tour of Monkey Island. We also took a road trip about an hour from the house. We toured a national park there with hiking trails that took us into the rain forest and underground caverns. It is a an adventure that was beautiful, exhilerating and exciting. All the activities were easy to schedule and close to the house. The city of Placencia was safe, friendly and lots of fun. We went from bar to bar and shop to shop enjoying the people, the merchandise and the prices. The house is beautifully decorated. It is large and open. We loved sitting out on the back porch and the grill worked great after we purchased freshly caught lobsters from the Local Food Co Op. We plan on booking again with friends and family. It's Mother Nature's best kept secret!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.