Wanted to share our thoughts on our stay so people know before they go. Ambergris Caye and San Pedro are not your high end resort areas, so expectations should be lower than normal for most resorts/hotels on the island. However, from looking at the photos we saw on the Ramon's website and seeing the description of amenities, we thought things would be much better than they were. There were many pros and cons so will try to describe those below.

We booked the ocean front "Guest Suite", but frankly, "Suite" should NOT be in the name or the description. This was about a 12x12 Room with two small chairs, no nightstands (my wife used her suitcase for a nightstand), and only three small drawers and a very small closet for clothes. The desk was connected to the three drawers and only had a short stool, so really not there as a place to work. There is almost no room to even store luggage, so the room became even smaller. We asked if we could change to a real suite, but were told they were sold out (other guests said they were not).

The bathroom was very small with only a sink and almost no counter space, and the toilet almost always kept running after flushing. Had to replace the small refrigerator (on the floor) and have the sink fixed as both did not work. We were told there was a safe in the room then when someone came to show us they said they were wrong about that. So valuables had to be stored at the front desk. Not sure why, but housekeeping seemed to show up in the middle of the afternoon and not in the late morning which we are accustomed to when people are out on the water or beach.

I better say a few good things here before I get carried away. The grounds are kept nice and the staff is friendly and helpful. They quickly picked us up at the airport. We did not spend much time on the beach but there are chairs and loungers for hotel guests. We only saw one person in the pool all week. The bartender was good and there were good drink choices. Food at the restaurants was pretty good - definitely not 5 star, but pretty good, although a bit pricey. And it is very nice to have the restaurant and bar right there. We selected the prepaid breakfast plan and believe that was a good value since you can order anything off the menu and most items were pretty good. You can get a massage there. The pier, dive shop and boats were very good, but believe they are independently owned. Three trips a day for diving/snorkeling and many choices for activities on the island or the mainland. Some people snorkelled off the Ramon pier and liked it. We did go diving and the team we had there was very good, so highly recommend them.

OK, back to a few negatives. Internet service was frustrating. The first day I tried to log in numerous (over 40) times without success. Called the front desk and they said my laptop might have a problem (it did not). Called a second time and they said they might need to reboot their router but they did not know when they could do that. Then brought my laptop to the front desk and of course they were able to log in. Then back to the room and no access. Went back to the front desk and then one person admitted that Internet service in the rooms is not good or not available. It worked fine around the bar but was fairly noisy there. Yes, the planes get going every morning around 6:40- 7am, and yes, you can hear them clearly in an ocean front room. It was not a big problem for us, but you do hear them every morning and everytime they land and take off, every hour. Other than the planes, the area was pretty quiet.

Other issues, the shower is very small and the curtain hangs about 3-4 inches on the bottom of the tub. I had to duck to get in the shower. Hot water takes about 5 minutes to get going. If you rent a golf cart from the hotel be aware these are all battery powered, so much slower and less powerful than the other gas carts on the island. In fact, we barely made it up the bridge across the cut to the north side of the island. The bed has limited support as I seemed to have a backache every morning. One big item was my wife found a few tiny bugs between the sheets. Apparently they bite as she was bitten by something one night with swelling. You can get ice and water daily from the bar.

So, some negatives and some positives. This island has plenty of choices at various price points. We did look at others while there and frankly most are of similar quality, so keep your expectations fairly low. If you want a top resort on this island you will have to pay much more, but maybe that is worth it to you. Victoria House is one of the best around with a great beach, but a ways south of town and pretty pricey. The Phoenix is a great location in the heart of town, but again very pricey. Personally, we like to stay a little closer to the restaurants/bars, etc., but quality of hotels/rooms goes down some, and noise levels could go up some, although size of rooms does get bigger which we like. All hotels/resorts have pros and cons so decide what is important to you, ask questions and try to get photos, and go with it. Just know that you probably cannot have it all. If you want a suite with a little more room at Ramon's select the Guest Suite which has a lot more room and we recommend since it is only $15 more per night.

We will probably not stay at Ramon's again, but it does have many good qualities (staff, dive shop, beach, etc.) and I know they get many repeat customers. If we do stay there again, we will be prepared, and will make sure the room we book really is a suite, with a lot more room.

This trip was our first time to Belize for scuba diving and Maya ruin tours, and was a special treat for my wife who has been battling cancer for the last year. From the time you are picked up at the airport (Aloha Francis!) until you are dropped off to leave, the staff at Ramon's will take great care of you. Reservations for the room and air transport were handled perfectly, Francis met us at Tropic Air/airport with a big smile, and got us checked in and delivered to our room. We were so impressed with all of the staff. The waiters at the restaurant were fantastic (we wanted to adopt Vidal, and young man with a giant smile), the housekeeping staff was attentive and efficient, the grounds and facilities were very well kept & maintained, and Rick and his dive shop/tour group were some of the best we have ever scuba dived with - and they went out of their way to make special arrangements to help get some specific gear we needed. The food was good/average though they did have a few standout dishes such as the pineapple boat, the seafood pasta and steaks that were excellent, If you needed to get around the island, Francis or Joe were immediately available to assist or offer suggestions. This is not the Four Seasons, but if you want a great value, fantastic service, and a beautiful location 5 minutes (10 minutes in Belize time lol) from world class diving and snorkeling then Ramon's is a place you should consider.

This was our 1st trip to Belize to dive and see Maya ruins. From the moment we arrived at the airport and were picked up by Francis, we fell in love with Ramon's. The staff was excellent (I would give them 6 stars if I could) Absolutely delightful restaurant servers (we want to adopt Vidal), The food was average but the service you receive more than made up for that. Rick and his dive staff are top notch in every way, housekeeping is attentive to your needs, and the grounds are kept clean and beautiful from morning to night. Everything to do is convenient, and the atmosphere is relaxed and unpretentious. The tours we took were well operated and the companies Ramon's coordinate with were great. Diving... some of the best we have ever done. Walk over to Ramon's dock... get on a boat... and be in world class diving in 5 minutes (10 minutes Belize time!! LOL). When you are ready to go somewhere in town or the airport, Francis or Joe are the guys to take care of it - awesome! Can't wait to go back.

We were at this resort many years ago. The rooms were out of date then and they have not been changed or updated, that is not good. The rooms are small, dark, the bathrooms quite small, with plastic shower surrounds in the original rooms. Air conditioners and mini bars kind of work, sometimes yes, sometimes no. Lighting is terrible both bedside and overhead. Old colored bedspreads that should immediately be retired. Bathroom is small but water pressure is decent, with enough towels and soaps provided, which is necessary since nothing dries overnight. Decent storage for clothes and suitcases though electrical plugs were few and far between and made it a real challenge to charge things. The cleaning personnel however were excellent. A small patio or deck is off most rooms, not private though in most instances given the foot traffic through the paths within the grounds
Front desk service was not particularly helpful and in several instances we were given wrong directions, wrong information or perplexingly bad suggestions. Bar is good, fun, with good mixed drinks and wine selections. We would not eat at the restaurant except for one mediocre lunch as it was so bad the last time we were there---and looking at it and the menu did not look like it had improved much. Go down the beach or into town, elsewhere to the many better choices.
The grounds, beach and location are the best things here. Many tourists from elsewhere walk to this beach to lay in the sun. The grounds are pleasantly manicured and landscaped and there is a nice but cold pool. There were NEVER enough chairs out on the beach though and unless one parked there all day, you dont have a chance at a chair. It would be simple to add more chairs since they have grown the number of rooms. An okay stay given we did not eat there or spend time in the rooms, but a place where you feel like you simply settled for less than you should