We stayed here on our way to a resort. Frankly, I would have rather stayed here for the week instead of the resort. This place is no frills. It is simply a clean bed and bathroom that has a beautiful beach on one side and cute streets to stroll around on the other. If you are the type of traveler that freaks out about amenities in a room this isn't for you. For us it was cheap and awesome:) I would happily go back.

I stayed on the 2nd floor, room 3 because it's near the WiFi.This is the third year I've stayed at Ruby's. The rooms are clean and the staff is very nice. Room 3 has no A/C but I was ok with the breeze through the window and the fans in the room. It does get a little loud at times, other guests don't seem to realize that other people might be sleeping and may make some noise on the patio. The local patrons at the Ruby's deli downstairs tend to talk really loud at 5 in the morning as well. but I like the price and convenience and I'll keep coming back. I'd rather spend my money on scuba and food than a fancy room.

We were on the 3rd floor in an air-conditioned, queen bed room so we were not awakened by the patio or cafe noise. However, there was a bar you could hear loud and clear until pretty late. The bed was rock hard. This is NOT a luxury place. In fact, we went and bought a bottle of bleach and cleaned our bathroom at the beginning of a five night stay.

With that said, it was only $55/night and so much cheaper than the next step up, which is NOT that much better. With San Pedro, you need to drop $300+ a night or it really isn't worth it to pay $150 for something barely better than Ruby's. It provided us with a homebase where we slept and felt that our belongings were safe. It has free wifi, a cheap cafe below, and is in a phenomenal location.

The only thing keeping them from a 5/5 star rating was that they said if we stayed 5 nights then we could stay for $50 a night (rather than $55/night). We paid for the first 4 nights and expected to only pay $30 on the last night for a total of $250, but then they claimed they made no such deal with us. It wasn't worth it to pack up all our things for just that last night, so we paid the full $275, but that was definitely shady on their part.

A colonial looking timber structure on the sea front owned and operated by local Belizeans, so straight away I was seduced by Ruby's charms.

It reminded me of the kinds of hotels I used to stay in in Belize back in the 1980s: timber; colonial and basic; functional but all a man needs.

The staff are charming, gorgeous (muy guapa) and very helpful. The room reminded me of the kind of room that Martin Sheen was in at the beginning of the film 'Apocalypse Now'.

I was tempted to replicate the scene where Martin Sheen goes a bit bonkers and ends up punching the mirror and then weeping like a baby with blood spattered white sheets wrapped around his naked body. But there wasn't a mirror and I don't approve of mindless acts of destruction, it's not very responsible is it?

Anyway, I digress. Suffice to say that if you want a bed, with a bathroom, and to meet some of the most eccentric characters you could shake a stick at, go to Ruby's. They don't do Ruby Murries (curries) but then no one is perfect.

Belize or bust !!!