I am inspired to write after reading the "delayed honeymooners" story. We had the same problem exactly 2 weeks before! Spent 1 nt in a seaside cabana, which was lovely, then moved to the 'snell house' (?) cause we wanted a kitchen. In the day it was breathtaking, at night the swarm of soldier ants took our breathaway!--- Thousands! we were there with our 3 yr old and 70 yr old grandma, so we were not as easy-going as we might have been if it had just been my husband & I. When we approached the cold, distant, unwelcoming, unpersonable owner, he said it wasn't his problem as he believed he did not have control over these private homes which he books & manages. what???? Some really nice staff came over & sprayed, but it did not help. (we were told to light mos. coils all night!??)

As with the other couple, he refused to comp us; a night? a meal? anything???? (he ended up giving us our last lunch half off---whawho)

But besides the owners, the place is Great! the staff, the grounds, the cabanas, the location, the decor, the food, the pool...mainly because of what Kitty created before she sold it to these folks that should not be in the service industry!!!

We initially had a property off the resort and felt unsafe being three girls and reading the previous reviews about theft. However, upon our arrival the manager was kind enough to switch us to a cabana on the beach for the same amount of money. The rooms were immaculate and the beds were firm and comfortable. We had a hammock on our porch and had a spectacular view of the starry skies. The pool is very modern and clean and the property is beautiful. Although SAK's restaurant and bar were closed, they offered complimentary shuttle service into town. The front desk was also efficient and helpful in terms of setting up a half-daytour of the monkey river (well worth it). Staff was extremely accomodating and courteous. This property is extremely quiet...if you're looking for some more excitement, I would recommend staying near the center of town.

My husband and I celebrated our fifth trip to Belize at Saks in Placencia. We spent a while researching where to stay as there doesn't seem to be a shortage of lovely resorts but chose Saks. We are looking forward to planning a return trip to Saks next year.
This was our first trip to Placencia and we just loved it. The resort is not fancy by any means but the rooms were clean and suited us just fine. The grounds were beautiful; we saw the most beautiful birds everyday and were greeted by iguanas, salamanders, even a small fox. The staff, including the owners, were just terrific to us.
Even though we arrived during the off-season, we loved every minute of our stay. Everyone was so friendly and went out of their way to accomodate our requests. Despite the fact that most places were closed (restaurants, tours); the team at Saks was still able to help us find where to eat and arrange tours for us.
If you are looking for a simple, peaceful stay then Saks is the place for you. Enjoy it---we sure did---thanks to the owners and staff!

My wife and I, both well-travelled, arranged for 10 nights stay last March in one of the "lagoon-side" properties immediately across the road from and "managed by" Sak's. We stayed in Palmetto Place, a two-story guest house with a large screened verandah, huge tiled bathroom, fully-furnished kitchen, a living/dining area opening onto the screened verandah, double futon in the living area, ceiling fans, a/c and bedroom area with a queen bed. The house was rustic but clean with a nice view through the jungle foliage onto the lagoon. We were pretty happy with the location for two nights.

On the third morning of our stay, my wife awoke to find that her beach bag, wallet, and our digital camera, which were locked inside our second-floor guesthouse and five feet from the foot of our bed, had been stolen. During the night, someone had manuevered a scaffolding to our outside wall, removed several bathroom window louvers, and had slit the screen window with a knife to gain entry.

We learned that the neighboring Turtle Inn had been hit the same night. We learned from security guards at that property that a shot had been fired in the air in the middle of the night drawing security to the front while several burglars entered cabanas near the beach and stole a laptop computer and several bags. The bags, including ours, were eventually found tossed on the beach and bush nearby--minus the cash and valuables of course.

The owners were sympathetic and offered to put us up for the remainder of our stay (at the same rate) in a cabana within the main resort property close to the main office--complete with a safe for remaining cash and credit cards. The police chief, well-intentioned but clearly without means, asked Sak's staff for a ride to our resort to take our report--there is no police car.

We did, however, manage to salvage a decent vacation after all that. Two trips to the outer reef rewarded us with beautiful snorkeling and scuba diving. When the wind picked up and prevented further boat excursions, we befriended our bartender and the staff in the local restaurant, caught up on our book backlogs, and checked off a field guide's worth of tropical and migratory birds seen from our hammocks. We rented kayaks and explored the lagoon and rented a small sailboat from Turtle Inn for a frothy few hours of sailing. Not bad ways to spend a few days.

I'd advise for your trip to this area that you demand a safe for your valuables and that you use it. Do not bring cash or wallets with you to the beach or pool or open your wallet to buy trinkets from vendors walking along the beach. There is a possibility that the location of your wallet and room or guesthouse will be noted and communicated to others with a special interest in your property.