San Pedro

Private 5 BR Beachfront Home with Rooftop Pool, Full Staff, Free Beach Rentals

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One of many Sunset Views from the Rooftop

Lustrous mahogany cabinets locally made are filled with all your cookware and china

Overview

5 bedrooms

4 bathrooms

10 guests

Minimum stay varies

The minimum stay for this property changes depending on the dates selected

Villa

Because of the beautiful and peaceful location of El Gran Castillo de Arena, its thoughtful and handsome design and décor, and its overall commitment to excellence, the “Great Sandcastle” is regarded as one of Belize’s finest 5 bedroom oceanfront villas. This private home is located 5 miles north of San Pedro town in the sought-after Mata Grande area on beautiful Ambergris Caye, Belize, the closest area to the popular Secret Beach. Inside this private home are 5 air conditioned bedrooms and sleeps up to 10 adults. The unique design of this villa features 3 separate units with 3 fully equipped kitchens and air conditioned living and dining areas for ultimate privacy for your multi-family vacation. Each unit is equipped with WiFi. The upstairs unit features a spacious air conditioned ...Because of the beautiful and peaceful location of El Gran Castillo de Arena, its thoughtful and handsome design and décor, and its overall commitment to excellence, the “Great Sandcastle” is regarded as one of Belize’s finest 5 bedroom oceanfront villas. This private home is located 5 miles north of San Pedro town in the sought-after Mata Grande area on beautiful Ambergris Caye, Belize, the closest area to the popular Secret Beach. Inside this private home are 5 air conditioned bedrooms and sleeps up to 10 adults. The unique design of this villa features 3 separate units with 3 fully equipped kitchens and air conditioned living and dining areas for ultimate privacy for your multi-family vacation. Each unit is equipped with WiFi. The upstairs unit features a spacious air conditioned great room with soaring ceilings. It is tastefully decorated with an earthy Mayan theme in rich jewel tones with comfortable rattan furniture and locally carved mahogany tables. For your entertainment, there is a 55" HD TV with over 100 cable channels, a DVD player and a Bose sound system. The beautifully designed fully-equipped kitchen has a dining and bar area that seats up to 10. The master bedroom has a king bed and en-suite bathroom. The 2nd bedroom has a king bed that can be converted to two twins for versatility. There is also a second full bathroom in the upstairs unit. The downstairs unit features a living area decorated in tasteful casual elegance with ceiling fans, ceramic tiled floors and honey rattan furniture. Included is a 36” HD TV with local cable and DVD player. There is also an ever-growing video, book and game library. The dining table, along with the kitchen peninsula/bar that separates the kitchen from the living area, provides seating for seven. Each of the two cheerfully decorated air conditioned bedrooms features large closets, ceiling fans and a king bed with under-bed drawer space that can be separated into two twin beds if desired. The full bath has brilliant white and cobalt blue ceramic tile decorated in bright “coral reef” colors. Both kitchens have beautiful ceramic tile countertops and are fully equipped with electric stove/oven, dishwasher, refrigerator/freezer, microwave, toaster, coffeemaker and a blender for those luscious tropical drinks. The Belizean Mahogany cupboards are filled with a tasteful collection of china, dinnerware, cooking supplies, utensils, linens, and kitchen implements. The third private unit is the honeymoon suite connected to the south side of the house. This newly constructed suite was just added for that extra needed bedroom. It features lofty ceilings and air conditioning. The great room has a living/dining area with HD TV with cable, and a kitchenette. The large air conditioned bedroom includes a queen bed and large closet. There is also a full bath. All kitchen amenities are included. All towels, linens, iron/ironing board and a hairdryer are provided for your convenience. A washer/dryer is also available for use with a 7-night stay or longer. OUTSIDE: The 'Sunset Tower' is the third-floor patio with a 360-degree view of paradise. Rejuvenate your body after soaking up the Caribbean sun with a refreshing plunge in the 4' deep dip pool. The patio furniture and tables, along with the shade pergola, offer a wonderful spot for dining while viewing the beautiful turquoise Caribbean waters or breathtaking sunsets. Large French doors from the living areas open to reveal beautiful views from the outdoor covered verandas with table and chairs where you can watch the sunrise over morning coffee. Enjoy direct access to the beach right out the door. Across the white sandy beach lies your private pier with a thatched palapa, swim deck, perfect for snorkeling, sunbathing or to try your luck at reeling in your fish dinner. Also right on the beach is your own private thatch-roof palapa to keep you cool and shaded while sipping your favorite libation at the “Carpe Diem” bar. A warm-water shower to rinse off after your day’s excursions is conveniently located right outside your front door. Located in the tropically landscaped backyard is a BBQ grill to cook that fresh catch of the day. FREE BEACH RENTALS: And to make an amazing vacation even better, all guests at El Castillo de Arena have complimentary use of all beach equipment provided by Beach Bums Rental Hut. Included are bicycles, kayaks, snorkel gear, beach games including cornhole and volleyball, beach toys, baby needs and much more. Tourist License / Licencia de turismo N °: BTB1245

House Rules

Pets not allowedKid friendlyNo smoking

RENTAL RULES See Rental Agreement

Bedrooms

4 Super Kings1 King1 Sofa

Bathrooms

3 Full baths1 Attached (ensuite)

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Reviews (1)

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Deedie D

3 contributions

A slice of Belizean heaven

There is so much that is special about this house, it's hard to now where to begin. From the gift baskets that awaited us and our family that arrived the next day, to the stunning 360 degree views from the rooftop deck (with dipping pool), and the moon rise over the pier, it will hold a special place in our memories. What makes it most delightful, apart from the views and the location, was the caretaker, William, who taught my 3 sons how to speak fish, how to break open coconuts, store the coconut water, use the shells to cook fish in...and how to make a key lime juice from local products. We had a grandma, the 3 sons (one with special needs), plus other extended family, 8 in total, and so had a great deal of varying needs and personalities, and William was infinitely charming and made quite an impression on my boys for his work ethic (he also runs the beach rental hut on property, and having those kayaks, paddle boards, and more included in our rental meant daily reef snorkeling and other fun we would otherwise not have paid to do). We used Aurora, a local chef, to cook us a family dinner one night -- grilled lobster and ribs -- and she was much more reasonably priced than the restaurants! Amigo del Mar took two of our party to the Blue Hole, they were amazed and awed at what they saw and learned. One of my sons and I went cave tubing -- highly recommended! -- with Caribbean Adventures and saw Altun Ha ruins the same day. We swam in a sinkhole in the caverns of the cave and had the ruins to ourselves (pick a day when no cruise ships are around!). Seaduced took us out for the Caye Caulker day sail and visiting Hol Chan Reserve and Shark & Ray Alley, and were just as attentive and professional as the homeowner, Carolyn, told us they would be. Our favorite nearby restaurant was Mamba, we walked to it on the beach, and Rojo's was also nice, and has a great dipping pool you can enjoy happy hour in! Fair warning, though: prices at the restaurants are crazy high. Our core family of five rarely found a meal for less than $150 U.S. And groceries are also very high, so best be prepared and not as shocked by we were by that. But the house? Simply perfect. We enjoyed tooling around on a golf cart, which we had delivered and exploring the island -- it's about 20 minutes into San Pedro, but lots of side roads (usually with a bar at the end of them!) to explore. We alternated between the Tiki hut in the back yard to the rooftop deck in the evenings, and it all went too fast! Transfers from the ferry (takes about 90 minutes to get to Ambergris Caye by ferry -- plane would have been much faster, but with a family of 5, just too expensive an option. Maya Air did offer us $88 round trip, and was more reasonable than Tropic Air, but still too high for that many plus Grandma, my brother and his girlfriend).

Visited July 2016 Travelled with family

Written 25 July 2016. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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What this rental offers

Wi-fi and internet

Wi-fi

Location info

Kid friendly
Beachfront/Lakeside

Kitchen and dining

Cooker
Grill
Refrigerator
Dishwasher
Freezer
Microwave
Kettle
Toaster

Outdoor amenities

Private yard
Balcony
Private outdoor pool (unheated)
Terrace
Patio

Indoor amenities

Air conditioning
Cable television
Internet access

Parking

Parking available
Secure parking available

Scenic views

Ocean views

Services

Housekeeping included

Property features

Staff on property
Ceiling Fans

Living spaces

Highchair

Things to do

Fishing spots available
Watersports

Entertainment

DVD player
Stereo system
Television

Bathroom and laundry

Washer
Dryer
Towels provided
Iron
Linens provided

Map

Getting there

San Pedro Airport

9 km

Caye Caulker Airport

25.1 km

Restaurants

Aji Tapa Bar & Restaurant

4 km

Cool Beans Café

6.9 km

Garage Seafood & Steakhouse

4.9 km

Maxie's Restaurant & Lounge

7.9 km

Attractions

Hol Chan Marine Reserve

7.6 km • Nature & Wildlife Areas

Belizean Arts

7.7 km • Art Galleries

Wayos Beach Bar

7 km • Bars & Clubs

Belizean Breezes Soap Co. and More

7.7 km • Speciality & Gift Shops

About the neighbourhood

Although you come for relaxation and solitude, the quaint town of San Pedro, with its shops and nightlife is only a 20-minute boat ride or golf cart ride. There are a couple of fabulous restaurants and a grocery store within a 10-minute walk from the property. Our neighborhood, Mata Grande, is the closest area to the popular Secret Beach and is only a 15-minute golf cart ride away.

Getting around

We are happy to assist you in any way to make your vacation memorable, from arranging tours, golf cart rentals, and transportation from Belize Goldson International Airport to San Pedro. El Gran Castillo de Arena is located only 4.5 miles from San Pedro Town. We recommend renting a golf cart, to give you independence from water and van taxis. There are so many great places to visit on Ambergris Caye.

Access

Car advised

How to get there

We are happy to assist in your travel arrangements to our home from the Belize International Philip Goldson Airport. There are several options, from a 15-minute flight to the public water taxi. We have many resources and will help you make the best decisions for you and your group.

Activities nearby

Fishing spots availableWatersports

About this property

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