After the amazing time we had on Caye Caulker, we almost didn’t want to leave that island. Almost.
But then, I was reminded we had several nights booked at Mahogany Bay Resort & Beach Club, Curio Collection by Hilton, on the neighboring island of Ambergris Caye.
So we hopped on the water taxi and headed for San Pedro.
Review: Mahogany Bay Resort & Beach Club, Curio Collection By Hilton (San Pedro, Belize)
The Beach Club (Image: hilton.com)
About The Mahogany Bay Resort
Mahogany Bay Resort & Beach Club, also known as “Mahogany Bay Village”, is a sprawling 4-star resort featuring over 200 cottages, villas, suites and homes spread out over 60+ acres of land in an area just south of the island’s main town, San Pedro. What’s more, the resort is said to have the only private beach club in Belize.
Image: hilton.com
At A Glance
- Official Websites: Mahogany Bay Resort & Beach Club, Mahogany Bay Village
- Average Nightly Cost During Stay: $308 USD ($434.14 w/ taxes and fees included)
- Loyalty Program: Hilton Honors
- Loyalty Category: N/A
- Average Nightly Point Redemption During Stay: 80,000
- Base Cents Per Point (CPP) Before Upgrade: 0.54
- Resort Fee: 6% (waived for point redemptions)
- Parking Fee: None
- Goods & Services Tax (GST): 12.5%
- Hotel Tax: 9% (waived for point redemptions)
- Service Charge: 5%
- Hotel Departure Transfer Fee: $10 USD
Getting There & Parking
For most guests, getting to Mahogany Bay Village requires a flight into BZE Airport in Belize City, followed by either another flight to San Pedro or a one-and-a-half-hour water taxi ride to the island of Ambergris Caye.
We chose the [much cheaper] water taxi option. We were greeted upon arrival at the terminal by several Mahogany Bay employees wearing the tell-tale, teal-colored polo shirts with the floral star logo standing next to the baggage claim area.
Although we hadn’t made prior arrangements, they notified us that the transfer to Mahogany Bay was free and would only take about 10 minutes by van. They already had our names listed as guests, so all we had to do was say “yes”.
FHOP Tip: Although we ended up taking the Mahogany Bay transfer, we originally planned on renting a golf cart for our time on Ambergris Caye but we arrived too late and most of the golf cart rental places were either closed or sold out. If you plan on renting a golf cart (which is the primary source of transportation on the island), I highly recommend making a reservation before you arrive on the island and be sure to find out what time they close because several water taxis arrive after 5:00 PM.
Hilton Diamond Member Benefits
Hilton Honors Booking & Redemption
During our stay a “1 King Bed Garden Cottage” went for $308 USD per night. With taxes and fees rolled in, the cost of our three-night stay would have been a total of $1,222.98 USD.
Needless to say, we opted to use points because the same room went for 80,000 Hilton Honors points per night, for a standard redemption value of 0.51 CPP.
But wait, there’s more (keep reading to see the room upgrade).
Lobby
The lobby of Mahogany Bay Resort is located in the massive “Great House” at the southern tip of the property.
The interior of the grand colonial-style mansion was elegantly decorated with dark woods, beachy sand colors, and accented splashes of wicker, greenery, and glass. Open doors, ceiling fans, and window shutters completed the tropical decor.
Stirred Bar sat opposite the front desk/library, with a lounge area (complete with a pair of oversized couches) in between.
Stirred Bar
Front Desk & Check-In
We were welcomed at the front desk, recognized for our Hilton Honors Diamond status, and handed several items, including our room keys, bath towel coupons, a property map, and a coupon for a free drink at Shaken.
Room Upgrade
It turned out that as Hilton Honors Diamond Members, we were given a room upgrade “on the spot” during check-in.
We were upgraded to a “3 Bedroom Family Cottage 2 King – Twin Bunkbeds unit”. This cottage went for a total of $2,727.18 USD during our stay. This was a true upgrade value of $1,504.20 USD.
The upgrade changed the value proposition of our 80,000 points per night redemption to a 1.14 CPP – excellent for a Hilton Honors redemption.
Welcome Package
The Welcome Drink
If you were wondering, the welcome drink was a delicious combination of tequila, jamaica, and lime.
Room Key
Towel Cards
The Walk To Our Unit
After completing check-in, we were offered a golf cart ride to our unit, but we opted to walk to check out the property.
Our three-bedroom family cottage was strangely hidden from view from the street, but we found it with a little detective work (it was behind the visible units).
3 Bedroom Family Cottage Entrance
We entered our unit through the doorway that led into the kitchen area, and our first reaction was we were absolutely blown away.
When traveling, it’s never certain whether you’ll get a room upgrade or not, and even if you do, it’s never certain whether the upgrade is a worthwhile upgrade or not.
Well, it’s safe to say, this room upgrade was definitely in my “top 5 upgrades of all time”. We didn’t even expect to have a suite – let alone a kitchen, and here we were with a massive 3-bedroom cottage for just the two of us.
Bananas (or plantains?) just outside our door
“As Pictured” vs. “Reality”
After consulting the Hilton Mahogany Bay website, it appeared our unit looked pretty much exactly like what was pictured on the website, albeit with a more rustic [reclaimed wood] feel to the dining room table.
As pictured on Hilton’s website. Image: hilton.com
As pictured in our actual photos.
Kitchen
The kitchen was a great space, it had nearly all the required appliances (including a full-sized refrigerator and freezer, dishwasher, range and oven), except a microwave.
There was also a full-sized sink, a jug of filtered water, glassware, dish-ware, silverware, and cookware. The dining table was large and could easily fit up to 8 people.
Welcome Gift
There was a welcome gift waiting for us in the refrigerator consisting of a bizarre combination of hummus with carrots and celery (and a cherry, blueberries, and banana peel?), a couple of slices of fruit, and a mystery cookie which I’m guessing was a vegan brown sugar cookie(?).
In truth, the welcome platter was kind of gross, it would have been better if they just left an apple and a bag of M&M’s. But I digress.
Come on Hilton, you are better than this.
Living Area
The living area was comfortable and consisted of a couch, two chairs, and a coffee table under a flatscreen TV.
Master Bedroom
The master bedroom came with a king-size four post bed that was comfortable and cozy – except for the AC unit which blasted directly in our faces due to its placement above the bed. Because of that, we were forced to forgo the AC and instead use the [less intense] ceiling fan.
Master Bathroom
The master bathroom was a good size and came with a Terra Pure Green Tea soap and body lotion, while the soaking tub / shower combo came with Malin+Goetz [randomly scented] shower toiletries. There was also a separate water closet.
Unit Amenities
There was a washing machine and dryer combination and a storage space at the entrance to the unit.
Guest Bedroom
Like the master bedroom, the guest bedroom came with a 4-post king bed, an annoyingly placed AC unit, and a ceiling fan.
Guest Bathroom
The guest bathroom was much smaller than the master bathroom, and the sink literally had no countertop space.
Would it lacked for in space near the sink, it made up for with a large open air shower (which also came with Malin+Goetz shower items).
Bedroom #3
Bedroom #3 consisted of a bunk bed (with two twin beds), and a very small shelving space. My first thought was that this room was initially intended to be a walk-in closet but was later converted into a bunk room.
Back Unit Deck
On the backside of the cottage was a large deck that overlooked a small waterway. The deck had a lounge space and a hammock and was accessible from the guest room, the living room, and the master bedroom.
There may be crocs in that there river – I wouldn’t swim there.
Dinner At The Verandah
For dinner, we headed over to The Verandah restaurant at the Great House and we were seated outside on the deck overlooking the pool.
We went with the Caribbean Short Ribs and the Catch of the Day (Red Snapper).
Both dishes were good, but they were certainly nothing special – at least not for the American prices they were charging. For dessert we got a Mayan Brownie to go.
Breakfast At The Verandah
The next day, we were back at The Verandah for breakfast to take advantage of our Diamond status benefit of free continental breakfasts.
The continental breakfast was very basic, but it did come in a good-sized portion and included coffee and juice, fresh fruit, a pastry, a yogurt cup with granola, and some toast.
Rum & Bean
We also checked out the on-property coffee shop, Rum and Bean, which served – you guessed it – both coffee and alcoholic beverages.
Sushi
The Property Exterior
The herb garden
Adventure Center
The adventure center was located across the street from the Great House and was a “one-stop-shop” for booking fishing adventures, scuba and snorkeling tours, day trips, and golf cart rentals.
We even also got our COVID travel tests there (in the backroom office of Wheels).
FHOP Tip: Golf cart rentals at Wheels were convenient, but not cheap. A full-day rental ran us $90 USD for a day, and $50 USD for a 1/2 day. If you are on a budget, get your rental golf carts in the town of San Pedro, where you can often find them for about $35 USD a day.
The Wildlife
Mahogany Bay had some interesting wildlife, including tropical birds, island iguanas, and even a large resident crocodile who is often seen relaxing steps away from the swimming pool on the other side of a wall. For that reason, never let your children or pets go near the waterways that surround the hotel.
Yes, this is a “real” crocodile
Island iguanas prefer the luxury of Mahogany Bay too
Swimming Pool
Speaking of the swimming pool, the resort had a large swimming pool surrounded by lounge chairs with easy access to the Shaken bar. The pool was open during the day and night.
Image: hilton.com
Fitness Center
Image: hilton.com
The Beach Club
The main attraction of Mahogany Bay Resort & Beach Club was in fact the Beach Club.
A stone’s throw from the Great House is the pier for the boat to the Beach Club. Transportation to the Beach Club was free, but it was “first come, first served”, and both our boats were nearly full.
Although many people assume the Beach Club is on its own private island, it’s actually on a neighboring peninsula that is close to Secret Beach (as the crow flies).
Getting to the Beach Club requires a 20-minute speedboat ride (from pier to pier) through the mostly calm and sheltered waters on the western side of the island.
As we entered the Beach Club, the first thing we noticed was the sheltered cove and its picture-perfect over-water cabanas and hammocks.
The beach itself was pretty nice with very fine sand and a few pebbles. The watercolor was of the Caribbean’s patented turquoise blue variety and very warm even in December. The crystal-clear waters in the sheltered cove were very shallow (rarely exceeding three feet), and there didn’t appear to be a reef so there were very few fish to see via snorkeling. However, I did see a small stingray in about 1 foot of water, so be sure to shuffle your feet when you’re walking around to cove to scare the stingrays away.
The Beach Club Bar/Restaraunt
The main structures of the Beach Club housed the restaurant/bar, the beach towel counter, and the restrooms. There were a couple of nooks and other places to hang out to have some drinks with friends or take a break from the sun. There was also an open-air upstairs area with the best views of the Beach Club.
The food at the Beach Club was average bar food fare; we went with the shrimp cocktail and the grilled beach fish tacos, as well as [more than] a few cold Belikin beers to wash them down.
The Beach Towel Pick-up/Drop-off
FHOP Tip: Although Mahogany Bay is literally a village unto itself, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get out there to explore the island and the town of San Pedro. Nearby is Robin’s Kitchen, a great little joint famous for its moist and tender Jamaican style chicken. Just up the street from Robin’s Kitchen is a super-popular expat bar called The Islands Jungle Restaurant and Bar. Other must-try restaurants in San Pedro include Elvi’s Kitchen, Caroline’s Cookin’, Belize Chocolate Company, and Waruguma (try the lobster burrito). Half-day excursions include Secret Beach, Marco Gonzalez Archaeological Reserve, Caye Caulker, and snorkeling at Hol-Chan Marine Reserve.
The Bottom-Line Review: Mahogany Bay Resort & Beach Club, Curio Collection By Hilton (San Pedro, Belize)
Overall, we had an incredible stay at Mahogany Bay Resort & Beach Club; our stay bordered on the magical.
From the moment we checked-in and received the room upgrade to the three-bedroom family cottage, to the moment we checked-out and were transported back to the pier, the service of the hotel was impeccable.
Our lodging accommodations were wonderful (and built for extended stays), as was the beautiful property which was well-kept and felt very safe.The Beach Club was a very nice touch and was the perfect way to spend a half-day.
On the negative side, and I’m kind of nitpicking here, the food was good but not great, as was the location of the Beach Club. It was also a little disappointing that with all the nearby waterways, none were suitable for swimming or water-sports due to crocodiles.
Prices at the hotel were definitely “American prices” (and un-ironically listed in USD), and the cost of golf cart rentals was almost double that of renting them in the city.
With all that said, I would definitely return there. I would highly recommend Mahogany Bay Resort & Beach Club to families, couples, Hilton Honors members, wedding parties, and tourists looking for a high-end Belizean experience in San Pedro.
Final Rating: 9 out of 10
