"ANY PORT, OR BED, IN A STORM," THE SEASIDE GUEST HOUSE BELIZE CITY
Written: Aug 25 '03 (Updated May 09 '05)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: The front porch and the cold beer.
Cons: The plumbing.
The Bottom Line: It may not be the fanciest place in town, by a long shot, but it does attract a good clientele
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| JAMES23's Full Review: Seaside Guest House, Belize City Belize |
The Bellevue Hotel no longer existed . This little gem was passed on to me by the taxi driver as we sped into Belize City from the International Airport located just outside the town. It had closed down about six months ago he pointed out.
Well at least now I know why they'd never responded to the e mail I'd sent them a week earlier trying to make a reservation for one night. Obviously both the guide books I was carrying which had recommended the place were in need of an update.
I'd landed in Belize about an hour earlier. I'd considered grabbing a local flight direct to Punta Gorda in the extreme south end of the country. After I'd cleared customs and immigration I'd even checked at the Tropic air desk and they a seat available on the last flight of the day and it was leaving in a half an hour.
I weighed the alternatives. It would cost $20.00 for a taxi to the city, plus a nights lodging, plus the cost of the ten hour bus ride the next day. I compared this to the $90.00 it would cost for the flight. Plus of course it would put me a day ahead of schedule which was more important than the cost in the long run.
Common sense won out in the end. I'd been on a plane or several since 7:00 am and really couldn't stomach any more flying that day especially a forty minute flight in a single engine one landing at dusk on a dirt strip. I really just needed a hot shower, a change of clothes, a cold beer and some dinner, and not necessarily in that order.
I dragged my bag out of the terminal building and was soon haggling with the taxi drivers out front. A few minutes later I was zooming along the main road into the city admiring the sights such as they were. I'd made a deal with the guy for $30.00 Belize, about $15.00 US for the trip, so I was a little ahead of the game.
In exchange I'd taken his cell phone number and agreed to call him if I wanted to take any tours. I didn't have the heart to tell him I was grabbing a bus the next morning, and wouldn't be back for about two weeks. Then he dropped the bad news on me about the hotel.
"No problem man," he said. "I'll run you around to a couple of places, no extra charge."My next choice was the Seaside Guest House, which was right beside the late lamented Bellevue. Both Lonely Planet and Rough Guide stated it was one of the better budget places in the city. Mind they had also both recommended my first choice too.
We pulled up in front of the place, a ramshackle old clapboard house covered with plants and flowerpots hanging everywhere and I got out and rang the bell. I was keeping one eye on the cab, expecting any minute for him to drive off with my bags, but that's just the cynic in me.
The manager came to the gate, and yes they had a vacancy. I paid the cab off, and dragged my stuff into my new digs for the night.
The Seaside Guest House is as I said a listed in both of the better known travel guides for those on a budget and well known to the back packer crowd. It's a beautiful if a little run down old house on Prince Street in the south end of the city near the waterfront. The front porch actually overlooks the water. The place is convenient to most things downtown. From here you can easily walk to restaurants, banks, shops and both the water taxi to the Cayes and most of the bus stations.
There are six rooms, singles, doubles, and a small dormitory for those on a really tight budget, or who just don't mind company. Rates run from $10.00 US for a dorm bed to $19.00 US for a single. Breakfast and other meals are available, but in comparison to other places I wouldn't recommend it, as they seem a bit overpriced. Mind the coffee is good and strong, and they do sell cold Belekin Beer. Internet service is also available to guests for a nominal fee.
Quakers originally ran the place, and although they're no longer there, there is a little plaque attesting to this. The place is also safe and secure. I was given three keys, one to the outside gate, one to the house proper and one for my room. Passports, tickets and other documents can be secured in the office safe.
In fact in the case of Passports or other ID this is mandatory, as they "hold" this for you as a "key deposit." This incidentally is illegal I was later advised. However, I preferred not to be carrying it around with on the streets at night anyway.
Now for the bad points, like I said it's a budget place. My room actually had an outside entrance off of the south balcony. To say it was tiny is an understatement.
I think it was either a storage room or part of a larger room partitioned off. There was barely room for the fan, and the crude bunk bed complete with thin lumpy mattress, threadbare sheets and scrap of a towel. It actually looked like a ship's cabin or a room in some low budget WWII POW movie.
The "bathroom" was down the hall. The Seaside Guest House advertises "hot water." I'm seriously wondering though what they consider this to be. Regarding both the temperature and the water pressure from the ancient shower, well one phrase easily sums it up. I can pee harder and warmer than this.
That's the bad side, but hey it was ok for one night. Besides something told me, correctly, that it would get worse in the days to come as I crossed the border into Guatemala and Honduras. On the other hand there were some good points.
After unpacking and attempting a shower I headed down stairs and grabbed a cold beer off the manager. I then returned upstairs and discovered the long balcony on the east side of the house that overlooks the water.
This is a perfect place to sit and relax and contemplate life. Within minutes I had a cigar going and soon forgot, about the flight, the room and the shower. It was a perfect place to spend a warm summer evening. Misery loves company they say, and so too it turns out does comfort. Soon almost all the other guests joined me
Like I noted it was a back packer place and this is a definite plus. There were five other guests there that night, or at least that many showed up. Three were young guys two English and one American. Definitely back packer types and I was starting to feel like the proverbial really old guy. Then the last two showed up, also English, a mother and daughter, so there was at least someone else from my generation.
Most of us had just arrived either that day or the day before, however one of the Brits had been there for six months and was on his way home. He'd been working for a British group called "Raleigh" on various projects around the country. From the sounds of things it's similar to CUSO or the Peace Corps in it's mandate. He was a wealth of knowledge and we pumped him for it mercilessly. Well not really as he was more than willing to share.
The conversation flowed back and forth interrupted by the occasional need to descend to the kitchen and return with an arm full of cold bottles of Belekin. Eventually there was a break while a couple of us strolled around the corner for a quick dinner. That finished we were back on the porch until it was time to call it a night, at least for this tired puppy.
In my room with the window open listening to the ocean before nodding off, I could still here muted conversation from a few remaining on the balcony outside. It was a good start to the trip I thought and a great way to pass an evening. It almost made up for the plumbing.
Seaside Guest House 3 Prince Street PO Box 2060 Belize City, Belize
Tel: 501-2-78339 e-mail seasidebelize@btl.net
NOTE: I originally wrote and posted this review on January 8, 2002 in the Belize City category. Later after much badgering of the CLs by moi, they managed to get this great little place added to the database. After waiting over 6 months and with more than one e-mail sent in, epinions has yet to transfer it over. I didn’t want to delete and repost it, but it appears that is the only option. As comments are the icing on the cake on a good review, or conversely one I’ve penned, for your retro amusement I have included all the original comments below. Finally
FYI there were 39 member hits (all VH) and 405 total hits with a whopping 38 cents in income share earned at time of deletion.
COMMENTS:
Jan 08 '02 4:17 pm PST
Belize... by 4-1-1
is one place I want to visit. I understand that English is the official language (works great for me).
Jan 08 '02 5:25 pm PST
Now That's a Classic Line by diverpam
I can pee harder and warmer than this.
LOL! I may never be able to get in the shower again without thinking about that! My family will hear me cackling in the shower and know that I have finally gone over the edge.
Take care, Pam
Jan 08 '02 10:27 pm PST
Re: Belize... by JAMES23
Yup but don't worry Tom, Spanish is becoming the defacto second language especially in the south and west.
James
Jan 09㤊 11:37 PST
"asittin', arockin' and 'talkin” by Granniemose
On the front porch, listening to the waves, enjoying refreshments, and making new friends with different life styles - who could ask for anything more. The shower, tiny room and small bed are but minor inconveniences.
I've often wondered how people handled their sanitary needs before showers and plumbing were invented. Did they hide behind an oak tree and hope nobody peeked? Privys I understand - but what did they do on the road?
The old cowboy movies would show the hero going cross country on his white horse, and sleeping on the ground with his saddle for a pillow, and arriving at his destination clean shaved, with his shirt not even sweat stained, and his white Stetson hat not even smudged. How'd he do that?
Virginia
Jan 09 '02 2:49 pm PST
My only experience with Belize City was....
by NFP
...in 1974 when I decided to drive thru Belize from the pre-Cancun Yucatan coast en route to Guatemala. I found Belize City to be a filthy dump with virtually no sidewalks or hygiene, and I got the hell out of Dodge.
I hear it's improved in the three decades since (I would HOPE so), though the undercurrent of your excellent and evocative piece doesn't give me a ton of comfort.
Well done, James.
cheers, nick
Jan 09 '02 7:55 pm PST
Re: My only experience with Belize City was.... by JAMES23
It had it's rough parts Nick. However compared to Puerto Barrios or Guatemala City over the border....
James
Jan 09 '02 7:56 pm PST
Re: "asittin', arockin' and 'talkin' by JAMES23
Oh great now I'll be up all night thinking about this.
James
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Recommended:
Yes
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JAMES23
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Member: James Smith
Location: Toronto Ontario CANADA
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