The New HUGE Alaia Resort on Ambergris Caye: Wow! And There is More To Come!

The newest Ambergris Caye resort and a member of the Marriott Autograph collection (wow), The Alaia just opened.  It is modern, beautiful, impressive, thoughtful and well…HUGE!

But allow me to back up a bit.  I was invited for a small local press meet-up to view the new Alaia Resort and Residences – a tour and lunch at one of the four new restaurants.  The resort just opened about 3 weeks ago – and this was my first time visiting it completed.

I’d visited in when construction was in full swing (Oct 2019).  And just a few months ago before it opened completely (Feb 2021) and here is my feedback.  WOW.

The resort is the first of its kind in Belize – this large, this modern…  And more is coming!  I’ll save that until the end.

Let me just show you the pictures.  AND then celebrate…perhaps wax sentimental about the burger I ate at The Deck Restaurant.  It was a thing of beauty…

Quick overview.  Alaia Resort is a 155-key resort (two-bedroom units can be turned into a one-bedroom and a studio room as needed.  A gorgeous lobby.  A towering entrance.  A rooftop pool and restaurant/bar.  A self-playing grand piano.  A cocktail bar.  A pretty epic pool.   Here’s what I saw:

The entrance from the street.  Look out to the huge pool and up to the smaller rooftop one.

Alaia Entrance

While modern and large scale, high ceiling, huge windows, grand piano, the resort is surprisingly welcoming.  Decorated with lots of beautiful Belizeans hardwoods and plants…private seating niches with pillows, pillows and more pillows, it’s really quite beautiful.  And thoughtful.  (A word that is very overused…just like the word “curated” but very fitting at Alaia.)

Into the large lobby…

A beautiful gift shop.

And a bar…that does craft cocktails…

The resort has so many sitting areas…I love a place where you can grab a book and perhaps a cold drink and people watch…just enjoy…there are countless areas to do it.

Let’s head up to the 5th-floor pool because…it’s incredible.  And again…so many special little areas to sit alone or with a small group.  It’s where the words thoughtful and curated really DO apply!

Imagine enjoying tapas plates and sushi up here.

Both sunrise and sunset must be incredible from up here.  Clearly I am going to need to stay overnight at some point. 🙂

We headed down to take a look at one of the units…not surprisingly…it’s gorgeous.

A huge balcony/outdoor room.

My favorite area is Seasalt Restaurant…I just love rope and the seating areas and…it’s just lovely.  And will open in about a month.

This beautiful wooden table.

The wine club next door was just about to be set up – take a look at it on their website.  Wow.

And beautiful shaded areas overlooking the pool.

I did not go crazy with the picture taking because they do have guests – they are at about 60% occupancy and the numbers are climbing into the early summer months.  Many were out on trips and tours but I did not want to disturb anyone’s vacation.

The huge pool also has lots of private areas – sunken lounging areas, day beds…

We also took a look into the beachfront three-bedroom, three-bathroom, private plunge pool, bathtub, and huge shower WITH a view of the beach private villas.  The bathtub is stuff dreams are made of…

My photos do it NO justice.  Take a look here and check out the rates.

The place was bustling with guests but even more so, employees.  Alaia employs over 225 people.  TWO HUNDRED TWENTY-FIVE!

It’s all pretty amazing. But here’s something that was almost as amazing as the resort…almost.

Lunch.  We headed to The Deck Restaurant and I knew just what I was going to order.  The day before, I had posted that I would be visiting Alaia and THREE people told me to get the burger.

Really?  I mean…how good can it be?

The menu…and then an unprompted recommendation from the owner of Alaia.  “I don’t normally eat burgers but this one is incredible…”

My expectations were now set SKY hight.

The description:  The Alaia Signature Burger:  chili candied bacon, sharp white cheddar, tobacco onion, house-made pickles, roasted garlic aioli, tomato jam.  $40bzd or $20US

It is not cheap but MAN…

When my neighbor’s Ceasar Salad with pork belly, shrimp and parmesan arrived, I started to worry I chose incorrectly…

but then the burger.

It was DEEEELICIOUS.  Tobacco onions = a huge pile of crispy onions and the bacon was thick and slightly sweet.  Bacon you can taste the whole way thru…

I haven’t had a burger this good in years…I finished every single bite.  And…it made the 55-minute golf cart ride home seem a bit longer…

What a beautiful afternoon.  Burger?  I’ll be back.  $40bzd is an expensive burger but you, my delicious friend, are worth it.  For special occasions.

We headed out – stopping to take a quick look at the beautiful greenhouse they are setting up to grown greens and herbs – AND to visit the baby goat born on property just a few weeks ago!  (I shared a video of him on my Instgram…sooooo cute)

The size and scale of Alaia Resort can come as a bit of a shock to those who haven’t been to San Pedro in a few years or even those who live here – but I am quite certain that when you visit, you will agree with my review.  WOW.

And if you love a great burger?  You are welcome in advance.  I promise you will love this one.

Oh!  And one more thing.  There is MORE to come?  Alaia Resort just announced their 120-room studio adults-only Beach Club will start construction soon.

Graphic from their fb page

as well as this annoucement:

Announcing Belize’s newest Real Estate Offering in beautiful Ambergris Caye – The Alaia Beach Club! This “Adults-Only” vacation hub will comprise of 121 studio units and 1 Penthouse Suite. Studio pricing starts at $199,000Usd.
Construction scheduled Start – October 1st, 2021
Grand Opening: December 2023

Wow.

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