Businesses Asked to Move from Spindrift Hotel As Upgrades Are Planned

If you have been visiting San Pedro for a while, you know the Spindrift Hotel.  Even if the name doesn’t quite ring a bell.

The Spindrift Hotel was built in the 1980s right in the middle of San Pedro town.  Located on the beach right on Front Street, the hotel is sandwiched between the popular Estel’s by the Sea Restaurant and the San Pedro Town Council.  It’s orange!

Sidebar:  The word “spindrift” means:  spray blown from the crests of waves by the wind.  It can also refer to fine sand that blows off the top of dunes in the wind.  Who knew?

You might not be familiar with the hotel’s name because Spindrift is better known for the numerous businesses that it houses on the first floor.  Both Caliente Restaurant – serving delicious Mexican food and margaritas – and The Old Pier Lounge Bar (now Wahoo’s Bar) and even Mambo Chill – the small boutique packed with all sorts of good stuff.

Everyone knows the Pier Lounge/Wahoo’s.  It is home to the world-famous chicken drop.  Though it has had a few owners since it opened in the 80s, this event has been a must-see for decades.  (The event was even registered by the first owner so it couldn’t be played anywhere else in Belize but the Pier Lounge)  I definitely attended to it on my first trip to San Pedro in 2006!

They were even the first to do hermit crab races well before my time…

A bit about the chicken drop if you haven’t been:  Each space on the board = a $1bzd bet.  The chicken is placed on the board (after a swirl and then a blow in her nether region for good luck) and when she poops on a number?  That’s the winner.

And you don’t know until they hand you a wet-wipe…winner cleans up.

But let’s talk about today.

Earlier this week, I saw a post on Facebook about Caliente Restaurant – they had been asked to move locations after decades in this spot.  (And they just finished this great new mural a few weeks ago!)

And were given until the end of September 2022 to do it!  They were caught off-guard.

And Wahoo’s Lounge and the Chicken Drop have already moved – down less than 1 mile south – to their new location at Corona Del Mar.  It should be good – with lots more room to move.  I’m heading down there in the next week or two and will report back.

So I stopped in to Spindrift – to try to get some information and to take many many pictures.  The building is quite old…but the views?  AMAZING.

I think the shaved ice business is relatively new.

No one from hotel management was around – and I went up the stairs to take some very quick pictures from the third floor balconies.

And back down – of lovely Caliente and the closed Wahoo’s Lounge.

And then the view up the beach…one of my favorites.

I left and send the landlord an email asking if they had new ownership…or if they were planning to bring in new businesses -here is what I was told…let me paraphrase:  It is very sad to let Caliente and Wahoo go.  It is time for Spindrift Hotel to renovate and to change the beachfront area to offer our guests a better structure with a better image. This is the great opportunity Spindrift Hotel has been waiting for,  Thank you we hope you can come by to take pictures as we get ready to open for the high season.

I’m not sure why the relatively sudden notice.  I’m really hoping that Caliente can find a great spot…

If you know of a good place or just want some great food, stop in over the next few weeks…months and give them your support!

And like I said…I’ll be reporting back from the chicken drop in the next few weeks.  I haven’t been to the event since…2013!