The Watermark Hotel

You get a town hotel with a useful split personality: close enough to San Pedro for an evening wander, but with a rooftop pool, a rooftop bar and the Caribbean Sea nearby when you would rather stay put. The Watermark Belize Hotel occupies seven floors and has 60 rooms, with English- and Spanish-speaking staff to make the practical conversations straightforward.

The mood suits divers who want more than a bed between boat trips. You can start with breakfast, head into town or towards the water, then return to the hotel for a swim, a massage or a cocktail above the rooftops. It is also set up for travellers who like having a little self-sufficiency in the room, rather than relying on restaurant hours for every cup of tea and cold drink.

The address is in the Tres Cocos area of San Pedro Town, a quarter of a mile north of the centre of town on Ambergris Caye, Belize. Downtown is around five minutes away, while the sea is reached in roughly five to ten minutes. Local beaches are nearby, with sun loungers and parasols available for beach time.

The hotel sits by the sea but is not presented as a beach resort with the shore immediately outside the door. That distinction matters when your ideal morning involves walking into town for a look around rather than spending the whole day behind a gate. The airport journey takes around 35 minutes, which keeps the arrival practical without putting you in the middle of the town traffic.

The room choice is broad enough to cover a solo stay, a couple sharing a double bed, two friends wanting twin beds, and families needing two bedrooms. Some rooms and studios come with a balcony or views towards the ocean, sea, water, courtyard or town. For a couple, a double room with a balcony or a sea-facing view makes the most of the setting; for a larger group, the family and two-bedroom layouts are the sensible place to look, with room categories accommodating up to six guests.

Several of the more fully equipped rooms and suites include a kitchen, microwave, fridge, dining area and tea- or coffee-making facilities. That is useful when you return tired, want cold water without a hunt, or need something small before the next early start. Air conditioning and a fan cover the Belizean heat, while blackout blinds help if your body clock has not yet caught up with the Caribbean.

The rooms also include a private bathroom, safe, Wi-Fi, television, desk and wardrobe in the better-equipped categories. Balconies give you somewhere to sit without turning the bed into a command centre, and the view categories let you choose between water, sea, ocean, town or courtyard outlooks rather than leaving the scenery to chance.

Breakfast comes included and can be taken as a buffet or ordered à la carte from 7am. The main rooftop venue, Skyview Rooftop Lounge, serves international food across breakfast, lunch and dinner, with views towards the Belize Barrier Reef. It also works as the hotel’s rooftop bar, specialising in cocktails and giving you somewhere to sit above the town rather than stopping at the first drink downstairs.

The Watermark Courtyard keeps things at ground level and open to the air, just steps from the Caribbean Sea. It serves lunch and dinner from Wednesday to Sunday, between 2pm and 10pm. Skyview’s listed afternoon happy hour runs from 4pm to 6pm, a useful window for a drink while the light changes over the reef.

Chef Erick Tzib brings nearly 18 years of experience to the kitchen, combining culinary work with agricultural expertise. Room service operates during limited hours, so the rooftop and courtyard are the safer plan when hunger arrives on schedule rather than according to the kitchen.

The rooftop infinity pool is the obvious place to do less. It comes with reef views and sunset outlooks, so you can swap fins for a lounger without losing sight of the reason you came to Ambergris Caye. Pool and beach towels are available, and the garden offers another change of scenery when you have had enough concrete and salt.

The spa offers massages and facial treatments, with reservations required for treatments. The hotel also has a gym and fitness equipment for anyone who still wants to move after a day of travelling or a morning on the water. No medal is awarded for using it every day; the pool is there too.

For a day away from the hotel, the concierge and excursions service can arrange outings including Xunantunich, Lamanai, ATM Cave, cave tubing and Belize Zoo. Snorkelling, fishing, boat excursions, wildlife observation and cultural excursions are also available through the hotel’s activity offering, giving you several ways to fill a non-diving day without simply relocating to another bar.

The airport is around 35 minutes away by road, and an airport shuttle is available as a paid service. Car hire can also be arranged. If you are driving, parking is available, and Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel. Concierge assistance, ticket support, laundry and luggage storage cover the chores that tend to appear between flights, boat departures and dinner.

The property has a lift, wheelchair-accessible facilities and an accessible restaurant. Reception, security and a souvenir shop are also on site. Smoking is restricted to designated areas, and pets are not allowed.

You can pay with cash, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, PayPal or bank transfer. Check-in is handled in the afternoon and check-out at midday; early arrival and late departure can be requested. The hotel can also help with excursions, which saves you from turning the first evening into an administrative exercise.