Playa Del Sol

Most amazing place because of the most amazing people! Iz and Shay, Oscar and David, I will never forget them. Family to me now! If you are looking for a chill place where you can be you, this is it. Beautiful place, great fishing/diving/snorkeling but most of all good vibes only. ✌️ ❤️ Come as you are and leave better. Can't say enough good things about the experience and looking forward to my next stay.

This place has been amazing to stay at. I would 1000% recommend come again. Iz, Oscar, David and the rest of the staff gave us an amazing experience with snorkeling, saw sting rays, turtles and even sharks. They’re so welcoming and fun to be around and learned a lot about Belize throughout the stay.

I am here with both family and friends, we have 6 adults and 7 kids from 12-20. We are all having a wonderful vacation and there is something for everybody to do.
The host IZ and his wife Shay have been amazing and have helped us set up several excursion’s, some with his crew and boat and others with third party hosts. Everything we have done through them has been top notch and all of us have had fun!
Thank you to IZ, Shay, Oscar, David, Jimmy and the rest of the Playa Del Sol family for making this vacation and my wife’s 50th Birthday so special!

We chose Playa Del Sol based on a referral from one of my colleagues. It was our first trip to Belize, and we had no idea what to expect from the island. Thanks to Iz’s excellent communication (and patience), we felt like we had been there before. Upon arrival, Iz arranged a van to take us to the resort. After a 30-minute drive, we arrived to Iz’s warm welcome and complimentary killer rum punches! After unwinding at the pier, we met with Iz to plan our short trip. That evening, we spent time at the on-site bar, El Norte, where we enjoyed a complimentary dinner of stew chicken with rice & beans before heading to bed early. (Blame it on the rum punch!) We started the next day with a fishing tour led by David & Oscar—such a fun experience! The following day, we took a tour of Mexico Rocks. Overall, we felt like we had just reunited with our extended family in Belize! Spending time with Iz and his crew was truly priceless.
Thank you Iz and his extended family, and see you again and again!

My stay was wonderful, staff is very friendly and accommodating. The resort was clean and enjoyable with a beautiful view of the ocean. We did the scuba excursion our first day and our guides were very knowledgeable and made sure everyone was comfortable in the water and were enjoying our time. The second day we did the ruins and tubing excursion with Shaid and it is a must!

Best vacation we have been on in years. Iz and his wife made the experience completely unforgetable. We have not traveled abroad much and having the knowledge, experience and genuine hospitality from this host is %100 priceless. We were spoiled and cared for like family. We are overjoyed and will book with Iz again. We will stay here exclusively. Words truly can't express. A trip of a lifetime because it is their passion to please their guests in ways you WILL NOT find the world over. UnBelizeable

Playa del Sol (PDS) is an attractive, economical option especially for those interested in a more personal, reliable remote option and a chance to experience the lesser developed, beautiful northern part of the Caye. Iz and Shea are friendly, helpful hosts readily available to create a personalized Belize experience. David and Oscar, fishing and snorkeling guides, are fantastic and Yuri – cook and masseuse – is a gem. The Playa del Sol team is accessible, knowledgeable, and flexible.
At PDS, our condo was clean and stocked with enough dishes for us to make our own breakfasts. The A/C and WIFI worked perfectly, and the A/C helped dry out clothes from the day’s adventures (the condo could use towel hooks or a rack). The condo was spacious enough for our family of four. The grounds are well maintained, the tiki bar is stocked, the ocean is just steps from the condo, and the dock hammock and chairs by the water provide inviting places to relax.
Iz helped us rent a golf cart, waiting for us at PDS, so we could independently explore the northern coast (Margaritaville, Tranquility Bay and Rocky Point in Bacalar Chico MR). The trip to downtown San Pedro from PDS is about 50 minutes over a pot-hole-ridden dirt road (we did it both rain and shine and treated it as an adventure). We highly recommend reserving one for your stay.
Iz arranged friendly, efficient transportation from the airport, including a stop at a local grocery for breakfast supplies. He also helped us think through excursion options for the week, handling all arrangements for mainland and Amergris Caye adventures. We loved our free fishing and Mexico Rocks snorkeling trips that were part of our package. Those trips – led by local PDS guides David and Oscar – were some of the trip’s highlights, made even more special by Yuri cooking up our fresh catch for dinner in the evening!
Bugs (hard to see sand flies) are an issue so make sure you bring bug spray and lightweight long pants. Iz suggested baby oil as another effective deterrent but be aware that they are an issue on the island. It limited how much we used our balcony for example.
All in all, we were charmed by Playa del Sol and team and would consider a trip back. We met many veteran Belize travelers who always include a stop at El Norte for Iz’s rum punch and Yuri’s ceviche and curry. This loyal affection is a wonderful testament to the team effort from Iz, Shea, Yuri, David, Oscar and the rest of the PDS team. Thanks for the wonderful memories!

Overall, we had a great time at Playa del Sol. That said, I would not give it 5 stars. It wasn't terrible, but it wasn't amazing either. It was just "okay". A bit more attention, care, and maintenance could make it a really incredible place but the owner seems satisfied to just keep things as is. Positive: the rooms were clean, the food and drinks that we had at the bar were very good, the guides were very friendly and helpful. Negative: the actual property is fairly small with a seawall so there is no wading directly from the beach. And the adjacent beach areas are trashy and covered in seagrass so there is no way into the ocean from the property. It is also far (a solid hour) from the downtown area over pothole filled roads so I do not recommend it if you are not willing to either stay there the entire time or drive the hour. We stayed as a large group of 11 (all family) and had 3 golf carts with us, we left the resort all day every day with the exception of the fishing and snorkeling days. We had great fun with the guides (who were fantastic), and the cook made a delicious dinner from our catch. The condos were spacious enough, but we could never get the tv to work at all, the stairs are treacherous, and the water pressure is laughable. We were not able to be out on the balconies at all due to the bugs (beware the bugs!!), we did not use the pool onsite either. There was a tip jar in the condos for cleaning but they do not clean during your stay, we were in charge of changing out our bathroom tp trash and I borrowed a broom to keep the sand inside to a minimum. I wouldn't purposely stay here again, but it's not awful. There's just lots of other places to stay that are nicer.

The ambiance was very relaxing. Accommodations were comfortable. I appreciate that fishing and snorkeling were included in the package. The location made it easy to visit other resorts, beaches and restaurants. Food and drinks were terrific. Above all else, the hosts and staff made you really feel at home, like you have known each other for a long time.

Our stay included adults and teens. Everyone had a great time. Iz and his crew are tremendous hosts. The fishing, snorkeling, diving is all there. David and Oscar are pros at what they do. Carlos makes the best three shot rum punch. Don’t pass on the Turkish Tequila shot. The food was caught and cooked day of and was amazing. We have been multiple times to the island, don’t be afraid to stay North, much more authentic experience.

Our stay on Ambergris Caye was amazing despite the rain. We had stayed at Playa Del Sol before and had such a great time we came back. The pool was nice to come back to after a day of exploring and the hammock out on the dock was the perfect spot to read and watch the pelicans dive for fish. This time of year the sea grass builds up at their place which is stinky but we pretty much got used to it and spent our days out exploring. Iz and Shea were always so helpful when we were making plans for the day, staying on top of the weather and steering us towards Secret Beach to avoid the wind or determining the best days to go out on the water. David and Oscar were amazing fishing, snorkeling, and tour guides out on the water and for our trip to Caye Caulker. The food, drinks, and conversation at El Norte were great….the chicken curry was my favorite! It is off the beaten path and requires a rental golf cart for the trips to town or secret beach but that’s part of the attraction for us.

The advertisement for this place was completely inaccurate. First, the smell (like raw sewage) was so unbearable, we couldn't even stay outside for more than a few minutes. Iz, the host claimed there was nothing to be done because it was the sea grass, but we visited four other nearby resorts that week and NONE of them smelled that way. These resorts cleaned their beaches every day to avoid the rotting smell. Iz's beach was also full of trash (see pics) so his advertised use of pool, kayaks or jumping into the “crystal” water was impossible. The experience with the host the first night was so bad, the 11 of us collectively agreed to avoid him at all costs. He was drunk and kept touching, petting and invading the women's personal space. He was rude to the men. The last straw was when he started playing with our 16-year-old niece’s hair. We had to tell him to knock it off, and left the Tiki bar right after. There was no "state of the art" kitchen. There were two old pans, a gas stove that didn't light on two burners, and even the toaster didn't work. We planned on making meals there, but the smell and lack of kitchen supplies made that impossible. The condos were dirty, poorly maintained and unsafe. None of the doors locked and the safes were inoperable. One night, we actually caught a teenager sneaking around my brother’s condo while they were still in town. There was no housekeeping service, yet we were asked to dispose of soiled toilet paper in the baskets. We had to request clean towels and enough bedding for everyone in the condos. (When we got there, only one bed had a blanket). I couldn’t even get hand towels for the bathroom. The air conditioning units leaked moldy looking fluid that likely contributed to two of our party getting sick. After two days, half of the group were plagued with sand flea bites. Again, we were told there was nothing to be done, but as we visited other resorts, we learned they treated their rooms for sand fleas. We didn’t meet any other guests that were covered in bites. All three condos were infested. We tried after day one to find other accommodations on the island but couldn’t find any that could house 11 people. So instead, we just left Playa Del Sol early in the morning and came home late. The final straw was when we came past the Tiki bar from a different resort on Thursday evening , and Iz (who was drunk at the bar) jumped out screaming profanities at us and yelling we almost hit his dog. It was dusk, so we didn’t see the bar coming up, and since he was holding his dog at the time, I find it hard to believe it was that close of a call, but we certainly didn’t mean any harm. I have never been cursed at by a host in my life. We had no other choice but to fly back to the mainland a day early, where we were able to get hotel rooms. We had several days of unexpected expense on food and drinks because we couldn't stomach the smell or the host. We had to pay for flight changes, a rental car on the mainland, and hotel rooms on Friday. We didn’t get to enjoy any of the advertised amenities except for the boat excursions. In fact, Dave and Oscar (the boat captain and guide) were the ONLY good thing about this place. Don't be fooled by positive reviews. Pay attention to the negative ones... I wish I had. (check out the bad reviews on Google reviews for Playa Del Sol. Our experience was fairly similar. Compare the pics below to his advertisement.... pictures don't lie but Iz, the host, does.

Absolutely amazing. Cannot recommend this oasis enough. Iz and his whole staff are amazing!! Great views, food excellent and the bar is so fun!! Snorkeling and fishing trip great!! Fresh fish cooked for you after your fishing trip, delicious!!

Stayed a week here. The staff and everyone was very nice and accomodating. Laid back environment. The included adventures are well worth the stay. Reef access , night sky gazing you would have to see for yourself. El Norte bar had great drinks and gold beer

I have no words to say. It’s taken a minute for me to write this review because I’m in denial that I’m not in San Pedro anymore. I can’t explain how much fun we had at playa del sol. Once you get there, Is and Carlos are there waiting to make you their famous rum punch. Our group reserved both houses and after having a wonderful cocktail, Is came into our house and walked us step by step of our vacation, followed by a family meal of stewed chicken that will live in my memory for ever, it was amazing. They gave us a free excursion that needed to be had the next day due to wind and I’ll tell you, Carlos and Dave were the beat guides! And Is was totally right about the wind, many days were windy so we spent those ones in the bar! Haha! After our first fishing excursion, Yuri took the snapper that we caught, although it was mostly Dave and Carlos, and made us the most incredible fish stew from the boat to the pool in less than and hour. I could go on and on about our experience but what I find mostly important to say was that we felt safe, we felt taken care of, and we had the best best best time. The staff here was more wonderful than words, I appreciate all of you and miss you so much! Thanks for including us as your family!!!

This was a unique place to stay at basically the end of the main road going north. It starts the golf cart path all the way to Margaritaville, which is a very cool path to travel. I highly recommend it!!! You will pass a deserted resort which is kind of cool and the view on the way is just beautiful and phenomenal!!!
If you have a hard time finding this place (we were lost for hours, traveling all over the island lol )due to lack of directions in Belize or addresses, just look for signs for El Norte, which is the bar that is literally owned by the owner, Iz on the same property
We visited El Norte often during our trip. They provide lunch and dinner and it seems like lots of locals stop there throughout the day to have a beer or hang out for a bit.
No breakfast provided here so if you stay make sure you visit a grocery store, I highly recommend the Winey Gringa!! we made breakfast every morning at our little place. It was nice.

Iz is a very unique character. He will treat you right and will serve up plenty of drinks for you at his little bar El Norte! The shrimp nachos are amazing!

Be sure to get the rum punch lol specialty that you make yourself !!

All in all it was a great stay not perfect probably don’t even know if I should probably give it five stars but we had a great relaxing trip and our room was very clean with plenty of towels and plenty of cooking utensils for the kitchen to make any type of food you want !!

Iz Does everything he can to make sure you have a great stay as far as taking you out fishing or lobster spearing!

There are so many cool little things to see in Belize. It’s just a great little getaway. I highly recommend trying it at least once.

Beautiful facility and location. Iz and his staff are all wonderful people we enjoyed getting to know. El Norte, the on-site tiki hut bar offers amazing rum punch and excellent food. If I’m ever fortunate enough to go back to San Pedro, I’ll definitely try to stay at Playa del Sol again.

We had a wonderful time at Playa Del Sol!! Iz and all the staff attended to our needs and went above expectations to make our week great. The excursions were safe, well planned, and exciting. The drinks and food at El Norte were exceptional. Would recommend staying here if you want a vacation where the staff treat you like family.

The location is remote with none of the crowds that have taken over San Pedro. It has a cool hippie vibe that seems like what San Pedro must have been like 30 plus years ago. There’s a golf cart you can rent by the hour from the hotel owner and half day of snorkeling and half day of reef fishing are included. There are supposedly kayaks to use as well but we saw no sign of them. The kitchen is well kitted out but it’s fun to eat at the bar and Yuri the chef will cook up whatever you catch. During the appropriate seasons you can go spear fishing for lobster and collect conch; we ate well! Iz the owner also will include one dinner (usually stewed chicken), which is convenient to have your first night. After that a stop at local grocery store can be arranged. Iz can also help arrange other excursions for you. The sargassum is intense and there’s a sea wall there, not a beach so swimming from shore is not as appealing but with a trip north to serenity bay you can swim there. Just bring a buff to cover your hair if it’s long, sargassum is difficult to get out without tearing your hair. Overall it’s a great place with friendly staff and a cool vibe, surrounded by jungle, not crowds. We’ve already booked our return!

The property is wonderful! The location was perfect for us, it is 10 miles north of town so it was quiet and intimate. The staff was AMAZING! I cannot say enough how fabulous every single person (staff) there was. The food at the bar was so fresh and delicious, we have been home for one day and miss it badly. If you are looking for a friendly, clean, relaxing place to stay, this is it.