Chabil Mar Recognized With Prestigious 2017 Certificate of Excellence

Chabil Mar, a five-star luxury resort located in Placencia, Belize, has been awarded the prestigious Certificate of Excellence by TripAdvisor for the year 2017.

Since 2010, TripAdvisor has been awarding Certificates of Excellence to hospitality businesses that consistently deliver service above and beyond those of their peers. The Certificates of Excellence are determined on an annual basis by carefully assessing the honest and uncensored reviews of travelers who have frequented the establishment during the previous year.

The standards for determining Certificate of Excellence awards are:

  • A minimum of 12 months of user reviews for the establishment;
  • A pre-set minimum number of reviews; and
  • A minimum user review rating of at least four (out of five).

Establishments awarded the Certificate of Excellence by TripAdvisor are entitled to post a window sticker announcing the designation and will receive an online badge on TripAdvisor’s website. Commercial relationships have no bearing on the determination of TripAdvisor, and the awarding of Certificates of Excellence is entirely based on user-generated reviews and feedback.

“We are both honored and delighted to have been awarded the Certificate of Excellence by TripAdvisor for 2017,” said Larry France, marketing manager of Chabil Mar. “We consistently strive to deliver outstanding customer service to all of our guests, and we are very proud to read the reviews of satisfied guests who have shared their unbiased reviews on TripAdvisor.”

Chabil Mar is a luxury resort located on the Placencia Peninsula in southeastern Belize. The name of the resort in the local Maya dialect translates to “beautiful sea”, an apt description of the lovely Caribbean coastline where Chabil Mar is located. Chabil Mar is a perennial TripAdvisor favorite and has consistently garnered positive guest reviews thanks to its world-class customer service, beautiful architecture, and luxury vacation experiences. Chabil Mar has a number of slogans, including “Barefoot Luxury”, “Champagne Flutes and Bathing Suits,” and “Beauty by Belize, Luxury by Design.”

TripAdvisor is the world’s most popular travel website with over 315 million members. Founded in the year 2000, TripAdvisor was one of the first travel sites to feature user reviews and feedback in order to give travelers a better way to discover resorts, activities, and beautiful destinations. Today, TripAdvisor’s website has more than 500 million reviews of restaurants, resorts, and other travel-related businesses. TripAdvisor has an annual revenue of 1.5 billion dollars and employees more than 3,000 people around the world.

2017 Promises to Be a Profitable Lobster Season in Belize

The Belize Fisheries Department (BFD) regulates the consumption and harvesting of lobster. According to the BFD, the 2017 lobster season will run from June 15, 2017 to February 14, 2018 and initial estimates are that this year’s harvest will be a profitable one.

According to Ramon Carcamo, a BFD official, lobster catches over the past five years have remained stable. According to Carcamo, the BFD is estimating that between 500,000 and 600,000 pounds of lobster tails will be harvested during this year’s lobster season, ensuring an ample supply of the tasty crustaceans both for local festivals as well as for export. Carcamo said that the BFD is estimating a net profit of $15 million for the 2017-2018 season.

The Caribbean Spiny Lobster (panulin argus), is a native animal fished in the waters of Belize. The spiny lobster thrives in the reefs and mangrove swamp environments of Belize, and are some of the top seafood species fished in the country. Also known as the West Indian langouste, the spiny lobster is a close cousin of the American lobster fished from colder waters found in the north of the United States and Canada.

“The BFD’s report about this year’s lobster season was warmly welcomed,” said Larry France, marketing manager of the Chabil Mar. “Lobster is one of the preferred foods of visitors and locals alike, and popular events like Lobsterfest in Placencia will be beneficial to the region In addition, it means we should have a plentiful supply for tourists through summer and well into the winter season. We await you in Belize!”

Lobsterfest is an annual three-day celebration of all things lobster. Held in Placencia, one of the top lobster fishing communities of Belize, Lobsterfest mixes innovative lobster recipes with lots of games, live music, and a fun beach party. Dozens of regional chefs compete during Lobsterfest to come up with the most savory and delicious dish featuring the world’s famous crustacean.

This year’s Lobsterfest will run from June 23-25, 2017, and is expected to draw record numbers of visitors. Originally a local affair featuring a single chef, Lobsterfest has grown to become one of Belize’s most popular and enduring traditions. Beyond the culinary treats on display, Lobsterfest will feature a drinking contest sponsored by Belikin Beer, a Mr. and Mrs. Physique contest, kayak races, fly fishing contests, and spicy hot wing eating contests amongst many other activities that the whole family can enjoy.

Chabil Mar is an award-winning resort located on the Placencia Peninsula just a short walk from all the Lobsterfest activities.

Southwest Launches New Flight from Fort Lauderdale to Belize

new flight to belize

On June 4, 2017, the first plane took off from the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport (FLL) and landed in Belize City some two hours, part of Southwest’s increasing international expansion plans. Southwest currently operates two non-stop flights from the United States to Belize, one from Houston’s Hobby Airport (HOU) that began operating in 2015 and one from the Denver International Airport (DIA) that began in March of 2017.

Southwest’s website is listing fares for the new Fort Lauderdale-Belize route beginning at just $79 per segment for travelers flying from August 22 through December 13, 2017. Currently, the estimated round-trip price for the new Fort Lauderdale-Belize City route is $412, far more affordable than rival American Airlines Dallas-Belize City flight that averages $785 roundtrip.

Best of all, the new Fort Lauderdale to Belize City route lands at the Philip Goldson International Airport in Ladyville (a suburb of Belize City) in time for travelers to make a connecting domestic flight to Placencia in the southeast of the country. The Fort Lauderdale flight departs Florida at 11:30 AM and arrives in Belize two hours and 20 minutes later (11:50 AM Belize time). Both of Belize’s domestic air carriers, Maya Island Air and Tropic Air have multiple flights connecting the Belize City airport (BZE) to the Placencia airstrip (PLJ), a journey that takes around 40 minutes.

Placencia is a 16-mile long strip of golden beaches on the Caribbean coast of southeastern Belize. Famed for the beauty of its beaches in a country filled with beaches, Placencia is a laid-back waterfront community where the main form of transportation is bicycles and electric golf carts.

At the southern tip of the peninsula lies Placencia Village, a fishing community which more than lives up to its “barefoot ready” motto. Home to small shops, cafes, restaurants, and dive shops, Placencia hosts a three-day Lobsterfest every June to coincide with the opening of the local fishing season. Featuring dozens of chefs competing to craft the tastiest lobster dishes, the festival also has games, local art, and lots of live music.

new flight to belize

Just a short walk from Placencia Village is the award-winning resort of Chabil Mar. With luxuriously appointed villas, a lush tropical garden, and one of the top restaurants in the country, Chabil Mar is the perfect base to enjoy a fabulous vacation in Belize.

Chabil Mar also organizes tours to the top attractions in the country, including diving with whale sharks, exploring ancient Maya ruins, and scuba diving and snorkeling excursions on the nearby Belize Barrier Reef.

For more information about Belize or Placencia, feel free to chat with our Concierge at: concierge@chabilmarvillas.com or contact our Reservations Manager at: reservations@chabilmarvillas.com. Or perhaps you would like to call toll free from the US or Canada: 1-866-417-2377.

Save

The 2017 See & Taste Belize Festival

see and taste belize
The exciting See & Taste Belize Festival is coming to Miami, Florida with lots of food, games, art, and cultural exhibitions highlighting the small Central American nation of Belize. This year, the See & Taste Belize Festival will be held between 10:00 AM and 5:00 PM on October 7, 2017, at the Deauville Beach Resort located at 6701 Collins Avenue in Miami. Tickets for this special event begin at $40 for adults and $20 for children.
see and taste belize
Organized by See & Taste Belize, Inc., a non-profit organization based in Coral Gables, Florida, dedicated to improving the education, health, and living conditions of the youth of Belize, the See & Taste Belize Festival first began in 2015 as a way to showcase the art, culture, and cuisine of Belize. In 2017, the See & Taste Belize Festival will be co-hosted by the Belizean Office of Special Envoy for Women and Children, Beltraide, and the Belize Tourism Board. Prominent sponsors include the Belize Natural Energy Charitable Trust, Oceana, Roses Southwest, and the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association.Miami is a popular destination for Belizeans working overseas as well as tourists, making it a great place to learn about and experience the Caribbean nature of Belize. Proceeds will go towards See & Taste Belize’s special projects, including The Inspiration Center, a facility in Belize City that provides physical therapy, community rehabilitation, medical services, speech therapy, and social support for children. 

see and taste belize
Other projects sponsored by See & Taste Belize, Inc. include the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital in Belize City. The PICU and NICU are designed to provide critical care for babies born prematurely and those born with serious illnesses like cancer that require extensive medical treatment and tertiary care.A special welcome reception will be held on Friday, October 6, 2017, from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM on the evening before the See & Taste Belize Festival. Spaces are limited and the ticket price is $75. The special welcome reception includes delicious Belizean hors d’oeuvres, a Belizean rum tasting, and a meet and greet with See & Taste Belize, Inc. and its many sponsors and partners.

see and taste belize

Chabil Mar Resort located on the Placencia Peninsula in southern Belize supports the See & Belize Festival and celebrates exhibitions that allow people around the world to learn about and experience the food, culture, and art of Belize.

Archives