Ambergris Caye
Belize


The Experience

Just a few miles off the coast of northeastern Belize is the kind of exclusive lair where guests live out their recluse fantasies. The five villas in this four-acre private island resort are positioned for privacy, and since all meals and spa treatments are brought to you, you may never see another guest. Because of its extreme intimacy, your personal butler can cater to your every whim, be it a couple's massage on your private dock or -- should the idea of leaving your villa occur to you -- a gourmet picnic on a nearby deserted island. In fact, you set the entire schedule: Meals come whenever and wherever you'd like and are created based on a pre-arrival preference survey.

The Rooms

To reach your lusciously appointed, mahogany-detailed villa, you walk down a perfectly manicured sandy path that winds through a forest of palm trees. The enormous 1,500- to 2,500-square-feet villas feature French shuttered-wood doors that open on three sides to reveal 180-degree views of the aquamarine Caribbean waters (you can also close them to air condition the room). There's a centrally positioned king-size bed veiled in mosquito netting, his-and-hers hammocks and Indonesian-inspired wood and leather furniture. Bathrooms are equally sprawling, with a separate al fresco shower. A beachside deck wraps around a private plunge pool and leads to a private dock.

The Service

Any request -- midafternoon snack, deep-tissue massage, music CDs or chilled beer -- is made with the push of a button on a walkie-talkie. Invariably, your man Friday at the other end, who's always close at hand though never lingering awkwardly, responds, “It will be my pleasure,” and within minutes announces himself.

The Highlights

Being reclusive doesn't have to mean being a hermit. A short walk around the island reveals a small beach where an activities guide can equip you with snorkel gear, kayak, Hobbie Cat or sailboard with which to explore deserted beaches and crystal-clear waters. For the more adventurous spirits, the resort can arrange everything from dives in the Blue Hole (a perfectly circular 480-feet-deep limestone sinkhole, which is Belize's largest protected area) to private flights to the mainland's Mayan ruins. Or simply relax on your private dock, which stretches out into the sea, perfect for sunbathing and romantic, candle-lit dinners.

-- Celeste Moure

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