Bella Sombra Guest House Downtown

The beds were the worst part by far. They were so hard that my nerves felt pinched and my limbs went numb while I tried to sleep. We barely slept and our whole bodies hurt. For an overnight stay, a decent bed is the main thing, and I've slept more comfortably on cots and airbeds. I wouldn't pay more than $20 Belize a night for this level of quality. Even local cab drivers seemed surprised we were staying there. They described it as a place for people catching early flights or backpackers, and hinted at something seedy. I wouldn't choose it for a vacation, business trip, or any extended stay. Communication was polite but painfully slow. It took days to get answers about amenities, I had to ask more than once, and the check-in directions weren't clear. The woman working onsite was kind and tried to help, but the manager we contacted about questions and requests was absent, slow to reply, and unapologetic about not providing water, a coffee maker in the room advertised with a kitchenette, or washcloths. She said they'd stopped offering washcloths because guests used them to clean shoes. Our first room's AC didn't work. The second seemed okay and the AC did work, but it smelled moldy and the sheets were stained, though the room looked clean. The staff member was clearly doing her best, but the place has a persistent funk. The night before we left, sewage backed up into the shower. We didn't figure out where the smell came from until morning. I told the staff member and we left, without any further communication. There's only hand soap, no body soap. The outside door is left open, so there didn't seem to be any security. The cab drivers and others who dropped us off or picked us up called this an interesting choice of area. Nearby there's a small grocery and takeout restaurants, but most were overpriced and had very limited options. We couldn't even find a bag of ground coffee that wasn't instant, so we had to buy our own coffee maker. The Wi-Fi was slow, documents wouldn't upload, and streaming kept cutting out. I hate leaving bad reviews, but this should be advertised as very low-budget and basic. As one friend pointed out, even hostels provide water, a coffee maker, soap, and a washcloth. Those are absolute basics.

Fine for a night in Belize City. It was clean, had air conditioning, and the service was friendly. Downtown is nearby, along with several restaurants, shops, and ATMs. It would really benefit from a shared space, maybe hammocks on the unused roof terrace.

If you're staying in the north part of Belize, this is a handy location. Banks and shops are just a few minutes' walk away, as is the water taxi to most of the popular islands. The rooms are nice and the bathrooms are excellent.

It's in a very peaceful neighborhood. Downtown and the water terminal for the cayes are within walking distance, and the bus terminal is about a 25-minute walk away.