And when you stroll through San Pedro, you come to know the Holiday Hotel, its wonderful barbecues, and Celi's Restaurant. The hotel is a gorgeous colonial structure, best seen from the beach, but also has a street entrance. A three story hotel, it commands center stage in San Pedro. The seafront rooms are comfortably cooled with air conditioning and ceiling fans. You may choose to do without the AC and let the cooling trade winds add their romance to your stay.

The Holiday Hotel mounts a determined campaign to make your visit enjoyable.  There is a wonderful restaurant, Celi's, on the beach side of the hotel. It combines dining indoors with the outdoors.

Kim and her staff can arrange everything that can be done on this island. They've been doing it longer than anyone. Between Celi and Kim, they know, or are related to everyone on Ambergris Caye! They can arrange your excursions, dives, tours of the mainland and the Maya ruins, everything!

The Bottom Time is a dive shop right on the Holiday Hotel's pier, so you're just a few steps away from the most exciting diving in the world. Whether you scuba or snorkel, everything you need is right here, including courses for dive certification.

There is also a swimming area for adults and children.

Sailsports Belize is located on the hotel's property and they offer windsurfing and sailing.

The hotel also houses the Sea Gal Boutique, a beautiful lounge with big screen TV, and best of all, a Wednesday night barbecue right on their beach. Live music and spicy barbecue draws people from all over the island, and everyone's invited.

Our own Celi McCorkle was the first recipient of the Minister's award, recognizing the individual or organization that has made an outstanding contribution to the development of tourism in Belize. Click here for the San Pedro Sun article on this award.
Here's another recent award:

Caribbean Tourism Organization honors Belize's own Celi McCorkle

---Belize City, Monday, June 10th, 2002 ---
On Friday, May 31st Belize's long term entrepreneur and hotelier, Celi McCorkle joined the cadre of Caribbean honorees recognized for their significant contribution made in the development of the tourism industry in the region. To mark the event, the Caribbean Tourism Organization, also known as CTO held its 29th Annual Governments of the Caribbean State Ball at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City.

Ms. Celi McCorkle, a Belizean pioneer in the tourism industry, opened one of the first hotels in San Pedro Town in the 1960s at a time when the leading source of income for the country was agricultural products and wood exportation. The Holiday Hotel opened for business with 5 bedrooms and one bathroom. Ms. McCorkle's bold initiative immediately fostered greater entrepreneuralism on the island, subsequently witnessed by the 63 registered hotels and many other tourism-related developments existing today. Ms. McCorkle's ingenuity and friendliness helped to create an entirely new and dynamic industry for San Pedro and Belize. The seeds of growth were being planted as neighboring districts and the Cayes were also gaining momentum and slowly taking shape.

"We are proud of Ms. McCorkle's continued devotion to tourism," comments Tourism Minister Mark Espat. "She is a celebrated example that success in this industry requires vision, hard work and devoutness. We congratulate her on her success and encourage other Belizeans to take a stake in the industry's development," Espat went on to say. The Gala Evening event, which was also in celebration of CTO's 50th anniversary, honored a total of fifty individuals. CTO's member countries nominated a total of 33 honorees, and 17 other individuals were recognized for their surpassing contribution and devotion in ensuring growth in the Caribbean tourism industry.

Ms. Celi McCorkle continues to be actively involved in the tourism industry. She served as an executive member of the San Pedro Village Council, Chairperson of the San Pedro High School, President of the Belize Tourism Industry Association and the Belize Hotel Association, Board member of the Belize Tourism Board and Director of the Caribbean Hotel Association in 1982. In 2000, Ms. McCorkle was the recipient of the first ever and prestigious Tourism Minister's Award presented to individuals who have made a lasting contribution to the development of Belize's tourism industry. Click here for the San Pedro Sun article on this award.

• Celi's Restaurant for casual dining on the beach
• Celi's Deli - Open daily 6am to 6pm
• Beach Barbecue every Wednesday with live music!
• Hang Over Sports Bar - the place for your favorite cocktails, and meeting new friends
• Sea Gal Boutique - an interesting selection of souvenirs and swim wear
• Glass Bottom Boat trips to Hol Chan Marine Reserve and Shark Ray Alley.
• Tour Desk - booking you to Maya ruins, exciting river trips, jungle excursions, caving expeditions to the mainland - literally your jumping off point for adventure.
• All A/C Rooms with ceiling fans, (some with refrigerators), queen and twin beds, private bath, hot and cold running water.
• We now offer wind surfing and sailing.
• Some rooms with cable t.v. & refrigerator.

Here are some comments from our guests:

Paradise Found!

Excellent accommodations, extremely helpful staff, ambiance plus! If you need anything ask Kim or Ada, they are most obliging.

Grateful to have been able to stay here, will be back again & again.

Celi's Restaurant food is Great.

Excellent adventure.

Happy Canadians

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Holiday Hotel was great. It was the people. They made our holiday perfect. We thoroughly enjoy all the tours they arranged.

We felt personally taken care of by the guides. They knew everyone and made it special. Mech was charming, so were the crew from Suya!

There was nothing that was not well taken care of. But the most special part was the hotel and it extra special staff! They made our stay glorious.

Thank you all very much.

H & D Burns
California

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Your goal for customer satisfaction is being met every day with your excellent staff.

Thank you, Darlene Ashdown

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Dear Gang at Holiday Hotel

We wanted to drip you a line and let you know that we absolutely enjoyed ourselves with you last week. Shawna and Maria has a blast and we will definitely be back in the near future. The hotel was wonderful, the food excellent (as always) and your hospitality meant so much to us.

Thank you, John

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Please extend my thanks to your entire staff for a wonderful stay again with you. I appreciate all your attention to detail before and during our stay. I look forward to staying with you again in the near future.

Stan Stone Headmaster
Emmanuel Christian School

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God made paradise on earth here! The hotel is fabulous with very courteous staff. It was our anniversary and my 50th birthday. This was the most glorious place to celebrate both.

Susanne
Seattle, Wa.