Matachica Resort and Spa

Matachica Resort and Spa is an adults-only beachfront resort on the north side of Ambergris Caye, around five miles from San Pedro town according to its property page. It is built around a mix of bungalows, casitas, suites and villas, with seven room types ranging from a compact one-bedroom beach bungalow to a large two-bedroom seafront villa that sleeps four. Guests have an outdoor pool with a poolside bar, a hot tub, the Jade Spa, two on-site restaurants, a beach bar and terrace, a dock, a 24-hour gym and free bicycles. Continental breakfast is included, and the resort offers a complimentary airport shuttle at set hours on request. It is a place for couples and friends who want quiet, privacy and a good bed more than a lively street scene.

Location and getting around. The resort is on the quieter north side of the island, so it feels like a retreat rather than a stop on a bar crawl. The property page puts San Pedro town about a half hour away by road, and the airport is a drive of around half an hour, with the free airport shuttle available at set hours on request.

For dinner in town you will want a golf cart, taxi or the resort's help, and many guests simply eat on site, since two restaurants and a beach bar cover most appetites. Free bicycles, paddleboards, kayaks and boat tours give you ways to move around without much planning.

The rooms. Choose by how much space and sea you want. The Seabreeze Beach Bungalow is the compact entry point, the Seabreeze Beach Casitas add space of around five hundred square feet with garden or resort views, and the Seafront Beach Casita and the Seafront Luxury Suite put you in front of the water.

The Seafront Luxury Villa is the grandest, at around two and a half thousand square feet with two bedrooms, while the Luxury Villa with garden view suits a small group of up to five. If the sea view matters, book a seafront category, because the garden categories are a step back from the beach.

Who it suits and what to know. It suits couples, honeymooners and adult groups who want a polished, peaceful base with a spa and a beach. It is not a place for children, since it is adults only, and it is not a dive resort: scuba and snorkel trips, including Hol Chan and Shark Ray Alley, are arranged through operators rather than a dive centre on site, so ask the front desk to help you book.

The pool has set opening hours, check-in runs in the afternoon and evening with limited late arrival, and pets are not allowed. Because the resort is some way from town, budget for transfers on nights out, and allow extra time for your first and last day around flights.