Last year’s buzziest hotel opening in Belize was undoubtedly Alaia, which launched as a highly anticipated boutique resort under the Marriott Autograph Collection brand. Fast forward a year later, Alaia has forged a name for sleek, beachfront opulence with many firsts—including the country’s first suspended rooftop pool, the first true four-diamond resort on Ambergris Caye, and the first-ever Marriott International property in Belize. And international publications took note, garnering the attention of heavy hitters in the industry like Forbes, Conde Nast Traveler, Insider, and Travel + Leisure. Not to mention, Alaia’s debut as one of the hottest new hotel openings in the region also collected a nomination in “Mexico & Central America’s Leading New Hotel 2021” for the World Travel Awards. Opening their doors in preparation for a brighter 2021 ahead, Alaia Belize officially welcomed guests on May 6, 2021, and now, they’re celebrating their first anniversary with a day of events.
Alaia’s 2021 Debut
Even pre-pandemic, it was a bold move by owner and developer Andrew Ashcroft to spend three years transforming 20+ acres for the first resort in San Pedro—the main town of Ambergris Caye—to sit on more than 1,000 feet of beachfront access. Here, 155-units inside its all-oceanfront buildings are wrapped in all-glass framed balconies. On its exterior, bright green vertical plant walls contrast with the honey-colored wood and white facade.
The design-forward hotel ranges from studios to three bedrooms, with a natural color scheme to complement its stand-alone offshore phenomenon and oceanfront views. Seamlessly blending the indoor and outdoor settings, the rooms offer an average of 1,200 square feet indoors and almost 900 square feet in the open air, per unit.
- A turtle offshore Ambergris Caye. Image by Alaia Belize
- Snorkeling the Belize Barrier Reef. Image via Alaia Belize
And for those looking to take a deeper dive and explore the beauty of Belize’s natural underwater locations, Alaia is 600 meters away from the world’s second-largest barrier reef and minutes away from the ultimate world-class and unrivaled destination—the Great Blue Hole.
Alaia’s 1 Year Milestone
Whether guest or not, Alaia Belize invites all to celebrate their one-year milestone as Belize’s first Marriott Autograph Collection Hotel. The resort will host traditional Garifuna drummers for live music, plus food and drink specials! More details here.
“We couldn’t be more proud of the success that our hotel has experienced thus far but I am even more excited to see what the future holds.”
– General Manager, Sandra Grisham-Clothier
Celebrations kick off at 10:00 am on May 6, 2022.