Have you ever dreamed about staying in a private island? Well dream no more because Cayo Espanto just made that dream a little bit closer to reality.

Belize is known worldwide for it’s vast turquoise waters and abundance of diving hotspots. However, this private island is slowly becoming the main reason why travelers are heading down to Belize. At the award-winning Cayo Espanto Hotel you will discover why Island Magazine rated this property the #3 Worlds Best Private Island. This luxury 7-villa hotel takes privacy and romance to the next level incorporating high-end amenities with a mix of raw adventure.

Before you arrive on the island, based on a survey you fill out weeks in advance the Chef will plan glorious menu’s for you, whether it is breakfast in bed or candlelit dinners on the beach.

Once you arrive at the Cayo Espanto, you will immediately feel like you have rented your own private island. After being welcomed with the most delicious drink, the Espanto Wave, your butler will show you around the island before taking you to your retreat. Each of the breezy, mahogany-filled villas are spread out across this small island in a way that you never have to see another living soul if your heart desires. These villas are each located beach side and are accommodated with their own private dock. My favorite is Casa Estrella because of the sunrise and sunset views, but Casa Ventanas is also pretty special since it’s the only over-water bungalow.

The villas are quaint, with traditional Caribbean colors sure to brighten your morning. Speaking of mornings, as soon as you inform you butler you are hungry, a menu will be created right away. There is no restaurant in the island because the owner thinks it’s a better if the hotel sets up lunch and dinner at any spot the guest desires. I wasn’t sure at first, but it made all the sense in the world once I got there.

Some of the signature dishes in the island are: Sweet Corn Soup with a Black Bean Salsa and shrimp, the Belizean Crab Trio which is a Stone Crab Cake, Rock Crab and Spider Crab with Habanero and Mango Drizzle, and the Spiny Lobster with parmesan risotto, roasted artichokes, summer squash, griller asparagus, bok choi with beurre blanc.

After a few days of indulging in the daily menu, spa treatments and lots of sleep, a little adventure was the best way to stay entertained. The most popular activity at Cayo Espanto is the Gourmet Picnic. A picnic lunch on a deserted beach is organized in advance to prepare the perfect romantic lunch site. Afterwards, they drop you off in your own little paradise. You take their cell phone and call them when you are ready to head back to yet another paradise.

Photographs courtesy of the property.