The Funniest Hotel Welcome Packet!
“Witty?” you may be muttering as you eye the title. “Since when is a Belize resort described as witty, huh?”
Listen: the Placencia hotel, Chabil Mar, is gorgeous (just look at these photos and try not to faint) and its staff is fantastic, but what made me roll on the floor laughing was that it has the funniest welcome packet of any hotel I have encountered in my extensive world travels.
Here are some excerpts from Chabil Mar’s info packet. My comments from our fabulous Belize Honeymoon stay at the resort are inserted throughout.
Gift Shop: Our gift shop, located near the the front desk, has a variety of local art and handiwork as well as staples such as bug spray, t-shirts and chocolate. Yes, we called chocolate a staple.
Amen! I did not realize that Belize has some of the best chocolate in the world. Lucky for us, Chabil Mar placed two full-sized bars on our pillows. They immediately went into my belly.
Shoe Shine: If you are wearing shoes that need to be shined, may we suggest that you are wearing improper footwear for Plancencia. Take them off and put your toes in the sand.
We happily complied with this order. In fact, on the morning we were leaving, when I grudgingly went to put on my closed-toe shoes (which I’d strewn on our outside patio to dry from hiking)– BOINK– there was a frog hiding in one! Clearly he was on Chabil Mar’s payroll to enforce the footwear rules. (Ever tried to put on a shoe with a frog in it? It’s a very strange, squishy feeling.)
Catch it? We cook it: Spending the day fishing? Don’t throw the whole catch back. We are happy to prepare your “catch of the day” for you. Did you catch too much? Nothing goes to waste in Placencia. The staff all love fresh fish. If you happen to catch extra we would be happy to take it off your hands, and please accept our sincerest appreciation. We bow to your fishing prowess. We have a word for folks like you: “Fishonista.”
Colin became obsessive about this. He rented a high-end fishing pole and spent approximately 20 hours prowling the seas with his hook. The Chabil Mar staff kindly lent him a knife for slicing the revolting shrimp bait and a pail to hold the towering pile of three small fish my beloved husband triumphantly caught. Did I marry a “Fishonista”???
Bellman Services: Please let the front desk know when you will be departing and we will be happy to have your bags picked up. Even though you may be leaving us, you are still on vacation after all. You might as well milk it.
Now, I’m a generally hearty, independent lass, but I really appreciated the willingness of Chabil Mar’s staff to assist, be it by lugging bags or by carrying our meal orders all the way out to the end of the pier. (Did I mention that Chabil Mar does not want its guests to be “constrained by the walls of a restaurant” and thus you can order food and eat it from anywhere on the expansive grounds of the resort? Little did we realize, until we were chomping ceviche under the full moon beside the Caribbean Sea, that we HAD been oppressed by indoor restaurant eating!)
Ice: The ice cubes in your freezer are made fresh for your arrival. Should you need more ice, your server would be happy to provide it for you. And just what do you need more ice for… hmmm? Sounds like someone discovered the local rum.
This one made me squeal aloud, “Ooo, they are SASSY!”
Wake up calls: Oh don’t speak of such things… you are on vacation. We sincerely hope you do not have the need for a wake up call, but we do understand that it is unavoidable from time to time. We will be happy to arrange a wake up call for you if you find yourself in this precarious position.
Indeed, we did need wake up calls for two of our mornings to go on a snorkeling tour of Laughing Bird Caye with Splash Dive Center (PHENOMENAL!) and to arise for the Monkey River tour with Percy, the eccentric and brilliant King of the Howler Monkeys. Colin can confirm that I was a grumpy bear at the early hour of 8am, but that’s still worlds better than my normal 5:35am alarm during the school year!
Special Occasions: Are you celebrating a special occasion? Please let us know if there is anything we can do to make it extra special. Not celebrating something? Hmm… stop by the front desk and we will help you dream something up. In Belize “just because” can count as a special occasion.
This made us very hopeful about return visits using the excuse of Honeymoon 2 or Honeymoon 57.
Check out time: We’ll be glad to extend your departure time if possible. We wouldn’t want to leave either.
True, witty and beautiful Chabil Mar… very true. Thanks for a great visit!
If you enjoyed this article and are still planning your trip, you can check current rates and availability at Chabil Mar here, click here for an easy link to all Belize hotel deals, or click for cheap flights to Belize, as it will give a small commission to help support this site at no extra cost to you. Have a great trip!
We were guests of Chabil Mar, but all views, corny senses of humor, and obsessive fishing are our own.
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Mary @ Green Global Travel says
Love that the folks at Chabil Mar have a great sense of humor 🙂 Sounds like a great place to stay and relax.
Lucy Donovan says
If you go again you should take class of 2017 with you. Ha-ha! 🙂
Lillie says
That would be great. 🙂
Turtle says
Ha ha – that’s great. In some ways it’s such a simple idea. But it makes such a big impression. A really great marketing idea (and probably a genuinely nice gesture too). And so different from all the other boring chain hotels you get stuck in from time to time!
Lillie says
Agreed!
Alexandra says
I am plan to spend the end of the year in Belize! Hopefully my hotels will be half as witty as this!
Lillie says
Ooo, enjoy!
Angela says
Wow such a dream place, I wouldn’t mind living there at all 😉
Lillie says
What I didn’t realize is that each section of the resort is owned by a different person, condo-style, but most of the time the owners are away and the rooms are rented to guests. Such an interesting set-up!
Kelly Dunning says
I want to give whoever they hired to write their info packet a high five. This is a great example of how effective creative copy-writing can be.
Lillie says
Agreed! That said, it IS a risk. I could see how some hotels would worry about it, but I think at the end of the day everyone likes to laugh. 🙂
Natasha von Geldern says
Gorgeous and SUPER cute! Left me with a big smile on my face 🙂
Lillie says
Glad you enjoyed it! As of today, this is the most popular article in the history of the 700 on either of my websites, nearing 9,000 readers already, with more each hour. Thanks for being one of them!
Ava Apollo says
I absolutely LOVE Belize! I saw witty little sayings everywhere I went in that country. Your sunset pics are beautiful.
Lillie says
You’re right that there is a witty flair to the whole country. Maybe it’s just that there isn’t a language barrier for English speakers so we get jokes more, but Belize is a country that makes one smile. 🙂 Thanks for your comment and photo compliment!
Jade Johnston - OurOyster.com says
Ooo sounds amazing! I want to go there… for the chocolate especially
Laurence says
That’s brilliant! All hotels should be as witty as this 😀
Lillie says
Agreed! It makes a difference.
Lillie says
Our full Belize travel itinerary is up! It was the perfect plan for our Honeymoon and we think it’d be great for others, too. Article: https://www.aroundtheworldl.com/2012/08/18/belize-travel-itinerary-for-couples-our-honeymoon-plan/
D.J. - The World of Deej says
As a bit of a hotel geek, it’s great when they have fun with their guests. My kind of place! PS…awesome count on the SU button:)
Lillie says
Fellow hotel geeks unite! Yeah, regarding the count, this post has gone crazy viral: 11 days after publication it’s almost at 6,000 readers! I guess pretty photos and a laugh will do that. 🙂
Hogga says
I had no idea it was this beautiful… kinda jealous, not going to lie!
Lillie says
Hehe, thanks, and don’t punch me!
Estes says
OMG, the beautiful photos!! It gives me great joy to see where my son and daughter-in-law spent part of the honeymoon. Pity the fool who doesn’t want to follow in your footsteps. Could this be a 30th Anniversary celebration destination for two proud parents? Hmmmm.
Lillie says
Oooo!!!! Brilliant!!!! Let’s discuss this more soon…
Diane Turner says
As the other proud parent… I’m in!! I never knew Belize was so beautiful. I would LOVE to stay at Chabil Mar.
Alexa says
How awesome! Love the photos – makes me wanna go to Belize! I also love that the owners and the developer commented. Shows that they care about their customers.
Lillie says
Absolutely!
Callie says
Gorgeous and funny…the very best combination! Loved the frog in the shoe story, haha.
Lillie says
Thanks! Still having flashbacks of that SQUIIIISH!
Dave says
So funny! And the fishing photos are spectacular! Colin, if you want, the first one would make a great new FB profile pic 🙂
Sandy says
Boy what a place. shared it with Dave and hope some day he will take me there. What a honeymoon.
Lillie says
Yay!
Susan says
Hey Lillie,
I got here through Expat Edna’s Twitter Travel List, and just wanted to say your photos are gorgeous! How I wish I was on a pier in Belize fishing for aquatic animals!
Lillie says
Ooo, thanks to Expat Edna (what a great name) and thanks for your comment!
Wayne Miller says
Hi Lillie,
My wife and I are also owners and I’m so pleased seeing your blog and the kind (and witty) words you’ve written about our resort. There has been a tremendous amount of work put in by our wonderful staff and our Executive Committee over the years and the end result (as you so accurately describe), is our little piece of paradise. That we were able to share this with you and Colin (your fishonista) is our privilege and we hope you can return again someday.
Thanks,
Wayne & Ellen
Lillie says
Thanks so much, Wayne and Ellen!
Dianne Bulman says
I keep going back and looking at the sunset picture and the night shot.
Would you let me have those pictures so I can blow them up for my office on the bayside and somehow I would love the sunset one as a screensaver – not that I know how to do that but someone must.
It is completely for my own private use – I have never seen such a beautiful picture(s)
Dianne
Lillie says
That is so kind. Thanks! I will email you for details. Anything for public use, please do link back to my site. May there be beautiful vistas everywhere!
Dianne Bulman says
Hello:
I am Dianne Bulman – the developer of Chabil Mar and I still live on site and work with the staff all the time.
I did not meet you – rarely do meet guests – that is why I have staff – but Larry just sent this on to the owners.
I have to say this is the best both in writing and pictures – I am glad you loved Chabil Mar so much.
Hope you will come again.
san KAAL pa
Pax
Dianne
Lillie says
Thanks so much, Dianne!