Let's face it, travel to a foreign country can be stressful, especially your first time. And it can be even more so if you are traveling solo. It's very simple to use any of the travel booking apps such as Expedia or Travelocity. You can find a place to stay, make your reservation, and pay for the trip all in a few easy steps. And that is basically where your involvement ends with the booking company. Let me show you an example of one woman's take on what customer service should be during your dream vacation.
Lisa (and a partner who has since moved on) purchased this 6 unit establishment in 2017 and worked hard to turn it into the beautiful rental property that you see here. They came here to San Pedro, Belize from the United States (Springfield, MO) looking for a tropical climate to make their dream of becoming the ultimate travel hosts.
Lisa Thomas is not your typical Airbnb type of proprietor. I've stayed at many Airbnb's in my travels and in almost every instance, the engagement with the owner was limited to emails or texts. Dealing with payments and how to gain entrance to the property is usually the extent of it. That is not Lisa's philosophy of hospitality at all.
Lisa lives on the 3rd floor of the property and she is available for any type of assistance you might need. But her brand of assistance starts well before you actually arrive at the property. The communication begins immediately. She lets you know what to bring, how the currency works here, what you need to do after landing at the airport. At the airport, she has a man ready and waiting with a sign with your name on it to take you to the water taxi or the local airport. San Pedro is an island off the coast of Belize, so you need to know what to do when you arrive.
And that is just the beginning of the extra-mile attention you will receive during your stay. Lisa met us at the water taxi pier and brought us to the property. There are plenty of taxi rides available at the pier, but that's just another example of her personal attention.
Once you get to the property, there is an atmosphere of comradery and friendliness encouraged among the current guests. A list posted inside the gate introduces who is staying in which villa and a place to advertise an outing if you want company. And there is a community calendar to show what activities are coming up. These are things that Lisa has arranged that you are free to participate in as you choose.
Lisa is aiming toward helping single travelers who may (or may not!) want to work from home and stay by the month rather than the week. Her efforts in helping everyone know each other make it very comfortable for singles to live and mingle in a foreign country. There are game nights, heading out for trivia night at the Truck Stop bar, and fun boat trips to mention a few. You will find no one who will work harder to make sure your every need is taken care of.
In your villa, which has everything necessary to live comfortably for however long you choose, you will find a three-ring binder that is chock full of useful information. Everything you need to know about your villa. Places to eat out or order in. Brochures from excursion companies. Things to do in the area. A map of the island. She even provides each guest the opportunity to join the BTDV group chat on WhatsApp and you can all keep in contact during your stay. And she will set up your tours or excursions for you so that you know you are dealing with reputable businesses from her own personal experience.
I asked Lisa some questions for you to get an idea of what it is like to be a female sole proprietor in this male-dominated culture.
Question: What was your main reason for choosing Belize for your business adventure?
Answer: It met my 5 requirements when I was researching a spot - 1) near the ocean 2) easy communication with locals 3) easy currency conversion 4) fast and easy economical travel for guests 5) start up costs were affordable
Question: What was your biggest challenge in starting a business in a foreign country?
Answer: Working with a foreign government - such as licensing and opening bank accounts. Comparable with working in the United States the paperwork and the processes were astronomically difficult, confusing, and neverending. One thing always led to another and another and another.
Question: What is your favorite part of being a resort owner?
Answer: Always the guests. Making their experiences as a guest absolutely enjoyable. I know the occasion of their vacation is making memories for them to last a lifetime.
Question: What is the one piece of advice you would give a traveler coming to Belize for the first time?
Answer: Make sure that you do your research and that you have contact with someone in the country that actually knows the place.
I hope you have enjoyed meeting Lisa and now have an appreciation of the type of exceptional hostess that you have available. You will not find a more congenial or helpful person in this industry. You come here as a guest, but you leave as a friend!
San Pedro is a great place for that dream vacation and with Lisa as your hostess, you need not feel the least bit anxious about visiting, even if you are traveling alone. If you feel the urge for that tropical dream vacation, please check out Belize Tropical Dream Villas and give Lisa a chance to show you how great an island vacation can be.
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Looks like you guys had a great trip to Lisa's place in Belize! Thanks for sharing all this info which is making me want to go there. :)
@kenny-crane and the best fun was this floating volleyball court out in the blue Caribbean waters about waist deep, with that nice soft sand bottom. Problem was getting the people out of the bars up on shore long enough to play!
Oh wow, that's awesome! I would love that! :)
I knew you'd like that 😁
She said mention Tammy & Vic sent you and she'll give you a 5% discount!
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