05 The Stay Guide: Belize

The Stay GuideCentral America
Written By Whitney Shindelar

Placencia, Belize, offers boutique properties that feel worlds apart from the typical Caribbean resort. In this episode, travel advisors Lee Friedman and Sarah Hollander walk through their hands-on insights on four standout hotels — The Ellysian Boutique Hotel, Chabil Mar Villas, Turtle Inn, and Itz’ana Resort & Residences. From condo-style villas built for groups to intimate beachfront hideaways, from properties with full AC to ones more reliant on natural sea breezes, this conversation gives advisors clarity on which clients will thrive at each property — and which details (like AC, sea walls, beach access) to flag ahead of time.

Key Takeaways

  • How to pick the best Placencia, Belize hotel for honeymooners, families, or multigenerational groups

  • Why the “no AC” factor at is something for travel advisors to fully understand and communicate

  • Tips for setting expectations around Belize’s beach experience — sea walls, seaweed, tides

  • Why Belize is easier to get to than many clients assume.

About the guest: 

Lee Friedman is the founder of Mango Tree Travel, a boutique agency dedicated to helping families discover elevated and adventurous vacations beyond the typical resort stay. With over 15 years of professional experience and countless trips across the Caribbean and beyond, Lee brings deep expertise in curating journeys that balance comfort, adventure, and kid-friendly design. Her mission is to give families the confidence to explore destinations that feel both enriching and manageable with children.

Sara Hollander is the owner of Paradise Road Travel, where she designs tailored vacations, honeymoons, destination weddings, and group trips with a focus on ease and meaning. Based in Atlanta and serving clients nationwide, Sara blends her love of travel with a passion for helping busy professionals and couples create unforgettable, stress-free experiences. From family getaways to corporate retreats, her work emphasizes connection, celebration, and the joy of effortless travel planning.

Whitney Shindelar

Undiscovered Sunsets was a long time in the making, even if I myself didn’t realize it. During my time at the University of Northern Iowa, I studied abroad in New Zealand. Upon graduating, I bought a one-way ticket to France, lived with a French family and studied with classmates from Turkey, China, Russia, Germany, Italy, and everywhere in between. In 2010 I began teaching English as a foreign language. This job quickly took me to China, where English teachers were in high demand and within three years, I began working in a 5-star hotel, speaking Mandarin throughout most of my day. In total, I lived abroad for 7 years.

I consider Undiscovered Sunsets to be the perfect mélange of my personal experience traveling the world and my professional experience working in the hospitality industry.

I look forward to designing your next adventure!

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04 The Essentials: Seville