This article originally appeared the April issue of AGENTatHOME magazine. Subscribe here to receive your free copy each month.
For clients who love to vacation in Mexico but want something less crowded and quieter than, say, Cancun, consider recommending Margaritaville St. Somewhere by Karisma, a small resort on the island of Holbox.
Holbox Island is reminiscent of old Mexico, with a notable dearth of high-rise mega-resorts, discos and shopping malls. Cars aren’t allowed and visitors get around on bike, by foot or in golf carts and taxi-utility vehicles. But the island has great beaches and a lively downtown with good restaurants, retail outlets and souvenir shops. Scores of people gather on the beach to watch the sun set every day – the colors are spectacular.
To get to Holbox, visitors take a two-hour transfer from the Cancun airport, followed by a 25-minute ferry ride, though Margaritaville St. Somewhere is building a dock with plans of starting a direct ferry to the property.
It may be hard to believe, but the 39-suite Margaritaville St. Somewhere is the largest resort on Holbox! The property is located on a 3,000-foot-long white-sand beach on the western tip of the island. The shallow water at the beach produces bioluminescence during dark nights, but we missed it due to the bright full moon.
Here’s a summary of the Margaritaville St. Somewhere by Karisma, Holbox Island.
ACCOMMODATIONS
The suites range in size from 376 to 764 square feet – the largest one, the Seabreeze Master Suite, is ideally suited for families with a king-size bed for two adults and a living area with a pull-out sofa bed or a bunkbed for two children. Suites offer terraces or direct access to the main swimming pool or a plunge pool.
The interiors are what you would expect from a Margaritaville-inspired space – suites have a beachy vibe, with whitewashed furniture, sand-colored tile and tables crafted from the local parota wood.
WHAT’S INCLUDED
The resort opened as a European Plan property but now also off ers the Chef ’s Select package for $153 per person, per night. It includes a rotating menu for three meals a day and a selection of wines, beers, spirits and non-alcoholic beverages.
WHAT’S FOR DINNER?
Margaritaville St. Somewhere Holbox has two restaurants. The Harbour House Peninsular Cuisine & Wood Stove Bar offers local seafood, such as sauteed octopus and a gordita with smoked marlin, as well as burgers, steaks and pizzas with different toppings, including lobster or chorizo.
A fun option for a group is to order the floating taco tray ($129) that can feed four or five. Loaded with tacos, salsas, guacamole, ceviche and more, it floats in the swimming pool!
The Sand Bar & Pan American Grill is set on the beach and features a variety of fried seafood, pizza and calzones, black seafood risotto, lobster tails and grilled salmon.
BEST ENTERTAINMENT
The resort regularly pays homage to the Maya with traditional ceremonies. The Lunar Celebration takes place on the sand and features a Mexican barbeque, local beverages and ritual dances. The Devotion of the Sun Ceremony takes place on the beach as the sun sets amid a healing ceremony. Despite the Margaritaville name popularized by a Jimmy Buffett song, the resort doesn’t blast his music everywhere. Quiet renditions of some Buffett music were perfect as background music at dinner one night.
JUST THE FACTS
- RESORT NAME: Margaritaville St. Somewhere by Karisma, Holbox Island
- SIZE: 39 suites
- OPENED: March 2022
- FACILITIES: Two restaurants, pools, 3,000-foot beach.
- PRICE: Nightly rates start at $196.57 in early to mid-September, according to the company website in late April.
- CONTACT: 866-527-4762 | www.karismahotels.com
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