Cayo Espanto for the Ultimate in Privacy
by Paris Permenter & John Bigley, Editors of Lovetripper.com
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You want peace. Privacy.

You don't want a registration desk. An elevator to a long corridor of hotel rooms. Lines for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

You just might want Cayo Espanto.

This exclusive private island getaway in Belize isn't for everyone. Definitely not for couples with an eye on the budget, this upscale hideaway only accommodates just over a dozen vacationers at any one time. This is no ordinary small hotel, though--guests stay in one of five separate villas, each a private hideaway.

The exclusive experience begins before you arrive in Belize. You'll be invited to complete an online survey complete with everything from preferred massage time to when you'd like your cocktails served. Your mini-fridge will be stocked with your favorites and the chef will have a chance to prepare your ideal meals.

You'll arrive at Cayo Espanto aboard a private boat from San Pedro on Ambergris Caye. Even before stepping onboard, you'll be asked for your cocktail order--which, along with the staff of Cayo Espanto--will be standing on the dock to greet you upon arrival.

Here you'll meet the chef, spa director, and your houseman, who will serve as your personal butler, waiter, and bartender. Guests receive a handheld radio for instant communication with their assigned houseman. Leave your shuttered front door open and the houseman will, after a discreet "hello" to announce his arrival, approach your villa; leave your door closed, and the two of you will be uninterrupted.

Although the small island is home to a handful of villas, each unique, you’ll likely see no other guests during your stay. You may well imagine that the couple "next door" are visiting celebs; the property is a favorite with stars. Some opt to rent out the entire island during their stay; others quietly take a single villa. (Although Cayo Espanto won't kiss and tell, we heard that Tiger Woods was vacationing here recently.)

Each villa comes complete with all you need for a home away from home experience--and what a home it is. Louvered walls open to put nothing but a deck between you and the sea. A small plunge pool invites the two of you to skinny dip and then sun on your private deck. A living and dining room offers a sea view at every seat.

Evenings at Cayo Espanto are equally romantic. Sand weighted luminarias glow with tiny candles, lining the walk from your villa to your private dock. Your villa staff not only turns down your bed but envelops your love nest in a cocoon of mosquito netting, promising to provide the perfect end to the perfect day.

For more information, see www.aprivateisland.com.