Hideaways' Review
Mayan fishermen, buccaneers, and Huguenot refugees. A sleepy village whose main street is a concrete sidewalk (the only paved "road" in town), and miles of beaches overlooking the turquoise Caribbean. Given Placencia’s colorful history and magical location, it’s no wonder Francis Ford Coppola chose this spot for the seaside sequel to his mountain retreat, Blancaneaux Lodge.
Intimate and inviting, Turtle Inn makes it easy to settle into the laid-back pace hereabouts. Its 19 cottages and villas are strategically positioned to offer panoramic beach or lush garden views. Each has a private garden (many with outdoor showers) and its own screened porch to ensure seclusion. Such touches inside as hand-carved Balinese doors and lavish baths done in Chinese themes may make guests reluctant to leave their havens.
But there are all kinds of reasons to venture out: the swimming pool and the beach itself, Turtle Inn’s spa and beachside restaurant, complimentary kayaks and bikes that encourage you to explore the narrow peninsula (don’t miss the mangrove habitat of Placencia Lagoon, where you may see manatees, ibis, and pelicans), and most of all the sprinkling of picturesque coral islets known as cayes that are only the most visible evidence of the rich reef offshore, reachable for world-class fly fishing, snorkeling, and scuba-diving. |