Gladden Private Island - The Most Private Island in the World!!

Wow. Talk about breathtaking. My wife and I came for our honeymoon and never having been to Belize, we didn’t know what to expect. We stayed at the Gladden Private Island, the condos in Placencia- and last but certainly not least, Valley Stream. The views are second to none, and the service is undeniably great. I can’t recommend using Gecko for any travel to Belize enough. We are very much so one and done when it comes to visiting places…. But this experience was so great we will DEFINITELY be back. If you are someone who reads reviews before you book, like most of us are, take this as a sign! You won’t be disappointed. Thanks again for the best honeymoon!!

My wife and I stayed at Gladden Island 7/12/19 – 7/19/19. From the moment we arrived, we knew that we were in for a very special trip. The staff were absolutely amazing and tended to every need we could imagine. The food was fabulous! On Tuesday, I asked the chef if she had ever heard of a Pecan Pie (my favorite). She said she had not, but she would research it. That night, she had a full size Pecan Pie waiting for us for our dessert. The daily massages for fantastic. We snorkeled and spent lots of time in the pool and reading books. The island has Apple TV along with a surround sound system so that you can play music throughout the island and the inside and outside. I would highly suggest this for couples who lead an incredibly busy life and need to get way to unplug and rest and unwind!

We returned from our honeymoon a few weeks ago and it has taken a while to determine just what to write about our experience on Gladden. First, let me say that no matter how great the description is of this paradise, it does NOT do the experience justice, and no words I can add would make that any better. Yes, the photos are amazing, but not nearly as breathtaking as it is in person. And you think you know what personal service is, but until you experience it at Gladden, you haven’t really had complete personal service at a resort before. We were excited to book our honeymoon at Gladden. We had high expectations for Gladden based on the website and reviews, but nothing could have prepared us for our actual visit. We were looking for a once in a lifetime experience, somewhere we wouldn’t spend a “normal” vacation (and we travel a LOT), and something not everyone has done. Gladden provided this and so much more! From the moment we landed in Belize, we had custom service. We had a guide from baggage claim to our helicopter, with a stop in the middle to rest at a cute little café while awaiting the helicopter. We then flew over the famous Blue Hole. It’s an awe-inspiring sight from the sky, and our pilot flew in several angles so that both my husband and I could experience it in full. Arriving at the island, it’s amazing to see just how isolated you will be. It’s breathtaking from the air and really does look like paradise. We were promptly greeted by the friendly faces of the staff. Adam (perfect host), Annika (best chef ever), Jammie (great masseuse), and Zack (groundskeeper extraordinaire) were delightful. They truly wanted us to enjoy our honeymoon, but to also fall in love with Gladden and Belize. As a surprise for my husband, I had asked Adam if he would mind putting a couple of photos of us up around the place before we got there. He had the pictures displayed perfectly! My husband was surprised and delighted – it really did make the island feel more like “home”. He had also picked up a nice bottle of rum for my husband – his favorite! Daily, they would ask us what we would like to do for that day (or even the next) and helped us plan out our time. We wanted to spend as much time as we could enjoying the island, but also take a few day trips. You can tell that the owners and staff of Gladden Island care about your vacation as much as you do. They do everything in their power to make it stress free and memorable.

We were so excited to get to Gladden. We had made the arrangements several months in advance, and it all seemed so perfect that we were counting the days until we left. We were not disappointed. I'll start by saying that I'd read all the prior visitors' glowing comments, so it's hard to know what to add, but at the risk of being repetitious, I'll glow too. The isolation, peace and tranquility of the location is rare and wonderful. Couple that with the privacy afforded by the staff staying near, but not with, made for complete relaxation. The architecture and design of the villa is a thing of rare beauty. No need to argue about form or function being more important- both are fully realized. The quality of the furnishings, the flow of the layout, the spacious bathrooms were all very welcoming. The staff took excellent care of us. Annika, Adam, Gabby and Zack were friendly and professional at all times. They must have asked us a zillion times what more they could do. Annika's meal planning and cooking were outstanding- we had much delicious food and wine- and they made it all appear effortless- to us anyway! And Gabby is a very talented masseuse! I recommend Gladden highly to anyone craving this kind of off the grid private experience- there is no compromise on luxury. We're looking forward to going back soon.

5 stars aren't enough to rate our vacation at Gladden. From the moment we were greeted at the airport to our private helicopter ride over gorgeous Caribbean waters and Belize's famous blue hole and finally landing at Gladden greeted by your wonderful staff, we can't thank you enough for one of the best vacations Ever! The level of service that Adam, Annika and the entire staff provided was unsurpassed! Their enthusiasm, sense of humor, kindness, beautifully prepared meals, expertise, knowledge of Belize and travel in general was not only inspiring, but what made our stay on the island so unique and memorable. Thank you again! Looking forward to a return trip in 2019.

This was the most wonderful vacation experience we could have ever dreamed of. The beauty of the island with the ability to snorkel or paddle board right from your own personal beach was amazing! Additionally the staff was amazing and attentive. From the outstanding personal meals to the spa style massages, we truly did not want for anything! A destination and experience must!!

Our stay on Gladden was just what we needed for our 20th wedding anniversary. The entire team did everything they could to make our stay perfect. I will totally recommend this island to all my friends. Thank you to Adam, Annika, Gabby and Zak- you are amazing! Scott and Kathy

Colleen and Peter, On behalf of my family please allow me to express our sincerest appreciation for your amazing and incredible hospitality. We wanted for nothing-you were there providing everything and anything we could have asked for, before we asked for it. The weather was spectacular and the accommodations beyond beautiful and amazing! The activities-awesome! But by far and away what truly made this trip the best trip we have ever been on was the two of you along with Douglas, Gabby and Zak. Every meal was gourmet and memorable in their own right. You spoiled us and helped make this a trip we will remember and talk about for the rest of our lives! thank you!

Gladden was a wonderful place and we thoroughly enjoyed the entire experience! Our hosts, Iza and Jeff were absolutely amazing and looked after every detail to ensure we had everything we needed. Iza is a world class chef and prepared fantastic meals for us every day on our own timeline. Jeff catered to every single one of our boating excursion desires and is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to the aquatic surroundings. The snorkeling and scuba diving was great! I cannot say enough about how well they treated us as well as being a real joy to talk with. Lorena, our masseuse, gave fantastic full body massages every day and was a pleasure to be around. Due to lack of planning on our part, we had passport issues and between Colleen and Emilio, they dropped what they were doing and helped us resolve the issues on the spot and made the necessary phone calls to ensure safe passage for us. Gladden is a magical place that I will visit again! Chuck O.

Gladden was spectacular! When we arrived we were struck by how it is even more impressive in person than it is in photos. The house is beautifully decorated and situated so that it is completely private, surrounded by crystal clear water in vibrant blues and greens. We were greeted by our hosts Geoff & Iza, Lorena, and Omar, all of whom went above and beyond to make sure our stay was special. Gourmet meals tailored to our requests, fully stocked bar, massages on the deck every afternoon, kayaks and paddle boards, and of course the most amazing snorkeling right off the beach with hundreds of colorful fish swimming in the reef. Our arrival was via boat and our departure was via helicopter and we would travel that way again. Truly an amazing vacation and one we will always remember!