The review posted above is an owner's worst nightmare. Especially when you remember the couple, because then you know it has not been made up. So how does one explain the radical difference between these guests' experiences and the previous reviews?

Part of the answer is in the first sentence, "I chose this hotel because it is rated the best in Corozal town". Tripadvisor ratings are not like a Michelin Guide. Tripadvisor is about people's perceptions of their accommodation. A $20 hotel cannot stand up against a $100 hotel in terms of room size or location, but it can stand up to a luxury hotel in perceived value for money. This couple clearly expected "the best hotel" not 'the best budget hotel". This is a phenomena that is becoming more common after the downturn in the economy. Couples that previously stayed in luxury hotels are downsizing their budgets but not their expectations.
However the complaints are specific and need to be addressed. "The tiny hot room" in which they stayed is 132 square feet excluding the 24 square feet en suite bathroom. The room is therefore 156 square feet with 4 large windows on 2 different walls and a private door to the balcony. As well as a cross breeze it also has a 3 speed directional fan. I do have rooms with A/C but they booked a room without A/C. Most people find the sea breeze and the fan sufficient.
Noise is not a problem if you are staying in a fancy resort set in the centre of its own extensive grounds. But in the rest of Central America, dogs, cockerels and music are always in the background. The local bar that they mentioned has since been closed for being too loud.
The giant cockroach in the bed has continued to elude us. We made strenuous attempts to find the mysterious beastie, alas to no avail. We had the whole hotel fumigated but there were no corpses. It seems strange to me that this couple gave the hotel a 60% rating for cleanliness after finding a cockroach in their bed.

"The owner had a great hatred of the locals". This has been a problem since opening. Guests at a Budget Hotel tend to be traveling on buses, not in limousines. They are therefore in close contact with the locals. So when one is asked, "is it safe in Belize?" this initiates a dliemma. One reply is to put on a happy face, smile and say, "sure". Or one can tell the brutal truth, "petty theft is a problem, there have been some attacks, robberies and rapes of tourists. The murder rate in Belize City is 5 times the U.S. average." One does not hate all Belizeans because of the criminal and violent behaviour of a few. Coming from the rarefied atmosphere of the Hilton, this may be "trash talking", but I believe my guests deserve the truth. I could change my language to say, "apart from a few interpersonal altercations, Belize is completely safe," but I probably won't. I do have a great hatred for injustice and bullying, but not for the Belizean people.
We take all criticisms seriously. When I ask, "how was your stay?" It is not a rhetorical question. It's how we know to change a mattress or fix a bad drain. This is not only a hotel, it is my home.
It would appear that what this couple wanted was an idyllic, cool, quiet, non confrontational, bug free haven away from the harsh realities of life. It is available in Belize at Chaa Creek or Chan Chich for between $250 and $700 per day.
The Sea Breeze Hotel apologises to this couple that we did not live up to your expectations. I'm happy that you were safe, your shower pressure was good, the water was hot, the bedding and towels clean, the mattress comfortable, nothing was stolen and you didn't get sick. But had you made your discomfort known at the time, I would have cheerfully refunded you the $35 you paid for the night.
Gwyn Lawrence, Owner, July 2009