Fantastic location and property and wonderful hosts. Thank you!

Wow! If my 13 year old and 16 year old loved it, then it’s really a great place as they can be hard to impress. Nonetheless, we all had a wonderful time at Mark and Sabrina’s property. They literally thought of everything and their property is well appointed. From the amazing private beach in the backyard, to the dock, to the spacious layout of the home, and the AMAZING excursions we can not thank them enough for providing such a wonderful and well needed vacation from all the hustle and bustle. We really enjoyed the snorkeling/catch and cook tour with Meds and Jeff and the cave tubing adventure. Meds caught us a lobster and we saw multiple nurse sharks and stingrays. Book the catch and cook tour you won’t regret it! Dean was amazing as well, always available to us and answered all our questions. You guys really delivered! Hopkins Village was nice, everybody we met was very friendly and accommodating. All the tour guides were excellent. Really can’t thank everybody and the country of Belize for providing a wonderful vacation for our family. Lots of fun memories were created - we’ll be back! The tiki bar was really cool and relaxing, we spent a lot of time out there. Again, 10/10 stars book this place!!!

We had a fantastic stay at the Villa which had every accommodation we could think of. Thanks to Mark, Sabrina and Dean for all the hospitality. We really felt like we were part of the local community and and all of us had a wonderful time. We will definitely book another trip to the Villa soon! Dave & Dee

This property is perfect in every way. The location is ideal. The 3BR are great for a family or group of friends. The tiki bar - we'll be talking about the tiki bar for a LONG TIME. It has everything you need and the attention to detail is impressive. Come ready to unleash your inner-Caribbean Resort Bartender. The hosts are tremendous, handling everything from dinner reservations to excursion bookings. It was like have a personal concierge - you should definitely take advantage of the services offered. There's nothing like getting picked up and dropped off at your place for excursions. We could go on forever, but instead I will echo another review: If this is available for the dates you want to come to Belize, just book it.

Excellent facility, fantastic service and great hospitality!

Great 3 brm, 2 bath, nice beach and dock, with a great personal tiki bar and sound system! Owners and managers are great people. Ask for Shelly to do your cooking. Her food is amazing!

We sought a location to relax and reconnect as family and Villa Rising Sun providedus with the perfect location to enjoy the beauty of the local environment and and reconnect with the beauty of eachother as family. From adventure tours to relaxing in the sun to swinging on the dock to swimming in the water the stay felt magical. We also loved experiencing the village of Hopkins and enjoyed Mass at Holy Family down the road on Sunday and enjoyed bonding with our tour driver Dirk. Seeing the beauty of the coral and fish and sealife felt expansive. Who knew that this vibrant world underwater could provide such enjoyment and peace. We are grateful for our time. Villa Rising Sun hosts were incredibly helpful all along the way. We feel deep gratitude for the excellent communication and help navigating Hopkins and other experiences in Belize. We do hope to return in the future and highly recommend this location.

Amazing hosts and everything was perfect!

We had the most amazing stay at Villa Rising Sun and would highly recommend to everyone!! Mark and Sabrina made everything so easy for arrival to check in, to helping provide some basic food items before we arrived, and just everyday suggestions. This was extremely helpful since we were traveling with2 small children. Dean, the property manager, was such an amazing help as well with booking excursions or for ideas of places to go in town! Shelley, the cook, was such a nice treat as well when we needed some home-cooked meals as everything she made was delicious! The location was beautiful: water, dock, boat pick-ups, palapa (bar), amenities, all made the trip so memorable, especially for the kids! Looking forward to coming back soon! The Stephens Family

We were so beyond pleased with Villa Rising Sun. Everything from the location to the accommodations and the on-site help with excursions and dining was top-notch! We would recommend to anyone looking for a laid back village vibe!

Everything we needed, wanted. They took care of it from the first inquiry to the last goodbye. Highly recommend!!!

Highly recommend staying here with Mark & Sabrina! Dean does a great job helping you plan your adventures. The place is perfect, they are helpful, and you can’t ask for a better place to stay.

Fantastic stay! Will absolutely consider this villa again! Thank you, Mark, Sabrina and Dean

From the start, communication with the Villa Rising Sun team was helpful and informative. Mark, Sabrina, and Dean are the dream team! We took advantage of the side trip planning assistance. I’m going to bullet point all of the amazing aspects about staying at VRS so I don’t write a novel: *it’s as gorgeous as the pictures *private dock was our daily refuge *tiki bar was a blast, we loved to watch cheesy beach movies in the evening *Dean’s trip planning was knowledgeable and right on for our needs *Mark and Sabrina were always there when we needed them, but never intrusive *Dinner recommendations were always on point — Driftwood was our favorite, watched a drum performance *Even the beach read book collection in the master bedroom was perfect, lol *Mark and Sabrina will shop for fridge items to get you started—so excellent for exhausted travelers *groundskeeper Parks, excellent local information and hard worker *Shelly’s cooked lobster served in the tiki bar on night one made it all feel like a dream *Wawa drum show on night one to bring us into the local spirit *Drum lessons because we really wanted to immerse ourselves *We all loved Dean and Jeanine’s haunted tiki bar rooftop movie experience for a relaxing send off on our last night This isn’t even everything. If it’s available, book it ASAP! This is the first place we have ever vacationed where we want to return again. We will be back to Villa Rising Sun!

I can not speak highly enough or express the appropriate words for how incredible this property and hosts/hostesses were. Mark, Sabrina, Dean, Shelley, Parks, Greg….everyone associated with Villa Rising Sun was first class. From assisting with dinners, booking excursions, local knowledge, guidance and just general conversations were absolutely on-point and helped make this trip to Hopkins one of the best trips we have ever experienced. I felt like we started out as guests but instantly found friends in another country. My family will definitely be returning to Villa Rising Sun and would encourage anyone to not hesitate to experience the wonderful hospitality shown to us. You will not be disappointed!

I can not speak highly enough or express the appropriate words for how incredible this property and hosts/hostesses were. Mark, Sabrina, Dean, Shelley, Parks, Greg….everyone associated with Villa Rising Sun was first class. From assisting with dinners, booking excursions, local knowledge, guidance and just general conversations were absolutely on-point and helped make this trip to Hopkins one of the best trips we have ever experienced. I felt like we started out as guests but instantly found friends in another country. My family will definitely be returning to Villa Rising Sun and would encourage anyone to not hesitate to experience the wonderful hospitality shown to us. You will not be disappointed!

Loved staying at Villa of the Rising Sun! Such a great place in a great village, was super sad we had to leave.

To anyone fortunate enough to come across this property and read the reviews, I can just say to believe every review and appreciate every comment. I had a dream to visit Belize a few years ago so during my search on VRBO I came across this gem. I have been a VRBO member for years and the 1st thing I have ever learned is to READ THE REVIEWS! So, I saw this property that seemed perfect, so immediately I started reading EVERY review. After just a few I was SOLD. It was everything I was looking for from relaxation to family adventures to helpful recommendations for great food and shopping. Once booked, I was quickly welcomed by Mark, Sabrina, Dean, and the entire crew to make sure we had the vacation of a lifetime. I spent several months emailing back and forth with Dean, who helped us plan an amazing itinerary for the week including Cook your Catch with snorkeling (we saw a sea turtle and 2 sharks), Mayan Tours, Birding, Flyfishing, Ziplining, an ATV ride through the jungle to Waterfalls and not to forget our first night of dancing, drumming at our private Tiki Bar and dinner cooked at home for us by Shelly. My dreams and expectations were met during our week vacation. So, if you are looking for an adventurous trip where you feel safe, and well accommodated while visiting (maybe the most friendly place on Earth), then look no further. To Mark & Sabrina, Thank you once again for everything! I KNOW we will meet again. To Dean, Thank you for working with me all those months and understanding my family's desires, disabilities, likes, and dislikes, and working with me to make the absolute PERFECT itinerary. To GTKB (Get To Know Belize) Having the opportunity to hang out with these gentlemen was honestly an honor. Gregory, Dirk, Medz, Jeffery, etc are a few of the guys that helped make this trip so awesome. Some of the nicest people I have ever met and will remember forever. I hope this review was helpful to anyone who is considering Hopkins, Belize. If you are, I would suggest go for it, book it, and let the adventure begins. Work with Dean to plan your itinerary and take advantage of great owners who will make sure your trip is amazing from beginning to end and getting you started with whatever you need. Thank You VRS & GTKB Family! xo

To anyone fortunate enough to come across this property and read the reviews, I can just say to believe every review and appreciate every comment. I had a dream to visit Belize a few years ago so during my search on VRBO I came across this gem. I have been a VRBO member for years and the 1st thing I have ever learned is to READ THE REVIEWS! So, I saw this property that seemed perfect, so immediately I started reading EVERY review. After just a few I was SOLD. It was everything I was looking for from relaxation to family adventures to helpful recommendations for great food and shopping. Once booked, I was quickly welcomed by Mark, Sabrina, Dean, and the entire crew to make sure we had the vacation of a lifetime. I spent several months emailing back and forth with Dean, who helped us plan an amazing itinerary for the week including Cook your Catch with snorkeling (we saw a sea turtle and 2 sharks), Mayan Tours, Birding, Flyfishing, Ziplining, an ATV ride through the jungle to Waterfalls and not to forget our first night of dancing, drumming at our private Tiki Bar and dinner cooked at home for us by Shelly. My dreams and expectations were met during our week vacation. So, if you are looking for an adventurous trip where you feel safe, and well accommodated while visiting (maybe the most friendly place on Earth), then look no further. To Mark & Sabrina, Thank you once again for everything! I KNOW we will meet again. To Dean, Thank you for working with me all those months and understanding my family's desires, disabilities, likes, and dislikes, and working with me to make the absolute PERFECT itinerary. To GTKB (Get To Know Belize) Having the opportunity to hang out with these gentlemen was honestly an honor. Gregory, Dirk, Medz, Jeffery, etc are a few of the guys that helped make this trip so awesome. Some of the nicest people I have ever met and will remember forever. I hope this review was helpful to anyone who is considering Hopkins, Belize. If you are, I would suggest go for it, book it, and let the adventure begins. Work with Dean to plan your itinerary and take advantage of great owners who will make sure your trip is amazing from beginning to end and getting you started with whatever you need. Thank You VRS & GTKB Family! xo

Our family of 5 enjoyed our week stay at Villa Rising Sun so much we booked another week for next year before leaving. Sabrina, Mark, and Dean were amazing hosts and the location spectacular. Everyone in Hopkins was authentically kind and welcoming. If you're lucky enough to find available dates to stay at the Villa Rising Sun, don't hesitate and grab them! A truly memorable experience awaits.

Mark, Sabrina and Dean were amazing hosts. Provided us with ingredients for our first meals and drinks, helped suggest and organize appropriate tours for our family and had regular check ins. Could not have been any better!

Hard to overstate how awesome our trip to Belize was and Mark & Sabrina’s house and property was a huge part of that! Our family of six slept well here—super comfortable beds, everything you need, a cleaning refresh during the week which was a huge bonus. Beach bar, dock, all the beach spots to sit were just paradise—we even saw a manatee right off the dock. Easy walk to several places to eat, very local flavor, felt like practically the only people for miles on the beach. Dean set us up with great local guides and recommendations. Everyone was available anytime we needed them. Highly recommend and will return here!

Hard to overstate how awesome our trip to Belize was and Mark & Sabrina’s house and property was a huge part of that! Our family of six slept well here—super comfortable beds, everything you need, a cleaning refresh during the week which was a huge bonus. Beach bar, dock, all the beach spots to sit were just paradise—we even saw a manatee right off the dock. Easy walk to several places to eat, very local flavor, felt like practically the only people for miles on the beach. Dean set us up with great local guides and recommendations. Everyone was available anytime we needed them. Highly recommend and will return here!

Phenomenal! Everything is “spot on”! From scheduling activities to all the helpful suggestions! Mark and Sabrina along with Dean and Janine are the best hosts you could ask for during our stay! We hit the jackpot finding this VRBO and will be returning! All around beautiful time spent !

Phenomenal! Everything is “spot on”! From scheduling activities to all the helpful suggestions! Mark and Sabrina along with Dean and Janine are the best hosts you could ask for during our stay! We hit the jackpot finding this VRBO and will be returning! All around beautiful time spent !

Accommodations & location were great, but the people were even better. Mark, Sabrina, & Dean bent over backwards to make sure we got in all that we wanted to do, even on short notice on a rain day. House was very clean, comfortable, and conveniently located to many nice restaurants and bars. Lots of activities to keep you busy but also the perfect private setting to relax and enjoy the sound of the waves. We are alread discussing a return trip with the kids!

Accommodations & location were great, but the people were even better. Mark, Sabrina, & Dean bent over backwards to make sure we got in all that we wanted to do, even on short notice on a rain day. House was very clean, comfortable, and conveniently located to many nice restaurants and bars. Lots of activities to keep you busy but also the perfect private setting to relax and enjoy the sound of the waves. We are alread discussing a return trip with the kids!

Our stay at Villa Rising Sun couldn't have been more amazing. Communication pre-during-and post was perfect. Dean, Mark & Sabrina took such amazing care of us - checking in to make sure all was well, or to give us some recommendations and/or helpful tips. The sealife off the dock is unreal: barracuda's, stingrays, jellies, and manatee's!!! What a gift to be able to watch such a diverse ecosystem up close. By the time we were (sadly) leaving, it felt like we were leaving family. Suggestions for future guests: 1. book Shelley to come to the villa to cook for you at least one night - delicious. 2. take ALL the restaurant suggestions - our fav was Maxime's - a simple beach restaurant with the most amazing dishes), with a close second being our experience at Chef Rob's. 3. upon arrival, immediately order Janine's "Bacon me Crazy" cinnamon buns - incredible! 4. order the fresh juice - the ginger/lime is the greatest for margs! :) 5. We did the snorkeling and bioluminescence tours - HIGHLY suggest both. The reefs are pristine and the bio tour will blow your mind. Thank you Villa Rising Sun for making our first (but not last!) trip to Belize so magical. Can't wait to figure out our next dates with you!! xxx Melissa, Lisa, Karen & Ang

Villa Rising Sun did not disappoint. The property is as beautiful as the photos depict. The Villa is clean, spacious, and you will find all the amenities you could possibly need. Mark, Sabrina, and Dean are there to ensure you have everything you need and can help facilitate any of your adventures. We had a little hiccup in our trip and they came to our rescue! If your looking for a private and beautiful place to unwind, look no further!

We are so lucky to have found this little slice of paradise in Hopkins Village. This was a last minute booking for us but we couldn’t be happier with how it turned out. Mark, Sabrina and Dean were extremely helpful with planning our stay. Dean suggested excursion options and dinner reservations. We highly recommend this complimentary service because it’s emailed to you weeks before you arrive and laid out in a day by day itinerary. We have 2 teenagers and our excursions consisted of 2 in the jungle and 2 on the sea. We thoroughly enjoyed them all! We can’t say enough good things about the village of Hopkins and the people. Everyone was so welcoming and we loved their laid back culture. The Villa is well stocked and easily accommodated our family of 4. There is an awesome private Tiki bar right outside the back door but we loved the dock even more. From fishing to swimming and amazing sun rises the dock was a huge hit for our family. Even though a little nervous about the 2.5 hour drive, we rented a truck from Crystal Car Rental and it was the right decision. It was an easy and scenic drive. Make sure you stop at Hibiscus Fast Food in Cayo to and from the airport for the best burrito you’ll ever eat.

From booking until after we left, the amazing folks from Villa Rising Sun took care of us. Hands down the most connected, caring and considerate hosts I’ve run across. They’ve developed a VIP page that gives incredible, easily digestible info about the property, transportation, activities, and a whole array of other entertainment options. While there we dove, kayaked, biked, snorkeled, had wonderful meals, luxurious on site massages, and enjoyed every sunrise. We loved our first night out listening and dancing to Garifuna music at the local pizza joint. And eating at Maxim’s was everyone’s favorites. Who knew chicken could taste that good? Villa Rising Sun even arranged for the local yoga instructor to teach a great class outside of her normal schedule to accommodate us. The house itself was perfect for our group. Loved having indoor and outdoor dining options (with a well-equipped kitchen), our own palapa bar, and very comfortable AC and fans. Highly recommend laying down the blue pad in the dock net, listening to rolling waves and birdsong while watching the stars give way to the morning light. And do yourself a favor- order some stormcloud. Thanks Team Villa Rising Sun for helping create a perfect vacation! Already looking forward to our return.

From booking until after we left, the amazing folks from Villa Rising Sun took care of us. Hands down the most connected, caring and considerate hosts I’ve run across. They’ve developed a VIP page that gives incredible, easily digestible info about the property, transportation, activities, and a whole array of other entertainment options. While there we dove, kayaked, biked, snorkeled, had wonderful meals, luxurious on site massages, and enjoyed every sunrise. We loved our first night out listening and dancing to Garifuna music at the local pizza joint. And eating at Maxim’s was everyone’s favorites. Who knew chicken could taste that good? Villa Rising Sun even arranged for the local yoga instructor to teach a great class outside of her normal schedule to accommodate us. The house itself was perfect for our group. Loved having indoor and outdoor dining options (with a well-equipped kitchen), our own palapa bar, and very comfortable AC and fans. Highly recommend laying down the blue pad in the dock net, listening to rolling waves and birdsong while watching the stars give way to the morning light. And do yourself a favor- order some stormcloud. Thanks Team Villa Rising Sun for helping create a perfect vacation! Already looking forward to our return.