ANDY HUNT has swapped scoring goals for swimming pools after a dramatic career change.
The former Newcastle striker may have been forced to retire aged just 30 after being diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome.
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But he is certainly living his best life as he runs a luxury holiday resort in the Belize tropical jungle with his former MTV presenter wife.
Andy and Simone swapped South London for Belize in 2001, months after Hunt’s final game for Charlton.
They sold their Greenwich home and purchased a property – then in 2005 decided to open the Belize Jungle Dome to the public.
Now more than 20 years from first touching down on that first visit, the couple are still based in Central America, more than 5,200 miles from Hunt’s Essex hometown of West Thurrock and where temperatures average mid-20s all year round.
The ex-forward said: “I’d had enough of football and to be honest I’d had enough of the British weather.
“Me and my girlfriend at the time started looking around and we really liked Belize.
“We visited the country and spent some time there. We found a property, bought it, sold the house in England and came out.
“We decided to set up our own business over here in 2005.
“It’s the most idyllic place and tourists can come out here and explore the ancient mines and the caves.
“There’s horseback riding, zip-lining along with waterfalls and wildlife rehabilitation centres.
“On the coast there are so many beautiful islands where you can go scuba diving and snorkelling.
“We bought a big property, which we turned into rooms, we also built a four-bedroom villa next to it then another three-bedroom place next to that, as well as three acres of land.
“It’s going great.
“Our lodge is about an hour and a half inland, so we organise things for tourists and we take them here, there and everywhere.”
The Hunts’ stunning complex is described as a “true tropical paradise” for couples, families and individuals alike – and promises the holiday of a lifetime.
Guests can make the most of the stunning tree-top cafe, beautiful swimming pool, river-side BBQs, football facilities and even a nearby zoo before retreating to their colourful rooms.
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And the in-house chef rustles up plenty of gorgeous dishes, including a host of local Belizean dishes using ingredients grown in the on-site garden.
The hotel also has links with local companies that provide tours and day trips, including along the Belize River through the rainforest.
Prices for an all-inclusive package range from £736pp for a three-night stay to a whopping £3,325pp for the 14-night reefs and rainforest trip.
But visitors are clearly delighted with the Belize Jungle Dome, with the Hunts’ holiday resort earning rave reviews on Tripadvisor.
It is ranked the No1 B&B in Belmopan, with a stunning five-star rating from 339 reviews.
One guest said: “Our stay at the Jungle Dome was absolutely fabulous. Simone and Andy are simply the best hosts. The riverside location also offers a substantial-sized pool and an immersive experience of nature at its finest.”
Another commented: “Everything about the stay was perfect. They always made sure we had everything we needed. I have travelled extensively around the world and have rarely been treated so well.”
And a third added: “We could not have been more pleased with the whole experience! Truly, staying here, is like visiting the friends in Belize that you didn’t know you had.”
It really has been a whirlwind journey for Andy and Simone and their two sons Lucas and Aidan – but one that the family have learnt to embrace.
Writing on their hotel website, the Dutch former TV host said: “We often get asked, ‘How did a professional footballer player and a former MTV VJ end up owning a jungle lodge in Belize?’
“Well, it wasn’t a conscious plan, we were simply looking for an adventure. So in 2001 we moved to the tropics without knowing what we were going to do once we got there.
“For a while we soaked up the sun, developed our property and did a lot of soul-searching and head-scratching.
“Then Andy came with the idea of turning the Dome into a small resort.
“I thought that sharing our personal space with strangers was a terrible idea. But, as in all things, I have learned to trust my crazy husband and so went with it.
“It turned out that his vision was a great one! Instead of ‘strangers’ invading our space, our guests became friends.
“It felt like being visited by family we never knew we had. Our staff become family too, and it is a continued pleasure working alongside them.”
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But despite seemingly living the dream in Belize, Hunt joked there is one main problem of swapping England for the Belizean jungle.
He said: “I spend a lot of my time repairing my cars because the roads aren’t great over here!”
But despite scoring ten goals in 42 Premier League appearances, the major transfer into running a holiday resort did not come completely out of the blue for Hunt.
While playing in non-league at King’s Lynn and Kettering Town, he studied a business and tourism management course.
The striker signed for the Magpies in 1991, playing under Jim Smith, Ossie Ardiles and Kevin Keegan in two years before joining West Brom, initially on loan as he scored a hat-trick on his home debut against Aston Villa.
Hunt made the switch permanent and chipped in with 67 goals in 202 games before finishing his playing career at Charlton.
The Addicks suffered relegation in his first season but helped them go straight back up in 1999-2000.
Hunt started the next season with four goals before the end of September – but then had to step away amid his health struggles.
Simone, meanwhile, moved from the Netherlands to London aged 18 as she became the youngest video jockey at MTV Europe.
On top of her broadcast career, she even released four of her own singles and was a judge on German TV show Popstars – but left it all behind when she traded pop songs for birdsongs.
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