Where To Stay in Belize for a Local Experience

In the heart of bustling, bar-filled San Pedro village, at the southern end of Ambergris Caye, this brightly painted backpacker hostel is just where you want to be if you’re after a party. The bar is open until midnight, and the beach is in cork-popping distance. But if you want a good sleep, book one of the private rooms, and avoid the dorms – where the bed-curtains might keep out the light, but not the rustle of late-arriving guests.

Thatch-roofed chalets under the palms, a stroll from the beach, along with a hibiscus-filled tropical garden, one of the country’s best hotel restaurants, a palapa-bar serving rich reds and tangy whites from Francis Ford Coppola’s private California winery… all hidden behind discreet hedging. Turtle Inn is secluded enough for celebrities, but welcoming enough for all lovers of barefoot, fan-cooled luxury near the Creole fishing village of Placencia.

Fancy a room in the rainforest with hummingbirds, jungle views and monkeys playing in the trees next to your terrace? You’ll find one at Copal Tree Lodge in Belize’s far southern Toledo province, where the swimming pool sits at canopy level above the rainforest, and activities include jungle hikes, crafts with local Maya people and excursions to the nearby coral reefs.

Gathered in a garden, pink with bougainvillea, and right on the beach in Hopkins village, these good-value villas come with simple decor (beige tiles, white or blue walls and modest sofas), but space enough for families. And with a waterslide, pool and a jacuzzi, they’re great for kids, too. The huge American breakfast of eggs, bacon, pancakes, French toast and fruit will keep you going most of the day.

Set over a pool in an art nouveau-style edifice, these big bedrooms (with beige tiles, whitewashed walls and dark-wood furnishings) don’t feel very Belizean, or in keeping with low-key Hopkins village. But they’re right on the beach, and the largest rooms and garden villas have enough space for families. The resort’s extensive tour menu of jungle trips, reef excursions and fishing has options for all ages.

Mixing boutique-style accents, such as hardwood chests and crafty fittings from local designers, with palm-thatch and shutterboard beach-shack chic, this adults-only resort stands out in Placencia village. It sits right on the sand, hammocks slung between the palms with staff ready to serve cocktails at the chaise lounges, and offers a good choice of excursions – to jaguar sanctuaries, Mayan ruins and nearby caves and cayes.

Wall-to-ceiling glass, a cool off-white color palette and polished concrete, plus sundecks with views out over the open sea… there’s much to like at the Itz’ana. Excursions seal the deal, taking you to local cacao plantations, on night hikes, into Bocawina National Park and along the Barrier Reef for whale-shark swimming. On return, toast the day’s exploits with an expertly mixed cocktail – the hotel has teamed up with master mixologists, Bar Lab, on their drinks list, also behind Miami’s celebrated Broken Shaker bar.

Straddling a ridge in Belize’s Maya mountains on the border with Guatemala, Blancaneaux immerses guests in nature. Tall, thatch-roofed rooms overlook the plunging Big Rock waterfalls, the air is busy with butterflies and hummingbirds – many of them endangered – and excursions include horseback rides in the hills, wildlife trails and river kayaking. Owner Francis Ford Coppola is a gourmand, and the food is excellent, washed down with wine from the director’s California estate.

In the wildest stretch of Belize’s rainforest, with luxurious thatched cabins clustered around an onsite Mayan ruin, Chan Chich has been Belize’s gold standard jungle lodge for a generation. It’s one of the few places in Central America where guests have a good chance of seeing a jaguar. Guiding is superb – with locals trained by the hotel and with sufficient know-how to please the most demanding birder.

This family-run resort has an entire caye, beach and several lagoons to itself. The simple wooden weatherboard casitas have genuine local character – much like you see all over the country, from Belize City to Dangriga. All have two bedrooms, sitting rooms and terraces with superb views over the sea. Prices are excellent for an all-island resort and include transfers, all food and some excursions. Kids under 12 stay for lesser rates, babies and toddlers for free.

With a sea horizon from the rooftop sundeck, front-facing balcony rooms and palm-shaded chaise lounges on the beach positioned to catch the rising sun, the views from Belizean Nirvana are a delight. Staff can organize trips to pretty much anywhere in Belize – from the reefs and atolls to the Mayan sites and jungles of the interior.

Puns aside, this big waterfront house overlooking Placencia’s manatee-filled lagoon is more mid-range Miami than modish Milan. Decor is functional rather than designer – yellow-wash walls, chunky floor tiles, bar-kitchenettes and local Afro-Belizean art on the wall. But you can jump off the sundeck into the water, the beach is a few minutes’ walk away across Placencia village, there are free bikes and the value is hard to beat.