Banana Bank Lodge

Banana Bank Lodge Review

Set on the banks of the Belize River, this jungle lodge is one of the best spots for families. Equestrians of all skill levels have a choice of horses from their herd of around 100. Owners John and Carolyn Carr (he's a cowboy originally from Montana; she's a noted artist whose painting "Meh Hand Full" was on the cover of the 2009 Belize telephone book) and daughter Leisa Carr-Caceres arrange canoe trips and hikes on the lodge's 4,000 acres. Deer and a spider monkeys are on the grounds, along with many birds in an aviary. The aging resident jaguar, Tika, died in 2007, but she has been replaced by a new young jaguar named Tikatoo. You can update Facebook with Wi-Fi as you lounge by the pool. There's a bar and grill, conference area, and a studio for Carolyn in a new building next to the pool. Thatch cabañas with curving walls are modest but comfortable (no air-conditioning, though), and there are three air-conditioned rooms and two suites in the three-story Chateau Brio, and four budget rooms in the Chalet. Hearty, simple meals are served family-style (dinner BZ$30).