71 Best Hotels in Belize

Six high-rise towers dwarf the island's townscape at this condo complex by Marriott Autograph Collection, which features an exclusive beach club, gorgeous design, and a swanky but closed-off air that might make you forget you're in Belize altogether. There is so much to do at Alaia that, in theory, you don't even need to leave: several restaurants serve food ranging from sushi to pizza, the bars serve mixologist cocktails (at twice the normal price), and the pools are made for all-day lounging and selfie-taking. You can even reserve a poolside pergola for a cool BZ$150–BZ$350 a day. Such costs make Alaia feel a little nickel-and-dimey, but for many guests Marriott Bonvoy points decrease the hotel's sticker price. The huge apartments are all stunningly tiled in limestone travertine, and most have balcony living rooms. A major shortcoming is that the grounds are all but bald of trees or foliage. Just next to the tower development is the more human-scaled Reef House (formerly Banyan Bay), whose grounds have winding paths and mature vegetation. These family-friendly apartments feature interiors, designed by Débora Aguilar, which evoke the sandy environment. Grand Colony Villas has also been acquired by Alaia and is now available for booking. For what it's worth, Alaia has Belize's only suspended rooftop pool, so you can peer a dizzying six stories down through glass in the pool's floor. Note that the party atmosphere here can make Alaia feel like an upscale spring break scene.

Beautifully designed, modern one-, two-, and three-bedroom villas dotted along the riverside at the foot of the Maya Mountains, each with its own courtyard and plunge pool, offer tranquility and privacy. When you feel like being around others, join them at the giant shared pool surrounded by upscale loungers. To get back to nature, the hotel provides kayaks and tubes to hit the river, or bikes to explore the trails. Eating at the beautiful river-view, open-air restaurant for every meal can get pricey, so stock up on groceries in Belmopan, and you can cook some of your meals in the full kitchen.

A three-story boutique hotel, two octagonal cottages, and various \"tree houses\" (really just cabins among trees at the back of the property that accommodate up to five people) make up this popular laid-back, family-run beach spot. The beachside restaurant, Barracuda, which specializes in seafood, pizza, ribs, and smoked meats, is one of Hopkins's best eateries. The affordable rates include complimentary use of bikes and kayaks.

This collection of seaside villas is among the most upmarket accommodation choices on the Southern Coast. All villas have the same floor plans and furnishings, but some of the villas are directly on the beach, and the others have sea or garden views. The units, with hardwood and natural stone floors and custom-made cedar and mahogany furniture, can be reserved as a complete three-bedroom, three-bath villa or as a single bedroom or two-bedroom suite. All-inclusive packages with meals, some tours, and transfers also are available. The resort's Caribbean-style Woven Palms restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, although many guests enjoy the variety of dining choices in Hopkins too.

This Belizean-owned resort in a pleasant rural setting northwest of Belize City perches at the edge of the Belize River, where you can launch a canoe or kayak from the hotel's dock, or just laze about the riverside swimming pool and thatch-roof palapa bar. The air-conditioned rooms are large, with custom-made mahogany furnishings (all-inclusive rates are also available). The on-site restaurant serves good Belizean food (dinner around BZ$40). Black Orchid offers occasional web-only discounts.

The first traditional resort on this low-key island, Blu Zen sits on Caye Caulker's quiet north side and consists of starkly white, modern buildings, each filled with minimalist condos in gray and white tones. Some will love the clean lines and urban design, while others will find the units cold. With their vast square footage and full kitchens, the apartments let families and groups spread out. There's even a five-bedroom (ultra-expensive) penthouse for you and 15 friends! The resort boasts the fantastic global fusion restaurant Lotus, which serves creative dishes all day (at a high price point). There is also the new La Fogata serving wood-fired pizzas. At the high-end convenience store Mercado, you'll find wine, imported cheeses, local meats, and yummy snacks from the smoothie bar (an outpost of Namaste Café). A scheduled boat runs several times daily to shuttle you to and from the village. Though it’s not for every audience, Blu Zen offers a unique, luxury option on casual Caye Caulker. 

Located within the beautiful Mayflower Bocawina National Park, the Bocawina Rainforest Resort has comfortable accommodations that include four spacious deluxe suites (with two queen beds, a table and chairs in a sitting area with jungle views through large windows), two thatched casitas (one has two bedrooms that can be rented together or as individual units), and six standard rooms that share a single veranda. A combination solar, wind, and hydro system generates the lodge's electricity. The lodge's zipline complex contains 12 platforms, and the tour division offers a wide range of trips and tours including visits to the nearby Mayflower archaeological sites and miles of jungle trails and waterfalls.

Once you make it up the steep hill, you'll enjoy the best views in the Cayo at this hotel at the western edge of San Ignacio, near the Cahal Pech Maya site. You have a choice here of 78 thatched cabanas, rooms, and suites, all air-conditioned and with cable TV, plus beds in two student dorms. The restaurant serves Belizean and American fare in an open-air space with views of the town and valley below. Cahal Pech offers a variety of tours and multiday packages from the hotel. This resort is often heavily booked even in the off-season.

The low gurgle of nearby Mopan River rapids is the first and last sound of the day at Clarissa Falls Resort. Warm and friendly owner Chena Galvez and her family have spent their lives on a cattle ranch here, a rolling 900-acre expanse of grassy pasture. Over the years Chena and family have built a small colony of homey thatch cabanas for visitors to stay in. If you're on a tight budget, there's camping available and, for students only, rooms in a bunkhouse with three meals daily. The open-air restaurant by the river serves tasty mestizo dishes at modest prices.

This luxe resort gives the impression of a Mediterranean palace---or maybe a fun Las Vegas version---with its colonnades and grottoes rising from the swimming pools. Indeed, the two pools are the real pull at Coco Beach, but this top condotel also has lovely interiors, featuring Balinese rattan furniture and Spanish tiles in the various rooms and suites. Kitchens feature granite countertops and stainless steel appliances. Five penthouses boast amazing views of the sea and Barrier Reef. The main restaurant, Cocoblanca, is a baroque display of chandeliers, alcoves, and silken upholstery. Unfortunately, the food is overpriced and underwhelming. Coco Beach and other Sandy Point Resorts often offer deep discounts, so check specials before you book.

It all comes down to this: recline in a hammock on your cottage veranda, sip a cold daiquiri, and contemplate the Caribbean at this intimate all-inclusive private-island resort. Aside from the traffic of geckos and pelicans, this 16-acre island will never feel crowded. But you'll make your share of friends with other guests, staff members, and maybe the nurse sharks that patrol the waters. Coco Plum, whose operation is famously well run, offers seafront cabanas that are remodeled, air-conditioned, and decked out in tropical colors. The fabulous chef, Miss Jude, prepares masterful, homestyle meals (served in a daily set menu, so choices are limited). Most rates include snorkel trips to the reef just a few miles out. Be aware that the included alcohol often facilitates a beach-party atmosphere. Coco Plum is definitely a place for all-inclusive travelers, not the independent adventure travelers that Belize often attracts. Coco Plum's sister resort Manta Island, which opened in 2021, has soft white sand, coral-rich waters, and the benefit of sitting on glorious Glover's Reef Atoll.

Almost all the units face the beach at this property made up of three different accommodation types—standard rooms, standalone cabins, and a guesthouse—and all are a step up from most lodgings in the village. This includes air-conditioning (a BZ$20 extra charge for daytime use), well-made furnishings, free Wi-Fi, and refrigerators. The staff is super friendly and helpful in arranging tours and transportation. Coconut Row offers a variety of packages and web discounts.

If you're looking for an unfussy, homey spot on the beach with personal service, charming Cocotal Inn could be just right. Our favorite unit is the casita, with its vaulted hardwood ceiling (capped with a cute cupola) and four-poster queen bed; it's closest to the beach and overlooks the freshwater pool. Darling cottages also make a pleasant retreat, and all have fully equipped kitchens so you can cook your own meals. Or, hop on a complimentary bike and ride to one of many nearby restaurants. The friendly, helpful owners are on-site. You can snorkel at the small artificial reef, right off Cocotal's enormous 200-foot pier. 

With somewhat eccentric decor and televisions in every room, Dream Valley is not quite luxurious and not quite rustic, but guests enjoy its intimacy and quiet location right at the jungle's edge. Raised wooden walkways lead you between zinc-roofed cabins, a spa, and the main lodge. The location is removed enough that trips into Belmopan are challenging without a rental car, so your main dining option is the on-site restaurant, which serves tasty burgers but little Belizean fare. However, the staff is welcoming, views of Belize River are beautiful, and the best adventure tours of Cayo are within reach.

Nearly every hotel on Ambergris Caye claims that it can arrange fishing trips, but this resort, opened in 1974, has the best angling resources, plus plenty to do for companions with other passions (half the guests are snorkelers and divers). Ask the folks here about fishing and they'll rattle off lists of pancake flats, back-reef flats, turtle-grass flats, and all their inhabitants. Loosely described as a \"fishing camp,\" the main lodge is actually a handsome white colonial with comfortable rooms and a nice swimming pool. Adjoining the lodge in two groupings, each with a pool, are deluxe private villas. The restaurant has delicious farm-to-table (and sea-to-table) daily menus, with one seating for the prix-fixe dinner. Many guests arrive as part of a fishing package; check the website for package deals. The resort has a fly-fishing shop and offers lessons.

Drive deep into the Mountain Pine Ridge and you’ll find, perched on a steep hill above the Five Sisters waterfalls, this elegant lodge and staging ground for exploration. All is decorated to appear distinctly Belizean—canopied thatch cabanas hold local hardwoods, handmade furniture, and art in tropical tones. A small, open-air tram will carry you to the Privassion River if you'd rather avoid the 286 steps, and there you can swim in the natural spring or recline riverside on lounge chairs. Note that with no children under 12 allowed, no pool, no television, and Internet only in the restaurant, this is ideal for a couple’s retreat rather than a family vacation. The lack of pool helps earn Gaia’s eco-friendly status, as does its hydropower system and garden, which grows 60% of the restaurant’s produce. Packages with its sister resort Matachica on North Ambergris Caye give you entry to reef and rainforest excursions.

This adventure lodge has gone upscale, adding hillside \"treehouse suites\" with jaw-dropping views, a multilevel swimming pool with whirlpool, and a botanical garden featuring orchids and bromeliads. Less-expensive cabanas with outdoor showers are offered, too, along with suites and bungalows. Manager Ian Anderson and his highly trained jungle and cave guides offer more than 20 wilderness adventures in a 58,000-acre private reserve. On the River of Caves trip, you spend hours floating around underground lakes and crawling past stalagmites into dry chambers.

Spend your days here snorkeling in the shallows, doing acrobatics on a water trampoline, and, most dramatically, diving at \"The Pinnacles,\" where coral heads rise 40 feet from the ocean floor. After a lobster or fish dinner and a few Belikins on a pier 100 feet into the Caribbean, wander back to your rustic cabin, a breezy retreat built of tropical hardwoods. The cabins are more or less utilitarian, but you're unlikely to spend much time in them. Given its air-conditioning and 24/7 electricity, Isla Marisol has more amenities than many resorts nearby. With 40 miles between you and the Belizean coast, this is an exhilarating place for fishers and divers, midrange for remote islands in Belize.

Sister property to Island Magic Resort in the heart of Caye Caulker, Island Magic Villas offers a more upscale and luxurious stay away from the hustle and bustle of town. Situated less than half a mile from the Split, the teal-and-white-hued lodgings sit on the northern side of the island. That doesn't mean it's a trek to the resort, however. A lightning-fast ferry across the Split followed by a three-minute golf cart ride north will have you sipping by the idyllic property's pool in no time. Island Magic Resort is ideal for families, even boasting a master villa that sleeps up to eight. This oceanfront gem is ideal if you want to party in town, then retire in tranquility. 

If you're longing to hearken back to a simpler time and immerse yourself in nature, you can experience the jungle with a luxurious cabana and some of the comfiest beds in Belize at this eco-resort. They are situated on 300 acres of primary forest, with three swimming holes, hanging bridges, and farms, not to mention a Maya site to explore. Dinner is communal and lit with oil lamps. Although there isn't Wi-Fi in the rooms, there's plenty to keep you busy, including birding, hiking, Maya cooking classes, and yoga classes, all included with your stay.

Ka'ana brings a level of luxury to San Ignacio with tranquil gardens, a wine cellar, and spacious rooms outfitted with 500-count cotton sheets, high-end toiletries, and attentive staff. One suite has a private pool, and there's also an infinity swimming pool with waterfall and a saltwater filtration system. The poolside spa offers massage and skin and body treatments. La Ceiba restaurant is beautifully done, serving vegetables from the resort's own organic garden.

Expansive villas command the beachfront, all named after precious jewels like Opal and Emerald---and they really do dazzle. The design is inspired by Mexican, Moroccan, and Maya traditions, evident in the arches, alcoves, rugs, and sensuous tones of rose and mango. Hand-hewn furniture and deluxe kitchens enhance the spaces. The villas range from two to five bedrooms; with a group, they can be more affordable than a hotel. Plus, you’ll still enjoy concierge service and a shared pool. A few restaurants are within walking distance or, more comfortably, golf-cart distance.

With balconies perched above the New River, this Belizean-owned resort gives guests the feeling of being in the jungle—keep an eye out for the river crocs that often spend the night under the hotel—while conveniently located just south of Orange Walk Town. The private balconies and riverfront views create a secluded ambience and Sal y Spice, the hotel's newly revamped restaurant and renamed restaurant, is housed in a thatched pavilion. Signature dishes include smoked wings and an assortment of tapas. The restaurant's skilled bartenders are often adding creative cocktails to the menu. Board a boat here and in 1½ hours you're at the Lamanai Maya site.

A condo colony whose name means \"on the beach\" in the Garifuna language, Laru Beya sits on seven beachfront acres, with well-priced rooms and suites that are bright and sunny. The contemporary tropical design includes tile floors and rattan and bamboo furniture. The larger villa units, with up to three bedrooms, have full kitchens, and some have rooftop Jacuzzis and verandas with sea views. Dive, fishing, and adventure packages are available. There's a pleasant on-site restaurant, open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily, and a bar. The Moorings and Sunsail yacht charter operations are based at the Laru Beya marina on the lagoon side. You may choose from rates that include all meals or none.

The all-white dazzle of Las Terrazas will make you want to don your chicest beachwear---but even if you can’t rival the style, this is a welcoming luxury resort. You can enjoy complimentary extras like Hobie Cat sailing, kayaks, paddleboards, and bikes. The spacious condo suites boast travertine tile floors, granite countertops, and handcrafted Belizean furnishings. A glassy infinity pool makes a gorgeous property centerpiece. If there's room in your vacation budget, Serenity Spa offers special treatments like Belizean chocolate facials. At the water, an unusual, two-level curved pier, which sweeps out into the sea, makes an ideal spot to watch the waves break over the Barrier Reef. Take bait and rods to the pier for $10 and the chef will cook your catch.

At Hopkins' original upscale resort, Jaguar Reef's original whitewashed duplex garden and beachfront thatched cabanas is supplemented with newer colonial suites with local artwork, salt-tile floors, and custom-made hardwood furnishings. Although the beach here is good (for Belize), there's a nice pool with swim-up tiki bar. Meals are served in a beautiful glassed-in beachside palapa with a soaring ceiling set off by locally made basket lights.

Jaguar Reef offers frequent summer (July--August) web-only specials.

The pulse of south Ambergris is changing with this 60-acre townlet of white, colonial-nostalgic villas by Hilton's Curio brand, complete with boutique shopping, a clubhouse, a taco truck, a spa, and all the trappings of a planned community in the States. Rooms, including cute garden cottages, are chicly designed. Think distressed wood and strong contrasting lines, offset by white fabrics that give the spaces a signature freshness. The development faces the lagoon, not the sea, but a complimentary boat runs on the hour to ferry guests to the \"Private Beach Club\" on the back side of Ambergris (note that sometimes there's a line for the boat). There you'll find a glittering beach where you can order expensive cocktails from an over-the-water daybed. Being on the lagoon, the beach has no sargassum seaweed but there are occasional annoying \"sea lice\" in the water. Mahogany Bay's tremendous Great House holds the restaurant Verandah and a deck-side bar, Shaken, and there are plenty of other places on-site to drop loads of cash. Overextended staff means service is far less personal than that found at smaller resorts. Mahogany Bay has something for everyone, but the massive resort isn't for everyone. It's easy to forget you're in Belize. This property has met controversy over its dredge-and-fill practice when making the mangrove habitat ready for construction. 

This small, intimate lodge has six well-designed cabanas set in the shade on a low hill, with pimento walls, thatched roofs, and furniture handmade at the lodge and elsewhere in Belize. They're outfitted with everything you'll need, down to flashlights, purified-water coolers, and umbrellas. Meals are served in the main lodge building, which also has a bar, an art-filled guest study, and a gift shop. The lodge is not on the river, but it has an attractive swimming pool.

The name doesn't do justice to this intimate lodge on Glover's Atoll, which focuses on diving (sites are a four-minute boat ride away), but snorkeling, fishing, bird-watching, and stargazing aren't to be overlooked. With only five cabanas, you may feel the coral island was conjured all for you. Depending on your point of view, you'll find the small wood cabins, composting toilets, and outdoor rainwater showers either eco-rustic or very utilitarian. Tasty meals are served family style in a beachfront thatch palapa with sand floors. Off the Wall has a seven-day minimum stay. Gear and dives are additional costs, as are alcoholic drinks, fishing, and some other services.