159 Best Hotels in Belize

A bright white building, giving the impression of a ship at sea, houses stylish rooms at this friendly boutique hotel south of San Pedro. The fresh, squeaky-clean rooms have beautiful locally carved bed frames and white walls accented with handmade decorations. Outside, a small swimming pool is ringed by pleasant deck chairs, and the sea (with a sea wall) is steps away. With new owners in 2024, Mata Rocks now has the beach bar and the restaurant, which channels Caribbean culture via its dishes. Several good restaurants are a stroll away. Although not a large resort, Mata Rocks has personal service and amenities like complimentary bikes and kayaks. An added bonus: Mata Rocks has Belize's second pickleball court, which guests are invited to use. 

This is the kind of small, unpretentious beachfront hotel that many come to Belize to enjoy, but few actually find. Rooms are simple and small but pleasant, with polished wood floors, and the rates are highly affordable. Most are only steps from the water, and many have views of False Caye and the sea. There's a swimming pool, on the beach. In addition, the hotel rents several apartments and houses nearby. Some have minimum-stay requirements. A big plus here is the on-site restaurant, one of the country's best.

Sitting pretty and pink in the middle of town, this long-established seafront hotel has basic but pleasant efficiency apartments, lacking only a pool to make it a perfect mid-level choice. French doors open onto verandas with hammocks, where you can eat meals prepared in your well-equipped kitchenette. Some furniture is dated and nothing is fancy here, but you'll still enjoy the friendly service and beautiful views of a nicer resort. All units are oceanfront. Just a few steps away is one of the island's best dive shops, Amigos del Mar. 

If diving is your reason for the season and you don't want to blow the bank, this beachfront inn at the north end of town is a solid launchpad for undersea adventures. Poolside daybeds under shady pergolas are a nice place to unwind after a dive, maybe with a rum from the outdoor bar, The Lazy Pelican. As for the building itself, the three-story wood-frame structure recalls a time before everyone built with reinforced concrete. Top picks here are the second- and third-floor rooms, with balconies overlooking the beach, but all rooms have sea views. Ocean Tide remains a moderate value in pricey San Pedro Town. Located at the north edge of town, you can stroll along the beach to San Pedro's bars and restaurants.

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.

With the caveat that we recommend taking a taxi at night—you should do that in Belize City anyway—we also recommend this new entry into the city’s lodging scene, a 1902 house that’s been converted into a charming downtown inn. The house contains bright rooms with tiled floors, hardwoods, and tropical colors. Fuel up for a day of sightseeing with breakfast here—it’s extra—and some snacks to go at the small on-site Meg’s Café. While you might shy away from staying in the center city, with standard precautions, this neighborhood is fine.

Hugging the Corozal Bay in the Orchid Bay area, Orchid Bay Resort boasts silky-soft sands, a tranquil sea view, and 18 thatched-roof cabanas all artfully decorated with local wood decor. The property itself is known for the tropical gardens that house 200 species of orchids. Perhaps the resort's most alluring feature is that it's directly in front of the water. While there may not be much to do, the hotel can arrange fishing or snorkeling tours to the reef. Orchid Bay Resort sits an hour's drive away from Corozal in a secluded area of Chunox Village. 

This small beachfront resort with rooms in earth tones arranged around a courtyard with a pool is an attractive option if you don't need all the amenities of the larger resorts but want an excellent restaurant. Chef Rob's Gourmet Café, with multiple dining concepts, is one of the best restaurants in the entire country. Parrot Cove also has two two-bedroom units in a beach house next door.

If ever since you were a kid you've wanted to sleep in a tree house by a river, this is your chance. Parrot Nest is a budget lodge at a shady spot beside the Mopan River in Bullet Tree Falls, about 3 miles (5 km) from San Ignacio. It has two tree houses, along with seven other rustic cabanas. This is not a luxury joint, so some of the accommodations have shared bathrooms. There's good birding on the grounds, and the lodge provides inner tubes free so you can float down the river.

This waterfront hotel on the north end of Dangriga, near the airstrip, is the best the town has to offer. Most rooms are in a two-story colonial-style building with a veranda. Some have porches with sea views. The restaurant has dependable food and service—the French fries are great—and the open-air terrace seating is a delightful spot to enjoy a meal. The staff is helpful and knowledgeable. Though there's a pier and small beach area, the water's not always the best for swimming. It's about a half-hour walk to the center of town, but your own vehicle or a taxi is best for making that excursion.  The hotel offers frequent Web-only specials.

A freshwater pool surrounded by hibiscus and jungle geranium make the centerpiece at Pelican Reef, which is one of the most popular spots on the island. Large butter-yellow three-story buildings house the apartments, which are all tastefully decorated, equipped with modern kitchens, and perfect for families and groups who'd like some privacy and creature comforts. Oceanfront units have especially stunning views, but all units are pleasant. The outdoor restaurant, Pelican's Nest Bar & Grill, is open for breakfast (a nice choice of dishes is included with the room) and lunch. You can enjoy amenities like complimentary paddleboards, kayaks, bikes, and snorkel gear. With its friendly atmosphere, Pelican Reef is a hit with kids. 

This luxury-meets-adventure resort embodies Belize as a destination: cabanas with ragged crowns of thatch, wonderful people, imperfect beaches, and, when not plighted by sargassum, exquisite water. The exteriors and pool are showing their age, but the rooms are unlike anything back home: they feature tropical hardwoods, sultry doorless bathrooms, handpainted sinks, and bamboo bed frames. Honeymooners and families alike are welcome. The Green Parrot Bistro has decent food at special-occasion prices; you may want to explore other dining options up north. Portofino has a dive shop, spa, and all the other trappings of a seasoned resort.

Princess Vegas Hotel & Casino is northern Belize's largest and most upscale hotel, with a fitness center, swimming pool, bars, and a good restaurant on-site. Part of the bustling 54,000-square-foot complex, which sprawls across 12 acres in the Corozal Free Zone, it primarily caters to Mexican gamblers who come to try their luck in the Free Zone's two casinos (there are no casinos in Mexico), and some of the most desirable rooms are reserved for them. 

If you love design but don't need the spacious grounds of a resort, you might try out one of these six adults-only cabanas, which have hip luxury on a fun-size scale. PUR has a social atmosphere that can brew up a party scene; while honeymooners love the hotel's intimacy, if you're looking for a private getaway look elsewhere. But, the textured and trendy hotel doesn’t skimp on amenities or personal service. PUR Habaneros Bar, which serves the biggest burrito on the island, is the buzzing on-site restaurant.

One of the first and most famous resorts on the island, Ramon's really is a village, with its many buildings paneled in furry palmetto and canopied footpaths that you can get lost in. At the south edge of town, the popular resort attracts an active crowd who take their virgin daiquiris to the pool (no alcohol sold here, though guests may drink in their room or on the beach). You may find rates surprisingly spendy for the size and amenities, but you're paying for the setting. The grounds are lush, green, and flowery and the 500-foot beach is among the best in or near town. Snorkeling is decent off the long pier around its artificial reef. Across from Ramon's sits the small sister property Steve & Becky's, which has cute colonial-style cottages. The main restaurant, Pineapples On the Beach, serves so-so food and seems to import Las Vegas kitsch with its looming 16-foot Maya head.

Variety is the spice of beach life here, with an assortment of rooms, suites, and villas, some of which can be combined into uber-suites for families. Butterflies, the full-service spa here, is located next to the hotel's coffee shop. Complimentary bikes and kayaks are available. The same management group operates several hotels in the area and around the country and can arrange combo packages that include stays at its beach and rainforest properties.

Robert's Grove is one of the largest (44 units including standard rooms, suites, and one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, and lagoon-side villas) and most complete resorts in southern Belize, with kayaks, windsurfers, small sailboats, and boats for diving. Or, you can laze on the beach, check out the gym, relax at the spa, take a yoga class, or swim in one of the three beachside pools. The resort has a dive center and marina. There are three restaurants: the main hotel restaurant, Seaside; Habanero at the marina on the lagoon side; and Sweet Mama's, a Belizean-style eatery. All-inclusive and other packages are available.

This roadside hotel just west of San Ignacio provides a pool, an affordable restaurant and bar, and a convenient location, all at moderate prices. The 11 rooms all have air-conditioning, cable television, and Wi-Fi. An on-site tour company, Go Maya, offers tours and trips to surrounding areas, with a discount to Rumors guests.

The folks at the Coral House operate these fully equipped apartments three blocks away, including an upper and a lower flat. The one-bedroom upper unit is decorated in subdued tans and mauves and comes with a spacious veranda and wonderful views of the Caribbean Sea. The brighter two-bedroom lower unit can sleep up to four. Both come with full kitchens, but breakfast at the Coral House is included in the rates if you desire. Discounts are offered for long-term stays.

Organic forms characterize these six exotic villas, whose curved walls echo the slate floors that sweep under cathedral ceilings. Private but not too stuffy, you'll have plenty of space for yourself. Each 3,200-square-foot villa has a sunken living room, an outdoor garden with hot tub, and unobstructed sea views. If resort culture isn’t for you, this would be great for an extended family or group who can swing the price tag (though Seascape caters to adults more than kids). You can even hire a personal chef. It still has the trappings of resort amenities, like complimentary bikes, kayaks, a tennis court, and tennis gear.

For an all-inclusive, family-friendly option, this playful getaway---the only thing on the 6-acre caye---is a special experience. Sea kayaking around the mangrove biome, swimming, and playing chess on a giant chessboard make great activities for kids. You won't be roughing it: newly renovated comfortable cottages, set fairly close together, have turndown service, TV, and other amenities. Decor and furnishings feel a little sterile, but you're unlikely to hang out in your room much. The 2022 face-lift brought about a spacious gym and an indoor, air-conditioned hangout spot ideal for children. Families with kids can enjoy movie nights at the Coral Room or simply wind down while reading a book. Though not quite as polished as some luxury island resorts, the casual, intimate atmosphere is what makes it lovable. The boat ride is a mere 25 minutes.

A Spanish arcade makes a pleasant passageway between the rooms and courtyard of this waterfront hotel on the busy southern side of town. Among SunBreeze's virtues are that it's trusty, tasteful, and well-managed, having been successful since opening in 1980. Some remodeled rooms have upscale touches like whirlpool baths and mahogany moldings; most are simply unfussy and fresh in cream and burnt-sienna tones. Some units are equipped for guests with disabilities, a rarity in Belize. Just oceanside of the pool is the noteworthy Blue Water Grill. You can have a coconut-honey scrub (or ear candling) at the spa or get underwater with Ambergris Divers. Also under the same ownership is SunBreeze Suites at the north end of town. Both are part of the Roe Group, a prominent Belize City company that also operates the Biltmore Plaza in Belize City and Hidden Valley Wilderness Lodge in the Mountain Pine Ridge.

Sister property to the extravagant Grand Caribe, Sunset Caribe is a stunning resort facing the leeward side of Ambergris Caye. Its most recent building is home to a top-notch café as well as a gorgeous lobby facing two unusually expansive pools. While you won't be in front of the sea (which can be a hidden blessing during sargassum season), the striking sunset views will take the sting out of it. Each bedroom comes with its own balcony that allows you to admire the bay, and if you need some fresh air, the rooftop terrace on the seventh floor allows you to gaze all the way to Secret Beach. Guests can cross the street to Grand Caribe to dine at Rain or Aqua, but if you'd prefer to cook in your kitchenette that comes with every room, Sunset offers grocery delivery from their Beach Basket store as well. 

High above a bend in the Macal River is this remarkable, relaxing lodge whose grounds are right next door to the 45-acre Belize Botanic Gardens. From a vantage point 30 feet above the forest floor on the covered deck and canopied walkway, you'll see iguanas sunning in the trees. You can swim and dive off the rocks from the sandy river beach below. The food is excellent, and there's always a vegetarian option. The lodge also offers horseback riding and a full range of tours.

Kick back in a hammock and listen to the river trickle by and the birds chirp on your private veranda in these eco-friendly jungle cabanas. Set on a 100-acre rain-forest reserve, with farm-to-table dining and lovely pool area, Table Rock is a friendly and serene choice for lodging in the jungle. Technically in the tiny village of Cristo Rey, it's about 5 miles south of San Ignacio town.

Relax beside a meandering jungle river, listen to otters splash, and admire colorful tropical birds and butterflies at this small lodge on 30 placid acres beside the Rio Grande. This is a birder's paradise: 350 species have been recorded within 5 miles (8 km) of the lodge. There's a pool, six original thatch cabanas, and three newer hardwood cabins with a/c, with or without kitchenette. You can take meals in the main lodge for an additional fee.

If you don't demand luxury, you couldn't find a nicer budget spot in Punta Gorda than this guesthouse on a quiet residential street. With a/c, Wi-Fi, and cable TV, the rooms are immaculate, and the atmosphere's friendly and cheerful. One room has a kitchenette, and there's also a small common kitchen with refrigerator and microwave.

Thatch Caye is all about you and your private-island vacation; after a day of sea adventures return to elevated bungalows, some entirely over water, at this adventure lodge. Stylish accents like distressed wooden bed frames and sliding barn doors make the design more chic than on many islands, though it can feel too rustic for some guests. Cabanas have high, open-air widow's walks where you can watch the sunrise. You can walk the island from end to end in less than half an hour and poke around the three small natural beaches; however, shore snorkeling isn't very good. Expect to get social at meals (eaten together at a long table) and cocktail hour at the over-the-water Starfish Bar. A host of packages are available, but the basic all-inclusive package runs BZ$350 per person per day. A resort in the Muy'Ono hotel group, Thatch Caye has five sister hotels all over Belize and has a strong eco-conscience.

This small beachfront guesthouse in the heart of Hopkins Village provides a comfortable, no-frills alternative to the coast's upmarket resorts. The inn has rooms that are simple but immaculately clean and, for a lot more comfort, three small beachfront apartments and a separate private cabin. Kayaks and bikes are available for rent.

Whether it's paradise or not depends on your expectations, but if you seek a cute, gently priced cabin built partly over the water, backed by coco palms, with snorkeling and adventure right out your door, this lodge could be for you. It's a pack-your-own-beach-towel type of joint, where the light eco-footprint and solar power mean no hot showers. Tobacco Caye Paradise is run by the Belize Adventure Group; eco-conscious excursions are the hotel's specialty. A full meal plan is an additional BZ$90 per adult per day. Rates don't include transportation or Marine Reserve fees.