58 Best Hotels in The Cayes and Atolls, Belize

Get into your yoga flow at this affordable eco-resort, where the seven main cabanas seem water forged given their river-rock floors, conch shell faucets, and alfresco showers. Water also accompanies your yoga practice: the beautiful end-of-pier studio sits right over the sea. On the lagoon side are 30 "village rooms" with shared baths, good for budget-minded travelers and those attending yoga retreats. These frill-free rooms can be hot and buggy. Don't expect a/c, a television, or hair dryers in any unit, but there is a beautiful pool. The restaurant and bar, which serves local dishes at fair prices, welcomes vegetarians and vegans. Smoothies are dense and delicious. Drop-in daily yoga classes are open to the public (usually at 9 am).

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. 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.

The island’s lagoon side is often underrated; while watching the sun dip into the lagoon from this gentle coral-and-white budget inn, you might not miss the beach hubbub at all. Mingle with the inn's mostly European crowd by the oval pool and pleasant deck. Or, bring your own beer to the rooftop sundeck, where you can view the zinc-roof streetscape from a different angle. Opened in 2018 by a couple from San Pedro and Orange Walk, Ambergris Sunset is a great choice for those who want to be close to---but not entrenched in---the thick of things. The rooms, while simple, are a restful place to lay your head. Some have two beds but none have kitchens.

A patch of coral the shape of a pancake and not much bigger, Bird Island is a self-catering, real-life private island where the solitude and starry skies are exquisite. This "Robinson Crusoe Adventure" island is ideal for those seeking a once-in-a-lifetime encounter with Belize's ancient atolls. You'll need to bring your own food and drinks; the colorful cabins are otherwise well stocked. Housing a maximum of six people, Bird Island won't be visited by anyone else during your visit, so it gets quiet. Take advantage of the complimentary kayaks, paddleboards, and other gear. Boat transfers are included.

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). 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. 

Hibiscus blooms greet you at the archway of this charming terra-cotta-capped inn, which offers affordable suites just a hop-skip from the bustle of town. Named for the brilliant surgeonfish, Blue Tang's rooms are accented with bright fabrics that recall the sea life you'll see while snorkeling. They also celebrate Belize's tropical hardwoods with features such as vaulted ceilings and sweeping arches. Even the most economical suite is equipped with a kitchenette and small living area. The continental breakfast is a nice touch, and the front desk can book all manner of trips and packages. Don't leave without relaxing on the gorgeous rooftop sundeck.

It may not be as modern as the island's newer resorts, but Caribbean Villas, with its gardens, pleasant beachfront, and fun two-story waterslide, is an affordable and low-key alternative to the glitzier developments. There's a happening pool and the Amber Beach Bar and Grill, which is great for a rum cocktail; mixed results for calamari. Choose from remodeled suites brightened with Guatemalan fabrics or the cheaper standard rooms. An artificial reef attracts fish to the end of the dock.

Casa Nova is an unexpected pocket of paradise just a stone’s throw from busy Secret Beach, but you'll feel miles away from earthly concerns at the intimate B&B. As a matter of fact, you are miles away from anything in San Pedro—about 3 miles on the bumpy, swamp-lined road, and another 3½ to San Pedro Town. Restaurants in North Ambergris, like Aji and Rain, are somewhat closer. Fortunately, Secret Beach offers plenty in the way of entertainment: karaoke, live music, swimming, paddle boarding, drinking in the water, drinking on the beach––did we mention drinking? Casa Nova's owners are a dynamic duo: architect Kevin Parel designed the beautiful wooden (and hurricane-safe) structure, while wonderful host Nova Parel will help you map out your getaway. Here’s one great way to spend the afternoon: take a kayak out and bar-hop along the shore of Secret Beach until sunset. Casa Nova is adults only, so the clientele is mostly couples. 

A practical, recently updated option with decent rates, this classic hotel hosts mainland businesspeople and foreign embassy workers. Belizean hardwood headboards and uplighting boost the rooms from superbasic to more contemporary. Rare on Caulker, the front desk is staffed 24 hours a day. The rooftop terrace boasts a great panorama of the island and horizon; now morning yoga classes are held there.

With private terraces and Belizean artworks, CayeReef is an older condotel gone boutique, right down to the handcrafted soaps. The nice two-bed, two-bath apartments are enlivened with colorful tile and on-trend furnishings. Among the more upmarket and spacious digs on the island, they make a good choice for families or two couples on vacation. A cozy swimming pool is hidden behind a tall wall, and the rooftop Jacuzzi is a great sunset venue. (Just be careful going down the rail-less stairs after cocktails.)

Islanders will tell you that Cayo Espanto, a spectacular private island off Ambergris, is where movie stars stay, and they’re not wrong. Before arrival, you’re asked to detail favorite foods, music tastes, and your daily rhythm, so that staff can craft a highly customized paradise. Then, on arrival, you're met by the uniformed crew, a welcome bottle of champagne, and astonishing vistas of crystalline seas. Architecturally, the turquoise-and-gray-tone villas blend in with the sand and sky as much as possible—during the day, the villas aren’t even walled (most have walls folded in at night). Between the architecture and details like alfresco showers and splash pools, you have intimate access to the natural stage around you. Meanwhile, a personal butler, or “houseman,” is on call to take care of every whim. The island chef creates a bespoke menu, while the day's meals are delivered to a waterside table or dock by your villa. A special experience is the private beachside dinner, lit with luminaries and a just-for-you bonfire. For all this intensely personal care, you'll pay a small (or large) fortune. The highly professional service can feel formal, which may discomfort those used to the casual interactions you'll have on Ambergris Caye.

This incredible, one-of-a-kind fishing camp, with its wooden cabins that recall an earlier time, makes room for the real star of the show: outstanding flats fishing. Abutting part of the Hol Chan Marine Reserve, "The Farm" gives a highly personal experience. The owner Jeff Spiegel (in a former life, a punk-rock record producer in California) makes a passionate comrade in fishing and great company for fireside coffee. Meals, which are brightened by the island's raised-bed crops, are prepared by a wonderful chef of local renown. All three cabanas, including the larger two-room Bote House, have en suite bathrooms (with standard plumbing), fans, and verandas––they're simple, but charming. Power is solar and the eco-footprint is gentle. Cayo Frances will arrange a fishing guide for you, but you might enjoy a DIY experience. Boat transfers are included. All told, it really doesn't get much better than Cayo Frances. 

This luxe resort gives the impression of a Mediterranean palace---or maybe a fun Las Vegas version---with its colonnades and grottos 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.

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. No restaurant, but you can pop open Belikins at the honor bar.

One of Caye Caulker's most beloved and well-run spots, this nook offers quaint blue-and-yellow cabanas and a sense of semi-seclusion. The crowd-pleasing cabanas and suites, most raised on stilts, suit a range of budgets and make a good place to unwind after a marine adventure. All have amenities like a refrigerator, covered porches, and access to a communal grill. You're never much more than spitting distance from the water, and the hotel’s private pier features a nice palapa with plenty of loungers and hammocks. Town is a 10-minute walk away, or a pleasant ride on your complimentary bicycle. Sand fleas here can be mean—apply baby oil.

Four elegant cabanas ring a glittering plunge pool at this stylish B&B just north of the bridge. In a cool palette of blue and gray, the small hardwood cabanas are beautifully textured with plush towels, polished wood, and shark-fin-smooth ceiling fans. Everything down to the shower tiles has been carefully considered. Take a decadent breakfast in your room or on the shady deck. The size of the rooms and distance from the beach might suggest a cheaper price, but it is, after all, Ambergris––plus, Daydreamin' is a welcome counterpoint to the gargantuan developments elsewhere on the island. 

Opened in 2022, El Ben Cabañas offers the exotic atmosphere that many seek in their Belizean adventure, but that most new resorts fall short of—at this wonderfully Belizean boutique resort, you can wander the verdant grounds, lounge by the mangrove-lined sea, take a kayak out, and spend the night in a thatch cabana filled with local hardwoods. Such features make El Ben feel remote, but Caye Caulker village is a short jaunt away (by free boat ride or, if you’re adventurous, by bike and ferry). Still, staying north of the Split means dining options are less immediately accessible. Fortunately, the fabulous restaurant T&T (named for the co-owner’s home of Trinidad and Tobago) is at your doorstep. It has swiftly earned acclaim for dishes like homemade pasta, T-bone steak, and crème brûlée flambéed at the table. A special feature of El Ben are the beautiful mangroves preserved during construction. 

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 yellow 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.

Grand Caribe's superluxury condos, an unmissable landmark on the North Ambergris shore, are renowned for their seamless glamour: the terra-cotta will put you in mind of a Spanish palace (or of South Florida), and indeed you'll feel like royalty. The suites (one- to five bedrooms) have Brazilian floor tiles, spacious Jacuzzis, and kitchens that will make you want to cook with every appliance. The a/c is famously cold, and sunken ceilings lend every suite a dynamic depth. Six pools and a swim-up bar provide hours of relaxation (though the bunker-like bar is an aesthetic miss). If you can live without views, the studio apartments are by far the best deal. Across the street on the lagoon side, the new Sunset Caribe development offers comfortable but less dynamic condos with sunset views. Two high-profile restaurants, Rain and Aqua, are on-site plus the small grocery Bread Basket and an impeccable spa. 

Spacious enough for the whole family, these palatial villas with artful details offer plenty of privacy and a distinctly Belizean flair. Mahogany moldings, handsome furniture, and local artworks decorate the 12 villa condos. Each has a well-equipped kitchen with quality appliances. To top it all off, the beach here is about as good as it gets on Ambergris Caye, and kids love the multitiered pool. There's easy access to a beautiful beachfront restaurant, The Deck. Note that the giant resort Alaia Belize, which neighbors Grand Colony, can feeling encroaching. 

Thoughtfully designed apartments are ideal for family retreats at this well-run "condotel" in quiet southern Ambergris Caye. The spacious two- and three-bedroom units are quite luxurious and have full kitchens and comfortable furnishings. The balconies, rooftop, and glassy pools are undoubtedly the highlights of the hotel. As there's no dining on-site––not even a shop for snacks––this is a truly self-catering location. Conveniently, a "sunset bar" serves pizza just across the street––but bear in mind that the next nearest restaurant is about a mile away, the nearest grocery store even farther, so renting a golf cart is a must. The friendly concierge and staff can help you with such details of your vacation. One thing that makes Hol Chan Reef a rarity? There's an elevator. 

Teardrop spindles and icing-like trim give this heart-of-town hotel a modest colonial style; indeed, it’s San Pedro’s first inn and a dependable place to sleep between the water and the bustle. Opened in 1965, its simple, clean rooms have sweet paintings of parrots and toucans, as well as balconies where you might spot live birds. You can lounge in a beach garden enclosed by a white picket fence. The lobby leads to breezy Caprice Bar & Grill, which offers nice seafood dishes, though many more options are within a short stroll. Holiday Hotel is nothing glamorous, but it has a historic charm and remains an excellent value on an expensive island. 

A collection of sturdy, sand-color buildings fanned by mature palms, Iguana Reef Inn is one of Caye Caulker's most upscale lodgings. Tropical-toned paintings animate the well-appointed rooms, and outside the footbridged pool is a peaceful place to cool off. Across from main buildings is the hotel's lively beach bar, which sits right on the lagoon. Its lounge chairs and small walk-in beach attract scores of tourists all day. Travelers aren't the only ones drawn here: pelicans frequent the dock; a tiny seahorse "reserve" lies below it; and southern stingrays gather in the shallows in late afternoon. Because the inn is on the island's lee (west) side, you'll enjoy sunset views from your veranda, but you won't get the Caribbean Sea vista. But you may find you prefer the lagoon side.

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.

In light seafoam or teal tones, these rooms are dependable; but the more seductive places to spend time are the swinging deck chairs, your private balcony, or the coral-pink loungers beside one of the island's nicest pools. The Magic Grill, where you can eat on swinging wooden loveseats, makes a choice spot for lunch. The liberal use of concrete gives Island Magic an unfortunately imposing presence. For Caye Caulker hotels, it's higher end; however, it's still not the fancy brand of resort one finds in San Pedro.

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.

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 and coconut tree climbing lessons. 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 Day 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 complimentary bait and rods to the pier and the chef will cook your catch.

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.