5 Best Hotels in The Cayes and Atolls, Belize

This sandy hidden gem, which is shaded by a century-old breadfruit tree (mazapan in Spanish), is off the water but still an utter oasis---and hands down the island's best value. Butter-yellow wooden cabanas house the three rooms, which feature hardwood furnishings and hammock-slung verandas, as well as microwaves, purified water, and other amenities. The spacious grounds feel like a tropical secret garden. You can picnic outside or mingle with other guests at the raised palapa (bring your own Belikin). The co-owner Louise Aguilar ("Miss Louise," as she is known) is a delight to speak with and offers a trove of knowledge about her native Belize. Reserve early: this inn is almost always fully booked (despite the fact that bookings must be done over email).

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 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.

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 La Sanpedrana 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. 

Austrian-born owner Doris Creasey brings an eccentric flair and Teutonic cleanliness to this three-story colonial-style guesthouse, set back a ways from the sea. The decor mingles decades—silk flowers, a mysterious empty urn, stained glass—and the furniture can be a little firm. But if you seek a quiet retreat, this is a well-managed, affordable option. The small courtyard garden is a pleasant place to read or lounge in a hammock. Treetops is about 150 feet from the sea (though neighbors' plots are sometimes awash with smelly seagrass), within walking distance of most restaurants. A few guests rankle at the house rules and regulations enforced by the owner, who runs a tight ship: checkout is at 9 am; no outside guests; water bottle refills are BZ$1. But most find this to be a charming guesthouse.