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Hotels in downtown San Ignacio are all budget-to-moderate spots. On the western edge of town, with hotels such as the San Ignacio Resort Hotel and Ka’ana, lodgings become more upscale. The lodges along the Mopan River, a river that winds into Belize from Guatemala, tend to be in the budget-to-moderate range. Most lodges on the Macal River, such as The Lodge at Chaa Creek and duPlooy’s Lodge, are upmarket, though there are some exceptions. A number of lodges, including Mystic River, Inn the Bush, Table Rock, and Mariposa have opened on the Cristo Rey Road en route to the Mountain Pine Ridge, most also with access to the Macal River.
An upmarket alternative to fancy jungle lodges is this resort in Bullet Tree Falls, on the banks of the Mopan River. The eight rooms and suites in the three-story mansion (built fairly recently but designed to look like a colonial building) have polished hardwood floors, high ceilings, lots of rich wood trim, and perhaps the coldest air-conditioning in Belize. You can dine, at relatively spendy prices, on the veranda overlooking the small pool and the river.
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 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.
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.
