11 Best Hotels in The Deep South, Belize

Just a mile (1½ km) from downtown Punta Gorda, this delightful small lodge has bright, lovely Caribbean-style cottages with zinc roofs and private verandas; it's nestled in lush jungle foliage where you'll hear howler monkeys and see a wide variety of birds. The cottages are beautifully outfitted with locally made furniture and hardwood floors. There's a small splash pool and a botanical garden and nature area. A special treat: once a week you can go with the co-owner to visit the nearby Fallen Stones butterfly farm, which he manages.

The luxury suites, impeccable service, and gorgeous spa here offer a level of indulgence not seen in this part of the country, and the lodge is committed to conservation and sustainability to boot. The lodge is set on a high hill above the Rio Grande, and you can ride a tram car to the bottom. The hilltop setting offers awesome views of the rainforest and, in the distance, the Gulf of Honduras. Howler monkeys troop by regularly. After a day exploring the rainforest, dive into the swimming pool, then dine on fish and fresh vegetables from the lodge's organic farm. Expect vaulted ceilings, tile floors, full baths, air-conditioning, and screened decks overlooking the jungle. The lodge has an agritourism component, with programs on chocolate, rum, coffee, and local foods. Copal Tree also offers fly-fishing, wedding, birding, and other all-inclusive packages.

A 1938 British colonial–era home painted coral serves as one of the most pleasant small guesthouses in the country, with breezy views of the Bay of Honduras and warm hospitality from owners and staff. The six guest rooms have tile floors, comfortable beds, air-conditioning, cable TV, and Wi-Fi. There's a swimming pool, honor bar, and complimentary bikes. A continental breakfast is included in the reasonable rates. Just in front of the inn is a historic small cemetery with the graves of ex-Confederates who moved to Toledo after the U.S. Civil War.

If you want something more private, inquire about the two-story house with two large self-catering suites. Families or groups can rent the entire house.

This jungle lodge is named after the silk cotton tree (also called the kapok or ceiba), and, fittingly, the lodge strives to provide a silky-smooth experience for guests. The lodge sits on 100 acres beside the Moho River about 15 miles (24 km) from Punta Gorda. Guests are usually brought in by boat (although you can also come by road) and stay in one of the thatch cabanas sitting among wild fig trees along the river's edge, or in a garden-view room. The property's walkways are raised; in the summer rainy season the river sometimes floods. Cotton Tree offers a fun, popular \"Jungle Survivor\" tour, a day of tips for negotiating the rainforest. The lodge is off the grid, and everything here is solar- or generator-powered. The lodge operates a small chocolate factory—and shop, of course—in downtown Punta Gorda and offers cacao tours and chocolate-making classes. Good meals are served in a huge thatch palapa. All-inclusive packages are also available. 

In a restored century-old colonial home on a 775-acre farm near Punta Gorda, this bed-and-breakfast is among the most appealing small lodgings in Belize, but it's more like visiting a friend's home in the country than a hotel. The two-story, white-wood home enjoys a gorgeous site on a low knoll, cooled by natural breezes and ceiling fans and surrounded by several acres of lawn, flowering trees, and wildflowers. You enter the grounds via a graceful winding driveway lined by royal palms, passing the remains of a rum factory. You'll feel like a houseguest of the owners, enjoying access to the home's elegant living room and lovely swimming pool. You'll sleep in one of two charming bedrooms, both with hardwood floors and 12-foot ceilings. They share a bath, making this ideal for a family or group needing a two-room suite. A full breakfast is included.

New ownership has moved this former fishing lodge far up the scale of luxury by renovating the main lodge, adding a gorgeous spa, redoing the cottages, and adding four new luxury cottages. The lodge is set on a high hill above the Rio Grande River—you can ride a tram car to the bottom. The hilltop setting offers awesome views of the jungle and, in the distance, the Gulf of Honduras. Howler monkeys troop by regularly. After a day exploring the rain forest, dive into the swimming pool, then sup on fish and fresh vegetables from the lodge's organic farm. The renovated cottages have vaulted ceilings, tile floors, new baths, air-conditioning, and screened decks overlooking the jungle. Newly added ridge suites are even more luxurious. A second swimming pool also has been added near the ridge suites. SUVs take guests on safari-like soft-adventure trips in the Laughing Falcon Reserve, a 12,000-acre private nature reserve, and elsewhere. The lodge has an agritourism component, with programs on chocolate, rum, coffee, and local foods. There are fly-fishing, wedding, birding, and other all-inclusive packages.

From the verandas on the second- or third-floor rooftop terrace of this bright pink, waterfront hotel (beya means beachfront in the Garifuna language, although it isn't much of a beach here) within moderate walking distance of downtown Punta Gorda, you have expansive views of the sea. Despite the name, the hotel has mostly rooms rather than true suites, but they're modern, with tile floors, plaster walls, cable TV, and air-conditioning.

At this pleasant small spot overlooking the water, you can settle in and do your own thing in one of the six attractive self-catering flats, with kitchens or kitchenettes, spacious bedrooms, TVs, and verandas with hammocks. Complimentary bicycle use is included in the rate, as is a continental breakfast. If you don't feel like cooking, the guesthouse is within a short walk of several of Punta Gorda's best restaurants.

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.

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.