Where to stay in Belize

On the beach there is something for all budgets, whether you want a simple beach bungalow with little in the way of frills but views to die for, or a more upscale resort with shuttered windows letting in a cooling sea-breeze and sumptuous four poster beds with crisp white linen. We will always suggest hotels that suit your budget and the ages of your children.

What is a typical Belize hotel like?

One of our favourite hotels in Belize is the Lamanai Outpost Lodge, in the Orange Walk District of Belize. The hotel is located deep in the jungle on the edge of a 45km long lagoon and amidst the remains of an ancient Mayan city. This is a wonderfully evocative place to start your trip as you immediately feel like you have arrived deep in the teeming steamy forests of Central America and life at home feels a million miles away.

Accommodation is in simple palm thatched cottages and everything is included so you can choose from a range of activities all of which are escorted by wonderfully knowledgeable local guides. Night walks, dawn canoeing rides, afternoon boat rides, nature trails, visits to the (deserted) Mayan ruins are all on offer depending on what appeals.

How do high-end and mid-range hotels compare?

Any trip to Belize must include a visit to Cayo District, the highland area that is home to pristine rainforest, thundering waterfalls, remote caves and meandering rivers. Here there are a number of hotels but two of our favourites, Chaa Creek and Black Rock Lodge, illustrate the different kind of accommodation that you can consider during your trip depending on budget.

The Black Rock Lodge is a wonderful (mid-range) eco lodge, situated on the banks of the Macal River flanked by high cliffs and miles and miles of pristine rainforest. To give you an idea of just how pristine the environment is here, you can spot more than 390 different species of bird on the property alone!

Accommodation is in relatively simple mountain cabins built to take advantage of the cooling breezes and with lovely views over Black Rock Canyon. There are hammocks where you can while away the hours but if you are feeling more active there are a number of different exciting activities.

Children will love tubing down the Black Rock River right beneath the hotel but you can also take horse rides into the mountains, head to ATM cave for an exciting day wading and caving deep into the mountain, hike to a waterfall, go mountain biking, take a kayaking trip and so on. This is the perfect base for active families who are happy in simple but comfortable accommodation.

If you would like something more upscale and like to enjoy the jungle but return to a little more luxury at the end of the day then consider Chaa Creek. The motto of this wonderful lodge is to be ‘wildly civilised’ and this encapsulates it beautifully. The rooms are dotted around the immaculately maintained gardens and are all beautifully decorated with polished teak floors and local handicrafts.

The children will love the pool and will be mesmerised by the local population of howler monkeys, small lizards, butterflies and iguanas. Everything here is eco-friendly and the children will appreciate the stainless steel water-bottles that you are presented with on arrival (to avoid plastic) and which can be filled up at the many water and ice stations (and then taken with you when you leave).

Check our our Luxury Family Holidays blog for more on high-end Belize hideaways.

These are just a few examples of places to stay in Belize that past travellers have loved. All our holidays are tailor-made, so once we have found out a bit more about you and your family, we will suggest a range of properties that we think will suit you best.