I moved to Belize in January 2006 and have been blogging about living life in the tropics since 2007. Throughout my time here I have had the pleasure of staying at or visiting many of the amazing locations around this beautiful country. All of my writing and reviews are done with you, my reader in mind. It is my goal to provide useful unbiased information that will help you make the best choices.
Places to Stay Country Wide
Belize although compact in size, has many diverse places to visit and stay because it is made up of islands, mountains, and jungles. The islands have beachfront resorts and hotels. There are also, mountain retreats, all inclusive jungle resorts, and eco-resorts. Amongst these are sprinkled in good family resorts as well as a few 5-star resorts.
I live on Ambergris Caye full time. This means I am most familiar with the hotels and resorts located in or around San Pedro and they will be written about and reviewed more than the mainland ones. Fortunately for you, the island is where most people come to vacation. I do go to the mainland from time to time, however, so you will find reviews on those hotels and resorts as well.
Best Areas to Visit
There are a few other islands you may be interested in such as Caye Caulker, Tobacco Caye, Turneffe Island, Glovers Reef Atoll or South Water Caye. Belize has dozens of islands, but those are the ones with hotels or resorts on them. On the mainland, the areas you are most likely to want to stay at are Placencia, San Ignacio (Cayo), Punta Gorda, Corozal, Belmopan, (the capital) Hopkins, Dangriga, and Belize City. Sometimes vacationers opt for a split vacation between the Cayes and the mainland to get the best of both worlds – the Caribbean Sea and the Jungle.
Picture courtesy of Portofino Beach Resort on Ambergris Caye
If you are just starting out your search on where to stay, the list below can act as your guide.
Since many people love lists, I have put together a top 20 list of that can act as your guide. According to Google, they are the most popular Resorts and Hotels in Belize, which simply means they are the most well known. This list covers the country and is not based on my opinion.
If you see the name of the location in blue, then there is a clickable link to a review I have written. Note in some cases I may have only visited but not stayed there overnight. The ones in black I have yet to visit.
None of the resorts or hotels listed below are paying me, but in fairness, if you do click on the hotel Pricing & Details link and book it, I may get a small commission from the OTA (online travel agent) which is greatly appreciated. If you have any comments or questions, on any of my reviews, please ask me (tacogirlbelize@gmail.com). I’m here to help.
Top 20 Searched for Belize Resorts and Hotels
1. Almond Beach Resort – Pricing & Details
2. Cayo Espanto – Pricing & Details
3. Victoria House Belize – Pricing & Details
4. Black Rock Resort Lodge – Pricing & Details
5. Mayan Princess – Pricing & Details
6. Turtle Inn Belize – Pricing & Details
7. Xanadu Resort Hotel – Pricing & Details
8. Chaa Creek – Pricing & Details
9. Portofino Beach Resort – Pricing & Details
10. Banyan Bay – Pricing & Details
11. Blancaneaux Lodge – Pricing & Details
12. Caribbean Villas – Pricing & Details
13. Matachica Beach Resort – Pricing & Details
14. Belize Ocean Club – Pricing & Details
15. Turneffe Island Resort – Pricing & Details
16. Banana Beach Resort – Pricing & Details
17. Jaguar Reef Lodge – Pricing & Details
18. Ramon’s Village – Pricing & Details
19. The Phoenix Resort Belize – Pricing & Details
20. Hamanasi Belize – Pricing & Details
Ambergris Caye – By Price
Some of you want luxury, others are on a budget or maybe you fall somewhere in between. I tend to bounce around. As much as I enjoy a day at the spa at a fancy resort, I also find myself having a great time at a beachfront hostel bar. Since we have such a wide range of available in Belize, you can take your pick. Many repeat travelers opt to stay at different places each time they come and some are branching out to the different districts as well. If you choose Ambergris Caye, another helpful place to have a look at is my Accommodations by Price page. There are three tabs marked by $, $$, and $$$ you can click on for the different price ranges.
I would also like to take this opportunity to mention, the San Pedro Belize Red Cross has worked closely with Victoria House and The Phoenix for training several of their staff in First Aid and CPR. Both resorts also have AED’s and are committed to your safety.
Picture courtesy of Almond Beach Resort and Spa in Hopkins