We've completed our 2002 ratings of Belize hotels, inns, lodges, resorts,
condotels and B&Bs. Belize First rates more than 200 hotels from one to five
stars. To our knowledge, this is the only comprehensive rating of Belize
hotels anywhere.
While the ratings are based on, in nearly all cases, repeat visits or stays
at these hotels, in the end such ratings are always subjective. Your mileage
may vary.
Below is our preliminary star ratings for hotels. A version of this in Adobe
Acrobat pdf format is available for downloading (just 102K) on our Web
edition of Belize First at
www.belizefirst.com. --Lan Sluder
Editor & Publisher
Belize First
>>
HOW BELIZE HOTELS STACK UP
More than 200 Lodgings Rated from One to Five Stars
By LAN SLUDER
Copyright 2002
All rights reserved
Here are the BELIZE FIRST 2002 ratings of hotels in Belize. The ratings are
based on a one- to five-star system, with five stars being best. Ratings in
nearly all cases are based on personal inspections by BELIZE FIRST Editor and
Publisher Lan Sluder (sometimes anonymously), supplemented by reports from
guests and from other travel writers. In a few cases, where we have not
visited the property recently, we depend on the reports of other
knowledgeable visitors to Belize. However, the responsibility for these
ratings and any errors rest entirely with us. Our opinions are not
influenced by advertising, as we accept none.
Not all hotels in Belize are rated, but included here are the vast majority
of hotels of interest to visitors. We believe this is the only comprehensive
rating of Belize hotels.
Descriptions of the specifications for all star categories are below. In the
end, all such ratings are subjective, especially when comparing hotels across
categories -- i.e. jungle lodges and beach resorts. Your mileage may vary.
We welcome feedback from guests whose experience differs from ours. If you
disagree with our ratings, we especially value your comments.
Within each category, hotels are listed alphabetically. Locations shown in
most cases reference the nearest town, village or island. Hotel ratings are
updated regularly and may vary from those published in our guidebooks.
Five Stars
One of the top hotels in the Caribbean. It is professionally run and
guest-focused with an unusually striking location, architectural design
and/or facilities. It likely has superior amenities and, while expensive,
offers value for the money.
Blancaneaux Lodge, Mountain Pine Ridge
Inn at Robert's Grove, Seine Bight (Placencia)
Lodge at Chaa Creek, San Ignacio
Four Stars Plus
One of the very best hotels in Belize, with a dependably high level of
hospitality, an emphasis on service to guests and a superior location or
architectural design. It likely has amenities not available in lower-rated
hotels, such as a noteworthy restaurant or sophisticated decor.
Caye Chapel Golf Resort, Caye Chapel
Cayo Espanto, Ambergris Caye
Chan Chich Lodge, Gallon Jug
Ek 'Tun Lodge, San Ignacio
Hamanasi, Hopkins
Mata Chica, Ambergris Caye
Radisson Fort George, Belize City
Victoria House, Ambergris Caye
Villas at Banyan Bay, Ambergris Caye
Four Stars
One of the best hotels in Belize, with a dependably high level of
hospitality, an emphasis on service to guests and a superior location or
architectural design.
Banana Bank Lodge, Belmopan
Banana Beach, Ambergris Caye
duPlooy's, San Ignacio
The Great House, Belize City
Jaguar Paw, Belmopan
Jaguar Reef Lodge, Sittee Point/Hopkins
Kanantik Reef & Jungle Resort, Hopkins
Kitty's Place, Placencia
Lamanai Outpost Lodge, Indian Church
Luba Hati, Seine Bight (Plancencia)
Mopan River Resort, Benque Viejo del Carmen
The Palms, Ambergris Caye
Ramon's Village, Ambergris Caye
Rum Point Inn, Placencia
Three Stars Plus
Excellent accommodations, with above-average amenities, location,
architectural design and hospitality. It likely has some special attribute,
such as a superior location or a historical renovation.
Beaches & Dreams, Hopkins
Belizean Reef Suites, Ambergris Caye
Belizean Shores, Ambergris Caye
Belize Biltmore Plaza, Belize City
Belize Yacht Club, Ambergris Caye
Blue Tang Inn, Ambergris Caye
Captain Morgan's Retreat, Ambergris Caye
Caribbean Villas, Ambergris Caye
Caribe Island Resort, Ambergris Caye
Casablanca by the Sea, Consejo (Corozal)
Colton House, Belize City
Fountain Blue Suites, Ambergris Caye (closed)
Nautical Inn, Placencia
Playa Blanca Resort, Ambergris Caye
Portofino, Ambergris Caye
Sunset Beach, Ambergris Caye
Turneffe Island Lodge, Caye Bokel (Turneffe
Islands)
Villa Boscardi, Belize City
White Sands Cove, Ambergris Caye
Xanadu Island Resort, Ambergris Caye
Three Stars
Excellent accommodations, with above-average amenities, location,
architectural design and hospitality.
Blackbird Caye Resort, Blackbird Caye (Turneffe
Islands)
Blue Crab Resort, Seine Bight (Placencia)
Chau Hiix, Crooked Tree
Coconuts Caribbean, Ambergris Caye
Corona del Mar, Ambergris Caye
Coral Bay Villas, Ambergris Caye
Essene Way, Ambergris Caye
Exotic Caye Resort/Playador, Ambergris Caye
Fallen Stones Lodge, Punta Gorda
Five Sisters Lodge, Mountain Pine Ridge
Green Heaven, San Ignacio
Green Parrot Beach Houses, Maya Beach (Placencia)
Hidden Valley Inn, Mountain Pine Ridge
Holiday Hotel, Ambergris Caye
Ian Anderson's Caves Branch Adventure Camp,
Belmopan
Iguana Reef Inn, Caye Caulker
Journey's End, Ambergris Caye
Lighthouse Reef Resort, Northern Caye (Lighthouse
Atoll)
Lillpat Sittee River Resort, Sittee River
Mariposa, Placencia
Maruba Spa Jungle Resort, Maskall Village
Mata Rocks, Ambergris Caye
Mayaland Villas, San Ignacio
Maya Mountain Lodge, San Ignacio
Mayan Princess, Ambergris Caye
Mountain Equestrian Trails, San Ignacio
Paradise Villas, Ambergris Caye
El Pescador, Ambergris Caye
Pook's Hill Lodge, Belmopan
Princess Hotel & Casino, Belize City
Royal Mayan Resort & Spa, Benque Viejo
Royal Palm Beach Club, Ambergris Caye
San Ignacio Resort Hotel, San Ignacio
Serenity, Placencia
Seven Seas Resort, Ambergris Caye
Singing Sands, Maya Beach (Placencia)
Steve & Becky's Cute Little Hotel, Ambergris Caye
St. George's Lodge, St. George's Caye
SunBreeze Beach Hotel, Ambergris Caye
SunDiver Beach Resort, Ambergris Caye
Tides Beach Resort, Ambergris Caye
Tony's Inn, Corozal Town
Tropica Beach Resort, Ambergris Caye
Turneffe Flats Lodge, Turneffe Islands
Warrie Head Lodge, Belmopan
White Ridge Inn, Gales Point
Windy Hill, San Ignacio
Two Stars Plus
Good accommodations, comfortable, and often a very good value, plus a little
something extra.
Aguada Hotel, Santa Elena (San Ignacio)
Barnacle Bill's, Maya Beach (Placencia)
Black Rock Lodge, San Ignacio
Blue Marlin, Southwater Caye
Capricorn, Ambergris Caye
Changes in Latitudes B&B, Ambergris Caye
Chateau Caribbean, Belize City
Hok'ol K'in Guesthouse, Corozal Town
International Cozy Corners, Corozal Town
Lazy Iguana B&B, Caye Caulker
Mama Noots Backabush Resort, Mayflower
Maya Breeze Inn, Maya Beach (Placencia)
Paradise Hotel, Ambergris Caye
Pelican Beach Cottages, Southwater Caye
Pleasure Cove Lodge, Sittee Point
Sea Front Inn, Punta Gorda
Smuggler's Den, Consejo (Corozal)
Spindrift Hotel, Ambergris Caye
Treetops, Caye Caulker
Two Stars
Good accommodations, comfortable, and often a very good value.
Anchorage, Caye Caulker
Belmopan Convention Hotel, Belmopan
Bird's Eye View Lodge, Crooked Tree
Bull Frog Inn, Belmopan
Caesar's Place, San Ignacio
Cahal Pech Village, San Ignacio
Clarissa Falls, San Ignacio
Corozal Bay Inn, Corozal Town
Costa Maya Beach Cabañas, Caye Caulker
Crystal Paradise, San Ignacio
Embassy Hotel, Belize City
Harry's Cozy Cabañas, Placencia
Hideaway Sports Lodge, Ambergris Caye
Hopkins Inn, Hopkins
Hotel Del Rio, Ambergris Caye
Hummingbird Hills, Bullet Tree Falls (Cayo)
Inn at Maya Beach, Maya Beach
Inn at Xunantunich, San José Succotz
Lili's Hotel, Ambergris Caye
Log Cab-Inns, San Ignacio
Macal River Camp at Chaa Creek, San Ignacio
Manatee Inn, Placencia
Manatee Lodge, Gales Point
Nabitunich, San Ignacio
Pelican Beach Resort, Dangriga
Pine Ridge Lodge, Mountain Pine Ridge
Programme for Belize, La Milpa & Hill Bank Lodges, Orange Walk District
Ranguana Lodge, Placencia
Rubie's (Ruby's), Ambergris Caye
Seaside Cabañas, Caye Caulker
Seaspray Hotel, Placencia
Serenade Guesthouse, Placencia
Shirley's, Caye Caulker
St. Charles Inn, Punta Gorda
St. Christopher's, Orange Walk Town
TC's by the Sea, Punta Gorda
Tobacco Caye Lodge, Tobacco Caye
Tradewinds, Placencia
Trends Beachfront, Caye Caulker
One Star Plus
Functional accommodations, clean and safe, meeting all basic travel needs,
and usually a good value, with a little something extra.
Blue Creek Lodge, Punta Gorda
Conch Shell, Ambergris Caye
Coral Beach Hotel, Ambergris Caye
Mara's Place, Caye Caulker
Martha's Guesthouse, San Ignacio
Morning Star Guesthouse, Caye Caulker
Ocean's Edge Lodge, Tobacco Caye
Reef's End Lodge, Tobacco Caye
Seaview Hotel, Caye Caulker
Secret Garden, Placencia
Tipple Tree Beya Inn, Hopkins
Tom's Hotel, Caye Caulker
Toucan Sittee, Sittee River
Trek Stop, San José Succotz (Cayo)
Westwind Hotel, Placencia
One Star
Functional accommodations, clean and safe, meeting all basic travel needs,
and usually a good value.
Bluefield Lodge, Dangriga
Caribbean Village, Corozal Town
Central Guesthouse, Corozal Town
Chaleanor Hotel, Dangriga
Chechem Ha Cottages, San Ignacio
Cunche's Villas, Placencia
Deb and Dave's Last Resort, Placencia
D-Victoria, Orange Walk Town
Gaviota, Tobacco Caye
Glover's Atoll Resort, Northeast Caye (Glover's
Atoll)
Guacamallo Jungle Camp, San Ignacio
Hotel Maya, Corozal Town
JB's, Rural Belize District
Last Resort, Copper Bank (Corozal)
Leslie's Cabins, Southwater Caye
Lydia's Guesthouse, Placencia
Martha's, Ambergris Caye
Martz Farm, San Ignacio
Marvirton Guest House, Corozal Town
Mida's Tropical Resort, San Ignacio
Nature's Way Guesthouse, Punta Gorda
Nestor's, Corozal Town
New River Park Hotel, Orange Walk Town
Nuuk Che'il Cottages, Maya Centre
Paradise Inn, Crooked Tree
Parrot's Nest, San Ignacio
Piache Hotel, San Ignacio
Rainbow Hotel, Caye Caulker
Rose's Guesthouse, San Ignacio
Sandy Beach Lodge, Hopkins
San Pedrano, Ambergris Caye
Seaside Guesthouse, Belize City
1788 Hotel, Caye Caulker
Tate's Guesthouse, Punta Gorda
Tina's Bakapacker Hostel, Caye Caulker
Trends Guest House, Belize City
Venus Hotel, San Ignacio
....
About Lan Sluder
Lan Sluder has been banging around Belize for about a dozen years. He has
visited every part of the country, inspecting hundreds of hotels and staying
in scores of them. A former newspaper editor in New Orleans, Sluder is the
founder, editor and publisher of BELIZE FIRST magazine. He has authored or
co-authored eight books, including six on Belize. His Belize books include
Adapter Kit: Belize, San Pedro Cool, Belize First Guide to Mainland Belize
and Fodor's Belize &Guatemala Guide. A member of the Society of American
Travel Writers, Sluder has contributed to many magazines and newspapers
around the world, including The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Caribbean
Travel & Life, Globe & Mail, Bangkok Post and Where to Retire.