10 Best Resorts in Belize: Belize Resorts Guide [2024]
A Caribbean and Central American destination all at once, Belize has quickly become one of the most popular warm-weather getaway destinations for North American travelers. Drawn in by its sustainable jungle lodges alongside Mayan ruins, private islands with sandy shores, and colorful boutique hotels, there is certainly plenty to love in Belize.
Ready to dip your toes into pristine waters and sip straight from coconuts? These are the ten best resorts in Belize for the vacation of your dreams, whether untouched beaches or lush jungles are calling your name.
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Best Resorts in Belize
Once you’ve decided between an escape to the ruin-studded Belizean rainforest or a beach resort vacation along pristine beaches or on private islands, there are a few Belize resorts that stand out from the rest:
- Most Luxurious Resort in Belize: Cayo Espanto
- Best Beach Resort in Belize: Coco Plum Island Resort
- Best Jungle Resort in Belize: Gaia Riverlodge
- Best Family-Friendly Resort in Belize: The Lodge at Chaa Creek
Hands down, the most impressive resort in Belize is the private island resort Cayo Espanto, known for welcoming many a celebrity guest to its secluded, white-sand shores. It just doesn’t get any better than this world-class resort.
A more affordable but equally sunny and sandy escape can be found at Coco Plum Island Resort, our pick for the best beach resort in Belize. Much more easily accessible is the impressive Alaia Belize on Ambergris Caye and just a quick trip by flight or water taxi from the international airport in Belize City.
Belize Resorts
1. Cayo Espanto
Most Luxurious Resort in Belize
What are you dreaming of? It’s all possible at Cayo Espanto. Just seven luxurious villas dot the sands at Cayo Espanto, a world-class private island resort set among coral reefs and clear waters off the coast of Belize. Each villa comes with a personal butler to bring tropical getaway dreams to life, from customized meals prepared by the island’s renowned chef to oceanfront spa treatments and snorkeling excursions.
Though Cayo Espanto is small, it teems with activity and excitement for adventurous travelers looking to explore some of Belize’s most pristine waters. Take a private cruise on the resort’s yacht to discover hidden swimming holes and secluded beaches, or depart from the on-island helipad to take in beautiful coral reefs seen through crystal clear waters from the skies above.
Reviews and Bookings: Cayo Espanto
2. Coco Plum Island Resort
Best Beach Resort in Belize
From the pure white sands of this tiny cay, you’d never guess that Coco Plum Island Resort is just a thirty-minute cruise to the mainland. Taking visitors a world away to what can only be called a slice of paradise, this private island resort offers the ultimate in laid-back luxury.
Long lazy beach days punctuated by snorkeling excursions and poolside drinks await at Coco Plum Island Resort. Or, opt for a more adventurous getaway and enjoy world-class fishing and diving excursions. This unique destination even brings the lush jungle on the Belizean mainland close, offering excursions to Mayan ruins, hidden caves, and more as easy add-ons to your island stay.
Not only is Coco Plum Island Resort the best beach resort in Belize, but it’s also the best resort for a romantic getaway. It offers spacious overwater bungalows rising directly from the ocean; sea turtles and tropical fish below are your only neighbors. With just 18 private, suite-style cabanas scattered around the 16-acre island, you’ll enjoy a secluded getaway no matter the room you choose.
Reviews and Bookings: Coco Plum Island Resort
3. Gaia Riverlodge
Best Jungle Resort in Belize
Hidden deep in the lush Belizean jungle, Gaia Riverlodge is a gateway to a pristine corner of Belize far too few travelers discover, and a gem you won’t want to miss. Awaiting adventurous travelers are curated excursions to Mayan ruins and hidden caves, exhilarating hikes to natural swimming ponds, and visits to the stunning Five Sisters Waterfall.
Secluded cabanas and villas blend seamlessly into nature with thatched rooftops, palmetto sticks, and local, eco-friendly hardwoods, boasting sleek, contemporary interiors with all the amenities. The best feature? Stunning mountaintop views from every room, with picture-perfect angles of the jungle, river, or even the plunging waterfalls below.
Reviews and Bookings: Gaia Riverlodge
4. The Lodge at Chaa Creek
Best Family-Friendly Resort in Belize
Located in Belize’s far western jungle, at the heart of the Maya Civilization, The Lodge at Chaa Creek is regarded as one of the best eco-lodges in the world. A pioneer of adventure travel in Belize, this eco-friendly, luxurious property is the perfect gateway to this rich and diverse region of the country, where unforgettable experiences await.
The resort’s 400-acre private reserve is part of what makes it such a popular destination for families visiting Belize; kids will love exploring on trails or by innertube down the river through the jungle. Learn about the traditional medicinal plants used for centuries by the Mayas before exploring nearby ruins that soar above the jungle treetops. It’s sure to be a thrilling stay no matter how you spend it.
Choose from rooms with private jacuzzis, plunge pools, or terraces with jungle views, all comfortable and modern with unique personal touches that bring the outside in.
Reviews and Bookings: The Lodge at Chaa Creek
5. Alaia Belize
In the heart of historic San Pedro on a stretch of the stunning beaches of Ambergris Caye, Alaia Belize is a resort for travelers looking for a dreamy Caribbean escape with a local flare. Unending amenities await: from a full-service spa and wine bar to a curated collection of scuba and snorkeling excursions departing from the resort’s dock, Alaia Belize has a little something for everyone.
Its location at the heart of lively yet charming San Pedro makes it the perfect vacation destination for travelers who bristle at the thought of some of the more remote resorts in faraway cays. Choose from the resort’s six restaurants, four bars, and three swimming pools, or visit nearby local eateries and shops before retreating to the hotel’s suspended rooftop pool and lounge with ocean views.
Reviews and Bookings: Alaia Belize
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6. Turneffe Island Resort
Set among the white sand beaches and abundant reefs of the Turneffe Atoll, Turneffe Island Resort is a private island resort miles from the mainland.
Home to just 22 guest rooms and villas spread around the island, Turneffe Island Resort offers the perfect mix of seclusion and connection. Rooms have cozy, welcoming interiors, but the real highlight is the idyllic Caribbean sea view from every room. Take it in from a private porch or during a tropical spa treatment.
Turneffe Island Resort is also the perfect gateway to exploring the pristine Turneffe Atoll at the heart of the Belize Barrier Reef, with snorkeling, diving, and fishing excursions adventurous travelers will love. Or, take a once-in-a-lifetime trip to the nearby Great Blue Hole; it’s a destination you need to see firsthand to believe!
Reviews and Bookings: Turneffe Island Resort
7. Manta Island Resort
A relative newcomer among Belize resorts, Manta Island Resort has quickly become a beloved favorite, already welcoming return guests looking for more. At this private island paradise with just nine colorful cabanas, enjoy island-hopping adventures, drinks by the pool, and a sunset cruise with a romantic dinner on the sand; it’s all just day one of a stay at Manta Island Resort.
Manta Island Resort is more than thirty miles from mainland Belize, part of the sought-after Glover’s Reef Atoll in the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Home to the greatest diversity of reef types in the Caribbean, the area is a dream for snorkeling and scuba diving, and the resort’s on-site dive shop and personalized excursions make it easy to explore the ocean’s abundance.
Reviews and Bookings: Manta Island Resort
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8. Laru Beya
With hammocks strung up on every balcony, Laru Beya is a laid-back and family-friendly resort located on an enviable stretch of beach just outside of Placencia. Quiet and understated, this resort offers big travel experiences that families (or couples!) will love.
A small and intimate resort, Laru Beya offers personalized service and attention while being large enough to provide an array of accommodation options and an incredible menu of excursions and activities to keep even the most adventurous traveler busy. The resort is just a short walk or bike ride from the Garifuna village of Seine Bight, or a few miles from the buzzy beach town of Placencia with its array of restaurants, shops, and activities.
Reviews and Bookings: Laru Beya
9. Belizean Dreams
This is the beachfront resort in Hopkins that everyone has been raving about! Casual and friendly yet with all the upscale amenities you could want for a dream beach vacation, Belizean Dreams is a favorite Belize resort with frequent return guests to prove it.
Though the resort is home to just nine villas and seven rooms for personal boutique attention and service, it offers an array of rooms, suites, and private villa layouts for families and friend groups of all sizes. However, with the ocean, pool, and spa just steps from your doorstep, you might prefer to spend your days anywhere other than your room!
Another bonus? Belizean Dreams is one of four sister resorts in Belize, including Coco Plum Island Resort, Manta Island Resort, and Laru Beya. Split your vacation among any of these fantastic Belize resorts for an unforgettable trip, with booking, transportation, and payment made easy.
Reviews and Bookings: Belizean Dreams
10. Matachica Resort & Spa
Located along some of Belize’s most beautiful beaches on Ambergris Caye, Matachica Resort & Spa is a boutique beachfront resort you just won’t want to leave. Colorful casitas and villas directly on the white sand await, perfect for either lazy beach days or for making the most of the unending watersports and activities on offer.
Redesigned and renovated in 2019, casitas and villas feature a sleek, modern design with eco-friendly details while capturing the vibrance of the resort’s surroundings. Handpainted murals, unique in every room, are the centerpiece of the design and bring the vibrance of this hidden gem resort to life.
Matachicha Resort & Spa is the beachy sister destination to Gaia Riverlodge in Belize’s interior. For a perfect trip to Belize, consider staying at both unique spots for a few days to see the best of both sides of Belize. Customizable packages make it affordable and hassle-free.
Reviews and Bookings: Matachica Resort & Spa
Carley Rojas Avila is a bilingual New York-based travel writer, editor, content marketer, and the founder of the digital travel publications Explorers Away and Home to Havana. Carley is an expert on all things Latin America, the Caribbean, and Cuba, having lived and worked in four different countries in the region. Her writing has appeared on the Associated Press wires and in Travel + Leisure, Yahoo, MSN, Euronews, The Weather Channel, and more. When she's not writing about her travels, find her front row at a Bad Bunny concert, befriending street cats, and taste-testing every pizza in Havana.