Hotele niedaleko Cahal Pech Archaeological Reserve, San Ignacio

We stayed in a standard cabaña and were provided with a standing fan to circulate the air conditioning, which helped tremendously compared to our first unbearably hot night. No refrigerator or microwave, so we couldn’t bring back or heat up leftovers when we dined out, and we couldn’t keep any cold drinks in our room (no ice machine either). Everything needs an upgrade in the cabaña: cracked tiles in the bathroom, leaky sinks, poor water pressure, worn-out chaise, sliding doors that didn’t lock or even latch, couldn’t watch TV because of odd placement, same with air conditioner facing the wrong way. The location of the resort is also unfortunate; it is up a hill and you will need your own car or pay for a taxi to go anywhere. Plenty of dining options at the resort, but the food was just okay. Drinks were great though! Majority of the staff looked unhappy to be there. As much as we loved San Ignacio, there are too many reasons to avoid Cahal Pech in the future. Plus, we stayed 10 nights and booked directly with the hotel… it would have been nice to get some kind of recognition or special treatment, but only two staff members noticed and who made us feel like VIP guests… thank you Lucy and Jasmine!

Our stay at Ka'ana was absolutely magical. We picked Ka'ana for a luxury jungle experience and that's exactly what we got. We stayed there for a full week. Our room was everything we pictured and more! The private backyard and plunge pool was the best part. The housekeeping staff kept our room clean daily, and always replaced our towels without us even asking. The bar and restaurant staff were extremely attentive and friendly. We ate at the restaurant for breakfast every day (except one morning at the San Ignacio market square on Saturday - at the suggestion of the staff!),lunch most days and dinner most nights. The menu had enough variety that we tried different things every day and it didn't get boring. The front desk staff was extremely knowledgeable and very responsive when we had questions or requests.We felt very taken care of all week, and we knew they would help if we needed something. We went on a few excursions through the resort and they were both incredible. Eddy took us to Xunantunich and gave us the most informative and interesting private tour of the area and ruins. Brandon took us to the Mountain Pine Forest Reserve and spent the day showing us Rio Frio caves and pools and Black Rock Falls. Both tours were professional, informative and inspiring. We also had a couples massage while on the property in the spa - and both masseuses were extremely skilled and made our experience comfortable and relaxing. Overall, every member of the staff we met was incredibly helpful, informative and respectful. They all deserve a raise! The hotel grounds were absolutely stunning, with a beautiful organic garden on site, that they use for ingredients in their restaurant - true ”farm to table!” We can't wait to go back.

We are an elderly expat couple who live in Belize full time. For my husband’s 80th birthday and our 59th anniversary we spent three nights at Mystic River Resort and we could not have chosen a better place. It is beautiful, quiet, comfortable and the nicest staff we have ever seen. We stayed in one of the Cloud 9 rooms and enjoyed the private plunge pool, what a treat to cool down right outside our room. We had coffee delivered to our door step every morning with a little surprise snack to go with it. The food is delicious and the serving sizes are huge. There are specials every night and they were never the same and their beautiful garden provides them with their vegetables and fruits that we ate every day. I had the hot stones Swedish massage and they came and did it in my room. You can have it down at the yoga spot overlooking the river but since I have mobility issues, they came to me. You can also have room service for your meals if you want but I do not recommend missing eating in that beautiful dining room overlooking the river. They helped me surprise my husband with a birthday celebration. I had contacted them for a special cake but they not only made the delicious cake, they decorated their private palapa just below the main dining room for his birthday. It was such a special birthday for him and he was so touched by all the things they did to help him celebrate. We will definitely be back. It is a wonderful place for all ages and we were treated so special.