This new 60-acre resort 2.5 miles south of San Pedro is now the largest resort in Belize, and its glistening white colonial structures are an ode to British Honduras. Part of Hilton's Curio Collection, the 205-unit planned 'townlet' was still being erected at the time of research, but all of the biggest draws were complete.
There's the Bay Club and its sparkling pool, the Great House (a 22,000-sq-ft event center), the immaculate yoga studio, the upmarket sushi restaurant, the coffee shop, the local food stalls and the private island Beach Club, complete with overwater Bali-beds, a short boat ride away.
It's all breathtaking, and whether you opt for a single-room villa, a family cottage (with a bunk bed and pool) or a town home, rest assured that your surroundings and furnishings are made of sustainable hardwoods and locally crafted. Of course, before the resort existed, this area was a lagoon habitat for mangroves, fish and birdlife. Trade offs...