8 Best Hotels in Northern Belize, Belize

Directly on the bay just south of town, Almond Tree Hotel Resort raises the bar on Corozal Town lodging. In your air-conditioned room or suite, enjoy original artwork on the walls and high-thread-count cotton sheets on the beds. The high ceilings are beamed, and floors are acid-stained concrete finished with beautiful colors. From the first-floor deck and second-floor balconies, you have views of town and also the Cerros Maya site across the bay. There's an attractive pool and a small beach area. The choicest digs are the large suite with separate living room and panoramic views of the bay. The first-floor bar and restaurant, decorated with local artwork, have limited hours and require advance notice for dinner. Children under 12 are not allowed at the hotel.

Arguably the most memorable lodge in Belize and one of the top lodges in all of Central America, Chan Chich is set in a remote, beautiful area literally on top of a Maya ruin, with 12 rustic yet comfortable cabanas—the price of a vacation here is similar to a five-star hotel in New York, yet the high cost is worth it for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Just outside your door, you're likely to encounter legions of tropical birds and wild animals, even jaguars. The late Coca-Cola, Belikin, and shrimp-farming "Belizeanaire" Sir Barry Bowen built this lodge at his large private farm. The cottages have thatched roofs, rich hardwood floors and furnishings, and wraparound verandas. The lodge sits smack-dab in the middle of a Maya archaeological site, and regardless of how you feel about that, Chan Chich has a stunning setting. Expert guides lead wildlife excursions into the thousands of acres of surrounding bush and carefully maintained trails. Howler monkeys welcome you with reverberating bass calls. A gorgeous pool is screened to keep out insects. Delicious meals are served in the dining room in the main lodge building, adjoining the bar. The deluxe cabanas have king beds and huge bathrooms with marble, granite, glass, and even bidets. Standard cabanas are similar, except with less ambitious baths. For families or larger groups, there is a two-bedroom villa with air-conditioning.

Owned by a Belizean-British couple, this small lodge has six comfy hardwood cottages, five with one bedroom and one with two bedrooms, on a gorgeous 11-acre site on the shores of the Crooked Tree Lagoon. A main lodge building houses a bar and restaurant ($$), where guests dine family style. The two-bedroom cottage is ideal for two couples or a family. Camping is available. Children under 12 eat free. Pets are welcome. Many birds can be seen on the grounds, and the lodge can arrange lagoon or land trips with top guides.

The El Gran Mestizo, now the top place to stay in the Orange Walk, is known for its riverfront location and intimate setting and has both standard and premium cabins—the premium cabins are more spacious with kitchens and riverside views—with comfortable beds and lots of native wood, air-conditioning, Wi-Fi, and cable TV, all just steps from the New River. It also has a separate hostel dorm. The on-site restaurant, Maracas Bar and Grill, has a local following serving a range of comfort foods.

This family-owned place is a step up from other hotels in central Orange Walk Town, and the low rates for the standard rooms with air-conditioning, free Wi-Fi, cable TV, and continental breakfast put it among the best values in northern Belize. Nicely furnished premium rooms have queen beds and flat-screen TVs. The hotel arranges trips to Lamanai as well as tours that include cave tubing, the Baboon Sanctuary, Belize Zoo, and Altun Ha. The owners, Orlando and Cindy de la Fuente, also own El Gran Mestizo and Maracas Bar & Grill.

Perched on a low hillside on the New River Lagoon within walking distance of the Lamanai ruins, this eco-lodge's well-designed thatch cabanas sit amid lovely gardens and have porches with lagoon views. The main lodge and restaurant is well appointed. There's a pricey, near-all-inclusive plan with all meals, transfers, and activities, such as a sunrise birding canoe ride and crocodile encounter. A room-only plan is also offered, but dining options in this remote area are very limited. The restaurant serves three-course, filling meals on a set menu, but the gracious staff will gladly accommodate any dietary restrictions. A dock extends 130 feet into the lagoon and is a good place for swimming, but keep an eye out for crocodiles. Bird-watching, croc spotting, and cultural tours, such as a Mestizo cooking class, are offered.

This upscale, eco-oriented bed-and-breakfast is hidden away off the Consejo Road north of Corozal Town, with four tastefully decorated rooms on the second floor with private balconies overlooking gardens, Belizean art, and locally made hardwood furniture. A common room downstairs has satellite TV, DVD player, a library, and Wi-Fi. The Canadian owners generate their own power, mostly with wind, and they work hard at being ecologically sensitive. Although the main B&B building is not directly on the water, Serenity has a beach on the bay a few hundred feet away and a decent-size pool. Rates are a good value for the high quality you enjoy, and delicious full breakfasts, mostly organic, are included.

A two-bedroom guesthouse is available for families or groups traveling together.