Almond Beach at Jaguar Reef Belize, Hopkins

My husband and I spent our honeymoon in May At Jaguar Reef Lodge. We had the all inclusive Romantic Getaway package. We felt like we had the whole place to ourselves since it was the off season, with plenty of empty beaches and private dining. The service was good and the staff were very helpful. The rooms were gigantic and air conditioned. The food was good, although not gourmet, but we could always find something on the menu. The adventure day trips were great- our favorite was snorkeling. The Cons- my husband got very sick our 2nd day at the resort, perhaps from the food/ travelers sickness and of course we forgot to bring immodium. Also, when we first checked in, no one went through what was and wasn't included in our package so we ended getting charged $150 more than we had budgeted. The package details were not clear enough. We had such a great week and it put a negative tone on the end of the trip. Our advice for those couples doing the package- ask exactly what's included (e.g., all that food they put in the mini-bar is all extra and they charge you for it even though you didn't ask for it and don't eat it; they tally up the day trips by price so you can only do the cheapest trips). Also one down-side to going during the off season is that there aren't enough people to do some of the trips because trips require a minimum number of folks. Overall, I would definitely recommend Jaguar Reef to other couples as a romantic getaway, but just make sure you know what's included in your package.

I have been in this resort 3 times in last 3 years and i hope to go back every year. Food is mediocre but everything else is excellent.

We just returned from Jaguar Reef Lodge and had a marvelous time! The staff, meals, accmmodations and tours were all first rate. We can hardly wait to return and plan to soon! :

At Jaquar Reef Lodge in Belize the: Food-Awesome Service and friendliness of the locals-Wonderful Accomadations-Pefectly appropriate. Grounds-Awesome views and beach Guided Tours - Wonderful! You will feel safe. The Fishing is Phenominal. Phenominal!! Huge Cudas and Leopard Groupers, Tarpon, Snook and Wahoo further out. If you take the tours, buy some gators for your boots. You will thank me. If you do not know what gators are, find out, you can find them at REI and other hiking/mountaineering retail/web outlets. Get summer ones not winter ones. Also, a light long sleeve shirt is good to have. Have you ever seen that Jesus lizard on tv that runs across water? Theres a pretty good chance you will see one here but you have to be alert. Lots of gorgeous lizards in the shrubbery here but you have to look for them. I was afraid we would run into snakes but I never saw one and I was there 10 days.

We liked the small resort feel while having access to an incredible amount of activities and tours! Service was unbelievably good! Nice rooms, great people, awesome location!

We have been to JR 4 times and will be returning again this spring. We started going there when our daughter was 4 and they were great about accommodating us/her. The staff has been great and very friendly. Each time we return they remember us and always make our stay great. The food is always good with lots of fresh fruit. All meals are served in an open air beach front patio where you can enjoy the moon rising and the wonderful off shore breezes. The guides are very friendly and knowledgeable. For full day tours box lunches are available and they are always GREAT!!!! JR moves at a slow pace which we love. If you are looking for a happening place with nightlife and multimedia this is not the place for you. If you want to slow down and enjoy the sand under your feet and not have to rush any place this is where you need to be.. We love JR and the people of Hopkins...

Our family package stay at The Jaguar Reef Lodge was incredible. We stayed in a two bedroom suite that was just the right size for our family of 4. Two of which were teens. You can see the suite on their website. Their site gives you accurate information and pictures which in our opinion were a true representation of the lodge. The servive from the staff was excellent. When we had questions or problems, they were quite attenative and proactive in making sure we had what we needed. Harold in the dining room was great, he made sure we had more selections with food since two of us are allergic to wheat. The food was excellent! The tours were very good. The guides all knew their stuff. I will say there were a couple of interesting experiences that were bothersome. Once the tours were over, we went on four tours with different guides, each guide did drive (van or boat) back to the lodge faster then what we felt was safe. Although we had a pleasant experience on the horseback riding tour, the guide from the lodge, not the guide at the horseback riding facility, had a tendency to want to rush ahead until he was asked not to. This caused the other horse to want to follow. We were on steep muddy trails with teens who had never rode before. It just didn't seem sensitive to others or safe. The lodge itself is comfortable, clean and quite nice. There are newer dwellings and the older dwellings. We were in an older dwelling, and it was in excellent shape for it's age. Each room has its own air conditioning unit. The kitchen has the basics, plus a microwave, and the living room has a newer model T.V and DVD player. We were happy they did NOT have cable. They also have a small selection of dvd's at the office. In the evenings, it was very quite and peaceful. Bugs: They are there! Bring the repellent. When we arrived they were spraying to keep the black flies and mosquitos down, and by the time we left we didn't notice them much. We would have liked to have missed the spraying. Apparently, they do not spray very often, we just happened to be there before the busy season. The cost is quite reasonable for what you get. You do pay extra for soda and alcoholic beverages, but coffee and tea are included with meals. Juice is included at breakfast. Extra days are expensive with no added tours. If you change a tour, you may need to pay extra. We definately would go back to Belize and stay at this lodge again. We highly recommend it!

My husband and I never took a honeymoon and decided to take a "big" vacation for our 4 year anniversary. We had talked with several people about Belize and decided on Jaguar Reef by reviews and the pictures we saw. Everything was far nicer than we could have ever imagined! The people were wonderful, they were so nice and very knowledgeable about their country and heritage. The food was wonderful, we always ate a big breakfast and lunch so we did not have much room for dinner. The drinks were wonderful especially the dirty bananas and pina colada (my new favorite drink) and the bartenders were wonderful and very friendly. The tours were great! We took some beautiful pictures and probably would not have gotten all the great pictures without the help of the guides pointing out things. This is a wonderful lodge and Belize is a wonderful country. We highly recommend it to everybody and can't wait to go back.

This was our first visit to Belize and for what we sought our selection of Jaguar Reef Lodge was perfect. I would recommend because of it's somewhat remote location to opt for the all-inclusive package. Since I'm a beer drinker, unlimited beer on a daily basis certainly met with my criteria. The staff was impeccable in their service and quite friendly. The food was excellent, especially the spicy salmon dish. We could not have asked for a better room -- one-bedroom with a balcony overlooking the ocean. The stars were spectacular at night while reclining on the balcony after a delicious meal at the main lodge. We enjoyed the tours immensely and the tour guides certainly knew their stuff. The Mayflower Waterfall Hike was a favorite of mine whereas we trekked through the rainforest with our guide Santos, climbed 950 feet above sea level - pulling oneself up by rope at selected locations, sweating perfusely of course, encountered 3 waterfalls - a welcomed site -- needless to say, this hike was the epitome of a vigorous hike in a rainforest. Therefore, if adventure and romance is what you seek, Jaguar Reef is the place to be.

My husband, three teenage kids and I arbitrarily chose Belize to vacation this last summer. We had one two-week period that we were all available, and we ended up traveling during what was considered the "off-season" for this country. Our expectations weren't particularly high as we booked the entire trip about 1 month prior to out departure. We stayed south of Dangriega at a magical resort called the Jaguar Reef Lodge, outside of Hopkins Village. I guess the Gods were looking out for us because as it turned out, we probably had the best two weeks of our lives. Was it the beauty of the clear blue water that made this trip so magical? The warm Caribbean breeze? The comfort and splendor of the lodge? The nearby tropical rainforests? The exotic wildlife? The complete tranquility one feels while existing in this environment? All of these were wonderful, but didn't compare to the hospitality, the friendliness, the warmth of the staff at the Jaguar Reef Lodge and local villagers. It was the people of the area that made this the vacation of a lifetime. From the lodge guides, who were so knowledgeable of the history and so considerate of the surrounding environment to the wait staff, who enjoyed discussing our various adventures, offering tips and suggestions for the following day. The villagers welcomed us into the town, and even encouraged us to return to watch their local basketball championship game, (which is an evening my family and I will never forget. We got a special glimpse of the local culture.) This trip taught my children what's truly necessary to be happy in life and it re-established my faith in people in general. I loved this country, I loved this lodge, I loved this vacation. We will definitely go back to Jaguar Reef!