Guest User
January 30, 2025
I thoroughly researched our Belize trip for months, and all of the rave reviews I read about Blancaneaux were exceeded by our actual experience. We could not have been happier with our two-couple, four-night stay at the Lodge in the Francis Ford Coppola Villa, everything was simply amazing. First of all, we are incredibly grateful to have had Edman as our personal attendant at our villa. The level of professional, excellent service he provided was the equal of any other luxury stay we've had worldwide, and whatever we needed or wanted, he was there to coordinate or provide. Thank you, Edman, for making our stay delightful. The rest of the staff was wonderful too, everyone happy to help, being proactive and easy going, just a joy to be around. The other element of the Lodge that was above and beyond expectations was all the delicious food experiences. Our first night we dined at the Italian restaurant, which had so many great options on the menu, it was hard to choose, and everything was fresh and yummy. (We ended up ordering salads with almost every meal because all of the fresh vegetables come directly from the extensive on-property gardens). But our evenings only got better from there, with incredible food served at the Guatemalan restaurant and the vegetarian Garden Spot (where we also added on a tour of the gardens), and finally an unbelievable private barbecue cooked and served on our villa's porch. Every dish we tasted was out of this world, and again the service and ambiance could not be beat. For tours, we started by going to the Barton Creek Cave, which was interesting, but probably only worth the long trek there if you have a rainy morning or afternoon to fill. However, the next day we went with Alex to the Maya site at Caracol and it was absolutely extraordinary and you should not miss it. Compared with many historic sites, Caracol was practically deserted and we were able to tour it and learn so much with Alex's expert guidance. On site, several of us hiked to Big Rock falls, enjoyed superb massages and relaxation in the hot pool at the spa, and savored every minute of the beautiful scenery beside the river that runs the the property. For the villa itself, the beds were wonderfully comfortable, the shared common areas delightfully decorated and perfect for lounging and conversation, the bathrooms clean and nice (although there is a large step up into the shower, so be aware if you have accessibly issues) and in all ways an amazing place to relax and spend time. If you are coming to Belize, you should definitely make time for a stay at Blancaneaux. We're already talking about when we might come back for another visit!