Hotel Review: Mahogany Bay Village Resort & Spa, Belize

A modern beach paradise with old world charm and the best beach club on the island.

Mahogany Bay Resort & Beach Club, a Curio Collection by Hilton is a fresh, modern take on conventional luxury resort living that stays true to its surroundings by retaining its host island’s laid-back vibe. Inspired by the rustic, traditional charm of Belize and British colonial-style architecture, it appeals to those who equally love adventure and the comforts of contemporary amenities.

With its strategic location, the resort offers guests the most exclusive beach experience on the island that serves as an intimate sanctuary and a welcoming contrast against the adventurous nature of the region.

Truly a world within itself, the property comes complete with the adjacent Mahogany Bay Village, a ‘townlet’ chock full of artisanal dining options, specialty shops, adventure travel service providers, and even its own general store. Catering to both residents and visitors alike, the well manicured gardens and canals lined with quaint white wooden villas nestled amongst the palm trees makes the community feel like its own tropical neighborhood.

The over water bungalows at the MBV private beach club

The dining terrace at Stirred

Highlights

Hop on the resort’s speedboat for a short charter to the most pristine stretch of beach in all of Ambergris Caye that boasts calm, crystal clear water and is home Mahogany Bay’s private beach club. Complete with its own beach bar and restaurant, multiple water toys, a beach volleyball court, and luxurious private cabanas suspended on stilts over the shallow water of the bay.
Mahogany Bay is an internationally branded hotel, yet was specifically designed and developed with sustainability and tradition in mind. Nearly every piece of the resort, from the floors to shutters to furniture were crafted in Belize using local materials with contribution from 240 domestic vendors.
The Great House, a charming 22,000 square foot structure open to residents, hotel guests and visitors, is the heart of the resort. Here you will find the main restaurant, and the rustically chic, outdoor cocktail bar, Stirred. Make sure to try the Caribbean-style Old Fashioned or the ‘Better Belize’ cocktail.
There are numerous dining options on the property, however, the epicenter of it all is the resort’s signature restaurant, The Verandah, located in the Great House, serving Caribbean influenced cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner, in a stunning indoor/outdoor space. Complimenting the main restaurant are a wide range of venues like JYOTO, a sushi restaurant run by award-winning sushi chef Toshiya Tsujimoto, as well as a unique collection of food stands serving everything from fish tacos and barbecue to gourmet doughnuts, even a coffee shop brewing a selection of artisanal Belizean coffee.
Mahogany Bay’s modern amenities include the Bay Club, a Miami-style salt water pool area with private cabanas and the occasional DJ, a fully equipped state of the art fitness center (one of the only on the island), a wellness center, spa and yoga studio. The abundance of luxuries in one location is something unique not only to Ambergris Caye, but to all of Belize, making the Mahogany Bay experience one to remember.

What to Know

Mahogany Bay is located on the ‘island’ of Ambergris Caye accessible by boat or air only. There is a ferry that runs every half hour from the port of Belize City, however the much more convenient option is to take the short connection flight via Tropic Air, a relaxed and reliable transportation option throughout the country.
Golf carts and bicycles are easy to rent and are the preferred modes of transportation on the island. Rentals can be made at the resort or in town.
As one of the only west-facing properties on the caye, Mahogany Bay is by far one of the best places to take in the beautiful Belizean sunset.

The Rooms

The resort offers 205 rustically modern hideaways, elevated with lofty, vaulted ceilings and grounded with native hardwoods boasting breezy open spaces with indoor and outdoor seating.
Numerous types of accommodation options are available ranging from small, cozy cottages with outdoor showers to villa-style rooms and suites offering kitchen space catering to all types of travellers regardless of the length of your stay.
Built to incorporate the surrounding nature into every aspect, room design maximizes wind flow to naturally cool rooms at night while guests fall asleep to the lullaby of rustling palm trees against the walls.
Additional special touches are the Malin + Goetz products and black face cloths intended for makeup removal found in every room.

Our cozy cottage

Local Attractions

Hol Chan Marine Reserve is one of the top snorkeling sites in all of Belize and lies just minutes from the resort by boat. Home to the Belize Barrier Reef, the second largest reef on the world, it is a rich habitat thriving with diverse marine life including tropical fish, dolphins, turtles, octopus and an area hosting harmless nurse sharks and rays, better known as Shark Ray Alley.
For the more adventurous scuba divers, the Great Blue Hole of Belize is one of only three blue holes in the world and is considered one of the meccas for global divers. Spanning nearly 1,000 feet across and 350 feet deep, visiting this natural wonder will require an entire day as it is located 2.5 hours away by boat.
San Pedro, the largest city on the island of Ambergris Caye, is an eclectic town where you can find locally made treasures, as well as an abundance of restaurants and bars. No trip would be complete without a visit.
Elvi’s Kitchen is an institution and undoubtedly the best and most talked about eatery on the island, made famous by their unparalleled Belizean fish tacos. The homemade hot sauce is also noteworthy and if you ask nicely, they will even let you take a bottle home, for a small fee.

~ Katherine x

The Belizean fish tacos at Elvi’s Kitchen…a must when in Ambergris Caye