The remote setting of Blancaneaux Lodge, opened to the public in 1993, makes this 20-room, Coppola-owned luxury resort the perfect site for unspoiled views of the jungle canopy and nearby waterfalls.
Guests have no shortage of glamourous options for accommodations. The resort has cabanas surrounded by manicured gardens, overlooking waterfalls, perched on the banks of the Privassion Creek, and teetering over the whole property offering panoramic views of the surrounding Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve. Some suites, like the Honeymoon Cabana and Luxury Cabanas, are more secluded lovers’ retreats, while others, like the Family Cabana and Two-Bedroom Villas, offer larger open floor plans for small gropus and travelers with children. For an extra special treat, the Francis Ford Coppola Villa or the Enchanted Cottage. Both have the service of a full-time attendant and feature personal touches from the Coppola art collection.
Wherever you stay on the property, you’ll have access to a slate of premium amenities and services, including two excellent on-site restaurants, a spa with expertly trained staff, and a variety of tour packages available through the concierge. But perhaps more importantly, all guests benefit from the Coppolas’ commitment to conservation.
All buildings within the resort are low-profile and environmentally sound, constructed from thatch, hardwood, pine, bamboo, and regionally produced tile. The resort’s gardens feature local and regional plants that do not require extensive irrigation, and each cabana is designed with high ceilings and screen doors to promote natural air circulation, eliminating the need for air conditioning. All bathrooms are equipped with flow control shower heads, and both the property’s freshwater infinity pool and the private plunge pools that accompany some suites are sanitized with non-chlorine-based treatments. Laundry on site is managed with only biodegradable detergents and auto-measuring machines, all toiletries are produced with organic and locally sourced ingredients, and bed linens are 100% cotton. The devotion to sustainability even extends to the reservations office, where LED light bulbs and recycled paper are the norm.
The Coppolas also support a variety of local charities, including Friends for Conservation and Development, the Belize Raptor Research Institute, the Jaguar Research Project, the Cornerstone Foundation, and a health clinic in Placencia. In addition, they provide full academic scholarships to five local students at Sacred Heart College in San Ignacio, Mopan Tech in Benque Viejo, and St. Ignatius High School in Santa Elena.
Of course, you’ve come to Belize not just to preserve its natural beauty, but to also enjoy it. Blancaneaux Lodge’s concierge can help you book a number of tours and activities to improve your stay.
Jungle hikes with expert guides will reveal ancient Mayan medicinal plants, colorful birds like the keel-billed toucan, hidden waterfalls, and hundreds of species of orchid. The on-site horse stables provide another means of exploring the area surrounding the lodge, and tours like the Sunset Horseback Ride and a ride to Big Rock Falls are well suited for any level of equestrian experience. Animal lovers will want to time their adventures carefully. Sunrise is the best time for a birding expedition, while a night tour through the jungle is your best bet at discovering the elusive jaguar.
You might also tour one of the ancient Mayan sites in the area. Caracol, the most extensive Maya site in Belize, and Xunantunich, one of the only settlements to survive the collapse of Maya civilization, are both popular half-day trips, which can be extended with visits to Rio on Pools, Cahal Pech, and the Green Hills Butterfly Farm. Some guests might also choose to cross the border into Guatemala for a full day tour of the magnificent Tikal temples, plazas, steles, and ball courts.
Caving is also a popular choice for fit tourists. Squeeze and scramble through Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) cave, one of National Geographic’s Top 10 Sacred Caves in the World, canoe through Barton Creek Cave, a burial site of the ancient Maya, or float through the immense interconnecting chambers of the Caves Branch Nohuch Che’en Reserve on a tubing tour.