Pook’s Hill Lodge

Pros

Charming (if not luxurious) thatched-roof bungalows
Gorgeous jungle setting on a 300-acre reserve in the Cayo district
River tubing and bird watching on-site
Tasty international cuisine, served communal style
Warm, friendly service
Mayan ruins on the property
Free hiking guides (for on-site hikes) for guests

Cons

Hot water in rooms only during limited hours
No air-conditioning
Somewhat more rustic than other Belize jungle lodges
Expensive room rates for the quality and space of the accommodations
Hard beds

Bottom Line

Pook’s Hill Lodge isn't as evolved as other high-end Belize eco-lodges: It feels like it's about where its competitors were when they first opened some 25 years ago. It’s a perfectly fine place to stay in a wonderfully remote location; just don’t arrive expecting luxury on par with that found in other long-established properties such as Chaa Creek. There’s no pool, the 11 rooms are fairly basic and small, meals are served communal style, and hot water is only available during limited hours. It’s also hard to get to, and priced about the same as higher-end jungle lodges elsewhere in the country. Adventurous travelers looking for rusticity might like it; other travelers may want to reconsider.

See More Bottom Line

Hotel & Amenities Photos

Restaurants and Bars

Cabana

The Hotel

Amenities

Internet

See More Amenities

Scene

A collection of rustic cottages in a riverside jungle clearing overlooking a forest preserve

Pook’s Hill Lodge consists of 11 thatched-roof bungalows set on a 300-acre private nature reserve. It’s definitely one of Belize’s more remote jungle lodges, accessed from the main road via a very rough dirt road suitable only for vehicles with high clearance. It’s about five miles (and 45 minutes) from the main road to the lodge. Four-wheel-drive is highly recommended.

The caretakers greet guests upon arrival with a free Belikin beer. The front desk is really just a tiny office in a thatched-roof structure; opposite this structure is the modest main lodge (also with a thatched roof), housing a wooden bar and a fair amount of open-air lounge space. Downstairs is a small garden and the lodge’s dining room, where meals are served communal style. The main lodge fronts the Roaring River. Two Bird Cabanas lie across the river on raised platforms, and the rest of the lodge’s accommodations are built on the hill overlooking the main lodge, amid the restored Maya ruins of a small residential complex, from which the property gets its name. Travelers familiar with the Maya ruins at the Chan Chich Lodge may find the ruins at Pook’s Hill unimpressive, as there are no large ceremonial buildings to be found here.

Because of the communal nature of meals and the spaciousness of the bar area, Pook’s Hill makes a great place to travel to with a group of friends. Even if you’re traveling alone, you’ll find the communal nature of the activities conducive to meeting fellow travelers and making new friends. The on-site staff and the live-in owner are extremely helpful and accommodating, providing warm, personalized service. Therein lies the property’s charm.

See More Scene

Location

In the Cayo District, deep in a rainforest on its own 300-acre preserve, seemingly far away from anything remotely civilized

Pook’s Hill is remote, which quickly becomes evident as you make your way down the rugged dirt road leading to the lodge. The lodge is located on its own 300-acre forest reserve, bordered by the larger (6,700-acre) Tapir Mountain Forest Reserve. The nearest town is Teakettle Village, which lies on Belize’s Western Highway. Despite the remote feel of Pook’s Hill, there are in fact large areas of cleared forest just a few miles east that are under intense cultivation.

90-minute drive to Phillip S.W. Goldson International Airport (BZE)
30-minute drive to Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) cave
55-minute drive to Belmopan
1-hour drive to San Ignacio town
70-minute drive to Xunantunich Maya ruins
70-minute drive to Cahal Pech Maya ruins
70-minute drive to Guatemala border
80-minute drive to Belize Zoo
90-minute drive to Barton Creek Cave
2.5-hour drive to Rio On Pools
2.5-hour drive to Rio Frio Cave
2.5-hour drive to Hidden Valley Falls
3-hour drive to Tikal Maya ruins (Guatemala)
4-hour drive to Caracol Maya ruins

See More Location

Rooms

Rustic, whitewashed, thatched-roof bungalows overlooking jungle scenery

Rooms are done in a typical, if basic, eco-lodge style, with thatched roofs (visible from the interior), terracotta tiles, and wooden furniture. They are cooled by ceiling fans and breezes coming in from screened windows. Beds and linens aren't luxurious, but feature colorful Guatemalan bedspreads.

Bathrooms are likewise basic and somewhat small, with a tiny sink and no door serving as a partition from the bedroom. There is a walk-in tiled shower.

Ceiling fans
Walk-in showers
No in-room TV
No air-conditioning

See More Rooms

Features

No pool to beat the jungle heat, but there’s a cool river and inner tubes; plus hiking and birdwatching

Variety of on-site activities, including hiking, river tubing and bird watching
No pool
View full list of amenities

See More Features

All-Inclusive / Food

Good international cuisine served in the ground-level dining room

Main restaurant serves buffet style meals for dinner, as well as set breakfast and lunch menus, in a screened-in dining room.
Spacious and rustically charming bar in an open-sided thatched-roof building
First Belikin beer is free upon arrival

See More All-Inclusive / Food

This Hotel Also Featured In

Active

Relive Summer Camp at These Eight Outdoorsy Resorts and Properties: Abroad Edition

Summertime always gets us nostalgic, particularly when we think back to our busy days and peaceful nights spent at summer camp. Everything was just simpler then, right? Counselors chose the activities, the kitchen staff provided all the grub, and at night the soft sounds of nature — plus the fact that you were dead-tired from…