Radisson Fort George Hotel and Marina

The Radisson is situated on the Caribbean Sea next to the Fort George Marina and its dive shop. The grounds are leafy and green, creating a pleasant enough welcome, and rooms are housed in a modern glass Club Tower and two white buildings, one with a colonial look. Guests enter a Caribbean-style lobby with ceiling fans, chartreuse-green walls, colorful tropical art, and rattan and wood furnishings with bright cushions. It's a clue to the overall style at this hotel, which isn't exactly fresh -- in fact, like many a Radisson that we've visited over the years, while this hotel has higher-category features, the decor and attention to detail make it less appealing. The overall atmosphere is very much like an American chain hotel trying to replicate Caribbean flair. The hotel's conference center draws a good share of business travelers, while the marina location near the cruise dock makes it an attractive -- and convenient -- spot for leisure travelers, both couples and families.

Radisson Fort George is at the southern tip of Belize City overlooking the Caribbean Sea next to the Fort George Marina and its dive shop. Baron Bliss Lighthouse is a two-minute walk, and the cruise dock and tourist village shops are a four-minute walk from the hotel. It's a five-minute walk to reach the Causeway Landing - Belize City bus stop, and a taxi stand is outside the hotel. The San Pedro Belize Express water taxi (service to San Pedro Town) is a seven-minute walk from the hotel. It's 10 minutes on foot to reach the Maritime Museum and the Swing Bridge, billed as the only functioning, manually operated swing bridge in the world. The Museum of Belize is also within a 10-minute walk of the hotel. St. John's Cathedral is a seven-minute drive or 20-minute walk away, and St. John's College is a 10-minute drive. The colorful Belize Sign Monument is a 12-minute drive. Philip SW Goldson International airport is about a half-hour drive from the Radisson. 

The 102 rooms at the Radisson Fort George Hotel and Marina are arranged in Colonial and Villa Wings, as well as a Club Tower. Rooms are dated and simple, with vague Caribbean touches like floral and bird prints on the walls -- otherwise, they look like they could have been lifted from an old mid-range hotel in the Midwest. Rooms feature pale yellow walls, light gray carpets, and white cotton bedding (some with maroon or green bed throws and skirts). Mid-tone wood-veneer furniture has a homey, heavy look, and includes old-school two-poster wood headboards. Rooms are spacious and get good natural light, but their age is evident in the carpeting and sometimes malfunctioning air-conditioning units, which isn't helped by the occasional musty smell. Street noise late at night and interior noise have also been reported. All rooms come with desks, coffee/tea makers, and flat-screen TVs with more than 100 channels. Wi-Fi is free, but can be spotty. Some rooms have safes and mini-fridges, and mini-fridges can be rented from the front desk for rooms that lack them. Certain rooms also have Sleep Number beds with adjustable mattresses. Rooms come with views of the pool, gardens, or sea, and most have balconies. Bathrooms are spacious and well lighted, and feature granite counters, but not all have bathtubs. 

The Radisson Fort George is packed with amenities, despite not being the most stylish hotel on the block. There are two outdoor pools, each about 15 meters (or 50 feet) long. The main pool has a poolside bar and restaurant with meals prepared at the tables on heated volcanic stones. The fitness center offers exercise bikes, a recumbent bike, treadmills, plyometric balls, weight machines, and free weights. The spa has a wide range of treatments (for a fee), including aromatherapy massages with coconut, eucalyptus, ginger, and jasmine oils. While breakfast is not included for most room rates, the buffet features eggs cooked to order, and a wide range of cold items. A "grab and run" breakfast is also available in the early morning for guests who need to leave before the buffet opens. The hotel's main restaurant serves international cuisine and local seafood, and includes a lunch buffet on certain days. The cafe serves coffee, tea, snacks, and desserts, and has an open-air patio, while the tavern offers island-style cocktails and light meals, plus daily live entertainment and a deck, with garden, pool, and sea views. Room service operates 24 hours a day. The hotel also has a full-service marina, dive shop offering snorkel and dive trips, as well as 6,000 square feet of meeting space and a business center. On-site parking and airport transfers are available for a fee, and the concierge desk can help arrange tours and diving trips. Wi-Fi is free throughout.