Turtle Inn

Not only was the scenery beautiful, but the atmosphere the staff and team members maintained was the most impeccable and welcoming I have ever experienced anywhere! We felt like everyone knew us and cared about us. Everyone checked in on us and stopped us anytime to make our days feel special. Staff members literally stopped what they were doing to help us and give us tours (shout out to Marvin and Sergio). Our excursions and food incorporated local people and local culture (shout out to Eric/Rico's sunset cruise). The wine tasting was both educational and fun (shout out to Oscar). And all team members made the dining and sleeping arrangements top not h (shout out Meredith, Anthony, Jonathan). This is a full service place that allows you to be either relaxed and loose or busy and captivated. Also, the spa, omg Sindy and Jum were so thorough that everyone in our group went back several times. Also, thank you to every staff member who I did not personally name but you did personally move me to come back next year! Martin - you got a great crew! Also, check out the producer on site making great songs inspired by this gem.

So if u want white sands and turquoise water this is not your place If you want a beachfront air conditioned cabana this is not your place (only the back rooms have a/c and not many of them) If you want to snorkel close by this is not your place The people are very nice but it’s a hell of a long way from the main airport There are much better properties

We loved our 4 night stay at the Turtle Inn. The location is beautiful, the staff very kind and welcoming and the hotel has a lot of charm. We stayed in a garden view cabana (with AC, which was a plus) and a beach front cabana which had an amazing view on the sea and fresh breeze at night. They were both very nicely decorated and the outdoor bathroom was really a pleasurable experience. The restaurants are all very good, the grill is a great dinner experience with your feet in the sand, the pizzeria really excellent and the laughing fish bar was our must go every night for a drink. Turtle Inn really makes you feel at home with caring people around.

Turtle Inn was once top dog. Not any more. Since other hotels have sprung up it needs to keep up with the times. Lovely property with so much potential, but it’s like they are stuck in their ways and don’t feel the need to improve. There’s a narrow beach you can’t swim from - better elsewhere - someone told me it’s one of the smallest beach areas! The Caribbean Sea tempts, but the way in is dodgy.. Food is actually terribly bland and boring - we only ate there when we had to opting to eat elsewhere as much as possible as a result. One would have thought it would serve Belizean, Honduran or Caribbean cuisine, but it’s mostly Italian - and not well made either, and poor presentation. Gordon Ramsey is needed to fix the kitchen for sure. Breakfast was lack lustre.. the ham was cooked so hard you could have used it for surfing! Coffee pot was weak. Fruit juices small and no evidence of freshly made. We stayed in a stuffy Casita that had no AC but extra noisy fans that kept us up at night. We ended up sleeping with all the doors open to try and get a breeze! And this was off peak when weather is less hot; heaven help you in peak heat weather because it will be unbearable. Other modern competitors have AC - and it’s needed. TheFront of the hotel is nice, until you reach the water area which smells like a swamp. Music? If there is any, because silence seems to be golden in this place as no music was played unless you actually sat at the bar.. this could be something to do with the 1970s and 80s white American songs that were on repeat. Much as I like Steely Dan, I want music to represent the place I’m in not some east coast USA middle class suburb. The staff are lovely and do their best; kindness is there for certain- but this guest couldn’t help but feel like the staff were treading water and putting on a brave face. Because it really does feel like a retirement home. You almost feel like you have to speak in whispers. Perhaps the management or those running Coppola hideaways should talk to them and ask them for input - because it’s needed. If I were a teacher grading a school paper, I would give this place C+. It’s nice for two or three nights, but find somewhere else to go because there are plenty of options that out do Turtle Inn in every way.

My wife and I celebrated our 21st anniversary at the Turtle Inn with our decision based on nothing more than online information and reviews about it. We took the leap of faith and were rewarded! The ocean views are beautiful and at night, we had an amazing breeze that added to the serenity. We utilized Alex (concierge extraordinaire!) for everything - fishing excursions, snorkeling, river tours, reservations, electric car rental, etc... You can be as involved in the activities there or stay secluded at the Adult's only pool with easy communication to the bar. The individual cabins are awesome! Interior finishes are beautiful and we had both indoor and outdoor showers. We were fortunate to have a spectacular thunder storm at night - watching the storm over the ocean is inspiring. Our fishing guide, Elloy, was arranged through the Turtle Inn. Fly fishing for bonefish and permit at the reef was spectacular! His knowledge of the ecosystem and the stories he shared about conservation of the region and his efforts to convert commercial fisherman to fishing guides was fascinating. Not only in Belize, but he has been expanding this effort through neighboring countries as well with a focus on sustainable practices for employment and natural resources. While the accommodations were superb, what we took away from our trip were the memories of the people who made it amazing... From the top of the house (Martin) through the entire operation, they are some of the nicest and most genuine people who will remain friends. Oscar, Silvano, Johnnie, Alex, Darwin, Jimmy and Jose are just some of the people who made our trip special. Go for the relaxation and the experience and I hope you are able to leave with the friendships and memories that we were blessed to receive.