Turtle Inn

I’ve never written a review before, but I feel obligated to warn people. My stay at Turtle Inn had severe, life altering consequences for my health. The sand flies and insects were everywhere on surfaces, in the air, impossible to avoid. I left with dozens of bites, and shortly after returning home, my health collapsed. I went from being a healthy, high achieving student to someone who could no longer attend school or continue normal life. I now live with chronic issues and daily pain that began right after this trip. I wish someone had warned me. The insect situation here was far worse than anything I expected, and the impact on my life has been devastating.

Had an incredible first stay at Turtle Inn and would highly recommend. I was a solo (female) traveler and felt safe and well taken care of during my stay. The facilities are great, with nice touches like complimentary insect repelling lotion in the room, nightly turn down service with treats, fresh flowers when you arrive. Great fresh food is offered at all of the restaurants on site, and there is a really thoughtful curation of items in the gift shop. All of the staff are friendly and attentive from organizing transport from Belize City airport through to your itinerary of activities, to pool-side and room service. It is easy to spend the day on the beach or by one of the pools, but the activities were a real highlight. I did the sunset lagoon cruise, outer reef snorkeling, on-site bird tour, and yoga. The guides are all extremely knowledgeable, friendly and take good care of you - especially on the boats/out at sea. I was lucky enough to see some incredible wildlife thanks to their efforts (yoga on the pier next to a couple of playing manatees and snorkeling with a loggerhead turtle), thanks especially to Kareem, Eric, Mark. The spa is also worth a visit, in a beautiful setting, with well trained and very friendly staff. As is the tea house in the organic garden, run by the talented Ian Flowers. The allspice and ginger iced tea is a must try. I was already planning my return trip on the way home. Can't wait to visit again.

There is something for everyone at this resort with multiple top notch dining venues, range of facilities and lots of excursions. The resort is small enough that the service is personal and friendly. I especially loved the flowers in the birdbaths which were refreshed daily outside our cottage-just one example of the many details they attend to.

The Good: Let’s start with the absolute positives. The arrival is fantastic. The staff greets you with a delicious welcome drink, efficiently breezes you through the formalities, and promptly escorts you to your cottage with a thorough and friendly orientation. The cottage itself is incredibly spacious, and to their credit, the entire property is exceptionally well-maintained. The Rustic Reality: The vibe here is heavily "barefoot chic" with a strong dash of Bali. However, "chic" occasionally gives way to just plain "rustic." The biggest shock? No AC. While that might sound romantic and eco-friendly, the reality is that the tropical humidity makes charging a laptop or iPad a daily struggle against constant moisture error messages. Add to that some torn fly screens and large architectural gaps above the doors and windows, and you quickly realize you'll never be fully mosquito-free. For the premium room rate, you expect a bit more luxury and a little less jungle survival. The Great Lounger Shortage: I hope you like staying inside your cottage, because there are no private terraces. If you actually want to sit outside, your only option is to head to one of the two pools—where you'll immediately face a serious lack of chairs for the number of guests. Thinking of retreating to the beach? Think again. The beach loungers are strictly VIP and reserved exclusively for the beachfront villas. The Breakfast Bait-and-Switch: Here is a crucial pro-tip: a Continental breakfast is included in your stay, but it’s a fiercely guarded secret. Sit down, and they will immediately shove an à la carte menu into your hands where a simple coffee is $11 and dishes start at $17. After accidentally racking up a $52 breakfast bill on my first morning, I explicitly demanded the Continental the next day. Once you actually ask for it, it is genuinely extensive and excellent. Just be prepared to advocate for yourself. The Vibe & The Missing GM: If you're looking for an authentic, laid-back Caribbean atmosphere, you might be slightly disappointed. The clientele is almost exclusively from the US, which heavily dictates the overall vibe of the place. Finally, a special shoutout to the Dutch General Manager: despite currently being the only Dutch guest at the resort, I haven't seen hide nor hair of the man. A simple "hallo" would have been a nice touch of hospitality, but he remains a complete phantom. The Verdict: Turtle Inn is a beautiful, deeply relaxing property with wonderful staff, but bring deep pockets, plenty of mosquito repellent, and sharp elbows to secure a pool chair.

This was our third trip to Turtle Inn. Once again the staff there made our stay an amazing experience. This trip we stayed in a beach front cabana. Waking up to the sound of waves and a beautiful sunrise was an experience my wife and I will cherish forever. This trip we made a few excursions. First we spent a half day reef fishing. Our guide Rico was both friendly and knowledgeable. He made sure that we both caught a variety of fish and was very patient with two first time reef fishers. After we returned to the resort (spotting a Morelets crocodile near the pier) He cleaned up a red snapper for us which chef Mauro grilled to perfection. The next adventure was going birding in thr Cockscomb wildlife sanctuary. Our guide Mark was very knowledgeable in all aspects of the trip relating to us the history of the area and pointing out many varieties of birds and plants as well as explaining the interactions of all aspects of the surrounding environment. Every time we return to Turtle Inn our experience keeps getting better and better. We have come to consider many of the staff to be our family away from home. Everyone is so kind and friendly. They certainly go above and beyond to meet your every desire. I would absolutely recommend Turtle Inn to anyone visiting Belize. We hope to return again and again. It is our go to place in Placencia.