Pine Ridge Lodge

Simply put, our experience at Pine Ridge Lodge was something special. From the moment of our arrival, we were made to feel like exclusive guests at this family-operated lodge. Our family of three stayed in VIP1, a beautifully decorated jungle bungalow complete with hammock, screened-in porch, a large and luxurious bathroom, and a loft—accessible by stairs—with plenty of space to spread out and feel immersed in the natural landscape — sights and sounds included. The property itself is one of only a handful that rests within the Pine Ridge Reserve. Nested atop the mountain ridge, the weather is noticeably cooler, a welcome relief from the heat and humidity of the mainland or Cayes. Well manicured gardens, a natural steam, and all the wildlife that comes with the property felt like ours to enjoy. Throughout our stay, the staff ensured that every need was met — from fresh water at night to recommendations for our 4 day itinerary. We were us with the best tour operators in the area (we were part of intimate tours of ATM Cave, Caracol and Tikal archeological reserves, and enjoyed nearby “freebies” such as Big Rock Falls and Rio Frío river), The home cooked “traditional Belizean” meals we ate at the lodge itself were the best of our 10 day stay in the country. Within the newly renovated screened in porch, one feels as though they are joining for family dinner. We enjoyed traditional Mayan breakfasts as well as Stew Chicken with Rice and Beans served family style — all made personally by the local staff. An unexpected surprise was the wood fired pizza (baked in a homemade oven and lays claim to be the best in Belize). As native New Yorkers, we can attest that it does indeed hold up. We normally live hectic lives, but the exclusive service and atmosphere here erased the stress of our daily grind and made our trip one we will remember for years to come. Thank you Neil, Marcia, Benoni, and the entire staff for sharing your special place with our family.

We recently visited Belize and decided to venture into the tropical forests and stay at the Pine Ridge Lodge and had an amazing trip which words could never adequately describe but we will try. This is a must place stay to fully experience Belize. The cottages, grounds, dining area, food, staff, fun little animals all made this one of the most amazing trips we have ever had. There are waterfalls, hikes, caves, ruins, and open air markets all very close to the lodge which truly made us feel we were fully immersed in Belize. Neil and his staff were overly accommodating and we loved our trip visiting them.

This Lodge outside San Ignacio and close to the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve is managed in a very committed way by Neil and his style also affects the staff like Marcia in the service or the drivers George and Nadir. There is a very personal touch to it, where guests are greeted by name, and where one tries to do the best for any personal wishes. The location is ideal for outdoor activities, which can get organized through the accommodation. Thus we visited Caracol on our own with a driver from the Lodge or took together with other guests a tour to Xunantunich and Cahal Pech Maya ruins. Before arrival Neil offered us for our transfer from the airport to the Lodge a stop for free at the very worthwhile Belize Zoo with local animals in very natural surroundings. Our traditionally decorated room was quite basic with no outdoor seating and no WiFi, with no bed lamps and just one socket, so we used it mainly for sleeping and a shower. But one can take a nice walk on the grounds to a small river and waterfall. It can be that sometimes traffic noice is heard from the nearby road, especially with big vehicles used for the works on the road to Caracol. A place to be is the quite big hall (with WiFi), where on one side reception is located and where breakfast and dinner is served. The food was a highlight here, a mixture of Belizean and English specialities, mostly prepared by Neil himself, who cannot deny his background. So besides Garnaches or Fry Jack for breakfast or Bollos and Tamales on Banana Leaf as starters for dinner we also had Yorkshire Pudding, Roast Beef and Mashed Potatoes. My wife and me left this place with very fond memories.

This ecolodge is beautifully maintained, with gardens, walkways, plantings large and small, and patrolled by a flock of guinia fowl. The cottages are cute, they look like they came out of a fairy tale book. My cottage was half a cottage, since I was alone. I loved it, but it had only one electrical outlet, which made charging devices tricky. the owner went out of his way to make me feel welcome. He also cooks many of the meals, which are exquisite and personally brought to you. Yorkshire pudding was part of one meal. Although I was birding and did record a couple dozen species from this property, my guide and I travel each day. The road goes directly to Caracol, although the last half of the trip is rough, with road construction actively underway. There is also a butterfly farm nearby that is worth a few hours, because it has more than butterflies! I highly recommend Pine Ridge Ecolodge!

We had a wonderful time staying at the pine ridge lodge! The location is perfect, located at the top of the mountains, so the weather was beautiful and breezier than in the jungle. The grounds are gorgeous, with lots of flowering plants and wildlife, and a beautiful creek big enough to bathe in located right outside the room that we stayed in! Neil is an extremely knowledgeable and helpful host, and recommended activities to do in the area, and also booked us a tour of the ATM cave with a fantastic guide. The meals are wonderful annd Neil accommodated dietary needs, and the staff, (especially Marcia!) is so lovely. We can’t wait to hopefully come back!

Absolutly wonderful experience. We are in Belize for the first time and Neill and his team made us feel so welcome. We extended our stay from 4 to 5 nights because we enjoyed everything so much. Our cabin was delightful and . there is plenty to do in close proximity. Neill and his Team will love to help you if you need suggestions. And don‘t get me started on the food: breakfast is delicious as was every dinner we had there. Marcia does an amazing job (and THE best fried jacks) ! Thanks for having us, you made our trip start very special!

We were at the end of a nine day magical stay in Belize and we were wondering if we should have saved Mountain Pine Ridge for another trip. We carried on as planned and boy, we were so glad we did! We had two incredible days and nights here. Neil arranged a guide for us to see the ATM caves and we did a solo trip into San Ignacio. We can’t wait to return to do all the things we wished we had had time for and when we do, we will stay at Pine Ridge Lodge again. We recommend this lodge for anyone wanting a beautiful rustic cabin nestled in the jungle, going to sleep listening to the sound of the river, walking on grounds that have been lovingly maintained , surrounded by the warmth and generosity of Neil, his family and staff, entertained by his daughter and two hilarious dogs, and being served the most delicious meals we had on our whole trip. My husband is a chef and we enjoyed delicious made to order breakfasts and dinners. (I can’t eat gluten). The coffee was also some of the best we have had! Thank you, Neil! See you next year.

Staying at the Pine Ridge Lodge was the highlight of my trip to Belize! I was traveling with my two teenage daughters, and Neil and his family made us feel right at home! Our cabana was spacious, beautifully decorated, comfortable, and exotic. The dining room / common area was warm and inviting - we always looked forward to spending time in there! Marcy and Neil made us delicious food, some of which was new to us (Belizean Stewed Chicken, Yorkshire Pudding) and some old favorites (amazing wood-fired pizza!). They always asked us what we wanted to eat the next day. Neil arranged our adventures and always checked in to make sure we were happy with each experience. I wish we'd stayed longer! Thank you Neil and family, Marcy, George, and Ben! Special shout-out to Morgan and Maggie (the two resident dogs) as well!

Pine Ridge Lodge is a spectacular property and Neil, his family, and the Lodge’s small, highly attentive staff went above and beyond to provide our family with the very best experience. My family will always cherish the time we spent there. We stayed three nights in the gorgeous VIP Family Cabana. It's the most remarkable 'hotel room' we've experienced. The unit is extremely spacious, clean, comfortable, and full of amazing Guatemalan art. Like other properties in the Belize mountains, the units don’t have air conditioning because the temperatures and humidity drop at night. We were there during one of the hottest spells, but there were plenty of fans in the rooms, while the screened windows allowed great air movement and the amazing sounds of the surrounding forest. The Lodge grounds are fantastic--there are many flowering plants, trees (mangos and cashews) and a very nice bubbling brook. The breakfasts (included) and dinners were superb. Neil and Marcia provided potential options for meals but were happy to improvise. For breakfast, Marcia’s fry jacks are the best we had in Belize and the egg and salsa tortillas were scrumptious. For dinner, a family style meal was served, including appetizer, entree, and dessert. We had fantastic foods and flavors from around the world. The Yorkshire pudding and shrimp pesto were killer. You’ll walk away from the table full but looking forward to your next gourmet meal at the Lodge! Pine Ridge Lodge is convenient to ATM cave, Caracol, cave tubing, and the Rio on Pools. Rather than rent a car and try to navigate all the sites, we had Neil provide transportation to/from the airport and coordinate the tours to all the sites we wanted to visit. This maximized the amount of Western Belize that our family got to experience, dramatically reduced the stress of travel (especially when cellular is spotty), and provided extremely insightful, well guided tours for the entire family. What made Pine Ridge Lodge truly special was spending time with Neil, his family, and Marcia. They’re extremely warm, caring, and fun and made the mornings and evenings we spent together a treasure of our family vacation.