8 Hotel Bars Worth We Can’t Wait To Visit Again in Belize

by Carolee Chanona
cocktail rain restaurant hotel bar belize

For many, the world of crowded bars, power hours, and ladies nights was a thrilling one. Although since the onset of COVID, intimate settings like bars are anything but comforting. But the hotel bar, so closely interlaced with the whimsy of boundless travel, promised an escapism like no other. Perhaps it’s the people watching or enchanting sense of adventure inextricably linked to hotels—even if just for a staycation. While I’m still refraining from both traveling and socializing for the safety of both myself and others, I’m making my list (and checking it twice) once it is safe. Although if you are comfortable, these eight esteemed cocktail lairs certainly do the trick for a sensory experience in some of the best hotel bars in Belize. Pull up a bar stool in the sand (or grab an outdoor swing) to ogle the art nouveau décor and down a tangerine-hued tipple.

Danny’s Tree Bar – Matachica Resort

 

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Walking along the pier towards Matachica, one thing is clear: this resort is unlike any other in Ambergris Caye. A village of colorful casitas with thatched roofs dot the shoreline, palms sway and the tranquility is palpable. Drenched in style with a newly redesigned lounge, casitas and dining areas, enjoy features of a carefully-curated group of global artists and designers. From the award-winning Mambo restaurant and lounge, to Danny’s Tree Bar and designer infinity pool, Matachica exudes quality and authenticity at every turn. Not to mention, freshness in every cocktail. Unplug, reboot, and reset with a stop at this adults-only resort. And of course, try the Hummingbird Cocktail while there.

The Pool Bar – Itz’ana Resort

 

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As a stylish and carbon-friendly resort just 10 minutes outside of Placencia Village, Itz’ana’s Resort & Residences has tipples for even the epicurean. Even before taking a gander at the cocktail list, it is easy to lose oneself in the luminous yet rustic room, woven with indigenous textures and modern twists. The resort—who has a particular eye for detail with a tropical, colonial style—focuses on farm to table for a true culinary experience.Each cocktail is made using premium spirits, homemade syrups, purees, and elixirs, in addition to infusions made from local garden herbs and spices, hand fresh-pressed produce and exotic ingredients from around the world. Up for an bon vivant adventure? Ask Horaldo to surprise you with the tipple of the day. Or, toast to a well-deserved getaway at the Rum Room, a jewel-box-sized bar cleverly hidden behind an armoire housing one of the biggest rum collections in Central America.

Rain Restaurant & Rooftop Terrace – Grand Caribe Belize

 

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Four floors up from Grand Caribe Belize, you’ll find the hotel bar of Rain Restaurant & Rooftop Terrace. Their cocktail menu uses fresh juices and innovative house-made syrups, like the house-made ginger beer and allspice dram you find in their high-end cocktails. It can get pricey, but the ambiance is really what makes this place top notch. It’s also a bit more formal than a beach backdrop, so plan to dress up to go for sunset cocktails and people watching.

The Wallace Bar – Ka’ana Resort

 

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Laidback and casual, find a jungle-casual atmosphere with an artisanal twist at Ka’ana Resort‘s Wallace Bar. Enjoy a sundowner as you lounge fireside in the courtyard; come for a pre-dinner libation and local tapas (“pedasitos”); or stay for a nightcap to toast to the day’s adventures. Enchanted, sophisticated yet diverse, this boutique resort nestled amongst mist-covered foliage showcases the best of Western Belize’s lush interiors.

Muna Rooftop Restaurant & Bar – The Ellysian

If you want to drink at a hotel bar with a stellar view, Muna at The Ellysian in Southern Belize is hard to beat. As a beachfront boutique resort in the heart of Placencia, this rooftop location takes on its coastal atmosphere head-on with elegance. In full view of the Caribbean Sea, the lines are sleek and contemporary, which pairs perfect with the classics like a crisp Gin & Tonic. Curated cocktail selections shine beautifully alongside a fitting wine collection, including favorites like the Francis Ford Coppola Winery.

The Lobby Bar – San Ignacio Resort Hotel

Found at the only jungle in town, The Lobby Bar opens to the outdoor dining area of the onsite restaurant and features two large flat screen televisions. Nonetheless, the Bar is chic, offering a modern Baroque design themed décor. In this relaxed open-concept air conditioned setting, guests can enjoy an innovative selection of classic cocktails and Belizean mixology offered alongside a menu of light plates. With live music on some weekends, the Lobby Bar is the perfect place for an afternoon drink, early aperitif or late evening cocktails.

Starfish Bar – Thatch Caye, a Muy’Ono Resort

Not exactly a road trip away like all the other mentions, but this hotel bar in Belize is a noteworthy location all in itself at Thatch Caye. Open to daytrippers and guests alike, thirsty customers stroll on to a boardwalk hovering above the Caribbean Sea to hoist a cold one under the palapa top. The jaunt from the beach to your bar stool or hammock conveys an island time feeling that is topped only by the refreshing cocktails offered from the Starfish drink menu.

Skip White Bar – Turtle Inn

 

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Besides being a Coppola Hideaway and hosting an (expected) collection of the Francis Ford Coppola Winery, guests can actually bounce between Turtle Inn‘s three options to wet their whistle. Firstly, the Wine Cellar is actually a “wine aquarium,” which features a wall-to-wall glass-encased wine cellar; inside holds more than 1200 bottles of award-winning selections from Francis Ford Coppola’s two wineries in Sonoma County and his Inglenook estate in Napa County; that is, along with many other vintages from Chili, Argentina, Italy, France and the US. If you’re feeling more barefoot casual, then grab a brew at the thatched Laughing Fish Bar. You may even catch your bartender preparing your cocktail in a coconut, picked from the palms above. Or, connect to the charismatic original owner of Turtle Inn at the namesake Skip White Bar; antique microscopes used by Skip and his marine biology students add to the bar’s character.

Header photo by Rain Restaurant & Rooftop Terrace. Patrons may dine-in at restaurants offering open air or al fresco dining, with a reservation. However, bars and nightclubs remain closed. Learn more about Belize’s current restrictions here.

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