Copal Tree Lodge a Muy'Ono Resort

My wife and I spent the first half of our honeymoon at Copal Tree Lodge in June 2025. This place feels like the Holy Grail of jungle getaways in that it feels hidden in the rainforest but provides a more life-giving experiences than any other luxury establishment we've encountered in Europe or the Americas. Everything from surrounding gardens and farms to the architecture, people, and excursions teem with life, passion, and sustainability. From day one, the management staff Nestor and Karen made sure we were taken care of after a difficult start and set the tone of a personalized journey instead of just a vacation. Then we were absolutely floored by the Guides: Desmond, Martin, and Elon. Desmond was a Renaissance man and conservationist guiding us through (1) birdwatching and photography across the property, (2) the local organic rum distillery process, (3) snorkeling and spearfishing, and (4) the ecological history of all southern Belize. Martin was a true born storyteller walking us through (1) Mayan history, (2) Belizean governance, and (3) everything else you could hope to know about the country. Elon was a friend and shaman guiding us through (1) how to navigate the local trails, plants, and wildlife, (2) making us a tea from medicinal jungle plants to settle my stomach, and (3) tips from his upcoming book on medicinal jungle plants. The rest of the experience was fueled by our chief mixologist “Lucky” Ducky and the whole dining staff Rev, Mark, Ambro, and Marvin bringing warmth and personality to every meal. The food is all literally grown on-site and the rotating menu kept things interesting the whole week. Our days were spent waking up at sunrise to walk through the gardens, saying hi to the farmers, watching the birds before taking in an excursion and returning to a gorgeous private infinity pool at the top of the hill with a fruit cocktail and a cooling breeze to keep the bugs away. In summary Copal Tree Lodge is real sustainable tourism with everything from local organic farming to guided eco‑friendly tours, they’ve built a blueprint for how vacation resorts should operate at a sustainable scale staying rooted in local culture, mindful of the environment, and passionate about the people. It’s a masterclass in responsible tourism.

After our 50-day cruise in the Pacific Ocean, our experience was great. The staff was super friendly, attentive, and professional. It was truly a luxury eco lodge experience. The only thing I would recommend is having body lotion in the suites. This has been the only luxury hotel we have stayed at that doesn't provide that. The bed was excellent, comfortable, clean, and had a pleasant music ambience. Overall, we had a great time and will definitely recommend it. Be aware that it's a Jungle, so there will be many bugs. When going out, make sure to turn the outside lights off.

We stayed in the canopy suites and they are the largest square footage wise than any other resort we have stayed at. Resting in the hammock on the private balcony is a plus. So many employees that I’d like to mention but I’m bad at names. Duckie? Dustin, and tons more. We did tours provided by Copal Tree Lodge like birdwatching, sunset cruise on the river, the distillery tour and made our own chocolate. It’s definitely not overcrowded like others are and the employees are very attentive to your every needs and wants.

From start to finish probably the nicest, most friendly and accommodating staff associated with a resort I’ve ever experienced. Greeted at the lodge with a refreshing ginger drink, escorted to our room with a smile and welcomed by everyone who calls Punta Gorda home warmly. Food was fantastic (especially the papaya jam and fry bread for breakfast, anything with snook at dinner), cocktails were expertly crafted and every tour showed the passion and pride that Copal Tree staff have for the organic products they produce. Whether you decide to do coffee/chocolate/rum tours, snorkel with the chef or mixology class, you will learn something, enjoy the awe of nature and interact with friendly people from multiple cultures who work as part of the Copal Tree Lodge staff. The lodge itself also allows for guests to interact with each other and become friends over the course of the week due to its intimate layout which is quite unique. I wish I could personally thank everyone we met throughout the week but some names have escaped me - Andres, Desmond, Mike, Tim are only a few that made the week notable. Copal Tree Lodge is a special place because of the beautiful lush property but more so because of the talented and caring individuals who work there - thank you for allowing us into your family for a week.

We didn’t know what to expect in the jungle of Belize but definitely surpassed our expectations. All the staff were extremely knowledgeable (we learned so much) and everyone remembered your name, what you were doing each day, etc. we’re excited to come back!!

This stay far exceeded our expectations. The property is absolutely pristine, the suites are luxurious with beautiful views of either the river or the mountains. We took the kayaks out multiple times to paddle through the stunning peaceful river. The spa massage was surprisingly better than any massage I’ve had in the states. We chose the hot stone massage and Bernize did a phenomenal job. I am counting down the days until we can come back!