Hotels

Orange Walk [1] has a combination of well-equipped, business-oriented hotels and a few old budget standards.

Under US$25

Akihito Hotel (tel. 501/302-0185 or 501/322-3018, akihitolee [at] yahoo [dot] com, www.akihitohotel.com [2]) charges US$23–25 for standard rooms, more for air-conditioning; most rooms have shared bath. Dorm beds go for US$7.50–9 per person. The hotel tax is included in all room rates. Run by the Lees, this is a good sleep for the dollar. It’s clean, with cool tiled interiors and a downstairs shop serving beverages and a few necessities, and offers just about every basic amenity the traveler needs: laundry service, credit-card phone calls, high-speed wireless Internet, and cable television. The Lees are an excellent source of information about the Orange Walk area, including which restaurants are good and which bars to avoid.

Lucia’s Guesthouse (68 San Antonio Rd., tel. 501/322-2244, US$11) is a basic traveler’s rest house; most rooms have private baths. Air-conditioning is available. Coming from Belize City, hang a left at the fire station downtown and continue a half mile.

US$25–50

Named after the patron saint of travelers, Hotel St. Christopher’s (tel. 501/302-1064 or 501/322-2420, www.stchristophershotelbze.com [3]) is an ideal setting for large groups; it has 22 colorful, traditional Spanish-feeling rooms with tiled floors and private baths for US$30 with fan, US$45 with air-conditioning. Amenities include wireless Internet, laundry service, private parking, and complimentary coffee in the lobby. A conference room, which seats 70, is available for meetings or catered meals. Located on the riverfront, the hotel has plenty of space for recreation: kayak and paddle rentals, volleyball court, picnic tables, and greenery to attract birds and other wildlife. A few of the rooms have shared balconies with a view of the river.

You’ll find great value at Hotel de la Fuente (tel. 501/322-2290, www.hoteldelafuente.com [4], US$45–65), where 22 varied rooms offer a range of amenities, including fully equipped apartments and free wireless Internet; it’s great for business travelers. All rooms are nonsmoking and have air-conditioning. By press time they should have 10 new rooms completed.

Orchid Palm Inn (22 Queen Victoria Ave., tel. 501/322-0719, fax 501/322-3947, www.orchidpalminn.com [5], US$40–60) offers similar amenities, including a nice lobby, air-conditioning, and wireless Internet. All these places are centrally located.

Lamanai Riverside Retreat (tel. 501/302-3955, lamanairiverside [at] hotmail [dot] com, US$40) is a small family-run business located on the New River. It has four basic rooms with fans (a/c is also available), cable TV, and private baths. The Pelayos can take care of all your needs with a nice open-air bar and restaurant on-site and a variety of tour offerings.