Black Rock Lodge — Hotel in Cayo District

If you are looking for a place to get away with amazing views and connect with nature, this is it. If you expect high end luxury, then maybe not for you. To get there is quite an adventure in itself. The first several miles on gravel roads will give you some pause. That last mile is a real doozy though. We were there in the dry season but one of the drivers showed us some pictures from the wet season where there was literally a waterfall over the road. It is well worth it though once you get there. The views are breathtaking and it is so quiet. You just hear the sounds of nature (water and birds). It was completely full when we were there but you feel like you are the only ones there except at dinner time. The cabins are tucked away and can be a bit of a trek depending on your location. We were in #12 so pretty close to the dining hall. The cabins are clean. The beds were on the firm side but comfortable. There was a daybed which was the softest and two regular beds. They had varying pillow firmness to choose from. There is no air conditioning which we had anticipated to be an issue but between the fans and cool evening breezes we never felt "hot" at night. The water pressure is not strong but it is an "eco" lodge so that was expected. It was plenty to get clean though. The hammocks were lovely. The kids used them every day and loved to watch the birds and lizards that came by. They had tiki torches lighting the paths at night which made it very tropical feel. The waterfall was visible from our deck. The staff was always very friendly and helpful. We went hiking on our own, used the pool, enjoyed the rope swing on the beach, played in the river, did the guided night hike, went on the ATM tour, had one breakfast and then ate dinner every night at the lodge. Hiking: be prepared for some decent incline. The trail is not extremely long but the incline is pretty steep. It took us about 90 minutes to reach the summit at a leisurely pace but only 30 minutes coming back down. Pool: Mostly if you want to cool off but don't want to exert too much effort or go into the river River: The water was too low while we were there to go tubing but we did play in the river. They have a nice beach area if you go towards the river and then turn left, you will come to the beach. There is a rope swing that the kids LOVED. The water is varying depths so you can stay in shallow water or go out further to swim. Guided Night Hike: I'm on the fence if this was "worth it or not". It was kind of cool but what you see really depends more on chance than anything. The hike itself is very easy. It is mostly on flat ground walking around the property. The night we went, we saw tarantulas, scorpions, frogs, armadillo, various other spiders and insects, different birds, etc. The guide was very knowledgeable about all that we came across but depends on what is out. ATM Tours: We booked through the lodge but it goes through MayaWalk Tours. We decided that it was well worth going through the lodge though so we didn't have to worry about transport to and from town (cost was only $5 more per person than booking direct). Breakfast: It was pretty standard fare but good and prices were also in line with what it would have been at a restaurant outside the lodge. Dinner: It was always very good. You need to let them know in the morning what "option" you want. It was always four course (soup, salad, entree, dessert) and there were always 3 options (pasta, meat or vegetarian). There are also kid options but we didn't do them. If you let them know ahead of dietary preferences or allergies, they will accommodate. For example, I have a gluten allergy so they always made sure that my meals were always gluten free. It was very nice to have that available as I generally just have to skip desserts and breads at restaurants. Overall, I would totally recommend this place to anyone looking for a place to connect with nature in a "glamping" fashion. It is remote and you'll feel like you have your own private retreat but with safety and...

The communication and booking process was great. The drive to the lodge was a fun experience (if you have a 4wd car), it takes about twenty minutes (7 miles) from the highway. After arriving we were given a thorough explanation of the place and two welcome juices, while our luggage was brought to our room - Riverfront Deluxe Cabin Nr. 15. The Cabin was in a good condition with a big porch overlooking the river and a small waterfall. Everything was quite spacious with high ceilings and the windows were all equipped with mosquito nets. There was a ceiling vent, but no AC. Is was clean. The porch had two chairs and two hammocks. If you use the hammocks, check the knots first: otherwise you might fall pretty harsh on your back side.... The waterfall was pretty, but also really noisy! Additionally, probably due to the location in the valley and because it is in the rainforest, everything was damp and didn't dry properly. Otherwise the location offered a unique, but remote, experience of the rainforest. If you have no car, you are dependent on the offered tours to get anywhere else. The cabins were far enough from each other and each surrounded by rainforest/garden. Therefore the walkways can be quite long and have a lot of steps. The restaurant / bar area was one, spacious room with a high ceiling and open sides. It was decorated for Christmas. The staff was always present there and very attentive. The reception was also located there. The food was, at least for our taste, not the high standard you would expect from such an expensive place. We asked in advance if they could cater for our vegan diet, and they assured us that this would be no problem for their chefs. To be fair, there was no problem, everything we were served was vegan, but: it was just a bit boring and fanciless, and there were no options to choose from. The pool was small, but very refreshing due to its natural source, somewhere located in the hills. Since the water was renewed constantly, there was no need for added chlorine! Also: the view from the pool edge over the valley and river was beautiful. If you want to hike the trail which is available from the lodge, bring shoes with a good profile - it will be really slippery, especially if it had rained! To sum up: for us, the ever present moisture and dampness spoiled our rainforest experience a little bit. Otherwise, the lodge is an upscale Hotel with very attentive staff, which was a bit too fancy...

We had a fabulous visit at the end of February, 2024. Two screened but otherwise open-air cabins near the dining veranda helped (my wife is permanently disabled, and I had just sprained both ankles on Caye Caulker just days before). Other lodgings are up to 100 steps down the canyon wall from the dining veranda.

We spent much of our time with a spectacularly good naturalist, Isaias Morataya, who accommodated our abilities but still managed to show us many, many bird species we hadn't previously seen. It turns out that Isaias is, according to eBird, the top birder in Belize! He was very considerate, arranging for a folding chair for my wife on our birding outings.

The lodge is at the very end of a six-mile long road. We had rented a 4WD car in Belize City in anticipation of difficulties on the road, but didn't really need the capability in the dry weather. I wouldn't make that assumption in rainier times. The last mile has some narrow, steep sections, so paying close attention is still warranted.

Because of the distance from the main road, we had all of our meals at the Lodge - all delicious, and dining staff Yuri and Virginia were great. On our first night, we bought a bottle of wine, and enjoyed it at dinners during the rest of our stay.

The dining veranda, under a huge thatched roof, has a terrific view of the thousand-foot-tall cliffs across the Macal River in the national park. Bird feeders, hummingbird feeders, and a big tray attracts wildlife for easy viewing. Howler monkeys in the cliffside forest provide a gentle wake-up in the morning.

The climate was warm and humid, but by late evening / early morning, sleeping was quite comfortable in the cooler nighttime temperatures.

Black Rock Lodge has laundry service. We dropped off our big bag in the morning, and received it at the end of the day.

A concierge is on duty whenever the dining veranda is staffed. We had pre-arranged our activities, so we didn't have an opportunity to interact with them.

Coffee is available from the very early morning to accommodate early outings. Filtered water is available on the dining veranda...