Gaia Riverlodge, an SLH Hotel — Hotel in Cayo District

The whole property is absolutely gorgeous. The natural landscape is complimented by the work that the staff does to make it beautiful. The first time you step out to look over The Five Sisters waterfall is breathtaking. The thatch roof buildings with nothing but screens between you and nature are comfortable and well-appointed. We were here in mid October and in the day it is hot. The day we stayed here on the property, we just went down to the river beach and swam and laid out in the hammocks they have hung in the shade. By night time, when it’s time to get some sleep, it’s quite comfortable with just a fan or 2 blowing on you. The property runs on a private hydroelectric generator or a gas generator, so power is limited. That’s why there is no AC as of now.

The food in The 5 Sisters restaurant is second-to-none. Eat the local recipes. Seriously. The Mayan breakfast with chaya grown on the property is so tasty. The cocktail menu features Belizian rums, which I had previously heard were “unremarkable”, which made me curious. They are, in fact, remarkable. The 5 Barrel is a great sipper. The Caribbean Gold is a treat with Coke or in a tropical cocktail. The Pepita Mai Tai was far and away my favorite item on the menu and I got a little obsessed with the Nance liqueur after tasting it.

The service here is ridiculously good. It’s a spoiling I’ve never experienced before. This place is nothing like a hotel. In no time at all, the whole staff knows your name. You will learn theirs because you want to. Rick picked us up at the airport in Belize City and had a sign with my name on it. (Maybe I’m basic but that was pretty fun) He greeted us with a big smile, took us to the vehicle, loaded our luggage and gave us each an ice-cold bottle of filtered water for the ride. Along the way he told us about the places we were passing through, making it feel like it took no time at all.

When we arrived, Nigel was at the desk with a glass of Mayan Punch for each of us and a jigger of rum on the side so we could choose whether we wanted alcohol or not (we did). He told us we could just put our little bags on the couch and go enjoy some lunch and we could deal with check-in and paperwork later. Once lunch was done, we went over our itinerary, made any necessary (or just last minute want) adjustments, and went to our room.

Freddy, Javier, and Lucey were wonderful at the restaurant every day and night. On our excursion days, they packed lunch for us and whatever drinks we wanted. When we went to the beach they gave us a cooler with the drinks we wanted so we could stay down there all day, then delivered lunch to us there when we were ready.

Hector, Kobi, and Nigel were accommodating with everything we wanted. While we were here, San Antonio was having their first ever Peanut Fest and we wanted to see it, so Calbert took us (it is his home town) and we felt like celebrities at every booth - learning so much about the people and their work.

When we sat at the bar, Azel was hospitable and conversational, even teaching us a few Mayan words when we asked. He’s also a hell of a bartender!

A truly unexpected highlight was a magic show from Chris, the night security guard. Freddy told us that the security guy likes to do some magic and we half nodded OK as we decided to say yes to as much as we could while on this trip. WOW! He is REALLY GOOD at close-up card magic. He’s super humble and fun and even let us keep a souvenir card from the show.

There is no question that we...

My husband and I started our honeymoon here at Gaia — the best decision we could've made. Planning our visit with them was a breeze (SO many excursions to choose from, and Geo helped narrow it down for us). The moment you step onto the property, you know you'll be well cared for. We spent 4 days there and while that did feel like plenty, we were sad to leave the gorgeous views, endless activities, amazing staff and unreal food. Truly a 5/5 experience! THE PROPERTY: Absolutely gorgeous; photos can't do it justice. Our first few days were a bit chilly and overcast and it was STILL stunning. Definitely has the lodge feeling, where it's very easy to get around (it's not a huge property) but there's always a nice spot to chill out or explore. The waterfall is very easy to get down to and well worth the trek at least 1x a day. Worth noting they also have nice bathroom facilities at the bottom by the falls! An unexpected comfort. THE ROOMS: So comfortable. More so than we expected, even. The bed and pillow feel luxurious. Shower is quite large. Everything felt really clean, really comfortable. We were shocked that the bug situation wasn't worse; we barely noticed the bugs at all while there (we were there in Feb. for reference). The room is well equipped with towels, bug spray, shower needs, robes, etc. THE SERVICE: Truly impeccable. Every single person there makes an effort to learn your name and preferences. They're helpful and kind at every turn, making it easy to feel at home immediately. We have to give a shoutout to Rick and Greg for easy transport; Calbert for taking us on multiple excursions; Lucy and Freddy for amazing dining service; Azel for the best cocktails we've ever had; Sam for cultivating an incredible garden that makes for incredible meals; Nigel, Hector and Kobi for their attentiveness and helpfulness; and any others we missed! The staff works really hard to make this such a special place. They're an incredible bunch. THE FOOD: You will eat here for nearly every meal (except for day-long excursions), and you'll be grateful to! The continental breakfast is delicious and filling, and the lunch and dinner menus have phenomenal variety (even for vegetarians). Some of the best meals we've had in our lives were here at Gaia. The organic garden on-site makes for the best fresh fruits and veggies in every meal/drink. EXCURSIONS: Do not miss the chance to take full advantage of anything that interests you. The guides are incredible, and will ensure you make the most of your day with them! All in all, we cannot recommend Gaia more highly to anyone looking for a bit of adventure in their Belize experience. They provide so many unexpected comforts in the middle of the forest, ensuring you can feel well rested and cared for while also getting out and experiencing all the mountains, rivers and forest have to offer. If you're the type to balance your R&R with some action, the incredible staff and property at Gaia should be...

This place is stunningly beautiful! Love the easy access to the waterfall and love the attention to detail by the staff. I’ve travelled to many places and loved them but the Gaia staff truly gives you the care and attention.

When we first arrived to Belize airport, we were met by Darrel and he is so knowledgeable in all things Belize, Gaia, and the culture. While the drive to Gaia was a little long, we stopped at a local convenience store where he introduced to us, plantain chips with ketchup. That was an interesting combo but surprisingly good.

To mention the roads to Gaia, all were paved except for maybe the last 10 minutes. During COVID, I believe the roads were paved and so there are no pot holes and crazy gravel other than the last few minutes of the drive.

Once we arrived to Gaia, we were met by Kobi and we complimentary fruit juice mixed with rum (super yummy!). Normally, when met by staff at other hotels, you’re rushed to check in and get to your room. At Gaia, we were given time to eat lunch and see the overlook of the Five Sisters waterfall before checking in. Once we were checked in, we were led to our rooms and the landscape is well kept and gorgeous. Luckily where we stayed, wifi reached our room. Originally, I did not think we had wifi in our rooms but maybe they all reach the rooms now.

Lunch and dinner is delicious but a little pricey so be prepared for the cost. I would say all the food is freshly made and fruits and veggies are from their garden which is organically grown. We met their gardener, Sam, and wow did he blow my mind with all the gardening tricks and new plants I can grow. I would definitely recommend trying at least one cocktails at Gaia as they are uniquely made for Gaia so you most likely won’t find it anywhere else.

The rooms were packed with towels for shower, towels for the waterfall, extra soft blankets, big spray, umbrella, and of course, all the bathroom necessities. I believe all the soap, shampoo, and conditioner were locally made and smell like menthol so if you don’t like that smell, bring your own!

Overall, our experience at Gaia was great, we definitely felt safe and comfortable with such friendly staff. Oh as for excursions, we did the Mayan cultural tour and ATM cave, which I recommend the latter. If you want a jungle feel, Gaia is your place but be aware of the $ cost to meals and yours since there’s no other restaurant in the area, unless you have a car.

Shout out to Loreni, Nigel, Calvert, Lucy, Darrel, Azel, Chris (great magician), and the rest of the staff for...