Ian Anderson's Caves Branch Jungle Lodge — Restaurant in Cayo District

Overall: One of our all-time top favorite international destinations we have ever visited. ||The positives: Straight off, the absolute highlight was the atmosphere, staff and excellent food. We have had the lucky opportunity to stay in many locations around the world and if we're someplace for a night or more, like a hotel, lodge or resort, the staff is generally professional and polite, but both my wife and I were in agreement that we encountered something more at Ian Anderson's Caves Branch. A warmth and hospitality were extended to us as visitors as if we were welcome guests of a large Belizian family. From my initial email communications with Gabriel, who was kind and patient and answered all my questions, Rosa at the front desk, tour guides Arnold, Marvin, Emerson, Derek & Ishmael. Ivy, the master cheesemaker (yes they have a cheese house in the middle of the jungle!), and Nahlin, Samantha and Cali in the dining area--everyone we met was warm, kind, and...there's really not a better word than this--genuine. ||A bit of knowledge we picked up during our visit that isn't widely shared on their website. There was a small paragraph in the "Our Story" area of their website that read: "Over the past two decades, [Ian and his wife] have consistently promulgated their belief in a fair and just society for everyone. The Andersons have quietly worked with disadvantaged children, the poor, homeless, and senior citizens- in order to help them develop into productive and happy members of society."||Well, as we talked with and got to know some of the staff, they shared that there are several employees who have been there long enough that they have their sons or daughters working at the lodge as well. During the time of Covid, when there was a near shutdown of international tourism, Ian had to lay off a large portion of his staff, and though he could not continue to pay wages with no income coming in, every two weeks, staff members received bags of groceries and cleaning supplies for themselves and their families. It was impressive and heartening to hear these stories. ||We met Ian Anderson while we were there (and his most excellent dog Mushroom) and since it was a slower part of the year, he was hosting a group of youths at his lodge from Hope Haven in San Pedro, a home that cares for abused, neglected or orphaned children. No fanfare, no banners about this--just someone doing their part to bring some good to the world. Seeing this firsthand elevated an already excellent experience to an entirely different level. ||This atmosphere of hospitality was infectious amongst everyone we encountered on the staff--as said earlier, we felt like genuinely welcome guests staying with a large Belizian family. As for the other highlight--the food was amazing. If you choose to do the all-inclusive package, you have access to the main lodge for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Everything is prepared locally and dinner was served at 6:00pm. You dine in a large open-air veranda space where you will sit and share long tables perhaps with another family or other guests. It's a terrific way to meet and chat with other adventurous souls--sharing stories of what you had done that day, so this was a real highlight of the trip. ||If there is a smaller number of people staying at the lodge, such as happens at times in the slower season, they might have a few choices for a plated dinner, but while we were there, the full family-style buffet was served every night. There are three separate 'courses' that are served as part of the dinner. An initial course which generally featured some form of pasta station, local cut fruits such as pineapple, mango, watermelon, dragonfruit. A local Belizian soup, we had a Belizian fish Sere one night, which was incredible, and a variety of homemade breads & rolls along with a selection of gourmet cheeses from their on-site cheese house as well as a salad bar.||After the first buffet course was served, they would set up the main courses, which consisted of a variety of choices, though every night they had a Belizian fish dish as well as multiple selections of beef, pork or chicken along with sides and vegetables & this was followed by a smaller dessert course where you could choose from one of two prepared sweet selections to end the meal. The talent of the chefs working behind the scenes was astounding. Everything that was prepared was fresh and beautifully seasoned--like you would get with a great meal prepared by grandma. A+ for their work and efforts in bringing in fresh, wonderful selections each and every night. The variation of what was presented--some clearly excellently prepared local Belizian dishes as well as a few more standard selections ensures that even picky eaters will find something to their liking. ||As for activities: We have adventurous older teens, and Caves Branch Jungle Lodge was an excellent starting point for several adventures in the Cayo area of Belize. They offer a variety of guided activities--very active ones such as waterfall cave hiking, caving in the famous Actun Tunichil Muknal, a rappelling adventure drop into the Actun Loch Tunich basin--descending through the rainforest canopy, the famous 7 mile cave tubing tour. There is also the chance for horseback riding and ziplining, as well as jungle hikes and treks--even a few overnight into-the-jungle hikes for those truly wanting an adventurous experience. There are a few tours to visit Mayan ruins, one at Xunantunich & Cahal Pech, and one in bordering Guatemala--the world famous Tikal and you can do a bit of travel to the coastal areas for snorkeling and diving. All these are listed on the website for more details. A couple of the more extensive all-day tours might have a small additional fee depending what type of inclusive package you might have. ||The tour guides and drivers have safety foremost in their minds. We've been in places where we quietly grip the door armrest as a driver weaves their way through local traffic. Not here! At all times, both ourselves and our children felt like we were in good, capable hands. They do rate the ease or intensity of these tours with a representation of 1 through 5 'sweat drops', and keep in mind this is the Belizian jungle! One piece of advice would certainly be to keep aware of your groups ability and mobility in what you choose to do. There is an age minimum on a few of the tours, so if you have much younger children or older parents/grandparents in a traveling group, bear that in mind. As an example, they smartly note "mature 10 and up" if a particular caving exploration might have elements that are frightening for someone who is not mature. ||I don't think there would be much issue in the busier time of year--high season begins in November (like around Thanksgiving) and runs through the winter months, but tours sometimes require two or perhaps 4 participants to be able to run (like for the ATM cave tour needs 4). That was an issue for only one tour on one particular day that our son wanted to do. They were also very good at letting us know that due to recent weather, water levels had a chance of being too low for the cave tubing at the time of year we stayed. That ended up being OK, but if there's a singular activity that you are passionate about, realize this is not a sanitized Disney experience. You are in real jungles and caves and you want someone aware and knowledgeable about local conditions for your safety and enjoyment! ||One special shout out to the unseen folks who handle the laundry! Wonderful fresh towels are provided and clean sheets each night--not an easy thing to do in a jungle environment. Know that laundry is a fantastic service they extend to their guests. You can fill a small sailor's duffel bag (think something volume-wise like a typical carry-on suitcase you would bring on board a plane, so plenty of space for shorts, shirts/socks etc.) Drop it off in the morning at the main lodge and for only $10 your laundry comes back cleaned, dried and beautifully folded. This was a component of the stay we took advantage of twice, given the vigorous activity our children did and the warmth of the jungle environment. ||Do be prepared with the right type of footwear for what you want to do. Whether you are hiking through one of the cave adventures, you'll likely be hiking through portions of water or on the river tubing, there is a small 10-15 minute portage that takes you through a jungle path. Good footing is essential, and be aware that it'll take a bit to dry out your shoes depending on what you bring. One fantastic tip--our son took the powerful standing floor fan and balanced it horizontally on one of the tables so the fan itself was basically resting on, and blowing directly down onto our damp shoes. He is an Eagle Scout, and had learned that on one of his trips--so that was a genius move to dry shoes for a few hours in a humid jungle environment. As long as you have some separate footwear, you can easily wear flip flops around the grounds or for heading to breakfast or dinner. Just be prepared that you might have wet hiking boots to contend with depending on the activity you choose. We brought a few grocery-size plastic bags to assist in containing shoes, so something like that or even better, small plastic trash bags are also really handy to have if you do need to pack shoes that are still damp. It is of course harder to dry things naturally when it's more humid. ||The Rooms: We stayed in the Jungle Suites, which are I think bit larger than the Jungle Bungalows or Jungle Cabanas. The Suites had a slightly elevated separate area for the large bed, while the Bungalows and Cabanas are, I think, more of a common area for all beds. The jungle suite was excellent as the slightly separated elevated master area allowed for some good privacy. Given the thick jungle foliage, you really feel like you are alone with nature, even though there might be another cabana close by. The rooms were well attended each day, and comfortable for the beds. There are newer River View tree houses and Canopy View tree houses which exist a little bit higher up )and more elevated) on the property. We did not see or visit those rooms while we were there, but those are beautiful and potentially have private hot tubs from the videos available on the website. ||Good tips and information to know: All room areas are well built and thoroughly screened in, but be aware this is a jungle lodge! We stayed there in the heat of August and it is certainly warm. They have excellent fans in the room and the AC over the main bed was helpful, but keep aware that you are in an open-air (but fully screened) room. Pull those curtains around the main bed area and tuck the side curtains into the bedframe before bed, and that's helpful. The noises of the jungle we found very restful, and there was a thunderstorm one evening, which was pretty loud. You might consider packing soft earplugs if you are a sensitive sleeper. Even on the hottest of days, things did cool down in the evening when the sun descended, but it did take a while before everything really felt comfortable.||Our room had a few open tables with shelving under them for storage as well as an open closet area with several large shelves to the side. There is not a lot of closed off storage available like bureaus and such (it seems a bit more storage is available in the newer treehouses, like louvred closets). It makes sense in a jungle environment to not have a lot of closed off spaces. Just something to be aware of if you're in one of the more standard Suites, Bungalows, or Cabanas. Plenty of space in the bathroom and the indoor and ourdoor shower was fantastic. Body wash/shampoo/conditioner and facial soap were provided in the room, and the water is fine for brushing of teeth and showering. They also had a large bottled water dispenser right there in the room so you could fill up water bottles if you had them, or have 100% guaranteed fresh water for drinking needs. They were also good at having water there on the tours, or even when the van picked us up from the airport. They know that many visitors come from cooler climates. ||No one ever had their hand out 'expecting' a tip. Whenever someone offers good, personal service, we do believe that tipping is important for recognition, gratitude and graciousness when we travel. (Depends a bit on the culture of course). We did tip several of the employees who gave us great personal over and above service--drivers, tour guides as is common. But at the end of our stay, (because we had read about this already), we proactively asked for a tip form, where you can leave a general overall tip for all staff at the end of a stay. Like you might have on a cruise ship for example. They do have a few spaces on that tip form if you want to call out someone specific who gave excellent service, but our feeling was that we'd already done that to a degree with guides and such, and by leaving a nice general tip, we wanted to be sure that all those unseen people--the ones preparing meals on the back end--the ones folding the laundry, the ones cleaning the pool area or carting luggage--were all appreciated for their roles in making the experience what it was. 9/10th of an iceberg is underwater after all. That's the part you don't see and what makes all the other parts possible.||Grounds: The main pool area was clean, refreshing and well appointed. There is an upper pool area with a hot tub and a small arched foot bridge you can swim under to a cozy waterfall area, and a lower pool space overlooking the Caves Branch River. We were highly impressed how well controlled things like mosquitoes and other jungle creatures were around the pool area and main dining facility, and we were there in the middle of summer. You absolutely want to bring bug spray for tours or the earlier mornings or being out in the later evenings. But the ability to sit comfortably by the pool without being bothered by swatting mosquitoes was a welcome surprise.||The awareness of local ecology is prominent throughout, as there are a tremendous number of signs and labels informing you of the various trees and natural elements that exist throughout the property. There is a dedicated botanical garden which can also be visited, as well as a gourmet cheese house that exists right there on property. If you have any love for nature or botany, this would be an absolutely epic place to wander and observe what is around you. (The 'gumbo limbo" tree which is generally reddish in appearance with a peeling exterior bark is widely known as the 'tourist tree'. An apt name for those who visit Belize and do not use sunscreen!) ||Overall Summary: There are people who would certainly stay here just for a room and an adventure activity or two, but we would highly recommend the all inclusive packages as the ability to dine and share stories with other guests was an integral part of the spirit and experience we felt was outstanding at Caves Branch. My wife and I were chuckling at the reviews of those folks who gave a less than excellent rating for Caves Branch as it was evident that a good portion of them obviously did not pay any attention to the website before deciding to visit. ||There were people who would complain that they couldn't snap their fingers and get a pina colada at 11:00 PM at night, or that that god forbid, you might have to wait 2-3 minutes as they call you up to the buffet areas table by table--you can almost picture the image of the overly entitled tourist when you read some of these 'criticisms'. If you want to stay in a fully man-made environment where you seal yourself away from the world and take 15 steps out of a 6 story resort hotel room to a pool area and drink all day, there are a thousand places that will fit that bill. ||If on the other hand, you want to experience the beauty of the Belizian jungle and take in several unique world-class activities, Caves Branch does a tremendous amount to keep all of their visitors comfortable, but as they write on their website "we don’t like to call ourselves a “resort”, but rather an adventure lodge, we certainly offer the amenities and quality of a Belize jungle resort. From gourmet meals and full-service bar, massages, two pools, and hot tub to friendly staff and a professional onsite adventure company, we can assure you that your vacation will be unforgettable."||Visiting Caves Branch is a chance to experience a slice of the world most people rarely get the chance to see. And the absolutely top notch warm and welcoming staff and genuine, genuine, genuine family style hospitality put our stay at Ian Anderson's Caves Branch up at the very top of the list of experiences we have had when we...

It's a new year and we decided to pack up and get out the house for a few days. It was a "spur of the moment" move, and we quickly decided on Cave's Branch, even though we have never been or seen the place before.

A few whatsapp messages here and there, our room was booked and we left for out weekend getaway. Upon arrival, we were greeted at the main entrance by Geo, who seemed to be in good spirits and treated us very kindly. Our family of 5 were all "sanitized" before continuing on our journey to our rooms and being given a quick tour of the property. We were reminded of COVID-19 regulations they had in place to keep us and other guests safe, which seemed to very reasonable and comforting knowing that they were taking it very seriously.

After the walk thru we heads up to our beautiful room, which seemed to be more than what we needed to be comfortable. The kids were all amazed and the view from our room was breathtaking. Because we got in late, we spent most of our day hanging out at the room and winding down. Sometimes doing nothing is still doing a lot, and I was more than happy to be lazy :)

The room was very clean, though I must mention that if you're looking for a "luxurious" experience, this is not the place for you. The room was very "rustic" and had a very welcoming vibe to it. You could easily settle in for a few days, as if you've been there before. There are minimal amenities included, but having said that, there as nothing we needed that wasn't there. After dinner, we got back to our room and enjoyed the sounds of wild life and my wife and kids went crazy over the bugs and creatures outside the room. We pulled in for the night, and with the sounds of the leaves brushing against the walls and the wildlife outside, sleeping was as easy as closing your eyes.

The restaurant was more than I expected. The cost of our room included breakfast and dinner, and I honestly didn't expect much from either of the two. I was completely wrong in my expectations and the food was amazing. Portion sizes were spot on and flavors were amazing. I kinda felt bad not paying for my meals, and I had to remind myself that food was included in the room charge. We had two servers throughout our stay and both were very accommodating. There were times we ate at our room, and they actually took the food to us. Now to explain why this is a big deal:

Our room was on the hillside. Being a very active person, who runs marathons and does physical challenges often, getting to the room consists of several flights of stairs and several inclined ramps. It gets my heart pumping every time. Having to do this with a tray of food shows dedication and deserves recognition.

The next day we spend chilling at the river and by the poolside. Again, food was amazing and service top-notch. We were lways treated with respect and we didn't get the feeling of being rushed along. Before we knew it, it was dinner time again and we were pleased to know dinner would be a different menu than the night before. Food was still pretty amazing and we all left holding our bellies because of eating too much.

Our last day was a lazy one for the kids, so we decided to take advantage of the botanical trail while the kids slept. Time was closing in on us, so we kinda rushed thru it. We still saw a lot and I personally find them to have the most extensive botanical trail than other resorts we've visited over the last few years. The rain began to set in, so we retired back to our room to begin the checkout process.

Checking out was fairly quick and easy. This is worth mentioning because I have had horrible checkout experiences due to confusing bills and misunderstandings. Before we knew it, we were on our way back home, but hopefully we'll find some time to come back.

Conclusion:

If you're looking for a private getaway with good food and friendly service, this is the place for you. They take COVID very seriously and have many guidelines in place. The property is beautiful and if you're a nature lover, you'll appreciate your...

This is a very difficult review to write. My husband and I went there for our honeymoon and to celebrate my husband’s 50th birthday. We rented the most expensive cabana that looked out over the jungle with its own soaking tub on the deck. If I was writing their review based solely on the accommodations I would give it five stars. However; I have to include the service that we received. First of all, the tour guides and drivers were all amazing. They may the experiences magical. The problems we had unfortunately overshadowed the amazing parts. The cabana we were staying in was 148 steps up the side of the hill. There was no lighting, and no flashlights were provided. Therefore, at night you were walking up the stairs using your phone light to get to your room. You’re in the middle of the jungle and it is pitch black and the steps are wet from the humidity and the rain we had. My husband fell down the stairs when we were coming down, and when we mentioned I it to them when we got to the restaurant their comment after a short laugh was “weren’t you using your phone flashlight?” I failed to see what was funny about my husband falling down the stairs. Perhaps it was a nervous laugh but it was a laugh nonetheless. Guests should not be required to provide their own flashlight to get to their room. There’s no reason solar lights could not have been along the path. At dinner the first night Alberto who schedules the tours asked us what tour we wanted to do the next day. When I asked what tours they offered he told me they did not have a brochure and that we would have to go to the website. When he went to the next table he was able to recite all the tours and discuss them in great detail. I was very disappointed that he did not want to take the time to go over the tours with us. When I made my displeasure known, the next night I feel we were punished because they changed our table from a beautiful table overlooking the river to one sitting in the middle of the restaurant when they were plenty of tables overlooking the river available. I’d like to also know we were the only ones put in the middle of the restaurant. When I asked what happened to our nice table I was informed simply we were moved. When Alberto came to our table to book the next day’s tour, he was so incredibly rude and condescending I was mortified in front of the other guests. I was so upset, I didn’t eat my dinner and went back to my cabana. At some point during our stay we lost about $600 US. When I brought this up to Giovanni who was the manager I believe on duty, his first comment was you think we stole it? I never accused anyone of stealing the money, just simply that I wanted to know if anyone had turned it in. I told him we would need to go into town to pull out more cash and asked if they could give us a ride. I told him we needed the cash to tip out employees, and he told me there was a charge of $46 for the ride. He said that he would only charge us for one person and that we could both go. I believe he felt this was being generous, but it was insulting to me that they would charge us $46 to go into town to get money to tip out their employees. Tipping was another issue. There was no clear process for how tipping worked. We paid for an all inclusive package which standard Lee means you tip out at the end. We had to sign a receipt at each meal that had no amount on it, nor did it have anywhere to leave a tip. We felt tensions built up as we were not tipping at each meal because we were all inclusive. I finally asked how the tipping was supposed to work, and the server told me that tipping at each meal was welcomed because if you tipped at the end everyone had to share. When we started tipping at each meal the service dramatically improved, even though they explained we were supposed to tip out at the end and a sheet would be provided to tip individuals. All in all, I feel we were treated poorly, and our honeymoon was ruined. This was my second time staying here, once in 1998, but...