Pooks Hill Lodge in Belmopan

Ray has created an ethically well run ecolodge. The authenticity of himself and all employees created a family like atmosphere. The passion that our guide Mario has for his homeland and his people translated to us thinking and reeling in his culture. The close proximity to The ATM Caves gives you an upper hand for being one of the first to enter. Our guides here where also passionate; Gunso and Juice left me feeling honored to have them guide us. For anyone looking to experience the Belizian Rainforest Pooks Hill is your place!!! The lodge itself is well designed , immaculate, stylish and absolutely perfect.

Ray has created a comfortable and impeccably run place from which to experience the jungle and its wildlife, as well as offering trustworthy guides to aid in your explorations of nature and top-tier archaeological sites. I will definitely be visiting here again.

Stayed there in May of 2019 with my wife & two twenty-something kids, but neglected to leave a review. We all thought it was a magical experience & I highly recommend Pooks and the excursions. Definitely also hike the trails & swim in the small river. I could go on but most is covered by the earlier reviews. Id love to return!

Great location, near ATM cave. Incredibly knowledgeable guides. Abundant wildlife (especially birdswith in short walk. Great food and friendly staff and place to interact with the other guests.

Pooks Hill is magical, the perfect place to get away from it all. The location is incredibly beautiful. On site you can explore a small Maya ruin, swim in cool jungle pools and roam the deep forest, looking for wildlife, with one of their expert guides. They can arrange tours to most of the natural and cultural attractions in Belize and even some in Guatemala. We were lucky enough to find our way there right before the pandemic hit and our memories of our time at Pooks Hill sustained us through the worst of it. Now that we have been back, its even better than I remembered. Well return whenever were able.

Absolute Magic. Much love invested on this place!! 👏👏

Amazing lodge to be with Nature, also a superb for birding

I am a wedding coordinator and was asked to come visit the lodge to see if it would be a venue option for my clients. When I researched it I was a bit nervous as there is no A.C, No pool and wifi only availble in the main communal lodge/bar.   I was very pleasantly surprised to find my room stayed cool and there were very little bugs. Maybe it is the time of year so dont take my word for it and bring bug spray.  The owner Vicky showed us around herself and walked us through the Jungle trails. There were a few different swimming spots by the river that were great for swimming 100 times better than any pool! However keep in mind that if it rains alot the river gets muddy. So I suggested they do build a natural looking pool somewhere on the property. They are very reluctant though as they like to keep the place very natural. But said maybe one day lol. I went with my husband and we left the our 3 children at home with the nanny. The lack of wifi and phone signal really helped us rekindle as a couple as we had no choice but to spend more time talking and cuddling and less time working or distracted on our phones! The food was very local and delicious. Dinner was my favorite, the dinner room was lit by lanterns every evening and the sounds of the jungle echoed in the room. If you have any type of allergies let them know in advance so they can prepare. We drove there from the city and didnt realize how far from the beaten path it is so make sure to get good directions and be prepared for an adventure. I recommend letting them pick you up as even if you drive you wont be driving out to dinner to often. They have a little Maya Ruin on sight  that is such a special spot to gather for any special event or even a retreat! They team likes to play croquet on it too!  All in all Pooks Hill is not for the average person. Pooks Hill is the person who loves being in nature, The person who needs to unplug and getaway from it all and recharge, the couple who needs to reconnect, the family who wants to sit at dinner and talk to each other. Pooks hill is for the adventurous souls who can appreciate the songs of the jungle. It is truly unspoiled mother nature at its best.Things you should know:*Bring water shoes to swim in the river.*ear plugs (incase howler monkeys decide to go wild at night, wasnt an issue but Inwas warned it could be)*if you are taking kids bring coloring bucks or something to do at night. We plan on going back with our family so thought of this.

Beautiful setting and relaxed atmosphere

Everything was pretty amazing here, good food, friendly staff and amazing trails to follow, on top of the outside activities you can book.

Wonderful, natural setting, but you must be able to tolerate lots of bugs and lack of aircondioning in rooms. Beautiful setting, however.

Very cool Rainforest Eco Lodge built on Mayan ruins. Communal happy hour and dining. Info on nature walks, etc. Leave the rat race behind when youre here

Travel company I booked a vacation with booked this location for me and Im glad they did! If you want a quaint location that is "off the grid" then look no further. The staff was super friendly and accommodating. The food was delicious and the beers were cold.

a great place tucked back in the middle of the jungle. The ENTIRE staff was amazing, knowledgable, and very helpful!

We visited Pooks Hills in 2010. I know this review is late, but I hope it helps. We had such an amazing time and cant wait to go back. The food was AMAZING. The tour guides were awesome and super friendly. The huts were exactly what you would expect, clean and everything you need.Id recommended taking the tours while you are there and hanging by the river. Cant wait to go back with my kids when they are older.

Wunderschön und idyllischer Ort ! Super gastfreundliches Personal!

The stay was wonderful and I had a fabulous experience. With many activities to choose from like taking a walk to the river or hiking in the mornings, Pooks Hill is abundant in wildlife and insects. Food was great and was always a traditional Belizean dish.

Relaxing place

This place was awesome! We stayed in a bungalow named Kinkajou and we actually saw a Kinkajou (also called Honey Bearwhile we were there! The food was delicious and the wait staff were very nice and efficient. The best part...we were literally in the middle of the jungle!!! Saw so many birds that were lifers!!! Highly recommend Pooks Hill!

So nice, you have to see this.

Best birding spot for beginners and avid birders. Nice jungly rooms and endless activities both on-site and top notch tours. Very professional staff. Highly recommend.

Very tranquil place. The wildlife is pretty amazing there, even despite the fact that its been decimated by Mayan, English, and Spanish rule for the past 2 or more millennia. Its attached to the Tapir Mountain reserve, and one can actually see tapir tracks on the trails... along with a number of cat tracks. I would make one suggestion to the owner. I would love for the manicured lawn down at the base of the property to be "set free". There are approximately 5 acres of prime lowland forest waiting to grow up if someone would simply leave the lawnmower away. But... Im a biologist and I teach restoration ecology...

Good food and people. Very wild surroundings with lots to see. In my opinion, they could benefit from adding bug netting around the bed rather than just over the top. Overall, a fun and memorable visit.

Went here in August 2013. Simply an amazing piece of land and great owners. I loved the bird walk cabana!! Also loved the river on their plot of land.

Pooks hill is gorgeous (of course, its in the lush jungles of Belizeand the staff could not be nicer or more attentive.That being said, there are a few things you should know before staying here:1. Youll be way off the beaten path, and will have to drive off-road drive to there.2. Bugs can be a huge problem. I was eaten alive by mosquitos my whole stay.3. The little bungalows are essentially open rooms - theres a wall that separates the bathroom from the bedroom, but everything is open, so expect there to be no secrets between you and your bungalow-mate.4. Go to ATM (Actun Tunichil Muknal- one of the staff here gave us a tour and it was absolutely fantastic.All-in-all Id stay here again. Id just bring serious bug spray.