Hidden Valley Inn

Overview

Description

Hidden Valley Inn, a luxury lifestyle hotel with only 12 rooms, is the only resort within a 7,200 acre (2,914 hectare) private reserve, high in Mountain Pine Ridge in the Cayo District of Belize.

This intimate eco resort offers quality accommodations, fine gourmet food, locally-grown coffee, attentive service, and guided tours to discover the unique birds, flora, and wildlife of the area. Guests enjoy exclusive access to more than 90 miles (145 km) of hiking and mountain biking trails as well as many secluded crystal pools and waterfalls set in a tropical rainforest. For those seeking romance, one of the waterfalls may be reserved exclusively for the day.

Situated in the Maya Mountains, this cozy forest lodge also serves as a convenient base for visiting the various scenic and historical attractions of the area, which include the Maya ruins at Caracol, Xunantunich, and Cahal Pech. Horseback riding through the forest with a local Maya guide is a unique experience, and the nearby mystical caves can be explored on foot or by canoe or tube.

Rooms

Ten estate rooms: All of these rooms feature ceiling fans, screened windows, private bathrooms with a shower and bath, brick fireplaces, and elegant handcrafted mahogany furnishings with chic decor.

Two estate suites: Each suite boasts its own outdoor cascading rock waterfall shower, Victorian claw foot bathtub, and romantic fireplace. Hidden Valley Inn’s slate has been used in the bathrooms and showers, adding a natural element to the extravagant bathrooms.

The suites can be opened up for families or friends traveling together. Private screened patios have matrimonial hammocks, comfortable patio furniture, and a coffee and tea station.

Making a Difference

Number of employees: 30

Percentage of local employees: 90%

Hidden Valley Inn is involved with multiple wildlife projects in the region. The first orange-breasted falcons (Falco deiroleucus) born in captivity, five females and one male, were released by the Peregrine Fund on Hidden Valley Inn's private reserve in 2007. The Peregrine Fund has a full report on this groundbreaking event and the ongoing research. A camera survey was done to compare ocelots (Leopardus pardalis) and other animals of the Mountain Pine Ridge in Belize to those in the tropical broadleaf jungle near Las Cuevas.

We have collaborated with other resorts and operations in the Mountain Pine Ridge area to ensure safety and provide environmental education to local schools in the area.

In collaboration with our neighbor, we have started a Children's Wildlife Club. The local children see birds as food and often shoot them with their slingshots. The Club encourages the children to swap slingshots for binoculars and protect our birds.

We have donated a photocopier to the local school and have taken the primary school on an educational, conservation-focused tour of the property.

Rates

$150 and up

All rates are in US dollars and include exclusive access to hiking trails, pools, and waterfalls as well as the use of mountain bikes. All rates also include taxes, service charges, and estate taxes.

All-Inclusive (minimum 3 nights):

• Accommodations
• Full breakfast, lunch, full dinner
• Local beverages: soft drinks, beer, spirits, and wines, 10 am - 10 pm
• Daily estate guided tours: biking, hiking, birding (excludes waterfall honeymoon lunch)
• Off estate half day tours
• Afternoon high tea
• Hand massage
• All road transfers
• Air transfer round trip from Belize (BZE) International Airport to the Hidden Valley Inn
• Government room tax, service charge, GST taxes, and estate tax
• Any full day off estate tour: Tikal full day tour, Calico Jacks cave exploration, and zip lining tour (extra $170 per person including taxes)

Excludes: border crossing fees (where appropriate), gratuities, gift shop purchases, gratuities, telephone, spa treatments, and spa products.

For more information about rates, please visit:

• www.hiddenvalleyinn.com/rates/accommodation_rates.html (available in English).

Getting There

Nearest international airport: Belize City (BZE)

Nearest local/national airport: Private airstrip on the resort property

There is a private airstrip on the property, just 15 minutes away from the Inn by car. Please contact us and we will book a chartered flight for you. The flight time from anywhere in Belize will not be longer than 45 minutes. Traveling from Belize City to the Inn will take approximately 30 minutes. We offer complimentary transfers to and from our airstrip. Helicopter transfers are booked upon request.

We can arrange for a road transfer from anywhere in Belize to the Inn. Vehicles can accommodate groups of any size from one to 28.

Vehicles can also be rented in Belize City. The Inn is an approximately two and a half to three hour drive from Belize City International Airport. We recommend renting a 4×4, especially in the rainy season!

Additional Information

Awards or Recognitions

• Winner of Trip Advisor's Travelers' Choice Award, 2010.
• Winner of the Caribbean Tourism Organization's “Sustainable Tourism Award,” 2006.
• Recommended by Conde Nast Johansens, Award Finalist, 2011.

Additional Web sites

• belizevacationpartners.com (available in English). Belize Vacation Partners is proud to boast four magnificent properties, including the Hidden Valley Inn.

Date This Information Was Provided

June 2013.

Photos courtesy of Hidden Valley Inn, Belize, for SustainableTrip.org.