Room Key is TZR’s definitive guide to the world’s most exclusive stays. From private island resorts to design-forward urban escapes, each feature offers an insider’s look at the properties redefining modern luxury.
The Coppola family are some of the most celebrated American filmmakers of the 20th and 21st centuries, but one of their best projects happens to be entirely off-screen. They’re also behind a global portfolio of hotels called The Coppola Hideways, with properties in Belize, Guatemala, Argentina, and Italy. Francis Ford Coppola’s unlikely side-quest as a hotelier began in 1981. Fresh off filming Apocalypse Now in the Philippines, he fell in love with a deserted hunting lodge that he discovered in the western Belize forests that reminded him of the film set. After serving as a retreat for family and friends for years, Blancaneaux Lodge was opened to the public as an adventurous getaway. In 2001, Coppola expanded the hospitality group’s presence in Belize with the opening of Turtle Inn on the Caribbean coast.
This second Belize property offers a completely different vibe from Coppola’s beloved lodge. In lieu of lush mountains, you’re greeted by palm trees blowing in the warm Caribbean breeze, clear skies, and a white sand beach. But this isn’t your typical cookie-cutter luxury beach resort. Personal touches are all over the property – the kitchen sources vegetables from the organic garden, communication with the front desk is done through a “shell phone,” there’s a legit Napoli-style pizzeria with a wood burning oven, and family photos are on display in the rooms. The family also still visits each year, with Sofia, Francis, and Roman all boasting houses on the property.
I chalk up the level of care and detail as to why I immediately felt at ease at Turtle Inn, like I was being welcomed into a close family friend’s home when I arrived for my three-night stay. Better yet, the resort is just a 4.5-hour direct flight and quick hopper plane away from New York so I was able to quickly settle in and make the most of my time there.
Read on for detailed recap of my experience at the tranquil Turtle Inn in Belize.
The Rooms
You’ll feel like you’re living on a secluded beach when waking up in one of Turtle Inn’s 25 individual thatched cottages or villas and enjoying your morning coffee on your private deck or porch. Each one is located steps from the Caribbean sea with the choice of a poolside, garden, or seafront view, and comes with a spacious bathroom featuring a Japanese bath, and an outdoor shower. The cottages also come fully equipped with essentials for your stay, from organic locally-sourced toiletries to yoga mats to a refrigerator stocked with water, wine, Belkin beer, and local snacks. But if you need anything else, like late night room service, reception is just a call away on aforementioned kitschy “shell phone.”
For an extra luxurious experience, privacy, or if you’re traveling with family or friends, you can opt to book one of the Coppola family’s homes on the property. I stayed in Sofia’s beach house, which boasts two bedrooms, an open-air living and dining room, media room for watching movies, a private pool, outdoor dining space, and barbecue. Designed by architect Laurent Deroo, the mid-century style house brings a little slice of Laurel Canyon to the Caribbean Sea. Each afternoon, I relished alternating between taking a dip in the pool and catching up on emails on the sofa with the sound of waves crashing on the beach serving as white noise. Beyond the main house, there are two guest bungalows that come equipped with an ensuite bathroom, outdoor shower, and deck. Another perk of staying in one of the houses? You’re assigned an attendant who can help you book spa appointments or services or grab you a much-needed latte. (Shoutout to Kenny who went above and beyond during my stay!)
Views from Sofia’s beach house & bungalows.
What To Do
While you could spend your entire stay lounging by the pool or sea with a good book in hand, the resort also offers a number of experiences and activities if you’re feeling adventurous. For those who are up for getting in the water, you can go snorkeling, scuba diving, or fishing. On land, you can take a sunrise yoga class, go birding, or rent a bike and cycle to check out the nearby Placencia village.
As a New Yorker who doesn’t get to the beach much, I took advantage of being on the Caribbean coastline and opted to take a 30 minute boat ride to a private island in the middle of the sea where we had lunch featuring fresh fish and veggies, swam in the crystal blue waters, and snorkeled. We even saw turtles and a shark on the ride back. One night, I went on an hour-long sunset cruise around the Placencia lagoon and sipped on champagne and nibbled on a charcuterie board as I took in the views.
The Spa
Sure, lounging by Turtle Inn’s pool or beach is relaxing, but the Sunset Spa is where you’ll experience true serenity. Located in an open air Balinese rice house across the street from the rest of the resort, the treatment menu is comprised of traditional Thai massages and facials featuring Monastery skin care products. There are also body scrub and wrap treatments that you can get solo or in combination with a massage.
During my 60-minute massage, my practitioner released tension in places I didn’t know it was possible to store any, while my 30-minute facial was the perfect post-travel hydrating reset. Feeling loose and completely at ease, I practically floated back to the beach house after my 1.5 hour treatment.
The Restaurants & Bars
A focus on fresh seafood, produce, and regional fare is the through-line of Turtle Inn’s four restaurants, but each offer a unique dining experience. My first stop was Mare, a laidback dining room under a vaulted thatch roof that offers poolside and sea views. It was the ideal setting for a mid-day snack of chips and guac and a celebratory glass of champagne, and where I ended up fueling up on coffee, fresh green juice, and scrambled eggs each morning. That night, I went to Auntie Luba’s Kitchen for dinner. The rustic Belizean diner’s menu consists of classic comfort foods, such as coconut shrimp, beef stew, stew beans, and home-backed key lime pie.
While I don’t eat seafood (I’m a longtime vegetarian), my dinner at Gauguin Grill, known for its grilled lobster and snapper, the next night was a highlight for the vibes alone. The tables are scattered on the beach, just steps away from the sea and under the clear, starry night sky. Given the Coppolas’ Italian roots, of course, Turtle Inn has an authentic pizzeria with a wood-burning oven. Located in the property’s organic garden, I noshed on a few different Napoli-style pizzas made with freshly-harvested toppings.
If you’re in the mood for a pre-dinner cocktail or a nightcap, you’ve got bar options, too. There’s the Skip White Bar located adjacent to Mare, The Laughing Fish Bar located on the edge of the beach overlooking the infinity pool. For an intimate experience, you can book a wine tasting at the Wine Aquarium. Designed by Laurent Deroo and built by Belizian builder and architect Margarito M. Ortiz, the wall-to-wall glass cellar features selections from wineries in Sonoma and Napa County, Francis Ford Coppola Winery and Inglenook estate in Napa County, and vintages from France, Chili, Argentina, Italy, and the US.
