Beaches & Dreams

We were a group of 11 family members who stayed here for Christmas and to greet the new year. The owners are expats from the US who have been here for 1.5 years. I didn't have any interaction with Ryan, half of the couple, but had plenty with Jessica, the... read moreWe were a group of 11 family members who stayed here for Christmas and to greet the new year. The owners are expats from the US who have been here for 1.5 years. I didn't have any interaction with Ryan, half of the couple, but had plenty with Jessica, the other half. She is very customer-oriented, so she made a point of mixing with the guests to answer questions, provide suggestions of where to go for shopping, ice cream (!), great tours for special interests, etc. The resort offers use of its bicycles, paddle boards and kayaks. Golf carts are available for rent, as is snorkeling equipment. The restaurant is wonderful. It is an open-air structure with a roof. The views from the restaurant are of the gorgeous ocean, the dock and beach. Service is excellent, as is the food. Our regular waitstaff included Armando, Cesar, Miss P, and Birdman. Our favorite was Armando, with his quiet sense of humor and eagerness to ensure that we had what we needed. A breakfast buffet is available in addition to an a la carte menu. The buffet includes a main dish, breads, a variety of juices, coffee, tea and a magnificent assortment of ripe fresh fruits. Lunch options include sandwiches, salads and burgers. The restaurant has the best french fries I've had in a very long time. They are thin, crisp and salted perfectly. The dinner menu has something for just about... We were a group of 11 family members who stayed here for Christmas and to greet the new year. The owners are expats from the US who have been here for 1.5 years. I didn't have any interaction with Ryan, half of the couple, but had plenty with Jessica, the other half. She is very customer-oriented, so she made a point of mixing with the guests to answer questions, provide suggestions of where to go for shopping, ice cream (!), great tours for special interests, etc. The resort offers use of its bicycles, paddle boards and kayaks. Golf carts are available for rent, as is snorkeling equipment.
The restaurant is wonderful. It is an open-air structure with a roof. The views from the restaurant are of the gorgeous ocean, the dock and beach. Service is excellent, as is the food. Our regular waitstaff included Armando, Cesar, Miss P, and Birdman. Our favorite was Armando, with his quiet sense of humor and eagerness to ensure that we had what we needed. A breakfast buffet is available in addition to an a la carte menu. The buffet includes a main dish, breads, a variety of juices, coffee, tea and a magnificent assortment of ripe fresh fruits. Lunch options include sandwiches, salads and burgers. The restaurant has the best french fries I've had in a very long time. They are thin, crisp and salted perfectly. The dinner menu has something for just about everyone. Each evening offers a tropical drink of the day. There is a daily fish or seafood, a grilled meat and pasta special. Given sufficient notice, the kitchen is able to accommodate special diets such as gluten-free. This was particularly important for our group because one of our members requires gluten-free options. She often got the pasta special because the kitchen was able to offer rice pasta.
One of the tours which departed from the hotel was the half-day snorkeling adventure. The cost of the tour includes beach towels, snorkel equipment and some fresh fruit as snacks. The tour leader, Steve, was terrific because he was so friendly and knowledgeable. He led the group to various areas where we could see lots of fish, areas which were sandy vs. having lots of sea grass, and pointed out fish and other sea life.
Accommodations are varied. There are hotel-style rooms in the main building, cottages with 2 separate 1-bedroom units, and a treehouse. A small pool is available on the back patio, where you can also enjoy the view of the ocean. A volleyball net is set up at the back of the beach, only about 20 yards from the water, and ready for guests and locals to enjoy lively games.
Since our stay was 12 days long, we were able to get to know the staff and take advantage of the various services and equipment offered, including hammocks and beach chairs.
More read less - DXRtrvlr

This was our family's first outta country vacation together. Everyone was so accommodating to our requests and ALWAYS had a huge smile. We had issues getting down there which changed our arrival date but Miss Jess was so very understanding and was able to adjust our schedules and dates of... read moreThis was our family's first outta country vacation together. Everyone was so accommodating to our requests and ALWAYS had a huge smile. We had issues getting down there which changed our arrival date but Miss Jess was so very understanding and was able to adjust our schedules and dates of our stay on the fly. This is the place to stay if you're looking for a more personalized visit to Belize. I have to give a huge shout out to Lincoln for our fishing trip, this guy knows his waters! We were on the fish the whole trip! We caught enough fish to not only feed our family but everyone else at the resort as well! Also a shout out to Kmike, who took us snorkeling on the reef. He was so knowledgeable and helpful. He even helped me catch a lobster for dinner! Which by the way was the BEST lobster I have ever eaten! Kudos to the chef! BIG WISCONSIN THANK YOU TO EVERYONE AT BEACHES AND DREAMS! We definitely will be back...maybe without the kiddos next time..LOL. read less - Tammy

We flew into the Belize airport then took. small airplane (Tropic Air) to the resort town. As a former pilot, I loved it.. my wife was hesitant but admitted it was a neat trip and you got to see the area from the air. We arrived on... read moreWe flew into the Belize airport then took. small airplane (Tropic Air) to the resort town. As a former pilot, I loved it.. my wife was hesitant but admitted it was a neat trip and you got to see the area from the air. We arrived on a Monday and left on Saturday morning. If you are expecting a large resort with a spa, gym, etc., this is not your place but if you want a place that is totally relaxing and where the staff makes you feel like old friends who have FINALLY come to visit, then go here. The rooms and views are to die for, food is excellent, pool is the right size for this small resort, it is right on the beach, AND the staff is attentive to your every need. We had a air conditioned room on the third floor - the view was fantastic as was the room. No TV and no phone... just the wonderful sound of the ocean and tropical birds playing outside our door, a very comfortable bed, and the room was nicely appointed. My ONLY beef with the whole trip was that the room had only one mirror (in the batroom) so my wife and I had to sequence getting ready. We were there for 5 nights. So we took several of the excursions. We took the 1/2 day snorkeling trip which was amazing. Our guide was the perfect host... We flew into the Belize airport then took. small airplane (Tropic Air) to the resort town. As a former pilot, I loved it.. my wife was hesitant but admitted it was a neat trip and you got to see the area from the air. We arrived on a Monday and left on Saturday morning.
If you are expecting a large resort with a spa, gym, etc., this is not your place but if you want a place that is totally relaxing and where the staff makes you feel like old friends who have FINALLY come to visit, then go here. The rooms and views are to die for, food is excellent, pool is the right size for this small resort, it is right on the beach, AND the staff is attentive to your every need.
We had a air conditioned room on the third floor - the view was fantastic as was the room. No TV and no phone... just the wonderful sound of the ocean and tropical birds playing outside our door, a very comfortable bed, and the room was nicely appointed. My ONLY beef with the whole trip was that the room had only one mirror (in the batroom) so my wife and I had to sequence getting ready.
We were there for 5 nights. So we took several of the excursions.

We took the 1/2 day snorkeling trip which was amazing. Our guide was the perfect host making sure we were safe and saw an abundance of fish. We've been to the Great Barrier Reef and I would call this a smaller but still interesting version and a great trip out to and on the reef.

We also did the Mayan Ruins tour. It was hot the day we went but the guide was informative and knew the complete history of the area and the Mayan culture. VERY well prepared to guide the tour. After the ruins, we stopped for a quick lunch at a local bodega - food was very tasty and plenty to eat. We then went cave tubbing which was great since the weather was hot, the cool water was a welcome relief and, again, our guide was well informed and gave us an impressive tour. Then we went to the Blue Hole... interesting but at that point I was tired. Thankfully we did not spend much time there.
Finally, we went birding. I was expecting to go to a bird sanctuary but nope... we just drove out into the country and looked for birds which was a blast!! Our guide would stop and listen and then tell us what birds where in the area and off we would go to find them. We must have seen over 30 species on our tour. Again, a bit warm but we went early in the day and were back at resort before lunch.

The restaurant at the hotel is very good and, with the basic menu a bit sparse, but they vary the specials each day so there is always something interesting to eat. If you like seafood, there will be a seafood special each day. My wife had the special just about every day and raved about them. I am not a big fan of seafood but always found plenty to eat that was delicious. AND the restaurant staff will know you name and what you like and don't like after your first visit. They will greet you by name when you arrive! Again, we felt like the staff treated us as old friends who had come to visit.

This was the perfect getaway for my wife and I. WONDERFUL trip that we throughly enjoyed, It is small resort and it was fully booked for the entire time we were there so book early.

I had read about. the insects - sand flys - but we had a steady breeze the whole time were were there and insects were never a problem. We did cover up during our excursions and brought sunscreen and insect repellent which we were religious about applying so we had no problems at all with the bugs. BUT, there was a couple that had arrived the day before us and the bugs had devoured them. They commented that the bugs has essentially disappeared with the breeze that was blowing.

We had an all inclusive package deal so we had an "allowance" for our meals and all the drinks (local stuff) we wanted. the staff will give you glasses and a bottle of wine or beer to take back to your room if you would like... very nice touch! HINT: Do bring some small bills - $5, $10s, and $20s to tip your guides and other staff members. We always felt the guides more than earned a tip and they were very appreciative of the extra cash.

I was worried about the covid restrictions but the hotel provided all the information we needed for entry into Belize and arranged for us to have a COVID test before we left and we had no trouble getting back in the USA.

BTW, we did not venture downtown Hopkins, We had everything we needed at the resort and didn't feel the need to explore after taking the excursions. Some of the people we met ventured downtown for souvenirs and to take in the local cuisine and gave good reports though it is rustic.

Bottom line: GREAT place to visit and GREAT staff!!! We would love to go again. From initial contact to coordinating our stay and excursions to being treated very well by the staff every minute we were there, we were totally impressed. More read less - capnollie

My daughter and I had a fabulous time. The staff was friendly and always had a smile. Ryan the owner has made Beaches and Dreams a true dream vacation spot. The food was a fabulous and the portions were just right. I will look forward to staying again and relaxing... read moreMy daughter and I had a fabulous time. The staff was friendly and always had a smile. Ryan the owner has made Beaches and Dreams a true dream vacation spot. The food was a fabulous and the portions were just right. I will look forward to staying again and relaxing enjoying some of the other many tours they offer.
Thank you to all the staff, Stanley, Melanie, Oz, Milky, Birdman, Ms. P, Manuel to name a few at Beaches and Dreams for making our vacation a true vacation and so very relaxing and fun. read less - Arthur

The only down side to this vacation is that our stay was too short!! Jessica and Ryan have the most wonderful staff! Throughout our stay, the staff made sure we had everything we needed. The rooms were so clean that my boys (who don’t clean their room until my head... read moreThe only down side to this vacation is that our stay was too short!! Jessica and Ryan have the most wonderful staff! Throughout our stay, the staff made sure we had everything we needed. The rooms were so clean that my boys (who don’t clean their room until my head spins 360) actually commented on how clean the staff kept them. The staff and owners’ friendliness make the guests feel like family. If you want an authentic feel to your stay, connecting with the staff is easy as they are funny, like to converse, and even will play volleyball with the guests. Several mixed staff and guest volleyball matches erupted, even during our short stay. They are knowledgeable, share their customs, and are very open to answering questions about Belize’s diverse culture, history, and traditions.
The excursions are not to be missed, although I suggest leaving a day between excursions to enjoy the resort and visiting the village of Hopkins.
We can not wait to go back for another fantastic time at Beaches and Dreams!!
Thanks to everyone!! More read less - 220tonip

Great atmosphere and staff helping you have the best adventure of your life. We went on multiple tours during our 2 weeks and didn’t have any experience we didn’t enjoy. ATM, Mayan ruin, Bio swim, Monkey River, horse back riding, Bocawina hike, chocolate tour, and all day snorkeling were all... read moreGreat atmosphere and staff helping you have the best adventure of your life. We went on multiple tours during our 2 weeks and didn’t have any experience we didn’t enjoy. ATM, Mayan ruin, Bio swim, Monkey River, horse back riding, Bocawina hike, chocolate tour, and all day snorkeling were all amazing adventures with great guides and drivers. Thank you all for making our honeymoon stay wonderful and memorable. read less - Steve

First time in Belize, and it won't be my last, best vaca ever! Even with some Covid related restrictions and curfews, I couldn't have asked for a better time! The all inclusive was amazing (food at the resort was delicious)!! The adventures were super cool, some of my favorites... read moreFirst time in Belize, and it won't be my last, best vaca ever! Even with some Covid related restrictions and curfews, I couldn't have asked for a better time! The all inclusive was amazing (food at the resort was delicious)!! The adventures were super cool, some of my favorites were the cave tubing, zip lining, and snorkeling but I hope to try the ATM tour next time! On our off day, we got to experience the village and meet local people, who are all extremely welcoming and friendly! The people are truly what made this trip so memorable! The staff at the resort are ones I won't ever forget! From Armando, Oz, Miss P, Milky, and Ben to name a few! They all made sure connections were established and you felt like family from the moment you stepped on the resort! The post travel blues are in full affect after this trip and I look forward to coming back! read less - gracymowers

Great people to do business with. I was the difficult customer. First, I had a problem on my end with a transaction. Stanley handled it VERY professionally. I had cancelled the reservation, then confirmed it. 2 days later I had to definitively cancel the entire trip to Belize. Again, the... read moreGreat people to do business with. I was the difficult customer. First, I had a problem on my end with a transaction. Stanley handled it VERY professionally. I had cancelled the reservation, then confirmed it. 2 days later I had to definitively cancel the entire trip to Belize. Again, the team at Beaches and Dreams were very professional. They processed my request for refund in 2 days. I can not review the accomodations but, the team that I did business with made my difficulties seem easy! read less - C6516WQshaned