Overview
In the early 1980s, Francis Ford Coppola visited Belize, immediately fell in love with the location and purchased the abandoned Blancaneaux Lodge. For more than a decade the resort was used as a family retreat before Francis opened his tropical paradise to the public in 1993.
Blancaneaux has a spectacular location in the northwest corner of the 107,000-acre Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve in western Belize’s Cayo District. The lodge itself is set among tropical pines, oaks, palmetto, craboo and ancient melastome shrubs. The dense jungle, steep ravines, spectacular waterfalls and fast flowing rivers are uninhabited and home to many rare or endangered species of flora and fauna.
Blancaneaux strongly supports Belize’s commitment to ecotourism. The buildings blend subtly into the natural environment, using low profile, environmentally sound designs, thatch, hardwoods, pine and bamboo, along with regionally produced tiles. There is no air conditioning, however windows, screened doors, ceiling fans and high, thatched ceilings allow sufficient air circulation to ensure a cool, comfortable and peaceful nights sleep and an opportunity to fall asleep to the sounds of the tumbling rivers and the sounds of the forest.
You will see why Blancaneaux has such a trophy chest of accolades and a reputation for being one of the best resorts in Central America… we think it’s one of the best in the world!
