Mahogany Bay Resort & Beach Club Belize Review: Paradise or Overrated?

When my husband and I needed a last-minute getaway to somewhere tropical, we decided to use our Hilton points to book Mahogany Bay Resort & Beach Club, a stunning property on picturesque Ambergris Caye in Belize. As part of the prestigious Curio Collection by Hilton, this resort enticed us with photos of its white sand beach club, located on a private island and stocked with overwater hammocks and cabanas. 

After returning from our trip, we will forever refer to our Mahogany Bay vacation as “Mosquito Bay” due to the insane amount of bugs at this hotel. Read on for my honest review of the property—the good, the bad, and the bitey!

Is Mahogany Bay Resort & Beach Club All-Inclusive?

No, Mahogany Bay Resort & Beach Club is not all-inclusive. The location is fairly isolated on Ambergris Caye, so it does seem like a miss that an all-inclusive package is not available. However, in addition to the number of restaurants on-site, there is a small village on the property with local restaurants operating in small shacks, sort of food truck style, so you have some options. 

If you rent a golf cart (which we highly recommend), you can go further afield and check out more local restaurants and eateries, which are a better bargain (and more authentic) than eating at the resort. 

Pros

• Private island beach club with white sand, over-water-hammocks, cabanas, bar, and restaurant
• All rooms are standalone cottages for privacy
• Good variety of restaurants on property
• Beautiful pool overlooking the water
• Great sunset views from the beach club
• Complimentary non-motorized watersports and beach games

Cons

• The hotel was built on swampy land and there are a number of canals with stagnant water nearby, which results in the worst mosquitos that I have experienced anywhere. If you are outside in the evenings, the mosquitoes will be vicious. We walked away with literally over 50 bug bites each despite wearing bug spray with DEET.
• Small biting bugs in water at beach club
• Overwater cabanas cost a fee to rent and must be reserved far in advance
• No sandy beach at the main property, only at the beach club which is a 15-minute (free) boat ride away
• No shuttle to/from the airport to the hotel
• No blackout shades in rooms

Location

Mahogany Bay Resort & Beach Club is located 1.5 miles south of San Pedro in Ambergris Caye, Belize. 

To get to the resort, we flew from the US to Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport (BZE), which is located just outside of Belize City. From there, we connected to a puddle jumper flight on Tropic Air to John Grief II Airport (SPR). The flight takes about 15 minutes and is incredibly scenic as you fly over the bright blue water. We paid around $200 round-trip for the short flight.

Maya Island Air serves the same route and has similar rates, so check both airlines to see which works best with your schedule. Just be aware that both airlines recommend leaving a minimum of three hours between your international flight into Belize and your onward flight SPR, in case of delays (and to leave time to clear customs/claim your luggage). 

Alternatively, you can take a water taxi from Belize City to San Pedro, which takes around 90 minutes. You will have to take a taxi from the airport to the ferry port, which will take around 45 minutes.

Unfortunately, the hotel does not offer an airport shuttle service. You can either rent a golf cart upon arrival in San Pedro and drive that to the resort, or take a taxi from the airport.

Accommodations

The accommodations at Mahogany Bay are standalone suites, all housed in separate cottages, so you feel as if you have your own vacation home. 

We stayed in a King Bed Garden Cottage, which was spacious with 392 square feet and soaring ceilings. The cottage featured an indoor-outdoor living area, outdoor shower, covered porch, and mini-fridge. 

All of the rooms are air-conditioned and have ceiling fans. 

The room was comfortable and clean, but has lots of large windows and only wooden blinds to cover them (no blackout blinds) so be prepared to be woken up by the morning sun.

We were celebrating our anniversary on this trip, and the staff left us some romantic towel art and rose petals in our room.

Food and Beverage

There are plenty of dining options at the resort if you don’t want to go off-property.

1. The Verandah Restaurant is the main restaurant, serving up delicious Caribbean and Central American-inspired dishes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We got daily complimentary breakfast here as Diamond members—a simple but refreshing plate of fruit, yogurt, and bread. 
2. Stirred is a cocktail bar that’s just inside the lobby at the Great House, and is a good place to meet other guests.
3. Shaken was our favorite spot for poolside fun. It’s a cocktail bar and grill right by the pool, and we could order food and drinks without even leaving the water! Don’t forget to stop by when you first arrive—they give you a complimentary welcome drink.
4. The Village: The Village is a collection of small restaurants set up food-truck style (except in small shacks instead of trucks) serving a variety of fast food. We loved these for quick eats, although they were still fairly pricey. 
5. JYOTO is a fun sushi bar that serves freshly caught local fish and has a lively bar. 
6. Rum Beach is the resort’s coffee shop, which has your caffeine fix for the day.

Amenities and Activities

Mahogany Bay Resort has a dedicated desk where you can book excursions off-site. We didn’t take advantage of them, since we were on a short trip and just wanted to relax at the beach club. However, we regretted not taking a snorkeling trip as the diving around here is supposed to be some of the best in the world!

Amenities at Mahogany Bay Resort & Beach Club include:

• Outdoor pool
• Private beach club
• Free water taxi to the beach club
• Fitness center
• Spa
• Free parking
• Free WiFi

Overall Impression

Mahogany Bay Resort & Beach Club is the island paradise that you see pictured online, complete with a beautiful private beach where you can relax in a hammock in the water and read a book or sip a cocktail all day long if you desire. Just be warned that what you don’t see in those pictures are the aggressive mosquitoes! I’d still recommend this resort as a good place for a romantic vacation (as long as you pack lots of DEET). 

Price and How to Book

Room rates start at around $200 per night and are cheapest on Booking.com.

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