Tanager RainForest Lodge
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Fast facts
Check in from: | 15:00 |
|---|---|
Check out before: | 11:00 |
Breakfast | Breakfast available |
Pets | Pets not allowed |
Children | Children are welcome at this hotel |
Amenities
Wi-Fi
Parking
Air conditioning
Airport shuttle
Pool
Fitness centre
More about Tanager RainForest Lodge
Tanager RainForest Lodge
Tanager RainForest Lodge features a fitness centre, garden, a terrace and bar in Big Falls. The resort has an outdoor swimming pool and room service and free WiFi.
Reviews from 
Group traveller
Comment: 23 Apr 2026
Stayed in: Jan 2026
Excellent stay with lovely staff and grounds along with lots of birding opportunities
I stayed at the Tanager Rainforest Lodge from Jan 2 to Jan 8 of 2026 along with a friend. Our primary goal was birding (which we accomplished of course - see photos), but we were surprised to find that the other activities that the lodge planned were huge highlights as well. This is a bit of a long review so I'll seperate it by categories.
Location: Situated in the southernmost district of Belize, it is a ways away from many popular tourist areas. We did not have a car and so relied on the staff for transport. We additionally paid extra to be brought to and from Belize City at the beginning and end of our stay which cut out a lot of uncertainty, and it was fun having a bit of a roadtrip at the end as we used that time to bird with Steve and a friend of his (though I forgot his name - apologies).
Lodge: We were some of the only guests at the lodge for a couple days of our stay and so had the entire property to ourselves (well, us and the huge amount of staff who were taking care of us). The room was excellent and we got a good night's sleep every day. It was also extremely clean both in our room and everywhere else that we went. It was very quiet aside from the birds chirping everywhere and peaceful. If I had to describe the atomosphere, that's what I'd say: it was very peaceful.
There is a pool but it was a little cold for me when we went in early January. My friend loved it though, and we both enjoyed tubing. I was worried about going alone as I'm not a strong swimmer but a staff member went with us and we all had a great time. It's not a super long stretch and only takes some thirty minutes to go from one end of the tubing course to the other, but still lots of fun.
It does get very dark at night, which I actually consider a plus since we were able to see countless stars. They provide a flashlight for going to and from the main lodge (where meals are served) and we thought it was kind of fun. We also went birding on the grounds a few times, most memorably at night where we saw two species of owls and a nighthawk.
Food: To be honest although the food at the lodge was good, the best food was had elsewhere on excursions. We went to a chocolate farm and were fed chocolate chicken, a meal which is basically still haunting my dreams as one of the best things I've ever eaten. It was soooo good. We ate a number of Mayan specialities at other locations as well and everything was delicious.
I do wish there was a bit more variety available at the lodge food-wise though - maybe it was just because we stayed for a full week and most people are just there a few days, but the menu sometimes felt a bit repetitive and we would have loved to eat more local specialties. I can see how that would be a minus for other groups though, especially those with picky eaters or kids, so I understand why they have the menu set up how they do.
Value: It was, in my opinion, amazing value. The room itself was very affordable - about $160 per night. The activities are a bit more expensive but in my opinion totally worth it! Really and truly I can't think of a single thing that I disliked regarding the excursions. I think we did just about everything offered except for the water activities (I'm not a swimmer and didn't feel comfortable getting in the ocean), but I'm confident that those would have been fun too - the staff has a knack for picking out enjoyable experiences and treats every guest well and listens and tries to solve any problems that may come up.
Birding: It'd be crazy if I posted this long review and didn't address the main reason that we went, which was to see birds! We went birding almost every day and saw a huge variety of beautiful species, including some that I'd been hoping to see for a very long time (collared aracari is a stand-out)! I feel that we had especially good luck at Monkey River. I also came to love some birds that I didn't even know existed until then, which is always my favorite part of traveling for birds. Highlights were manakins, the many species of hawks we saw, a very photogenic vermillion flycatcher, and of course the aracaris. I chose some of my favorite pictures I took while on birding excursions with Steve as attachments, but I have countless other pictures that turned out great.
My only disappointment is that although I checked several times to ensure that I'd be getting a full eBird list of all of the birds I saw, we had many excursions where I didn't receive any birding lists. I love posting my pictures to eBird as I don't have any other social media to post them on, and I'm a bit sad that I can't recall what a lot of birds we saw were and I have no idea where we were for a majority of it, so I can't add the checklists myself. I regret not pushing harder to get the checklists after each day and I think it's too late to get the full lists even though I asked for them after we got home. I would love to go again as we had an amazing trip, but only if we were able to get a full list next time.
That being said, as you can see, my friend and I had an excellent time at the Tanager Rainforest Lodge! I recommend it to anybody who is looking for a birding lodge in Belize. You won't regret it :)
Location: Situated in the southernmost district of Belize, it is a ways away from many popular tourist areas. We did not have a car and so relied on the staff for transport. We additionally paid extra to be brought to and from Belize City at the beginning and end of our stay which cut out a lot of uncertainty, and it was fun having a bit of a roadtrip at the end as we used that time to bird with Steve and a friend of his (though I forgot his name - apologies).
Lodge: We were some of the only guests at the lodge for a couple days of our stay and so had the entire property to ourselves (well, us and the huge amount of staff who were taking care of us). The room was excellent and we got a good night's sleep every day. It was also extremely clean both in our room and everywhere else that we went. It was very quiet aside from the birds chirping everywhere and peaceful. If I had to describe the atomosphere, that's what I'd say: it was very peaceful.
There is a pool but it was a little cold for me when we went in early January. My friend loved it though, and we both enjoyed tubing. I was worried about going alone as I'm not a strong swimmer but a staff member went with us and we all had a great time. It's not a super long stretch and only takes some thirty minutes to go from one end of the tubing course to the other, but still lots of fun.
It does get very dark at night, which I actually consider a plus since we were able to see countless stars. They provide a flashlight for going to and from the main lodge (where meals are served) and we thought it was kind of fun. We also went birding on the grounds a few times, most memorably at night where we saw two species of owls and a nighthawk.
Food: To be honest although the food at the lodge was good, the best food was had elsewhere on excursions. We went to a chocolate farm and were fed chocolate chicken, a meal which is basically still haunting my dreams as one of the best things I've ever eaten. It was soooo good. We ate a number of Mayan specialities at other locations as well and everything was delicious.
I do wish there was a bit more variety available at the lodge food-wise though - maybe it was just because we stayed for a full week and most people are just there a few days, but the menu sometimes felt a bit repetitive and we would have loved to eat more local specialties. I can see how that would be a minus for other groups though, especially those with picky eaters or kids, so I understand why they have the menu set up how they do.
Value: It was, in my opinion, amazing value. The room itself was very affordable - about $160 per night. The activities are a bit more expensive but in my opinion totally worth it! Really and truly I can't think of a single thing that I disliked regarding the excursions. I think we did just about everything offered except for the water activities (I'm not a swimmer and didn't feel comfortable getting in the ocean), but I'm confident that those would have been fun too - the staff has a knack for picking out enjoyable experiences and treats every guest well and listens and tries to solve any problems that may come up.
Birding: It'd be crazy if I posted this long review and didn't address the main reason that we went, which was to see birds! We went birding almost every day and saw a huge variety of beautiful species, including some that I'd been hoping to see for a very long time (collared aracari is a stand-out)! I feel that we had especially good luck at Monkey River. I also came to love some birds that I didn't even know existed until then, which is always my favorite part of traveling for birds. Highlights were manakins, the many species of hawks we saw, a very photogenic vermillion flycatcher, and of course the aracaris. I chose some of my favorite pictures I took while on birding excursions with Steve as attachments, but I have countless other pictures that turned out great.
My only disappointment is that although I checked several times to ensure that I'd be getting a full eBird list of all of the birds I saw, we had many excursions where I didn't receive any birding lists. I love posting my pictures to eBird as I don't have any other social media to post them on, and I'm a bit sad that I can't recall what a lot of birds we saw were and I have no idea where we were for a majority of it, so I can't add the checklists myself. I regret not pushing harder to get the checklists after each day and I think it's too late to get the full lists even though I asked for them after we got home. I would love to go again as we had an amazing trip, but only if we were able to get a full list next time.
That being said, as you can see, my friend and I had an excellent time at the Tanager Rainforest Lodge! I recommend it to anybody who is looking for a birding lodge in Belize. You won't regret it :)
Hotel response
Comment: 29 May 2026
Hi Tessa,
Thank you for your review. We appreciate all the feedbacks and happy to have hosted you. Again, we are regretful for not being able to provide you with the list of all the birds you saw.
Thank you for your review. We appreciate all the feedbacks and happy to have hosted you. Again, we are regretful for not being able to provide you with the list of all the birds you saw.
Anonymous traveller
Comment: 12 Mar 2026
Stayed in: Mar 2026
We had an amazing time at Tanager. The staff was so friendly and attentive. Monica and Vince took really good care of us. One of our party got sick, and they made us chicken soup and ginger tea, what amazing service! The property is beautiful, so many birds and wildlife. The pool was clean and
Couple
MN
Comment: 10 Mar 2026
Stayed in: Feb 2026
Wonderful location with great staff and wonderful meals and drinks
Tanager’s is exceptionally well run by a team that truly prioritizes hospitality. From the moment we arrived, everyone was welcoming, friendly, and attentive. I usually prefer not to return to the same place twice when traveling, but this is one location where I would consider making an exception.
The food was wonderful and focused on seasonal, local ingredients. Each dinner was a three-course meal with two choices for each course. Our bartender, Vince, was also great. He created a drink of the day, and we enjoyed trying one before dinner each night.
Early risers will appreciate that coffee was available starting at 5:30 a.m., perfect for early adventures. Breakfast varied. When a larger birding group was staying to tour with Steve, breakfast was served buffet-style; otherwise, there were two plated options to choose from.
We stayed in the Hummingbird Cabana, and it was beautifully designed—comfortable with generous space in the bathroom, bedroom/closet area, and a relaxing deck. After a day of caving or hiking, the lemongrass soap and shampoo were a wonderfully refreshing touch.
While we didn’t stay at Tanager’s to go birding, the birdlife around the property is incredible. If you’re not an experienced birder, I highly recommend downloading the Merlin app with the Central America bird pack before your trip—it makes identifying the birds around the lodge much easier and adds a lot to the experience.
The food was wonderful and focused on seasonal, local ingredients. Each dinner was a three-course meal with two choices for each course. Our bartender, Vince, was also great. He created a drink of the day, and we enjoyed trying one before dinner each night.
Early risers will appreciate that coffee was available starting at 5:30 a.m., perfect for early adventures. Breakfast varied. When a larger birding group was staying to tour with Steve, breakfast was served buffet-style; otherwise, there were two plated options to choose from.
We stayed in the Hummingbird Cabana, and it was beautifully designed—comfortable with generous space in the bathroom, bedroom/closet area, and a relaxing deck. After a day of caving or hiking, the lemongrass soap and shampoo were a wonderfully refreshing touch.
While we didn’t stay at Tanager’s to go birding, the birdlife around the property is incredible. If you’re not an experienced birder, I highly recommend downloading the Merlin app with the Central America bird pack before your trip—it makes identifying the birds around the lodge much easier and adds a lot to the experience.
Hotel response
Comment: 29 May 2026
Hi Fritch,
Thank you for taking time to write a review. we are very happy to know you had a great time with us. Thank you for choosing us and we hope to welcome you again.
Thank you for taking time to write a review. we are very happy to know you had a great time with us. Thank you for choosing us and we hope to welcome you again.
Couple
Comment: 24 Feb 2026
Stayed in: Feb 2026
Our favourite hotel of a one month tour!
Our favourite hotel of our one month tour of Guatemala and Belize! This is a gorgeous resort that is surrounded by the Rio Grande river which is a stunning teal blue colour. The resort is small and boutique, with all the cabins detached and with the traditional Mayan thatched roofs. Our cabin had a river view which was beautiful and could be enjoyed lying in the hammock on the veranda. There is a huge amount of birdlife and other wildlife here like agoutis, and they have two walking trails which are relatively short but pretty. You can also kayak up river, and do tubing down river (very gently) and you can stop at the hot springs which feed into the river and have a warm bath. The staff are all fantastic here. The chef is excellent and we found the food of very high quality and most enjoyable. Steve our guide was immensely knowledgeable about birds, local culture and Mayan history and we thoroughly enjoyed our trips out with him. The pool is also lovely. The resort is an oasis set in the jungle and we were sad to leave.
Hotel response
Comment: 29 May 2026
Hi Kaybru,
Thank you for staying with us. We are very grateful to have hosted you and hope you would visit us again.
Thank you for staying with us. We are very grateful to have hosted you and hope you would visit us again.
Anonymous traveller
Comment: 19 Feb 2026
Stayed in: Feb 2026
We've stayed in places all over the world and the staff at TRL are all simply the kindest we've met. Maybe it's a sort of Mayan sensibility, but there is a gentleness that begins with a proactive welcome and extends throughout the stay. Servers, bartenders, room attendants, front desk....everyone is kind and helpful, yet completely unobtrusive as well. The surroundings are gorgeous too, enhancing the peacefulness one feels as soon as you arrive.
Excellent location
PO Box 103, Punta Gorda, Big Fall, 0000, Belize|0.7 km from city centre
Check in and check out
Check in from:
15:00
Check out before:
11:00
Good to know
Children are welcome at this hotel
Please contact the hotel for details about adding extra beds.
Please contact the hotel for details about adding a cot.
Pets not allowed
Breakfast available
Breakfast times
07:00 - 10:00 from Monday to Sunday
This hotel accepts the following payment methods:
Cash
Tanager RainForest Lodge: FAQs
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