As you may know from our post on Why We Got Married in Placencia, Belize, we love this low-key beach peninsula due to its great beaches, the wide variety of food and drink options, and the incredible aquatic adventures found just offshore.
But as with any trip, figuring out where to stay can always be a challenge. That’s where this post comes in. Here are all of the best rentals, resorts, and hotels in Placencia, Belize. Along with specific things you should consider to make the best choice for your needs.
Quick Rundown of Locations in Placencia
Placencia is a 16-mile long peninsula in southern Belize. It has many different hotel and resort options within the peninsula and where to stay depends heavily on your personal desires.
Outside of these three areas listed below, most resorts and hotels in Placencia are essentially in their own world. You can find some hidden treasures, but just understand that you may be a bit isolated from anything else going on (which can be great if that’s what you’re looking for).
Placencia Village
Our favorite area is the central location in Placencia Village. This is located at the southern tip of the peninsula, on the eastern side. The Placencia Sidewalk stretches from the municipal pier and toward The Ellysian Hotel.
You’ll find everything here. Great beaches. Many different small hotels and resorts in Placencia, Belize.
Plentiful options for food and drinks. An abundance of tour operators. A couple of small supermarkets. All within a ten-minute walk or less in most cases.
The beach close to the municipal pier was a lifesaver for us due to the sargassum (seaweed) which covered most other beach areas. For this reason alone, it might be worth staying close to here.
Here’s a comparison of what the beach near the pier looked like (with a happy Kristina – moments before we swam with dolphins at this exact spot) against the beach on the eastern side of the island (near Brisa Oceana Resort) from early 2019:
Maya Beach
The Maya Beach area is our second choice for where to stay in Placencia. It is about 8 miles (13 km) north of the village area. There are quite a few options for accommodations here, along with a couple of small restaurants and Placencia’s own bowling alley!
Seine Bight
Another major hub in Placencia is the Seine Bight area. Located in the middle of the Placencia Peninsula (about 5.5 miles north of the main village), Seine Bight is home to the local Garifuna community of about 1,000 people.
This area is not quite as friendly or inviting as most other places in Placencia. And we have read some stories about tourists being hassled while visiting here. While we generally love to mingle with local populations, it seems you’re better off heading to the village rather than Seine Bight.
Top Choice: Village Area Rental
If you have your choice of accommodations in Placencia, we highly recommend going with a house or condo rental close to the main village area. If you want to be right next to the beach, make sure to get one on the eastern side of the Peninsula.
A rental in Placencia is perfect since there are many small homes and condos located on the Placencia Sidewalk, making it so you can walk to just about anywhere in a matter of minutes. Having a kitchen with a refrigerator helps avoid the need to eat out at restaurants three times a day. (And insider tip: It’s also quite common for people to make mixed drinks and put them in some sort of thermos while walking around the area. BYOB wherever you are!)
If you are thinking of avoiding the village area due to concerns of overcrowding, you might want to reconsider. While a large majority of the land is developed in some way, most buildings and hotels in Placencia are two stories or less. The beaches, even in the most developed areas, have plenty of space to stretch out.
This is not like visiting the crowded mega-resorts in Cancun. It’s a small village quite isolated from modern life. The biggest concern might be construction noise since the area is growing. Make sure to inquire about any potential noise before booking.
We found our rental in Placencia, Belize through VRBO, which seemed to have a better selection of rentals for Placencia than Airbnb.
Click here to see the VRBO rentals in Placencia.
Be careful about what you get though. As with any rental option, the quality differs dramatically. You can find one-bedroom units for around $100 USD per night or go for a larger 3-bedroom house or condo for around $300 per night.
Second Choice: Brisa Oceana Resort
If you prefer a Placencia, Belize hotel or resort instead of a rental, then you should check out Brisa Oceana Resort.
This adorable hotel/resort is located in what we consider to be the best part of Placencia. It’s close to the southern end by the municipal pier and beach (our favorite) and has a bit of distance from the busiest area near Tipsy Tuna and Barefoot Bar, which can be loud with live music at times.
The rooms have an excellent view of the sandy beach, which is large enough to accommodate the patrons of the hotel easily. Lounge chairs and a few palapas are close to the water, while The Secret Garden (our favorite restaurant in Placencia village area) is just down the sidewalk.
It is brand new and there are some comments which indicate a pool is coming soon. Which actually might be the only hesitation I have about recommending it since it might be a construction zone in the near future. I’d just ask the hotel before booking!
Best Resort Option: Maya Beach Hotel
If you’re looking for a bit of a quieter vacation, something away from the main village area where you don’t mind a decent drive into town, then make sure to check out our favorite resort: Maya Beach Hotel.
This was our favorite place to eat on the entire peninsula. But it also gets rave reviews as a Placencia hotel. And with the incredible service we received at the bistro, we can understand why.
The pool is on the smaller side but was very comfortable with lounge chairs on the deck. You can find another row of seating lining the ocean and a lovely wooden pier with hammocks and more chairs.
The biggest downfall is that Maya Beach Hotel is about 8 miles (13 km) north of the village area, so it’s a decent drive to most other attractions in Placencia. Although there is a bowling alley for some nearby entertainment. Another downfall is that the hotel is situated on the main highway running the length of the peninsula.
Other Hotels in Placencia Village
Heading back into the “hustle” of the village (which isn’t a hustling area at all), then you have quite a few options for hotels in Placencia, Belize. A lot of them are very similar wooden buildings that are located on the sidewalk. It’s just a matter of finding what fits your preferences the most.
Caribbean Beach Cabanas has individual cabanas located right next to the beach. A great romantic getaway Placencia hotel option.
A Belizean Nirvana is a more typical hotel in Placencia with one large building and multiple rooms inside of it. Its location on the southern end of the Placencia Peninsula is where we recommend staying.
The Ellysian is our final recommendation for Placencia Belize hotels. We have heard good things about it and it was on our shortlist due to its bright and modern design, along with a very inviting pool.
Other Resorts in Placencia
Like the sound of the resort area, but Maya Beach Hotel doesn’t sound good to you? No problem.
Before booking one of these Placencia resorts, I think it’s pertinent for me to make sure your expectations aren’t too high. You will be paying a fairly expensive rate which might lead you to believe they’ll be of the same quality as 5-star resorts in major cities around the world.
But you’re actually visiting a small, rustic village area in southern Belize and sometimes things aren’t quite as renovated or perfect as you might hope.
Naia Resort (technically Naïa Resort) is a tiny bit closer to the village (7 miles or 11 km) than Maya Beach Hotel. Still not walking distance. But this resort has a top-tier spa and two pools on it’s beautifully manicured land. Some rooms have private plunge pools. The spa is what people come here for the most and you do not have to stay overnight to use it.
Turtle Inn is one of the most popular resorts in Placencia. The 25 cottages here have been renovated with upscale interiors on a nice stretch of land. Its claim to fame is that it is owned by Francis Ford Coppola and lives up to his impeccable taste.
Robert’s Grove Beach Resort is a 5-star resort in Placencia that attracts many international visitors. It also has its own dive shop.
Finally, Los Porticos Villas are another option for luxury resort life away from the village area in Placencia.
Summary of the Best Rentals, Resorts, and Hotels in Placencia Belize
There you have it. Plenty of options, as you can see! Head to one of the luxury resorts in Placencia such as Maya Beach Hotel, Naia Resort, or Turtle Inn for an escape that is a bit more secluded. But we recommend getting a nice VRBO rental or Placencia hotel room in town to be closer to the action and the beach next to the municipal pier.
For more information on Placencia, Belize as a whole, check out our full post on Why We Got Married in Placencia Belize!
Would you rather relax in seclusion or be a bit closer to the action? Does fear of the sargassum (seaweed) covering the beach sway your decision? Please leave us a comment below to share your thoughts.
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