Guatemala & Belize

Antigua, Guatemala

Stay: San Rafael Hotel (2 nights)

Few Latin American cities can match Antigua for postcard-perfect prettiness. But this UNESCO-listed city, the gem of Guatemala's highlands, is about much more than superstar good looks. For starters, there's a lively cultural scene; and with an abundance of farm-to-table restaurants and bars lining its cute cobblestone streets, the food and drink scene is also one to be savoured. Then there's the contemporary art galleries, design studios, 16th-century ruins and a virtual rainbow of Baroque architecture. And with towering volcanoes accessible by challenging day hikes, a booming coffee scene and bevy of boutique hotels, Guatemala's former colonial capital is fast gaining appeal as one of Central America's most enticing cities.​

Your Stay

San Rafael Hotel

In a restored colonial mansion, two blocks from Parque Central, San Rafael brilliantly merges traditional charm with striking modern décor.

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Lake Atitlán, Guatemala

Stay: Casa Palopó (2 nights)

​It's been described as "the closest thing to Eden on Earth" (Lonely Planet), "the most beautiful lake in the world" (Aldous Huxley), and "the bellybutton of Mayan civilisation" (the locals)! But however you look at it, Lake Atitlán – starlet of the highlands; set high in the lush Sierra Madre mountains; and surrounded by fern-covered valleys, a trifecta of towering 10,000-foot-high volcanoes and nine lakeside communities – is unmissable. The highlights? Guided hikes up the San Pedro volcano, watching the sunrise from Indian's Nose, kayaking to San Pedro and visiting any number of the authentic lake towns.

Your Stay

Casa Palopó

Live the luxe lake life at this petite Relais & Châteaux property – chock full of charmingly eclectic curio that submerges you straight into Guatemala’s rich culture.

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Petén, Guatemala

Stay: La Lancha, A Family Coppola Hideaway (2 nights)

​Guatemala's northernmost province and – at nearly 14,000 square miles – its largest, jungle-clad Petén is one of the most important places of pre-Columbian occupation; and a natural wonderland with extraordinary biodiversity and all sorts of ways to explore it. Spanish-colonial capital Flores, set on an island in Lake Petén Itzá is well worth a visit of its own; and mighty convenient for exploring the wonders of the ancient Maya and their spectacular monuments (like the sprawling epicentre of Maya spirituality – Tikal National Park – dotted with majestic, 1000-year-old pyramids, hidden amongst mystical flora).

Your Stay

La Lancha, A Family Coppola Hideaway

Close to Tikal and set high above Lake Petén Itzá, this quaint, chic, 10-room rainforest retreat is a perfect escape from the world at large.

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Cayo District, Belize

Stay: Chaa Creek (2 nights)

​Belize is famed for its Caribbean beaches and turquoise sea, but head further inland and you'll discover Cayo District's vast variety of wild and wonderful experiences; jagged limestone hills; boulder-strewn rivers and creeks; and low, emerald mountains where tapirs, peccaries and jaguars roam free. Dotted with Maya ruins – from Cahal Pech, Xunantunich, and El Pilar, to the mother of all Belizean Maya sites – Caracol – you'll also encounter the 107,000-acre Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve. Offering a little respite from the hotter lowlands, it's Belize's oldest, largest protected forested area, and a sharp contrast to its tropical landscape.

Your Stay

Chaa Creek

In 1981, Chaa Creek started off as a single hut. Almost four decades on it’s one of the world’s most eco-friendly resorts and a pioneer in Belize adventure travel: an exquisite blend of natural beauty, man-made comforts and wildly civilised adventure.

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Placencia, Belize

Stay: Turtle Inn, A Family Coppola Hideaway (2 nights)

​This charming, low-key fishing village at the southern tip of southeastern Belize's Placencia Peninsula is bordered on one side by a lovely mangrove-lined lagoon and on the other by the Caribbean Sea. One of the country's most beautiful spots, it's also gateway to the southern reef, a mecca for maritime activities like snorkelling, scuba-diving, and sailing. And on the mainland, nearby attractions include the vast Cockscomb Basin Nature Reserve (home to some of Central America's last surviving jaguars), boat trips up the aptly named Monkey River, and tours of ancient Maya ruins like Nim Li Punit and Lubantuum.​

Your Stay

Turtle Inn, A Family Coppola Hideaway

An idyllic, 25-room seafront escape for a relaxing or adventure-filled Belizean break, and a favourite spot for The Coppolas themselves.

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Depart Belize