Ramada Princess Hotel

A friendly international hotel right on Belize City’s picturesque waterfront, the Princess Hotel & Casino is a comfortable, easy base camp for adventures around Belize City.

All international flights to Belize land in Belize City, and just 15 miles (24 km) from the airport, the Ramada’s Princess Hotel and Casino offers a friendly welcome. All Belize City attractions – such as the Belize Zoo, where native species roam free, or the Belize Museum, housed in a historical prison – are accessible from the centrally located Princess Hotel, and the English-speaking staff makes coordinating adventures easy. Belize City is less than two hours from the Cayo District and its wealth of Mayan sites and lush jungle. From the Princess Hotel, venture out to Altun Ha, Mayan ruins still boasting the largest jade sculpture in Belize, or experience ecotourism at its finest at Green Hills Butterfly Ranch. There is also extraordinary snorkeling and diving to be done right from the Princess Hotel’s marina, where guests can swim next to turtles and spotted eagle rays along the coral walls of the coast.

All 160 guestrooms have views of the Caribbean, in addition to air conditioning (plus ceiling fans), safety deposit boxes, 70 channels of cable television, and free Wi-Fi. For guests traveling in a group, suites and junior suites – featuring private balconies – accommodate families easily. There is even a presidential suite with an elegant foyer, Jacuzzi, coffee maker, mini bar, and kitchenette. After a jungle adventure, the laundry and dry cleaning service can help.

The amenities on site are extensive: a massage parlor and hair salon keep guests pampered, and the gift shop remedies last-minute souvenir needs. The Seaview Restaurant & Bar serves casual food and drinks and boasts a spectacular view of the turquoise waters just outside the bay windows. Club Calypso Seafood Restaurant, with its daily happy hour, is perfect for dinner before a casino night. The hotel’s full casino – 400 gaming machines and a variety of table games – is open from 12pm-4am. Guests may be up late for that, as well as the Las Vegas-style floorshows at the casino’s Blue Hole Bar, complete with showgirl costumes and high-kicks. Late-night appetites are quelled with a midnight buffet.

Private events from weddings and proms to corporate conferences are frequently held at the Princess, in two different meeting venues that can host up to 250 people. Two large-screen cinemas are also available, seating up to 180 viewers.