Jaguar Reef Lodge - Belize

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It was a relaxing location, but food here was terrible! Visited: February 2006 Posted by califkel My boyfriend and I recently returned from a week-long stay at the Jaguar Reef. Overall, it was quite relaxing. The rooms were nice, and the guide, Gabriel, was friendly. There was not much to do in the evenings, so be prepared to entertain yourselves. Our biggest disappointment was the below average food. Each day breakfast consisted of omelets made with too much oil, and flies were all over the cut fruit and serving plates. Lunch was adequate, and we recommend the local specialties such as stewed beef, stewed beans, and rice. A few dinners were adequate, but overall, they were terrible. The fish and chicken were prepared in too much oil and were rather greasy. The side dishes were bland. There were several nights where we barely finished our dinners and went to bed hungry. The problem seemed to be that their local cooks were cooking American food and it didn't seem that they knew what American food should taste like or how it should be prepared. We would have much rather had them prepare their local food which should have been a whole lot better than the American food. Towards the end of our trip, we were forced to ride our bikes into Hopkins Village for a cheap, tasty meal that left our bellies satisfied. We both decided that we would not return to Jaguar Reef Lodge, nor could we recommend it to anyone else. The food needs a major improvement. 12 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? This is a wonderful vacation spot! Visited: February 2006 Posted by clarks133 We just returned, and our vacation was great. The people were the friendliest I have ever met, and the staff at the lodge was wonderful and very accommodating. The dining was excellent, although the food was often not very hot, but well cooked. The bugs were minimal, but the tours were incredible. It was everything we were looking for, including great diving. The divemasters, Jeanette and Martin, were very professional and accommodating, and tour guide Cipriano was great-very informative. I would recommend this lodge to my friends any time. 3 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? We loved Jaguar Reef Lodge! Visited: June 2005 Posted by cburton We just returned from a great vacation at the Jaguar Reef Lodge in Dangriga, Belize. This was one great place to visit. The accommodations, food and the beach were all perfect. I have been to some other resorts, but none can compare to this one. This was, without a doubt, one of the most accommodating places we have visited. The staff at the lodge was great. They were the friendliest people on the globe. It helped tremendously that English was the language of Belize. Garifuna, Creole and Spanish were also spoken. The rooms were spacious and well done. Ours contained a king-size bed, dresser, rattan couch and a couple of chairs. There was plenty of room to store our belongings. The room also contained a mini-fridge. And even though Belizean tap was drinkable, there was bottled water in the room. The rooms were clean and well kept. Daily maid service was included. There was a full bathroom complete with shower and tub. Each room was complete with beach towels which were changed every day. There was only one restaurant, but the food was beyond compare. We had a couple of very windy days and cool nights. Jaguar Reef was in the process of enclosing the dining area, but it was not complete during our stay. Once this is done, the restaurant will be perfect. Before traveling to Belize, I was a little worried since I had been told that all food in Belize is very spicy. There were spicy choices, but not all food will burn as you eat. All in all, I had absolutely no complaints about the food. They had a great beach and good swimming. The water was shallow enough along the shore for children. There was also a small pool for those who don't like the ocean. Except on very windy days, the ocean was great for swimming. There were no waves. Belize is protected by the largest barrier reef in the western hemisphere. Beach chairs and lounges were plentiful. Because the lodge was small, there were a couple of days that I was the only one at the beach. Nothing on their web site was nothing misleading. What you see is what you get. There were also many tours available... Mayan ruins, snorkeling at the barrier reef, dive trips, tropical bird tours, etc. There was something for everyone. We didn't go on the tours, but other guests we spoke to said they were worth every penny. We had booked a half day snorkeling trip, but it was cancelled due to weather. All in all, this was one of the best vacations my husband and I have taken. 6 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Jaguar Reef Lodge promised, but did not deliver. Visited: February 2005 Posted by sprucecreekfly I agree with most of the negative reviews I have read of this resort. We found the lodge to be in need of repair. The owner seems to keep building more and more buildings, but hasn't maintained the ones he has. There were burnt out light bulbs, broken light fixtures, faucets that dripped, holes in walls, paint that was chipped, air conditioners that leaked water all over our floor, and so on. But one of the biggest disappointments we had was the food. It was bad. It was not mediocre, it was bad. The kitchen, especially for dinner, did not seem to have clue on how to cook a meal. My wife did have a couple of good meals in that she ordered the grilled lobster tails (specials) and they were okay. I had fish on three of the four nights, and two of those nights, it was not edible. The other night I ordered filet (how do you screw that up?), but they did. For some reason, they butterflied the filet and grilled it. It was tough, not done correctly, and the hollandaise sauce did not really resemble hollandaise at all. My wife had t-bone that night and it too was poor in quality and presentation. The breakfasts were actually not bad. I had the Belizian breakfast one morning, which consisted of fried fish and johnny cakes with green peppers and onions. It actually was very good. That night, I asked them to fix the same thing for dinner (I figured they did it right once, they can do it again, right?). I was wrong. The fish - again - was not edible. They did not prepare it properly, and I really believe they did not know how. The last day we were here, I did have the local lunch, which was good. It was the beans, rice and chicken. It actually was very good. The remainder of the food, however, was terrible. Our fly fishing package was good. The guide (Lloyd) was great, but the lodge did not help at all when it came to telling us what flies and tackle to bring. The flies they told me were wrong, and they also did not tell me that most of the time we would be fishing for permit, not bones, and we would be on a flat with 20 mph winds. I did not bring a shooting line, so many of our casts fell short. All in all, they made a lot of promises but there was no delivery. We will probably go back to Belize, but not to Jaguar Reef. The staff was friendly and accommodating. But the wait staff in the kitchen was very ignorant as to what food was being served, or really anything having to do with food. If I owned the place, I would fire the entire kitchen and wait staff. They were the ones who pulled the resort down in my opinion. 3 users found this review helpful. 1 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? This was a wonderful secluded get away with a variety of activities Visited: January 2005 Posted by cmiller We bought the all-inclusive package, and were amazed by everything in it. The staff was very nice and helpful, but not obtrusive. We received answers to our questions with a smile. The rooms were very spacious and clean, with the mini bar always stocked. They even had an individual rinse off tub outside every door for sandy feet. There was not a lot to do on site but swim or kayak, but we went on the included activities almost every day. Snorkeling, Mayan ruins, horseback riding, and bird watching were all fantastic. Our snorkel guide was wonderful - very attentive and would point out things we may have missed. Right before the ride back, we went to an island to relax on a different beach, and he showed us how and let us all split coconuts! The rainforest/waterfall tour was slightly disappointing, but only because it wasn't a mature forest, and that was not the lodge's fault. The tours were very small with a friendly and knowledgable guide every time. The advantage of such a small lodge was that you could make friends very quickly if you wanted to. Every day, we got back in time for our complimentary drink before dinner. They gave us a choice of four entrees in the morning, and I was never disappointed once. The lobster was especially good, along with the jerk chicken. It was not a five-star restaurant, but they never claimed to be. Nights were spent enjoying another drink or two at the small bar with new friends, or alone under the stars. The next day was always filled with another new adventure after a wonderful breakfeast with fresh juice and fruit with our eggs! 2 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Setting and rooms were nice, but the staff could not deliver. Visited: January 2005 Posted by psross While the accommodations and setting were lovely, we expected and were promised much more and were very disappointed. We are active vacationers and were assured that we could use the lodge as a springboard for our two passions--birding (in the nearby Coxcomb Basin Preserve) and diving (on the Barrier Reef). In spite of explicit promises from the Lodge when we booked our vacation, the staff could not provide us transportation to and guide service in the preserve. Meanwhile, the weather prevented us from diving. While the Lodge obviously cannot control the weather, it should have divulged on its web site that the long boat ride required to reach the reef would make diving impossible much more often than from the Cayes, which were much closer to the reef. So we figured that we could at least use the free bicycles to ride around Dangria, right? Wrong. They had no bikes that could be used by females under 5'4", and two out of three of our party fit that description. We actually had to walk into town to rent a bicycle for my wife and daughter! The upshot was that we hung around the lodge for three days in frustration until finally bailing by flying to San Pedro (Ambergris Caye), where dives were going out, and were quite pleasant. To add insult to injury, the Lodge refused to refund a single cent of our prepaid stay. So, if you just want to hang and maybe do some very watered down "ecotourism" you should have no problem with the Lodge. If you have your heart set on diving or have individualized needs, go elsewhere, for sure! 0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Mediocre, at best Visited: December 2004 Posted by michaelg My wife and I spent 6 days at JRL in December, '04 for a honeymoon and diving. We blew it. We should have stayed at Hamanasi. We choose JRL on the basis of their website photos. The pictures were better than the reality. The rooms were nice but, except for the two on either end, were too far from the beach and behind the main lodge. You couldn't hear the surf from the rooms, only the air conditioners in the adjoining rooms. The lodge building blocked most of the sea breeze. The Hamanasi resort, on the other hand, was much prettier than its pictures. The rooms were also much closer to the beach and in front of the lodge. Hamanasi was also beautifully landscaped and filled with hummingbirds. JRL was clean and well raked but bare by comparison. As far as the staff goes, there was no comparison. Hamanasi's staff was superb. JRL's was mediocre at best. The manager at Hanamasi, Karen, would greet both my wife and I by name. She went diving with us one afternoon. She joined us for breakfast. She personally saw to our comfort and the details of our dives. The rest of the staff treated us like guests, not like visitors from another resort. We never spoke to the management of JRL. We could see them sitting inside through a glass window in their office door, but they never came out of the airconditioning to introduce themselves, say hi or ask if there was anything they could do. JRL’s wait staff needs a lot of work. One afternoon for lunch, they just stood in the back and only came forward to serve us reluctantly. As far as the food went, again Hamanasi also was, far and away, superior. More variety, bigger portions, better preparation, presentation and service. JRL’s was adequate but much less than we expected. It was what you’d expect from a chain restaurant in an airport. We took a JRL box lunch snorkelling one day and it consisted of a plastic box with chicken salad, some vegetable salad, and a cookie. Hamanasi’s picnic lunch was grilled chicken breasts, lunchmeat with cheese, bread and condiments for sandwiches, bow tie pasta, fresh cut watermelon, fresh cut pineapple and brownies and cookies. The captain and the dive crew set up a table and did the serving. Hamanasi – first class, JRL – low class 2 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? The staff was very friendly and we had many adventures here. Visited: November 2004 Posted by don_carl We spent eight days at the Jaguar Reef Lodge and enjoyed every minute. We did an all-inclusive and everything that was advertized was available.......and more. The food was good, not five-star, yet a nice mixture of local and standard fare. We did several of the tours - some private and others as group -and they were well organized and exciting. We did the cave/tubing tour and expected that it would be less strenuous. It involved paddling up stream for about 1/4 mile and then climbing up the steep and slippery wall of the cave. We were quite isolated; hence the night life was almost non-existent. One night we asked if they would take a group of us into Hopkins (a five minute ride) and we enjoyed the "limited" local culture. In addition, we found virtually every staff member to be very friendly and helpful. 0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Jaguar Reef Lodge is almost heaven! Visited: September 2004 Posted by robertjohn98 My wife and I spent a wonderful eight days and seven nights at the Jaguar Reef Lodge in early September. We travel a lot to tropical locations, and found the Jaguar to be at the top of our list. The people were fantastic, friendly and went out of their way to accommodate us. The food was good, the rooms were very comfortable, and there was a beautiful sandy beach right in front of our room. Our guides for snorkeling found the best spots. We even swam with a wild dolphin, beside sea turtles, rays, and more. The guide for the Mayan ruins was very knowlegeable of the area, and informative. The remoteness of the lodge was relaxing and we felt it was an adventure that provided many types of options with tours of the countryside, and a romantic getaway. We don't usually vacation at the same spots over the years, but we definitely plan to revisit the Jaguar Reef Lodge. I wrote up a trip report about the area for friends, and everyone said it sounded like a Discovery Channel show. They want to visit the area - and the Jaguar. 0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? It was not what we expected. Visited: July 2004 Posted by martin_rajek Do not believe the web site. We found the lodge to be far below the promises made there. It was just the sum of details which makes me complain, and you can find masses of better lodges in Belize. So we will visit Belize again (definitely), but not Jaguar Reef (definitely). 0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? We thought it was mediocre at best. Visited: February 2004 Posted by tpaikin We just returned from Jaguar Reef Lodge yesterday. If you are looking for a luxury resort, this is not the place to go. The activities were great, but the service and food were not. With the exeption of three or four employees, the staff seemed to have a very poor atitude. We had to ask for everything and nothing was volunteered. We specifically came here for the fly fishing package which was excellent, and the guide (Floyd) was top notch. When we booked the trip I asked Judy (the lodge's booking agent in the U.S.) what type of fishing tackle to bring and she had no clue. I did request information by e-mailing the lodge directly, but there was no response. So if you are looking for Ritz Carlton type service, this is not the place for you. In addition, bring lots of bug spray. 0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? A good value but watch out for overpromises. Visited: September 2003 Posted by asetikas We booked through Judy in the US, and specifically we said the main reason was to go diving. When we arrived, we found out that they did not have a dive shop. We were pawned off on the neighboring lodge, Hamanasi, that was a dive resort, although they didn't really care what we wanted. Make sure you request John as the boat captain, Eric decided he would go fishing while we were under, and left us floating in the ocean for about 10 minutess before coming to get us. Terell and Jerome were good dive masters. The Jaguar Reef Lodge was a very nice place, but people would sometimes seem annoyed by us. Be careful that they don't overpromise you. King, Kimberly, John, and Francis were wonderful, and made our vacation. If you want this area, and aren't looking for the least expensive price, this lodge is a nice option. Just be careful of Judy in the US, she can be kind of mean, and not very informative. I would definitely go again, I just hope the Jaguar Reef Lodge improves their level of service and the quality, and the type and amount of information they provide you - like the real deal on diving (is the water safe to drink, what specifically is included in the all inclusive packages?, etc). 0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? We loved Jaguar Reef Lodge. Visited: July 2003 Posted by lizzymcneil My new husband and I just returned from the Jaguar Reef Lodge and had a fantastic time. It was easily the best vacation we have been on together. The location was a bit isolated which was actually what we were looking for. But there was no shortage of things to do. The accommodations were extremely comfortable and the food was excellent, lots of fresh sea food which we both loved. The hiking tours, snorkeling and kayaking made our stay very memorable. We cannot say enough about the staff who was very attentive yet never obtrusive. We plan to return to celebrate our fifth anniversary in this very special place. It is highly recommended. 0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? the real deal Visited: June 2003 Posted by michellebassham I am the real Michelle in Fort Worth, Texas and my husband and I have a very different review than the previous bogus one. We did have a few problems, but that was expected since there had been a fire. The owner did everything in his power to make our honeymoon enjoyable. The few things that were not ready for an upgrade were made up for as soon as they were brought to the owner's attention. I would say that after full recovery from the fire (mid July 2003) the Jaguar Reef would be a great place for a honeymoon or family vacation. The staff and tours were wonderful. I wouldn't miss the snorkeling, the cayes are beautiful and if you are into fishing Floyd definitely knows his stuff. 0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Not what was advertised. Visited: June 2003 Posted by dff399 Place has a fantastic web site, but unfortunately the place burned down two months before we got there. Owner never told anyone and actually convinced us to upgrade for services we never got. Imagine ongoing construction (hammers, saws and workers), no real meal services, no bar and the smell of smoke in your cabana. Owner is a nice enough fella who tells a hard luck story and makes lots of empty promises. Food was horrible, basic and not hygienically prepared. Not at all what was advertised. A memorable honeymoon for all the wrong reasons. 0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful?

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