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United Kingdom Inside a luxury overwater bungalow in Belize that costs $950 a night
I spent 2 nights in a luxury overwater bungalow in Belize. Take a look inside my $950-a-night room.
- On a recent trip to Belize, a friend and I spent two nights at the all-inclusive Thatch Caye resort.
- The resort sits on its own private island, and we stayed in a premier overwater bungalow.
- The stay met expectations — we sipped endless piña coladas and went diving in crystal clear waters.
Belize's coarse sand dug into the back of my legs as I sat on a beach and considered the four days behind me.
My friend and I had just spent four nights in a budget hotel and three days hopping around Caye Caulker, Belize. We spent our mornings tracking down affordable scuba diving excursions and our evenings looking for cheap happy hour deals.
It was pure paradise, but it was paradise on a budget.
Ahead of us was the exact opposite: luxury.
Planted on the beach, we were waiting for a boat to take us to Thatch Caye — an all-inclusive resort on a private island.
Hundreds of islands and resorts dot the coast of Belize, but Thatch Caye lured me with its overwater bungalows.
I've slept in tiny homes in Australia's rainforest and plastic domes in New Zealand. I've stayed in traditional ryokans in Japan and five-star resorts in Colorado.
But I haven't fallen asleep to ocean waves lapping beneath me in an overwater bungalow. I mistakenly assumed that experience could only happen thousands of miles away in places like the Maldives or Bora Bora.
Thatch Caye proved me wrong. Part of the Muy'Ono Resorts, a grouping of 10 resorts across Belize, Thatch Caye is home to a handful of overwater bungalows.
I was thrilled to learn I could have the bungalow experience much closer to Colorado than I initially dreamed.
Shortly before sunset, a boat owned by Thatch Caye picked up me, my friend, and six other guests. Squinting in the distance, all we could see was a blur of green in the middle of the ocean.
Thatch Caye is an all-inclusive resort home to just 30 guests. Included in that is a private boat ride to and from the island to Dangriga, Belize.
About 25 minutes later, thatched roofs came into view. We had arrived.
The island's workers welcomed us with fresh watermelon juice and a shot of cherry-soaked rum.
With watermelon juice in hand, we were given a short tour of the island and handed a key to our overwater bungalow.
The staff gave a quick overview of the island, and then we all split off and headed to our accommodations.
For two nights, we were staying in a premier overwater bungalow with its own private deck.
The island has five premier overwater bungalows. Thatch Caye requires a minimum stay of two nights, so after the bungalow price, all-inclusive fees, taxes, and a resort fee, it typically costs around $950 per night for two people.
Business Insider received a media rate for the two-night stay.
The island is also home to bungalows with shared decks as well as cabanas.
For slightly less, guests can sleep in oceanfront cabanas and standard overwater bungalows.
Beyond interior design choices, the private deck was the main difference between the premier and regular overwater bungalows. Meanwhile, the cabanas seem to offer a bit more space.
A worker carted our luggage and led the way down a sandy path.
After our tour, one of the island's workers escorted us to our bungalow.
After a two-minute walk, we arrived at a long, narrow walkway leading out to the ocean and our bungalow.
A wooden walkway led to the front door of the bungalow.
We opened the door and stepped inside. Greeting us were two comfy beds — a major upgrade from the basic beds we had spent the last four nights in.
Guests can choose between two twin beds or a king-sized bed in their room.
Below each bed was storage for our luggage, which allowed our room to stay decluttered for the two nights.
The room lacked a closet, so we used the storage underneath our beds for our belongings.
The room thankfully had AC along with two lounge chairs. Three windows gave us direct views out to the ocean.
Our room also had drinkable water, a safe, and two reusable water bottles.
Attached to the room was a small bathroom with a shower, toilet, and sink.
The bathroom shower had shampoo, conditioner, and body wash.
While the room was cool and spacious, the bungalow's main appeal was outside.
The wooden walkway continued out to a deck.
Surrounding the majority of the building was a private deck.
The deck provided 180-degree views of the ocean.
We had a hammock, where we spent each night stargazing, and two chairs for lounging.
The deck had plenty of space to stretch out and relax.
While our bungalow didn't have direct access to the water, we could gaze down at Belize's aquatic life swimming below.
The shallow waters below let us view aquatic plants and animals.
Between the breeze blowing through the thatched roof and the ocean below, it was like we were immersed in our own little sound machine.
The palm fronds blew in the wind, which drowned out any nearby noises.
And while leaving our little bungalow was hard, Thatch Caye had more to offer than a good night's rest.
The small island was filled with activities such as snorkeling, drinking, volleyball, and other lawn games.
There was a beach where guests could use complimentary snorkel gear, paddleboards, kayaks, and a sailboat.
Our resort fee allowed us to access a handful of paddleboards and kayaks.
The small island had a dive shop, where guests could embark on daily diving and snorkeling excursions, and its own spa.
Guests can book excursions like scuba diving and spa treatments for an additional cost.
Sprinkled across the island are other outdoor activities, like a volleyball court and cornhole.
The island also had a giant Jenga set.
In the main lounge of the island, guests have access to a bar, WiFi, and a small shop stocked with sunscreen, snacks, and shirts.
The only place with a phone and WiFi is inside the Coco Lounge. However, I did have cell service across the entire island.
At the epicenter of the resort is a large thatched canopy.
Underneath the pavilion was seating and a bar.
Here, bartenders mix piña coladas, mojitos, and other tropical drinks while guests relax on hammocks over the water.
Island visitors can also snorkel around the area and spot aquatic life, including stingrays, starfish, and nurse sharks.
Or guests can dive into the ocean to spot marine life, hop on a water trampoline, or swing over the crystal clear waters.
We spent our afternoons snorkeling, looking for starfish and stingrays.
Guests sit at a communal table for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Thirty place mats line the table, and everyone eats together each night at 7 p.m.
Our dinners, which an on-site chef cooked, included steak, lobster, snapper, and chicken.
The island had an ideal balance of relaxation and adventure. We spent our morning scuba diving, our afternoon snorkeling and paddleboarding, and our evening relaxing with tropical cocktails.
