Itz’ana Resort, Belize: Grand Opening of Marina & Beach Villas
This highly anticipated resort opens its full collection of villas and amenities, inviting a new wave of travelers to experience Belize’s wild beauty in comfort and style.
Belize has long been a destination known for its raw beauty, rich Maya heritage and untamed landscapes. Now, a new kind of resort experience has fully arrived. After years of anticipation, Itz’ana Resort celebrates its official grand opening and debut of its full suite of resort offerings.
This spring marks a major milestone: the debut of the resort’s Marina Villas, which join the previously completed but never-before-revealed Beach Villas, Penthouse Suites and Great House amenities. Itz’ana has transitioned from a soft opening to a fully operational luxury resort, offering a unique blend of barefoot adventure and elevated living in one of the region’s most under-the-radar destinations.
With its location between the Caribbean Sea and the Placencia Lagoon, Itz’ana was designed as a home base for those who come to Belize to explore, disconnect and discover. Unlike more high-traffic Caribbean destinations, Placencia, Belize still feels like a well-kept secret. Where 16 miles of undeveloped coastline meet vibrant local villages, jungle caves, ancient Maya ruins and the second-largest barrier reef in the world.
Itz’ana’s guests aren’t chasing the latest trend, they’re early adopters looking to experience nature on its own terms. Whether diving with whale sharks, exploring hidden cenotes or kayaking through mangrove forests, the resort acts as a comfortable launchpad for immersive travel. (Consider as a quote) At Itz’ana, adventure and comfort complement one another. Guests can step off the private dock of a Marina Villa and onto a boat that takes them directly to the reef. Days can start by spending the day exploring caves and rivers, then unwinding at sunset with rum tasting in the resort’s Biblio Bar and Secret Room.
With the opening of its Marina Villas, Itz’ana now offers 60 accommodations across several categories, including 42 villas and 18 hotel suites.. Marina Villas offer one- to four-bedroom private villas with plunge pools, full kitchens, overwater decks, sweeping views of the Placencia Lagoon and Maya Mountains, and direct access to private docks and the Caribbean Sea. Beach Villas present one-, two-, and three-bedroom configurations, each with multiple decks and private pools. Expansive one- and two-bedroom beachfront Penthouse suites come with private terraces and panoramic views. The Hotel Suites feature intimate spaces, just a few steps across the sand to the pool deck.
Though the resort is rooted in nature, its design adds a layer of quiet sophistication. Itz’ana is the first hotel project by acclaimed designer Samuel Amoia, known for his work with Chanel, Dior and Stella McCartney. Amoia blended one-of-a-kind vintage pieces from Central American markets with custom furnishings made by local artisans, giving each room a strong sense of place and personality. Boston-based architect Roberto de Oliveira Castro, a native of the region, looked to Belize’s British colonial past for inspiration, especially in the design of the Great House, the social heart of the property. The result is a blend of old-world charm and modern ease, with nods to Hemingway, from the wood-paneled Biblio Bar to the shaded verandas and airy archways. Artist George Venson of Voutsa added a final touch of whimsy and color with hand-painted murals found throughout the property, from reception to the guest suites and secret room.
The Great House serves as the gathering space for guests and locals alike, featuring Limilia, the resort’s signature restaurant on the ground floor with outdoor seating under its grand oak tree. Serving the pool deck is an outdoor pizza kitchen and beach bar as well as Limilita, a small indoor bar and seating area accessible from the pool deck or Limilia. On the second floor, guests enter a Hemingway-inspired Biblio Bar that features a terrace and secret Rum Room hidden behind a wooden armoire. To the west, the Nook offers a private room with stained-glass windows for meetings, events or movie screenings. From this central hub, guests can easily connect to guided reef excursions, inland jungle adventures and nearby island-hopping charters.
Itz’ana is named after the Maya god of day and night, and like its namesake, the resort is built with a contrast of rugged and refined, off-the-map and fully connected. With short flights from Miami, Dallas, Houston, Chicago and LA, it’s an accessible escape that still feels like a discovery.
For the traveler who values substance over flash and wants their next trip to feel personal, cultural and alive, Itz’ana offers a new way to experience the soul of Belize.
For more information, visit itzanabelize.com.
