Itz'ana Resort

Placencia, on the Caribbean coast of Belize, is almost comically blessed with travel-friendly attributes: with a perfect white sand beach on one side, and a mangrove-dotted bay and lagoon on the other, it’s ideally positioned for seaside lounging with a side of dolphin-watching and rainforest exploration. It’s got all kinds of hotels, from the merest shacks to impressive luxury boutique hotels like Itz’ana Resort & Residences.

The style is contemporary, but not modern — retro-style furnishings and jungle-themed prints come together in a way that somehow avoids tropical-kitsch cliché. Accommodations vary widely, from relatively cozy deluxe rooms to spacious one-bedroom beachfront lofts and even two- and three-bedroom beach villas. Lofts come with kitchenettes, outdoor bathtubs, and plunge pools, while the villas add full kitchens, and the largest has a garden with a 22-meter lap pool.

Limilia Restaurant handles three meals a day in environments ranging from a quasi-formal dining room to an ultra-casual outdoor space. There’s an adults-only pool and a kids-friendly one, while the beach is just steps away. And you’d be a fool to stay on site for your entire visit — adventures from diving and kayaking to hiking, sailing, and deep-sea fishing are Placencia’s reason for being.