Jan’s Hotel in Caye Caulker, Belize is a good option to stay if you want to be central to the action on the island with a view of the ocean. Its location offers a private beach in front of the hotel, airport transportation, and comfortable rooms for your stay. It is a pricey option on the island, but great if you have someone to share the costs with during your stay.
I stayed in a queen room for 3 nights in April 2022 and overall enjoyed my stay. While it was quite expensive and the bathroom was not the cleanest, I was happy to be so close to all of the attractions and the beach.
Continue reading to discover the stunning Jan’s Hotel in Caye Caulker, Belize!
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Table of Contents
Jan’s Hotel Review
Getting to Jan’s Hotel
It really is an adventure on its own getting to Jan’s Hotel! When flying to the country of Belize, you will probably land at the international airport, Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport (BZE).
Once you’ve landed at BZE, you have two travel choices to get to Caye Caulker:
- Take a Tropic Air Flight from BZE to Caye Caulker ($$)
- Take a Taxi to the ferry, then the ferry to Caye Caulker ($)
Option 1: Tropic Air Flight from BZE to Caye Caulker
Cost: ~$100 USD
Time: 10 mins (so short!) plus time waiting for boarding
I chose to travel via Tropic Air to get from BZE to San Pedro. It cost me around $100 USD to travel to San Pedro, then another $100 USD to travel from Caye Caulker to Belize City. I recommend flying to those who have the room in their budget for it as the flight experience is amazing!
At BZE, you’ll check in for your domestic flight and they will take your luggage, including carry-on bags. I was only able to take a small bag on board. When it’s your time to board, your flight number will be called. You will walk onto the tarmac towards a small plane, referred to in Belize as a “puddle jumper”.
Take-off and landing are memorable experiences if you haven’t been on a small plane before, especially if it’s windy. Once in the air, you’ll enjoy absolutely amazing views of the water and islands around Belize. Be sure to take lots of photos!
Pro Tip: Avoid BZE and Tropic Air on Saturdays at all costs. It was way too busy and Tropic Air turned into a disorganized mess, functioning as a shuttle flight. Too much to handle after a long flight getting to Belize!
Option 2: Take a Taxi to the Ferry, then the Ferry to Caye Caulker
Cost: ~$45 USD ($25 USD for the taxi and $20 USD for the ferry)
Time: ~1 hour and 15 minutes (30-minute taxi and 45-minute ferry ride)
This alternate option is a bit cheaper to get to Caye Caulker, Belize. I didn’t take the ferry from Belize City, but I did take it to get to Caye Caulker from San Pedro. You can check your bags onto the boat and carry your smaller luggage right to your seat. The ferry wasn’t totally full and was overall a smooth boat ride.
Once you arrive in Caye Caulker, you can have the hotel pick you up via a golf cart for no cost. Send the hotel a message before you arrive with your travel details and they will be there to get you!
The golf cart ride to the hotel was only around 5 minutes. Look out for restaurants you want to try on the way there!
The Rooms at Jan’s Hotel
At Jan’s Hotel, there are two types of rooms – a suite and your typical 1-2 bedrooms. The rooms are bright, safe, and consist of all the necessities for your stay. I stayed in a room with a queen bed, which was around $120 USD per night when I stayed, so it was on the expensive side.
I quite enjoyed my stay at the hotel, despite the rather dirty bathroom I’ll talk more about later on.
The room was small but all I needed for my stay in Caye Caulker. Compared to the bed I had at Costa Blu Beach Resort in San Pedro, the one here was super comfy and the pillows were great. My main grievance about this room was that there wasn’t an outlet I could find near the bed, so I had to plug it in near the little table.
Not pictured is a little mini-fridge and coffee station, where staff left all the coffee supplies along with bottled water and Coca-Cola daily. It was nice coming back from exploring in the heat to new cold water bottles daily!
The room also had a smaller TV. There weren’t any cable channels, but you could log into your streaming accounts and enjoy them there. The Wi-Fi connection was hit or miss, so expect some interruptions in your streaming. Remember to log out before you leave as well – I found a few accounts still logged in when I turned on the TV!
The bathroom was quite basic but had all the necessities, along with complimentary soap and shampoo. The bathroom, however, was quite dirty. There were yellow-coloured spots on the white towels and dirt around the shower. The garbage can was covered in rust. I expected more from a hotel at this price point.
The View from Jan’s Hotel
Off of the bedroom, there is a cute patio area. It is very small and barely fits the two chairs and the table width-wise. But, it really is a nice spot to enjoy your morning coffee or watch the hustle and bustle of the night while enjoying a beer.
The view from my room was decent as I could see the ocean and people watch from my patio. It looked like there were a few rooms that could see the ocean view from their balcony, but there were a number of rooms closer to the back of the hotel that I couldn’t imagine having a great view.
My favourite part about the hotel was definitely the rooftop. There was a stunning wooden patio set and pergola that I stumbled upon by climbing up a very sketchy winding staircase. I was excited to find this spot and came back every day to watch the sunset and have a beer. The views of the ocean are amazing!
Finally, out front of the hotel is a little beach area. There are some wooden chairs and benches to relax on under the palm trees. You can also walk down the dock and try to find some fish swimming around. It is a great spot to take your morning coffee and admire the views!
Restaurants Nearby Jan’s Hotel
There are plenty of restaurants nearby Jan’s Hotel as it’s quite central to all the fun. As I am a vegetarian, there weren’t too many great places to try for me as I don’t eat fish. However, if you do eat fish, there are plenty of places to try on the island!
A few places nearby that I tried include:
- Maggie’s Sunset Kitchen – local Belizean cuisine
- Barefoot Caribe Bar and Grill – local and international cuisine
- The Lazy Lizard – bar and grill
Must-Try Drinks:
- Belikin (local beer) – I really enjoyed the regular version.
- Rum Punch – you must have a rum punch when visiting the Caribbean!
- Panty Dropper – YES, it is a very odd name, but it is a great drink! If I recall correctly, it was coconut rum, pineapple juice, and grenadine.
Things to Do Near Jan’s Hotel
There are so many incredible things to do in Caye Caulker to add to your itinerary!
Watch the Sun Set on the Rooftop
Remember that cool rooftop patio set I talked about earlier? It makes for a great spot to watch the sunset. The pastel skies are dreamy and the sounds of the palm trees blowing in the wind are so relaxing.
Head out on an Excursion
Excursions in the Caribbean Islands are my favourite! In Belize, the water is beautiful so scuba diving and snorkeling is an absolute must. The Belize Barrier Reef boasts crystal clear waters, incredible fish, sea turtles, and so much more to see.
Feed the Tarpon
This was the highlight of my time at Jan’s Hotel because I love fish! Within a 2-minute walk from the hotel, you’ll find a dock where there is plenty of large Tarpon swimming around. You can pay the ladies 5 Belizean Dollars for some fish to feed the Tarpon.
Head to the Lazy Lizard or Sip N’ Dip
When visiting Caye Caulker, you definitely have to visit the Lazy Lizard and Sip N’ Dip. Luckily, they are less than a 5-minute walk from Jan’s Hotel. At Sip N’ Dip, you can get a table that is located right in the water. You can swim around while having a drink and a snack!
How Long Should You Stay at Jan’s Hotel?
Caye Caulker is a great island to explore, take excursions from, and party. For me, 3-4 days on the island was plenty of time. As Jan’s Hotel in Caye Caulker is central to all of the action, it’s a great place to stay for the duration of your trip.
After your visit, I would recommend taking the ferry over to San Pedro to continue adventuring Belize! It is really neat to see the difference between the two islands.
Is Jan’s Hotel Worth the Price?
When I stayed in April 2022, the price per night was around $120 USD. I’ve seen the price on Expedia reach over $250 USD per night.
Some of the locals I met expressed that this was one of the more expensive hotels to stay at on the island. If I were to do this again, I would only stay at Jan’s Hotel if I was splitting the cost with someone. I would recommend solo travellers stay at one of the hostels as it’s much cheaper and there’s more opportunity to meet people.
Conclusion
Overall, I enjoyed my stay at this lovely hotel in Caye Caulker. They have room for improvement with cleanliness though, that’s for sure! At the price, I would have expected more from the room itself, however, the location was incredible.
Read More: Incredible Places to Visit in Central America
Book Your Stay Now
You can book your stay at Jan’s Hotel through your favourite travel providers such as Expedia, Booking.com, and TripAdvisor.com.
Book an Excursion Now
Are you planning to visit Caye Caulker, Belize? Would you stay at Jan’s Hotel? Let me know in the comments!
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3 Comments
Glen Bowe
It’s been more than 20 years since we’ve been to Belize. We took a one week kayak tour of the small islands. When that trip was over we stayed at a hotel in the southern part of Belize. We enjoyed the experience but we’re always on edge because people kept warning us to be careful as some locals will prey on tourists.
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