Cohune Palms is exactly what we were looking for in our Belize vacation: an "off the beaten path" sanctuary that was still central to the Mayan ruins of Western Belize (we easily explored Xunatunich, Cahal Pech, Caracol, and the ATM cave). Bevin was in touch with us through email from the moment we booked our stay online (offering to pick us up at the airport--about a 90 minute drive--or in San Ignacio, if we were taking the bus) up to the approach of Hurricane Richard (it hit them two days before our arrival). We were amazed at the clean-up effort post-hurricane--the grounds were completely cleared of downed limbs/palms--you never would have known a hurricane passed through! We rented a car, and the driving directions on their website are just fine, with the exception that the road to Bullet Tree Falls is now paved all the way and the bus stop is now painted white (not green). You first come up to Mike and Bevin's house--there are stone paths that lead through a beautifully landscaped jungle garden to the cabanas which are located right along side the river. Definitely recommend the cabana to the far left of the dining cabana--it has stairs right down to an expansive deck right over the Mopan River--complete with rope swing! There was nothing like hopping out of bed each morning and swinging into those cool, green waters! There was a hammock under the thatched portion of the deck, and they brought down lounge chairs for us as well. And the food! Melanie, you are an AMAZING cook! We chose to eat breakfast and dinner there each day (at the time $20/person per day for both meals). There was fresh juice in the morning and you have your choice of five (?) different breakfasts. Her homemade granola is amazing! Melanie will ask you if want dinner and basically asks you if you want shrimp, chicken, etc. Definitely ask her to make you fajitas! And don't pass on dessert! There is a water cooler jug of water for guests to fill up their own bottles for free, and then cold individual bottles of water and beer are very inexpensive and work on the honor system (you just write down what you take in a book) The cabanas do not have air conditioning, but the ceiling fan was perfect--it cools off nicely at night in Oct. There was warm, not hot, water in the shower, and the pressure was so-so--I have short hair, so no issues for me. There was room to hang clothes and shelves for folded items in a kind of open armoire. Our cabana had two double beds (my husband and I are small, so that was fine for us, but definitely smaller than our Queen-size at home). There were no chairs in the room, but there was a wicker love seat on our little porch. There are farms around the inn, so we fell asleep to lowing cows and there was a rooster that thought the sun rose at 2am, but we live in a rural town, so those sounds didn't bother us. On Friday night someone in the area had a party with a band, but the sound was faint enough for us to fall asleep. Every night Melanie brought over the "Activity" book--but no pressure to book anything--we booked something through them every other day (the ATM cave--do NOT miss this!) and Caracol (both all-day tours that included lunch and both ended up being less than the price published in the book--maybe off peak rates? which we paid to the tour company directly) They also do a yoga retreat a couple of times during the year--there are details on their website. Overall I think this is a perfect spot for people who appreciate genuine hospitality and homemade, local food, love clean, simple, naturally beautiful surroundings, and want to be close to the activities in Western Belize.

We stayed about a week and enjoyed many of the nearby attractions such as Tikal (more on that later), Cahel Pech, the cave of Actun Tunichil Muknal, Xunantunich, a day trip for birding and sightseeing to the Mountain Pine Ridge area, etc.
Mike, the manager/owner and the kitchen/room staff, Melanie and Alba were wonderful--very concerned with our comfort and the quality of the meals was excellent. Mike helped us arrange some trips with Pacz Tours (to the cave--not possible on your own and highly recommended) and to Tikal.
We were going to spend the night at Tikal and see the sunrise from atop the temple, but since we had already paid for the Cohune Palms, Mike arranged for a ride to the Guatemala border and for a cab from the border to Tikal, round trip (the driver waited for us). We were there just after the park opened and we spent about 4 hours there and did not feel rushed. We did miss the sunrise, but apparently it is often foggy anyway, so that is hit or miss.
One of the very nice things about Belize is that one doesn't always feel the "scam" pressure that one often feels in, for example, Mexico. We always felt that the prices were relatively fixed and fair.
One warning. If you are into night life (which we are not), the closest community, Bullet Tree Falls has none and San Ignacio (about a 15-20 min drive away is certainly not wild in the evening.
Altogether we had a delightful visit.

The best thing about the Cohune Palms is its exterior design. Three charming thatched roof cabanas surround an outdoor dining area. Beautiful tropical gardens enclose it all, and give lovely access to the Mopan River. Each Cabana has a porch, and hammocks abound. Interiors are a little less pleasant but entirely adequate. Slightly better furnishings and hotter water would be welcome. Travelers without cars will depend on the hotel for rides to San Ignacio, but given the staff's eagerness to please, I doubt this is ever a problem. Outings to all the major attractions, including caving, tubing and Guatemala's Tikal, can be booked on site. A well-priced home base.

This place is located about 10 minutes driving from San Ignacio.
The cabanas(rooms) are all very nice on the inside and out. This place is well maintained
The food cooked by the chefs is exceptional and you'll find it hard to leave to eat at other places
The rope swing was a fun way to kick off the mornings and take a dip in the Mopan River
The owners are really nice people and will help you with anything you need (booking tours, resturants to eat at, directions)

My group loved this place!