We traveled for 3 weeks in Belize and and stayed at Mama Noots for a couple of nights during out last week. As an earlier review stated, excellent marketing strategies that describe something totally unlike the experience we actually had. Dirty rooms with structural problems that allowed the bugs to literally pour in the rooms. Sanitation issues - drains leaking onto the ground by the cabins leading to major mosquito/insect breeding grounds. Unorganized staff who are much more interested in enjoying their day and talking about their lives than actually taking care of guests. Beautiful location and we really enjoyed our hikes - but any accurate information about the area we obtained from guide books, not the staff - who told you that everything was wonderful and nothing actually helpful. But the real kicker was the way the charges were totaled up in the end. We were told that we had actually been put into their most expensive cabins rather than the ones we had reserved, so we were to pay 50% more than we had expected. When we argued this with the owner she proceeded to tally up our meal and drinks costs to the tune of $3 US per small glass of juice or water and $15-$25 per person for very light fare lunches, with the result that we ended up paying twice as much for our stay as we had intended. Very unethical and left a lasting memory of an unpleasant experience in this country.

Mama Noots is special, perhaps unique. I stayed there 3 nights on a long solo trip across Belize by buses. Nan even picked me up on the highway. Took daily jungle hikes to nearby falls. Nan cooked excellent vegetarian meals. I was put into a beautiful 2 room cottage. No AC, but surround-screened windows kept it cool and with help of resident geko, mosquito free.

On our fourth trip to Belize, Mama Noots was our first night’s lodging after arriving from Houston. Even though our plane was late, Nan, the owner, met us at the Dangriga airport and was waiting for us with a warm greeting. Transfer to her property was via her own battered pickup truck, but the A/C worked and her conversation was friendly and informative, and we viewed this as an authentic Belizean experience. When we arrived at Mama Noots it was after dark, and although we were offered dinner right away, we had to wait quite a while for the dinner to actually be presented to us (another typical Belizean experience I suppose). While we waited, Nan did not turn on any lights in the dining area, and did not turn on any fans for us although there were several and we’d told her we were extremely hot. We had to sit in the dark while we waited, and rather than romantic, it just seemed as if she couldn’t afford to turn the lights on. When dinner arrived, it was vegetarian and not very tasty; we were told that Mama Noots was an all-vegetarian establishment, a fact I’d somehow missed on her website. Regarding the accommodation itself, the room was charming from the outside, very basic on the inside; it consisted of a bed with stained white linens, a mosquito net draped over the bed, a tiny nightstand with a dim light, a broken ceiling fan, and a square of carpet on the floor. The adjoining bathroom had an interesting sink stand made of black rocks in cement, but the shower head sprayed in so many directions (including over the wall to the outside) that very little of the water actually landed on the person using the shower. The bathroom also had a very large gap between the wall and the floor, which is probably where the huge cockroach came from (which I found inside my mosquito netting upon rising to be sick in the middle of the night). On the plus side: The gorgeous moonlit view of the grounds from my bed, the fireflies, the constant hooting/whooping of owls all night long, and Nan’s friendliness. Breakfast in the morning was accompanied by toucans, hummingbirds, and all sorts of birds in the yard, but our breakfast consisted of some truly awful pancakes which arrived more than an hour after our management-dictated “8am sharp” breakfast call. To be fair, Nan was extremely nice and probably doing the best she could with what she had; she even took us back to Dangriga early without any complaints or trouble. We really got the feeling that Mama Noots needed an infusion of both capital and enthusiasm for the work. This place could be something really special, what with the lovely grounds, the birds, and the proximity to the Mayflower trails, but as it stands now, it’s just average.

I find the other reviews of this place baffling. I am a seasoned traveller; having done back packing, adventure, mid-range and five star, I've travelled the world. This time around I only had ten days for vacation in Southern Belize so I scheduled a few nights at Mama Noots for what I thought would be the 'highlight" of my trip. Their marketing was very clever: alluring but deceptive. I thought I would be in for "exotic meets pampering, luscious /rustic charm". For one, this was the most I was paying for a night considering it was an eco-lodge off the beaten path. It was more expensive than the resort I had just come from that was absolutely stellar in every respect. So I rather expected Mama Noots too be fine-tuned and due to it's isolation, geared toward providing their guests with comfort and care. After all, it's a destination! Well, it was hugely disappointing. Not that the location and buildings are not beautiful; they are. The cabins are rustic but charming. Utterly gorgeous from the outside. Very basic however. They were not very clean. The bathrooms were funky. There were countless openings for bugs and critters to get in. Sure it's a jungle...but. There were termite droppings and clogged drains. Holes in the mosquito netting. No comfortable furniture to sit on inside cabins so that meant hanging in the main lodge if you wanted to sit upright.
Now, you are thinking, there are plenty of adventure/easy going travelers that would have no problem with no frills for the experience of nature. That said, this place has a lot of nerve charging $150 a night. It should be $50-$60 tops. More like $45.

Food in the main lodge was served at fixed times. No snacks provided in-between. The food when it was available was very tasty but there was no selection whatsoever. They were often out of key staples, such as eggs, milk, fruits. One morning there was nothing to eat but fruit and completely stale cereal. When I kill myself all year working, and go on a holiday, I don't want to feel hungry or have a spartan experience. I don't mind paying but I expect there to be provisions on hand to pay for. This place clearly does not have it's act together!
Now to be fair, the staff were dear. Unbelievably likable and sweet, making it hard to write this review. The cook and grounds keeper were lovely! The owner is kind, well-meaning, if not ego-centric and has truly accomplished great things. But she is not into it anymore. She's lost the passion for it and the place is hurting for it. I imagine at one time the standards were higher. They definitely are enjoying their lives and know how to laugh but are neglecting their mission which is to accommodate quests. You really feel as though you are paying to see "how they live" as if it was a Reality Show.
It was not easy to get in and out of the site. Rides offered were expensive. The lodge is locked at night and if the staff sleeps in, you simply have to wait it out to start your day with food in your stomach. No guides were on offer. Swimming in the creek was really lying in six inches of water while thousands of minnows nibbled on you. Nearby trails managed by the Mayflower Park were great however. No connection to Mama Noots.
If I was 20 all over again, I might love this place for it's funk. But at $150 a night I never could have afforded it. It's a rip off. It felt like work, not vacation.