We were welcomed by our very warm host Rob Hirons, and his staff, who were very accomodating with our needs.

The beautiful Katerina, a local Mayan girl is the Assistant Manageress who also runs the bar together with her brother Steve who is the local tour guide. Steve's knowledge of birds and his eye for photography is amazing.

Rob gives the impression of being the stereotypical colonial Brit, without being pompous about it. He is a very open and honest person and ever willing to be of help to you. The colonial part of him shines, as you will soon see that he demands excellent service, and his staff who come mainly from the local village, certainly deliiver the goods in a very polite and courtious manner, especially in terms of the standard, the choices, and portions you get with your meals, which he has personally introduced to his cooks as a result of his extensive world travels.

I can only describe it as having Cordon Bleu cuisine, in a somewhat remote and very relaxing wilderness, and say that the cooking had to be of the highest quality as Rob himself likes to join his guests at the dining table without ever being imposing. This itself was good though, as he is a very good conversationist.

The cabanas were very spacious and immaculate, with a good supply of hot water.

If there was any downfall, it would be the mosquitos, however that has to be expected as running through the property is the Rio Grande River, on the edge of the jungle.

A great spot for wildlife photography and although we didn see or hear any of the jaguars or howler monkeys that the country is supposedly famous for, we did see unsual animals visitng the edge of the property but dont worry, they were only the local version of a rabbit, together with the numerous humming birds that like to visit the verandah for a feed of fruit.

Although i initially booked this stay at the Lodge to satisfy my friend who was an amateur photographer, I can really say that I enjoyed my stay there as it was never boring and there is something for everyone to do, including children.

With this in mind, i would have no hesitation in recommending this as a reclusive, romantic and relaxing place to stay, and look forward to visitng Rob and his crew again in the future.

Nigel and Yogi

We spent a few days at Big Falls with 3 generations of family members from 7 to 70. Rob and Marta made us feel at home. The food was great, and the quiet setting was inviting. Seeing the ruins and the local flavor of Belize was something I don't think you'll get with a big corporate run hospitality organization.

More than anything, I appreciate Rob, Marta, and all of their very gracious staff attention to our special needs. My 12 year old daughter had accidentally sprained her ankle while at Big Falls and really couldn't get around. There aren't many places in Belize where you can swing by a local drug store or clinic and pick up an item like a crutch. One of the staff actually made a crutch out of materials on the premises! No words can say how much this meant to me and my daughter. At any inn or hotel we expect clean rooms and palatable food, but such an act went way beyond and was a true act of kindness and humanity. Needless to say, I have a special place in my heart for Rob and Marta and all of the wonderful people they have.

I spent a weekend at the Lodge at Big Falls, close to Punta Gorda in the Toledo District in Belize City with my wife and enjoyed it very much.

After a 5 minute bumpy but safe ride down a road off the highway, we got to the lodge. Even though it was close to the village, it still felt like you were in the middle of the jungle. The lodge is situated on a peninsula created by the local river there and consists of 8 cabanas around the main lodge building. The landscaping is vast, huge green lawns framed by tropical forrest.

We liked our cabana very much. Bed were comfortable, bathroom and amenities were high class and very clean. We could have fit at least 2 more people in there and completely catered for ourselves. But we just wanted to relax and be pampered. :-)

We hung out at the Lodge mostly, enjoying good wine and very good food. The owners must have travelled the world before they settled in Belize - the food was very international and creative, a nice change from the Belizean cuisine (which was good but neither creative nor healthy in any way).

We enjoyed hanging out at the lodge, playing badminton and table tennis and the pool. Also, the very knowledgable owner took us on a nature walk where we saw a lot of plants, flowers and birds from vulture to hummingbird in their natural habitat which is the lodge's back yard.

We also went to the Maya Ruin Lubaantun, which is a short trip from the Lodge. Make sure you get a good guide when you're there!

We spent one night here -- while visiting Mayan ruins. The resort grounds were very beautiful with plenty of plants and a river running by the property. The Lodge had Wifi which was important to me. The owners were very helpful in offering local tips. Dinner was good - although more options would have been preferred.

Room lacked curtains on several windows.