i loved this resort! and the zipline near by was awsome!

This was the second part of our Belize family vacation. With our 4 children, ages 16-26 we ventured into the southern rainforest of Belize after our stay for 4 days at Ambergris Caye for sun and fun. The 1 hour flight from San Pedro to Punta Gorda was beautiful. A Cessna Caravan that flew at about 2,000 feet, so the view was wonderful. Upon arrival at the airstrip we were greeted by Vince and his helper in a beautiful safari Range Rover that had plenty of room for our entire family and luggage. The service was nonstop perfect from that point until we left 4 days later. When we arrived at the lodge we were greeted by the manager couple Christine and Devine. They were so friendly as well as all the help. We took tours both days with Vince, which is a must. Waterfalls, Mayan ruins and lunch with Vince’s family home in a Mayan village was a highlight. We ate at the resort every night, it won’t disappoint. Celebrated my birthday the second night in the open air dining room with an amazing downpour tropical rainstorm just a few feet away. We enjoyed the howler monkeys in the nearby trees and saw a couple of toucans as well. A great experience for a family to experience other cultures first hand. The meals were amazing at the Machaca Hill. Great wine selection too! All in all a great time was had by all. I want to go back again soon, next time in the winter season. Our kids will always remember this trip. Very memorable.

Overall I would rate my stay as excellent. The staff are very friendly, down-to-earth and personable. The room is comfortable. There is no door between the shower area and the rest of the cabin, seems to be a growing trend within the hotel industry. The patio area was very enjoyable and comfortable because it was screened. I could sit and watch the howler monkeys move along the 'monkey highway'. Because the room is open to the outdoors it seems a tremendous waste to turn on the AC, so I just used the fan. Every corner of the room was kept very clean. I was awoken each morning at dawn by the calls of birds and the howls of monkeys. Take ear plugs if you like to sleep in!

The quality of the food was uneven and ranged from outsanding to poor. Seems they were in the middle of switching chefs. I hope they are able to maintain the high standards. Although the food is excellent, the prices are quite high. I would recommend going with the all-inclusive package which also includes laundry. Not that hard to become hot, sticky and sweaty in the tropical setting.

Excursions were rather informal, but still pleasant. You can be as active or relaxed as you would like.

We had a great stay at Machaca Hill, the resort has 12 individuals’ cottages that have screened porches which are situated in a beautiful rain forest setting. The rooms are very nice and have large showers with a scenic view. The staff was incredible and were willing to go the extra mile to make sure we had a pleasant stay. It was great to have coffee delivered in the mornings watching monkeys or toucans outside your room. If you like fly fishing the lodge has experienced guides that will take you out to some productive permit flats, I fished three days. We also enjoyed a trip to nearby Mayan ruins that the resort arranged. We had a great time at Machaca and hope to return again.