Aliana's Charming House on the River in San Ignacio, Belize
Lush greenery, underwater caves, Mayan ruins, farm land, and friendly people. That's what you'll find when you visit the Cayo District in San Ignacio, Belize. San Ignacio offers a wide range of accommodations from luxury resorts to hostels and everything in between. For our visit, we used Airbnb and stayed at Aliana's in San Ignacio, Belize.
Aliana's San Ignacio, Belize
We chose Aliana's in San Ignacio, Belize because it was an ideal base to explore:
- St. Herman's Cave
- Blue Hole National Park
- Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave (ATM Cave)
- Spanish Lookout
- Tikal National Park
- Green Iguana Conservation Project
- Cahal Pech
- Macal River
- San Ignacio Farmer's Market
Renting a home was a lot cheaper than staying in a hotel. And we'd save money on meals.
Our 3 nights cost $278 including cleaning and service fees.
Airbnb
This was my second Airbnb experience (my first was in Bend, Oregon) but Jeff and the boys first time using Airbnb. So I was a little nervous.
Not because it was Airbnb and we were in another country. Nope. Those things didn't concern me at all.
I was nervous because I have teenage boys.
If you've got boys, you know what I mean. I love my boys, but boys are not always the cleanest children in the world.
And since we were staying at someone's home, I was worried that they might feel too comfortable and treat it like our house.
But my worries were unfounded and the boys were amazing. While they did treat it like our house, they also respected the home and were quick to pick up their things.
Pro-tip: Save $40 on your first Airbnb rental when you use my Airbnb referral link.
The House
Photo courtesy of Airbnb
We arrived in the early afternoon after a visit to St. Herman's Cave and the Blue Hole National Park.
Suzie, who helps meet renters and can arrange tours, met us at Hode's Place in town to lead us to the house.
It's a short drive from town but the roads are dirt roads and not clearly marked. So we were grateful for the caravan. Once you know where you're going, it's easy to find.
Aliana's is a 2 bedroom, 2 bath home on the Mopan River.
The tiled floor house has granite counters, mahogany cabinets in the bathrooms and kitchen, stainless steel kitchen appliances, satellite TV, full-size washer and dryer, Wi-Fi, and air conditioning in the bedrooms.
The satellite TV had great reception and several English stations. So we could keep up with the news in the morning and relax with a movie in the evening.
The boys loved being able to hang out by the river and play in the water. There's plenty of room to play and the dog and cat are friendly.
We ate dinner out every night so didn't use the outdoor BBQ or wood stove.
Kitchen
The kitchen was fully stocked with pots, pans, glasses, and utensils. There was a welcome basket of fresh fruit in a bowl on the kitchen island.
Next to the fridge was a bottle water dispenser with a 5-gallon jug of water.
The gas stovetop, oven, and microwave worked great.
Bedrooms
Because we stayed in late July, the air conditioning kept us from melting. 🙂
Plus it drowned out the rooster's crows in the early morning hours.
The bedrooms each had a Queen bed which was comfortably firm.
Because the boys didn't want to share a bed, they alternated who got to sleep in the bed while the other slept on the couch.
Although the couch wasn't a sofa bed, it was wide and long enough for a good night's sleep.
The master bedroom also had a walk-in cedar closet complete with shelves and a built-in ironing board.
Bathrooms
The bathrooms were well stocked with soap, small bottles of shampoo bottles, and towels.
It took a little while for the water to get hot but the water pressure was fine.
Washer & Dryer
Having a full sized front loading washer and dryer was awesome. We were able to wash our clothes after our Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave (ATM Cave) tour.
There's also a clothes line out in the back of the house to hang things to dry.
Conclusion
Aliana's in San Ignacio, Belize, a cozy 2 bedroom home, is a charming alternative to a hotel room.
If you're planning on visiting the ATM Cave and Tikal, you may want to stay in western Belize instead suffering through a long drive from the coast or flying in from one of the islands.
San Ignacio is ideally located near the attractions. And you can find many types of lodging options for all budgets.
We choose to stay in at Aliana's, an Airbnb. It had everything we were looking for: 2 bedrooms, plenty of space, and a price that fit our budget.
If this is your first time booking through Airbnb, use my Airbnb referral link and save $40.
Since staying at Aliana's in San Ignacio, Belize, I've used Airbnb in Berkeley, San Luis Obispo, Melbourne, and Perth.
We enjoyed our stay at Aliana's so much that we plan on staying there again the next time to visit Belize.
Read other posts about Belize:
- All the Things You Can Do in Belize for 8 Days on the Cheap
- 5 Reasons Why You Should Visit Belize
- Hotels in Belize to Stay on Points
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I really want to go to Belize. I've heard great things about it. Alianas house looks amazing! Ree love30
Wow! This is a GREAT rental home for the price. I actually want to go to Belize now just so I can stay in THAT house. Looks amazing!
What a great vacation rental! I love all of the decor. Belize must be amazing, I've never been there but I'd really like to.
Looks like a great place to stay. I'd definitely want to check it out if I was in Belize. Maybe I'll just have to plan a trip to stay there haha
This looks like the most amazing place to vacate! It looks beautiful and I'm sure the pictures do no justice.
What a nice place to stay! We love using Airbnb for vacations. It's a much better deal, plus we can save money by cooking some meals.
As a military wife who could barely handle her busy schedule I am truly glad I came across your travel post. The place is really cozy and wonderful and it sounds like a very fun trip. Thank you so much for the tips and sharing your amazing post!
What a nice place! We've never tried using Airbnb, but I would like to try it one of these days. Would certainly love all the savings that we could get.
I have never used AirBnB for any stay when I am traveling. I am going to have to check them out and try it the next time I visit somewhere. Thanks for the heads up!
I have always wanted to visit Belize. The place you stayed looks perfect and cozy. Thank you for your very good review.
Air B&B is the way to go, especially in other countries. You should see the properties in Thailand. OMG they're like castles. I like private getaways.
Think they need a housekeeper and live in family? That place looks amazing.
I love using AirBnB for traveling! It's so convenient to have a whole house to yourself instead of just a tiny hotel room!
I hope that we can visit Belize in the future! It sounds like an amazing country to visit. I haven't used Airbnb yet, but we are planning to use it for the summer holidays. Hope we have a great experience as you did.
Belize sounds magical! I'd love to visit some day!
That place is beautiful! I've always wanted to go to Belize! I hope that you guys had a great time.
Thanks for this detailed review of your AirBnb stay. Sometimes the short reviews on site just don't cut it, but we'd feel confident picking this place after your review. Also thanks for the great tips on visiting Belize and choosing a place to stay close to the attractions. Very helpful.
I've always wondered about Air bnb.
Great coverage. Now I have an idea what's it like. I love to travel but haven't really been anywhere, so the next time I pack my backpack I'll consider looking in to air bnb experience ?
Such a fabulous post! I was never a fan of Airbnb, but I think you've convinced me to give it another shot. Love all the pics. I would love to visit Belize.
Belize has to be one of my top 5 places I'd love to visit! This Air BnB is so pretty, I will definitely be looking into one if ever Belize comes up!
This house is absolutely adorable! I love all the bright pops of colors used and it looks like you would have all the comforts of home!
An entire, lovely house to yourself and at such a low cost. It really is an amazing deal. The place looks absolutely lovely and the facilities are great too. Really a home away from home.
I like the interiors of this house . They are so tastefully done. Every room is dipped in the love of the owner 🙂 And the lawn outside is also beautiful. Must say, what a find!!
The place seems really good for that price !
Looks you had a great time there 🙂
Very charming house. The place is really cozy and wonderful i would love to stay here!!
I had a friend in high school who was from Belize and he would always tell me how beautiful it was there. I can see from your photos that he was right.
This seems perfect in terms of location. Granted two of the attractions are a little far but I am willing to take the pain to go across. It will also, give me an opportunity to discover more of the place along the way. I love the cosy comfort of this place.
One of my friends lives in Belize, so I know I could stay with her whenever I visit. But this looks like a home away from home, if a great back up plan and for that price, definitely a steal. . Very cozy and relaxing too! My favorite part the bathroom/shower. I would probably spend the whole day in there.
The house looks so colourful, cheery and cosy. Perfect for a family stay! I've always wanted to try Airbnb, but have never been able to as most of the places I've liked have a very strict cancellation policy. That said, it is such a practical way to travel as a family...everyone has enough space and you get to live like a local. Some day, I will find the perfect rental. Some day...!!!
This is a charming accommodation all right. We have not personally tried airbnb but with the many positive feedback from many users, it's worth the try.
Belize is on my place of things to go for a long time now and I have a friend who is from there. Beautiful property.
this looks great! the house is so cozy and perfect for a getaway. I have used air bnb and had a great experience with it. i know i will be using it again.
Belize is one of my top travel destinations, Debra! Can't get enough of its eternal beauty.
wow this place looks so quaint and cozy. i have always wanted to travel to belize. i would love it