Matachica Resort & Spa in Belize, a Mr & Mrs Smith and SLH Property [In-Depth Hotel Review]

Matachica Resort & Spa offers a tranquil setting with everything you need on-site — the type of resort where you don’t need to go anywhere and just relax at the hotel while soaking up the sun, playing in the sea, or frequenting the spa. I had that experience on a recent trip to Belize, and we loved that each room was a standalone hut with a thatched roof, truly evoking Caribbean island vibes.

While much about the Matachica Resort was fantastic, we had a gross experience at 1 meal (among several positives) and felt a bit trapped by the end of our stay. There were also a few misses with service that the hotel could improve. This could be an ideal property for many people, but it wasn’t for us.

Is it the right property for you? Here’s what we found on a 2-night stay in early August 2024 while visiting Ambergris Caye in Belize.

Booking Matachica Resort & Spa

My wife and I booked 2 nights at the Matachica Resort & Spa when it was still in the Small Luxury Hotels of the World partnership with Hyatt. Once that partnership ended in May 2024, I wondered what would happen to this stay and whether I would still get World of Hyatt benefits, earn points, or get credit for my stay.

I received an email in late May before my stay saying that this property would rejoin World of Hyatt through its new partnership with Mr & Mrs Smith. (Note: This property is also available through Hilton’s Small Luxury Hotels partnership.)

However, the cost of booking this property using Hyatt points increased during the changeover. I originally booked the Matachica Resort as a Category 6 property through the Small Luxury Hotels (SLH) partnership, paying 21,000 points per night for our 2-night stay. Now, the hotel costs 34,000 points per night for a standard room.

The standard room was a Seabreeze Beach Bungalow, costing $300 per night before tax, but was $372 after taxes and service charges were tacked on. The rooms got more expensive as they got bigger and closer to the ocean.

Paying 21,000 points per night instead of $372 gave us a redemption rate of 1.77 cents per point, which is well above our average valuation of Hyatt points at 1.5 cents. Paying 34,000 points per night would give you a less-than-stellar redemption of 1.09 cents per Hyatt point.

It’s also worth pointing out that Matachica doesn’t accept any guests under 16.

Hot Tip:

Whether paying for a stay at a Mr & Mrs Smith property or just looking to earn Hyatt points from everyday spending, The World of Hyatt Credit Card and World of Hyatt Business Credit Card can help you get there. With these cards, you’ll earn 9x points per $1 spent at Mr & Mrs Smith properties (4 bonus points per $1 spent at Hyatt hotels and up to 5 base points per $1 as a World of Hyatt member) — or more if you have elite status with Hyatt.

Location of the Matachica Resort & Spa

The Matachica Resort is 5 miles north of San Pedro, the main town on Ambergris Caye (pronounced “key”) in Belize. Many refer to this peninsula as an island, and San Pedro was really the only town here.

San Pedro is accessible by boat from Caye Caulker and Belize City (on Belize’s mainland) or by 15-minute flight via propeller plane from Belize City’s Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport (BZE) to John Greif II Airport (SPR) in San Pedro. It took us about 20 minutes from the airport to the hotel on the complimentary shuttle.

Since the hotel was quite removed from San Pedro, walking or riding a bike into town wasn’t realistic. If you plan to stay here and go into town often, renting a golf cart is the main source of transportation for tourists. Numerous shops were available to rent from.

Checking In

A week before our arrival, the hotel emailed to ask about our arrival plans and then coordinated a driver to pick us up from the San Pedro airport with the hotel’s complimentary shuttle. (Note: That email also included an impressive 52-page book of activities we could book, both paid and complimentary.) The driver was waiting with a smile and identified us immediately by our “try to find a guy who looks like he’s waiting for us” behavior. This driver was excellent as a first point of contact for our check-in process. He started our stay on the right foot.

Along the way to the hotel, our friendly driver told us about Belize, San Pedro, and the hotel and indicated some activities we could participate in, depending on our interests.

Upon arrival at the hotel, the driver walked us to the reception desk before returning to the van to fetch our luggage. As we walked, he also told us our options for welcome drinks, and we selected the nonalcoholic mojito for me and a nonalcoholic piña colada for my wife.

When we arrived at the front desk, a friendly employee asked if we were hungry and indicated that the hotel’s main restaurant stopped seating guests at 8 p.m., just 30 minutes away. Thus, we agreed to leave our belongings at the desk, have dinner, and then return to complete our check-in.

Our welcome drinks appeared as we took our seats at dinner. We returned to the nearby front desk after we ate.

Our backpacks and suitcases were waiting near reception, and we gave a credit card for incidentals while discussing the property’s amenities. The employee was thorough without rambling, as this property had a lot to cover. He also confirmed the scuba diving we’d booked through the concierge and then discussed the benefits we’d receive from my Hyatt Globalist status.

Elite Benefits

Thanks to the Mr & Mrs Smith partnership with Hyatt, we got an upgrade to a Seabreeze Beach Casita — slightly larger and 1 row of huts closer to the beach than our original booking. We also received complimentary continental breakfast each morning (thanks to the Smith Extra), bonus points on our spending at the property, and an offer of late checkout, which we gladly accepted.

Unfortunately, many World of Hyatt elite benefits aren’t extended to stays at Mr & Mrs Smith properties. Thus, upgrades to suites, using upgrade awards, and even free parking aren’t guaranteed on these stays.

Seabreeze Beach Casita

Every hut at the Matachica Resort had a fruit name and corresponding color; we stayed in Lime. Each cabaña had a grass roof and French doors, as well as a small porch out front accessed by a few steps. Given the steps into the huts and restaurant, this property wasn’t wheelchair accessible.

While the spacing between huts looked small, noise from neighbors wasn’t an issue.

On the porch, we had a swinging chair with cushions.

The porch also had a foot wash basin, which was great for getting the sand off before tracking it into the room.

Entering the cabin, we found a small seating area with a coffee table and a sofa with numerous pillows. On the wooden coffee table, we had cups and a pitcher of drinking water, which housekeeping refilled daily.

We found beach towels next to the sofa. An armchair, a floor lamp, and a small table were in the corner.

On the table, we found a thorough guidebook to the property and a notepad with a fun welcome doodle.

In the opposite corner was a wicker chair, a potted plant, and a large umbrella.

The sleeping area was accessed by 3 steps. The comfortable king-size bed had a welcome message made from palm fronds and flowers. The bed also had a mosquito net and 4 pillows that sadly didn’t offer any support.

Next to the bed, we found a welcome note. Our names hadn’t been filled in.

On 1 side of the bed, the open shelves held artwork from local artists.

Below, a cabinet door opened to reveal a folded luggage rack.

A remote-controlled air conditioning unit was on the wall nearby.

A remote-controlled ceiling fan with a light was also hanging in the cabin’s center.

The windows all had bug screens and shutters to keep out the light. On the French doors, there were both daytime and blackout curtains. Sadly, these had several stains.

Bathroom

The bathroom was accessed through a wood-and-glass door next to the bed. We were told that keeping the bathroom door shut at all times was important for regulating the room’s temperature and because bugs could get in — which we didn’t want moving into the bedroom.

The bathroom ran across the room’s width and had a collision of different colors and patterns.

Behind a partial wall, we found the toilet and a wicker trash bin.

The bathroom’s center held dual sinks set against a bamboo and mirror backdrop.

There was a lot of counter space, and we found a box of tissues, drinking glasses, makeup towels, and individually wrapped amenities, including makeup pads and cotton swabs. The drinking glasses were interesting since we were told twice during check-in not to drink the resort’s tap water.

Under the sink, a shelf held more tissues and a mosquito coil, plus a lighter.

We also found towels, washcloths, and wicker baskets here that were ideal for taking our stuff to the pool or the beach.

The shower was in a glass cube with a partial wall at the far end of the shower. The tiles had a leaf pattern on 1 wall and solid green on the other, though the shades didn’t really match.

The shower had a wooden stool inside.

On the wall, we had pump bottles of toiletries. These tended to jam, and we often took the bottles off the rack to just pour the contents into our hands.

Next to the shower was a bench with a cushion near a shelf, along with a hair dryer, laundry bag, and steamer.

Opposite the sinks, black wooden doors led to a massive amount of closet space.

We found wooden hangers and a pair of bathrobes with the resort’s logo on the chest.

In another section, we found a cabinet with empty drawers. The shelves above held a safe and bug spray. Oddly, 1 of the 4 closet doors was nailed shut, and we couldn’t tell why.

Amenities

Complimentary Pickup

The hotel offered complimentary transportation for guests on arrival and departure. We arranged our pickup via email before arrival, giving the hotel our flight information. However, the hotel also provided pickups from the ferry port for guests arriving by boat.

The night before departure, the hotel confirmed our plans to know when we needed to leave and where we were headed. As we were heading to a different hotel at the other end of the peninsula, the front desk staff coordinated with that hotel to drop us off at the airport while the shuttle would be there for our onward ride to the other hotel.

Pool

A pool was in the middle of the property, and we loved it. It was heated by water overflowing from the hot tub, and a shelf inside the pool had loungers for relaxing while partially in the water — a great way to beat the heat.

A stone arch with a shower was near the pool. Guests could use it to rinse off the sand they tracked in from the beach before jumping into the pool.

Jade Spa

The Jade Spa offered a full range of treatments at the rear of the property (furthest from the beach) on the second floor.

Inside the waiting room, friendly employees offered help selecting services such as massages and facials. Then, treatments were performed in the private rooms beyond.

Gym

The property’s small gym had a rack of free weights, 3 cardio machines, and some exercise balls.

There were also wipes, hand sanitizer, towels near the door, and drinking water on the far side of the room.

Parking

Matachica offered complimentary self-parking on the property.

Bicycles

Complimentary bicycles were available for guests to use. They were cruiser-bike-style and nothing fancy. While novel, they weren’t very practical, given the distance to San Pedro from the resort.

Bikes were kept under a tarp, and it felt like we were the first to ask about them in quite some time.

Internet

Wi-Fi was available throughout the property. Download speeds averaged just under 30 Mbps, and the signal was reliable, even if speeds weren’t impressive.

Beach

Belize boasts the world’s second-largest barrier reef, and the beach was a main attraction at Matachica. We loved this pier that extended over the water, including the circular loungers and sun umbrellas.

At the end, a pergola provided some shade over a large, circular area. There were additional seats here, and we regularly saw people fishing and jumping off into the water for fun.

The pier ended near the restaurant and the lobby’s rear entrance, and we found people selling handicrafts near the Matachica sign at multiple times of the day.

Watersports Equipment

The resort provided complimentary paddleboards, kayaks, snorkels, fins, and lounge chairs on the beach. Guests could use these on a first-come, first-served basis, and attendants checked them out at a small hut on the beach.

Activities

Between the lobby and the restaurant was a library-style sitting area with sofas, chairs, and books in multiple languages.

But the hotel had much more than that. An activities board near reception outlined tequila tastings, snorkeling trips, and other happenings around the property. Additionally, the concierge could book trips further afield and arrange dinner reservations in the city.

Shop

Next to the reception desk was a small shop selling clothes, jewelry, and souvenirs. It was open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

Food and Beverage

The Bistro

The Bistro was the main restaurant at Matachica, located past the library room and overlooking the beach. We had 3 meals a day here during our stay. Most of the produce used at Matachica was grown in the garden of its sister property, Gaia Riverlodge, in western Belize.

The Bistro was open for breakfast from 6:30 to 10 a.m. daily and for lunch from noon to 2:30 p.m. Dinner was served from 6 p.m. until the last seating at 8 p.m.

The Bistro had a full bar open daily from noon to 8:30 p.m.

Menu prices were in U.S. dollars, and an additional 12.5% government tax plus a 15% service charge were added to all orders. The dinner menu included pizzas, burgers, seafood, pasta, other international fare, and multiple desserts.

The drinks menu was an entire book, which felt impressive. It included wines, beers, cocktails, and mocktails.

I had the veggie burger on the first night, which was rather ho-hum.

My wife had a vegetable stir-fry with tofu, which was also very average.

On the second night, the chef suggested a coconut curry, so I got that with rice. My wife opted for mashed plantains with hers, and it was incredible. I was jealous after she let me try it.

Daily continental breakfast was included with our stay, though other items were available for purchase. These included eggs, pancakes, and waffles.

The continental breakfast included coffee, juice, fruits, and toasted granola. Since we don’t normally eat a big breakfast, this was sufficient for us.

We had lunch at The Bistro twice. On the first day, we just got snacks, as we were still full from breakfast. On our final day, we both got the Mediterranean couscous salad. It looked amazing and tasted great.

That was … until we were about 90% done eating, and my wife found worm eggs on a piece of lettuce in her bowl. We lost our appetites at that point.

Mambo

Mambo was Matachica’s more upscale offering. It was only open for dinner from 6 to 8:30 p.m. nightly. It was just around the corner from The Bistro’s bar and featured an open-air setting.

Reservations were required at Mambo, and the menu focused on beef and seafood.

Danny’s Tree Bar

This outdoor bar was located between the reception and the pool. It had barstools and wicker seats with cushions circling a few tables in the sand.

The bar looked incredible at night, with lights running up the tree branches. It offered a full range of drinks and light snacks. It was open from noon to 11 p.m. and had daily happy hour specials.

Service

Service was mostly good, though there were a few areas for improvement.

Check-in and checkout were excellent — full marks on both occasions. We especially appreciated that the employee at the reception desk told us dinner was ending soon and offered to complete check-in after we ate. The van driver to and from the airport was friendly and informative, and we liked him a lot.

We also liked that the hotel gave us a WhatsApp contact so we wouldn’t have to walk to the front desk to ask questions since there weren’t phones in the room. As part of the check-in process, we got a thorough explanation of the features of our hut, including how to keep the bugs out. That was a great tip.

The grounds crew and cleaning crew were busy, and they kept the property looking spotless. From sweeping the sandy paths to picking up fallen branches and cleaning guest rooms, they had a lot to do, but they did it well. And they smiled warmly whenever we encountered them.

We also found the employees who handled the bikes and beach equipment friendly and efficient. They chatted when we seemed interested but didn’t pester us if the conversation faltered.

The 2 negative elements I’ll highlight for service include The Bistro. Service could be slow and confusing at times. The waiter we were dealing with might disappear during a meal, and we would have to flag down someone else to request the bill or order another drink.

There was also the issue of worm eggs in the salad. My wife immediately recognized them and what species they came from, thanks to one of her vet school internships. However, I wasn’t too interested in hearing about it while wondering if I’d already ingested any.

The waiter wasn’t very apologetic when we pointed the eggs out. We weren’t rude or loud, but we asked him to inform the kitchen that they needed to wash the lettuce more thoroughly. We didn’t demand to not pay for the meal and even signed the bill, though the shift manager realized what had happened as we were leaving and told us that he would remove the meal from our account as an apology. Thus, it was a mixed experience with this rather gross situation.

Final Thoughts

The front desk employee at checkout went beyond expectations. We expected to be on our own to get to our next hotel. Why would Matachica help us visit a rival property on the other side of the city?

Instead, the staff coordinated with our next hotel to ensure Matachica’s van dropped us off when the shuttle from our next hotel (Alaia, part of Marriott Bonvoy) arrived to pick us up. That was a top-notch service element.

Staff also offered to carry our luggage to the van so we wouldn’t have to roll it on the sandy paths. The friendly woman at the desk ensured that our final bill was correct before charging the credit card we’d provided at check-in.

While there were a few misses during our stay, and we wouldn’t want to stay longer at a hotel where going off-property felt complicated, the 2 nights we spent at Matachica were overall positive. Would I recommend this property to others? Yes, if you’re looking to just stay at the property throughout your stay or are willing to rent a golf cart to get into San Pedro if that’s part of your travel plan.