7 Reasons Alaia Belize Should Be on Your Family’s Travel List

The author stayed as an invited guest of Alaia Belize. All opinions are the author’s own, and Alaia Belize had no input in any part of this review.

Belize has long been on my family’s travel radar for its unique blend of natural beauty, rich culture, and surprising proximity to our home near Miami — just a quick 2-hour flight away.

Experiencing lush rainforests, vibrant reefs, and a distinct cultural heritage without the hassle of long-haul travel is incredibly appealing, especially for a family getaway. That’s what initially brought us to Alaia Belize, part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection, located on Ambergris Caye.

The resort blends a relaxed, beachy vibe with an upscale feel, and it offers a range of amenities that worked well for our family.

After spending quality time with my family at the resort in May 2025, here are the 7 things we loved most about Alaia Belize that make it a standout choice for a family vacation.

1. Spacious Accommodations That Feel Like Home

While Alaia Belize, Autograph Collection, offers traditional hotel rooms, some of which are surprisingly spacious and stylish, the Reef House accommodations made the stay special for us. We stayed in one of the Oceanfront Reef Houses, and it honestly felt more like a private villa than anything you’d expect from a typical resort.

From the moment we walked in, it felt like our place.

There were multiple bedrooms, a big open living and dining space, and a full kitchen with high-end appliances, which is incredibly convenient when traveling with kids.

Not to mention, having 2 full bathrooms — 1 of them spacious in the master — is crucial when traveling as a family.

It’s the kind of setup that works when you’ve got a group. Everyone gets space to spread out, but you’re still just steps to the sand and the resort’s amenities.

The layout makes it feel more like a townhome than a hotel suite. You get your own entrance, big bathrooms, and massive windows looking out over the resort’s white sand beach and the Caribbean Sea.

My wife and I spent our mornings on the terrace, sipping coffee and chatting while the waves rolled in and the sun came up. It didn’t feel like a hotel stay — it felt like we actually lived there.

Alaia Belize has 112 hotel-style rooms, including studios, 1-bedroom, and 2-bedroom accommodations.

Then there are 34 Reef House suites, which feel more like townhomes with their residential-style layouts, and 8 beachfront 3-bedroom villas perfect for larger families or groups.

Alaia Belize strikes a perfect balance if you like the ease of a resort but want the feel and freedom of a private vacation rental. We dined at each of the resort’s restaurants but also cooked some meals at our Reef House, had room to relax, and still wandered down to the beach bar or pools whenever we felt like it. It felt like we had the best of both worlds.

2. 3 Pools, Including 2 Family-Friendly Options

Alaia Belize sits right on the water, with a beautiful stretch of sandy white beachfront and plenty of loungers. However, it’s worth noting that the beach here isn’t really swimmable due to seagrass and a seawall along the shore.

While this is common in this part of Ambergris Caye, it highlights the importance of the pools as the main attraction for on-property water fun. Thankfully, they do not disappoint.

The resort has 3 distinct pools, each offering its own vibe depending on how you want to relax.

The main resort pool is the heart of the action.

It’s front and center, sleek and modern, and perfect for both adults and families.

We rented a cabana here for $150 one day and loved the energy — plenty of couples and groups of adults, but also a handful of families with kids.

It never felt chaotic, just lively in a way that makes you want to hang out all afternoon. Poolside service is quick, the music is chill, and you’re just steps from the beach bar and restaurants. This was easily our favorite of the 3 pool options.

The second pool near the Reef House suites is much more secluded and clearly geared toward families.

It’s a bit more dated in design but has an essential feature for families with young ones: a shallow 2-foot-deep section perfect for our toddler to splash around safely.

The third pool is where things elevate — literally.

The adults-only rooftop infinity pool is the only one of its kind on the island, and it offers sweeping views of the reef and sea. One of its most unexpected features was the series of see-through circles built into its floor. While swimming, you could actually peer down through the glass and catch glimpses of guests strolling beneath you.

The pool is scenic and perfect for a sunset swim or enjoying a cocktail away from the crowd, especially for those visiting without kids.

Alaia’s 3 pools cater to all needs, whether you’re looking for a place for the kids, a lively pool scene, or a quiet adults-only swim.

3. Delicious On-Site Dining With Kid-Friendly Options

We really appreciated how well the dining options worked for our whole family at Alaia Belize, not just in terms of variety but also in how kid-friendly they were without sacrificing quality.

Most of the food we tried was tasty, but our favorite was The Deck oven-baked pizza.

The Deck boasts a dedicated pizza oven that consistently produces delicious thin-crust pizzas.

It wasn’t just the pizzas that were good at The Deck — the seafood dish I ordered, filled with shrimp, clams, and scallops, was delicious.

The Deck quickly became our go-to spot on-site. It wasn’t just for the food, but also because it’s right on the water with tables overlooking the Caribbean Sea. In the evenings, they had live music, which added to the laid-back vibe.

We also loved ordering lunch and dining from our poolside cabana, especially after a morning of snorkeling, since we planned to spend the rest of the day lounging by the pool. No one felt like getting ready to eat at one of the on-site restaurants, so it was perfect just to stay and relax.

One of the main dining spots at Alaia Belize is Sea Salt, the resort’s signature restaurant, where we enjoyed breakfast each morning.

Guests can choose to sit inside or on the outdoor terrace. Given how hot it was in Belize in late May, we opted for the cool air conditioning.

They offer both buffet and à la carte options at breakfast time. We opted for the buffet each morning since there was enough variety each day to please the whole family, from fresh tropical fruits to made-to-order omelets and pastries.

At dinner, Sea Salt shifts to a more upscale menu with fresh seafood and Belizean-inspired dishes. They also have a dedicated kids menu featuring classics like chicken fingers, burgers, mac and cheese, and steak — perfect for little ones with simpler tastes.

This balance made dining stress-free for our family, knowing everyone would find something they liked.

The rooftop pool bar, to the right of the pool, is a notable dining option for adults looking to unwind. Although it’s adults-only, it serves delicious sushi in a beautiful rooftop setting with panoramic ocean and island views. If you’re traveling with older kids who can stay behind in the room or explore the resort, this spot is perfect for enjoying a drink and dinner in a relaxed, scenic atmosphere.

Enjoying good food without leaving the resort — and knowing our daughters had plenty of options — made meals something we looked forward to every day.

4. Easy Access to World-Class Snorkeling, Marine Life, and Day Trips

One of the things we loved most about staying at Alaia Belize was how effortless it is to reach the Belize Barrier Reef, the second-largest reef system on the planet that is bursting with marine life. You can roll out of bed, grab breakfast, and be face-to-face with sea turtles in under half an hour.

Alaia Belize is only 15 minutes by boat from the Hol Chan Marine Reserve and Shark Ray Alley, 2 of the region’s most iconic snorkeling and diving sites.

The acclaimed Belize Pro Dive Center operates right on the property, just steps from The Deck restaurant.

Most guests (including us) wander over, sign the waiver, and hop on a boat from the resort’s own dock — no long transfers, no pre-dawn wake-ups, and no hassle.

We booked a half-day trip as a family. Our 3-year-old came along, too. While she didn’t snorkel, she happily bobbed in the warm water at Hol Chan Reserve while the rest of us hovered above stunning coral formations, sea turtles, nurse sharks, and schools of rainbow-bright fish.

It was, hands-down, the highlight of our trip, and it was possible only because the reef is practically on Alaia’s doorstep.

Seasoned divers can tack on full-day excursions to more remote sections of the reef, while casual snorkelers can be back by lunchtime for a poolside lunch. With a third-party dive shop, Belize Pro Dive Center, located right on-site, booking a snorkeling or diving excursion is a total no-brainer. If you’re staying here, getting out on the water is a must.

Hot Tip:

Mahogany Bay Resort and Beach Club and Alaia Belize are the only major points hotels on San Pedro Island (Ambergris Caye), but they offer very different experiences, especially if you’re planning to snorkel or scuba dive. Alaia Belize is much closer to the Belize Barrier Reef and has an on-site dive shop, making it a more convenient option for water-based excursions. If spending time on or in the water is a priority, location could be a deciding factor.

5. In-Room Kitchenettes Offer Extra Flexibility

We didn’t fully realize until we got to Alaia Belize just how many of the accommodations, depending on the room type, include kitchenettes or full kitchens.

But here’s the key detail: you’ll only get that setup if you stay in one of the 42 Reef House Suites or 8 Beachfront Villas. The standard hotel rooms don’t include a kitchen, so it’s worth factoring that in when choosing your accommodations.

Having a kitchen made a big difference for us, especially traveling as a family. It allowed us to prepare quick meals, snacks, or reheat leftovers for our toddler instead of relying solely on restaurants for every meal or light bite.

While there’s no market inside the resort, there is a convenient shop just a 3-minute walk across the property where you can pick up pretty much everything you need, from snacks and drinks to fresh produce and meat.

We dined out for most of our meals, but it was nice having the option to use the stove in our room to reheat leftovers, especially with a toddler who doesn’t always finish her food. It made the whole experience feel more relaxed and homey, like we were living there for a bit, not just passing through.

6. A Solid Use of Marriott Bonvoy Points and Free Night Certificates

If you have Marriott Bonvoy points or free night certificates, you’ll likely want to redeem them at Alaia when visiting Belize, especially during peak season.

Cash rates at Alaia Belize start at about $290 per night in the summer but can rise to $600 or more between November and March, making points redemptions especially valuable.

Award nights typically range from 50,000 to 75,000 Marriott Bonvoy points, making Alaia Belize an excellent fit for the 50,000-point free night certificates offered by several Marriott co-branded credit cards (which you can top off with up to 15,000 points if needed).

The Reef House accommodation we stayed in isn’t part of the standard award inventory, so it can’t be booked with base-level points alone. However, you can often redeem more points or combine them with a modest cash upgrade to unlock this suite.

We value Marriott points at 0.7 cents each, and with high cash rates — especially during peak season — you’re often getting well above that value at Alaia Belize.

7. Comfortable Blend of Luxury and Laid-Back Island Living

What stood out to my family was how Alaia Belize strikes a balance, feeling upscale without ever coming off as stuffy or overly formal. A relaxed island vibe runs through the entire property, making it feel both refined and genuinely welcoming.

From the moment we arrived, there was an easy, welcoming energy. Whether I was lounging by the pool, sipping a handcrafted cocktail at sunset, or walking barefoot along the beach, everything felt relaxed and unpretentious.

The resort even has a playground for children. It’s a small detail, but it perfectly reinforces the family-friendly vibe I appreciated most. While Alaia Belize feels upscale and well-designed, it’s not so bougie that families feel out of place. They’ve considered guests of all ages when crafting the experience.

You get the elevated experience and top-notch amenities, but without any of the pretense. Sometimes, that’s precisely what I’m looking for in a relaxing island escape.

Hot Tip:

Upgraded Points’ News Managing Editor Ryan Smith visited the property in August 2024. Check out his detailed review of Alaia Belize.

Final Thoughts

Overall, we had a great stay at Alaia Belize for a family trip. It struck a nice balance of comfort, convenience, and relaxed island atmosphere, which made staying with kids a breeze.

A few highlights were the spacious villa, which felt more like a home than a hotel room, the on-site dining options that worked well for us and the kids, and the quick access to world-class snorkeling just 15 minutes by boat directly from the resort’s dock.

If you’re planning a family visit to Belize and want a resort that blends comfort with adventure, Alaia Belize is worth considering.