The Lodge at Jaguar Reef

1st off, the location and setting is just beautiful. Vincent was/is an AMAZING tour guide. We went on a boat tour and a hike & tubing trip through the Jaguar Preserve with him. We saw so many different birds and wildlife. And he shared a lot of information about everything that we saw (had a great sense of humor too). On the grounds, Chris was so very helpful. He checked in with all of the guests all week long to make sure all was well and to see if he could help in any way. And if you go, you'll no doubt meet Captain Larry! He's always around helping people with whatever they're doing.

Our deluxe plunge pool room here was lovely - very spacious and well-equipped. Not only was there a comfortable king size bed, but a very cosy sofa, plus a Lavazza coffee machine, plenty of purified water and a fridge. We had a huge and efficient shower, and also a plunge pool - but we were ground floor and the pool was housed in a small inner courtyard without any sunlight, so it was totally soul-less, cold and we didn’t use it at all! Also disappointingly, the room was not clean when we arrived and housekeeping standards did not seem to match either the prices or the hotel 4* status. We found it annoying that every day we were “Whats Apped” to ask if we wanted housekeeping! The assumption being we would not get our beds made or bathroom freshened unless we requested it! That’s a first for us in a smart hotel! The standard of food and drinks was excellent, as was the friendly service in the restaurant and pizza bar. However, having booked what we thought was a small boutique hotel in Hopkins, we were surprised to find that The Lodge at Jaguar Reef, The Colonial Inn and Almond Beach Resort are all actually run as one much bigger resort in the “hotel quarter” with the facilities shared across the buildings, so our stay was less intimate than we’d hoped & be aware there is a general 10% “resort fee” on all services incl. food and drinks, concierge trip arrangements plus any tips on top, which all adds up! Perhaps the biggest disappointment to us was the beach, which we had expected to be wide with white sand and was why we had chosen Jaguar Reef and Hopkins. But instead we found the rather narrow beach strip near the hotel sadly dominated by sargassum and rubbish - the staff tried heroically to clear it every day, but it was not conducive to a pleasant wander along the beach or swimming in the sea! So instead, we used the hotel free bikes for outings into the village, and occasionally swam in the Colonial Inn pool when it was quiet. The joint concierge service organises shared trips to a schedule and we joined an enjoyable night hike at Cockscomb Basin, but as minimum numbers are required we didn’t get out on a hoped for shorter snorkel trip, which was a shame. Overall we thoroughly enjoyed our 5 days at the resort, but probably would choose somewhere else another time.

This was not my first time at your resort, but my fourth visit and by far the best one yet! I wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude for the exceptional experience, made even more special by your outstanding staff. From the moment we arrived, we were warmly welcomed by the amazing front desk team. Julio and Christopher provided excellent customer service, ensuring all our needs were met seamlessly. A standout during our stay was Malcom, the resort manager. He went above and beyond to make us feel at home, personally showing us around the property and sharing insightful recommendations about Hopkins. It was truly special that he even remembered our names! His passion and dedication to hospitality are evident, and he has a bright future ahead. Captain Larry was another highlight of our trip always full of energy, engaging in great conversations, and making sure we were well taken care of every day. At the bar, Lucas and Steven made our experience even more memorable. They welcomed us warmly and were always up for a challenge, helping us create fun and customized drinks. Their enthusiasm and skill truly set them apart! Our housekeeper also went above and beyond, ensuring our room was spotless each day with professionalism and care. Thank you all for making this stay so unforgettable. I can’t wait to return for another incredible experience!