1 1/2 hour ride to Lodge from Belize City. Staff is very good. Food is WONDERFUL. Prepare to gaine weight. We dove there. One boat saw Hammerhead sharks; of course not us. Reef seems healthy. It was very windy, so diving the calmer spots was not as pristine.

I was just thinking about our first-rate time at Turneffe Island Lodge this summer and decided that I must share my experience with anyone who is considering booking their holiday at Turneffe. My wife and I stayed at the lodge this summer and enjoyed the combo package (fishing and diving). From top to bottom the entire experience that Turneffe Lodge provided was outstanding. The accommodations were warm and beautiful. We opted for the private cabana on the far side of the island. The immaculate detail to the upkeep of the grounds was maintained for the duration of our stay.

The fishing at Turneffe Lodge was marvelous. From the experienced guides to the picturesque flats, I felt assured of my choice to stay at Turneffe. My goal was to capture the coveted “grand slam” but the bonefish, permit and tarpon had other plans for me! I managed to catch all three fish, but not on the same day. My guide knew the flats very well and was able to direct us very professionally.

When not on the flats during the day, we enjoyed fabulous diving. Turneffe Lodge excelled at the valet diving service. We were very thrilled to enjoy effortless diving! Our dive master knew so much about the dive sites and aquatic life. The vibrant reef around the island appears unscathed by humans, which was a major advantage.

Lastly, I must mention the food. Feeling hungry on the island is not an option. Delicious food is available all day – the daily snacks offered in the lounge are scrumptious in addition to the terrific feast-like meals. The sales office in Houston assured me that the holiday would be great and they were absolutely correct. My only complaint was that we did not stay long enough!

Our family of 5 (children aged 7, 9 and 11) had a blast at Turneffe Island Lodge. Although weather thwarted most of our fishing and snorkeling plans, we loved it anyway. The food was outstanding, the management and staff couldn't have been friendlier or more helpful, and the isolation of the island was divine. Beautiful clear water, lovely rooms and great fun meeting the other guests.
As avid fishermen (we booked fishing packages), we were a bit disappointed that fishing from the island was not permitted. We haven't encountered that policy at other fishing lodges in the Bahamas, Florida Keys or Central America.

My wife and I just returned from two weeks at TIL and loved every minute of it.

The Lodge picks up and drops off its guests on Wednesdays and Saturdays at the Princess Hotel Marina in Belize City. We flew into Belize City on a Friday so we spent the night at the Great House Hotel. it's not an understatement to say that Belize City isn't a great tourist destination, but I found it interesting and enjoyed the little bit of time we spent there by walking around downtown and talking to the locals.

The next day we were taken to the Marina, where we were met by Assistant Manager Jason and off we went. The boat ride takes about an hour and twenty minutes. We spent the time chatting with the other guests and crew. The entire TIL staff comes out to greet you at the dock and whisk away your luggage. The first thing you do there is re-set your watch as the Lodge is an hour ahead of Belize City, probably to match up with the front office Houston. Then you're shown to your room or cabana--we had asked for Cabana 8 as it's the last one down the line.

As noted in a review below, this place runs like a well-oiled machine. Managers Paul and Kelly along with Assistant Managers Jason and Karen work very hard to make everything look very easy. They did an orientation the first night and explained how things work, which went pretty much like this: meals every day at 7:30, 12:30 and 7:30. Snacks available at the lodge all day (going hungry really isn't an option here). Diving schedules announced daily, usually at dinner, with an emphasis on fun and relaxation. If you need something, just ask. They made it abundantly clear that our job was to be on vacation and that their job was to make our vacation as fun and relaxing as possible.

The community dining hall is a big plus as it turns meals into a big social club. Given that everyone there shares common interests in diving, fishing, beachcombing and/or goofing off, it is very easy to make friends with everyone.

Our divemaster and boat captain were Brad and Marcel, who rotate their jobs each week. These guys were large and in charge. They picked the dive sites. They gave great dive briefings, ending each one with "Let us see what is in store for us today. The pool is now open." They worked hard to find interesting things to see. They took care of all of our gear. In short, they were superb.

The same is true for the lodge staff at meal time. The meals were delicious. Not gourmet, but even better because it was good, hearty food every meal. The staff would position themselves on both sides of the room to keep an eye on us. If a pitcher of tea or a platter of food ran low, they would swoop down with a full one before you could ask. It's hard not to put on weight here.

Since we were there for two weeks, I went back to the mainland on the first Wednesday to check out the Belize Zoo. TIL took care of the arrangements so all I had to do was get on the boat. A guide met me at the dock, took me to the Zoo and brought me back to the dock in time for me to catch the boat back to the Lodge.

The Lodge also made arrangements for us to tour Altun Ha the day we left. Our flight didn't leave until 4 o'clock, which gave us plenty of time to check out the ruins. As Mayan ruins go, these aren't the most impressive ruins I've seen but it sure beat sitting around the airport.

We had a wonderful time and look forward to returning in the near future.