Based on past reviews we had high expectations for this little inn and Hidden Valley met every expectation. The meals are fabulous (mango, coconut, curry) including the picnic lunch we brought to Caracol ruins. Staff to guest ratio is high which contributes to a relaxed ambiance.
Previous guests commented on the hot tub not bubbling but it worked (was repaired) during our visit. The only thing odd is there is no safety rail to ease into the hot tub. We were fortunate enough to visit during a massive full moon, a real treat.
Our room, #8, had two nice leather loungers and a floor lamp for easy reading by the fireplace. The firewood is freshly stacked on arrival and rebuilt each day. The bed is on the firmer side as a previous reviewer had commented. We searched for a softer bed in room #1 but they all seemed to be the same. After the first night we realized the bed is firm but happily tolerable.
Plenty of hot water in the shower. Oh, never got sick on water or food either.
Our guide, Ric, was a real gem. Full of insights.

Loved, loved, loved our stay here! Staff is very friendly and attentive, the food was consistently great every day. We hiked all over the place, the new Cascade Trail is a work of art (Peter did an amazing job). We didn't bother to go on any tours outside the property, we did that later from San Ignacio. At Hidden Valley, our room was so beautiful. We rented Orchid Falls for the day and it was our best day. Butterfly falls is the prettiest fall but they were all lots of fun to hike. You will not be disappointed by anything here!! Enjoy!

Hidden Valley is has so many things going for it, the staff are the nicest people we met in Belize and it seems a really happy place to work, this is really evident to the guests.

The location is fantastic, it's Belize's highest hotel and if you want to get far from the madding crowd, this is the location. I would have liked to spend more time here, we only stayed for 3 nights and it wasn't enough.

The food is fantastic! It was without doubt the best food we had in Belize, including any other restaurant or hotel during our stay. In fact I bought the hotel's cook book!

There is criticism in other reviews about the pine forest being ugly because of the beetle attack about 5 years ago, which decimated the forest. The place is definitely recovering now, the young pines are really coming back and it's such a beautiful place it adds to the atmosphere of this ecosystem to see how well it's recovering. It really is stunning - trust me don't be put off by other reviews critizing this - the location is just beautiful! When you're walking through the rainforest, you can't see the pines for most of it anyway, as you're fully emersed in the jungle!

The rooms are private, beautiful and the log fires are a really romantic touch.

Maid service is excellent. Pool is lovely and jacuzzi is great!

We didn't get bothered by mosquitos in our room, which was such a relief! Definitely one of the best things about the location is you don't tend to get many mosquitos there.

If you're a couple, especially on honeymoon, hire Orchid falls for a champagne lunch - it's the most relaxing day of my life spent there!!! No exaggeration, it's bliss!!

If I come back to Belize, it will only be to stay at Hidden Valley Inn, it's just the most welcoming, private, peaceful, beautiful, well equipped, pampering place you can stay in this country. Can't recommend it highly enough!! The road trip to the hotel is also facinating!

By the way they do the best pina coladas in Belize - make sure to try one!

We arrived at Hidden Valley following a stay at Pooks Hill. They are very different places, each with their own qualities.

Where Pooks Hill was simple, Hidden Valley was upmarket & exclusive.

The lodge and the rooms (set within a beaufiful garden) were all equipped to a very high standard (equivalent to many luxury hotels). You didn't feel like you were in a forest/jungle, more like in a lovely garden.

The service during our first two days was exceptionally good; though they had a change of staff and the servive became of a much more average standard for the second 2 days (If you went to ask front-of-house something you appeared to be a nuisance!).

The food was lovely, however it was possibly a bit over-the-top for a forest lodge. Whilst we thoroughly enjoyed it, by the end of 4 days we were glad to get back to simpler food.

The highlights of our stay were the horseriding and the waterfalls.

For the horseriding, we were taken to a nearby farm and we rode with the farmowner and his daughter. Despite the fact that we were relative novices, we were taken over some challenging terrain, however the horses behaved brilliantly, The farmer also took us into a Mayan cave on his land.

We were dropped off by jeep in the forest the next day with a 30 minute walk to Butterfly Falls. When you walk into the clearing and see Butterfly Falls you'll be speachless.. it is so beautiful and untouched. You won't see anyone else there whilst you're visiting and you can enjoy a great swim in the pool under the falls.

One thing that did impress me was the care taken to keep the hotel and its surroundings natural and beatiful. There was great attention paid to economy of resources and careful management of habitat destroying products (avoidance of plastic bottles etc within the hotel). Defintely Eco-Tourism!