We just returned from a week at Crystal Paradise and are already planning to return as soon as possible. We have travelled to Belize twice before and Crystal Paradise is our favorite spot. The Tut family is so gracious and welcoming, you feel relaxed and part of the family from the first minute you meet them at the airport.

The Tut brothers were terrific birdwatching guides, each with a friendly and unique personality. We really enjoyed meeting the other guests and felt like we'd all become part of the extended family by the time we left.

If you are looking for authentic and delicious food, exciting tours and a jungle home away from home, you'll love it as much as we did.

My husband and I just completed a 9-day stay at the Crystal Paradise Resort, and we would strongly recommend this jungle lodge to anyone interested in a truly authentic experience!

From the very beginning, we were very impressed with the beautifully maintained grounds and the laid back atmosphere at this family-run resort. The self-service bar and family-style meals added to the relaxed atmosphere, and we found every member of the Tut family to be extremely gracious and accommodating. The generous home-cooked meals served every day were absolutely delicious -- and the family diligently prepared or arranged lunches for us for each of our excursions.

Crystal Paradise offers a wide variety of excursions and packages, all expertly organized and tailored to the interests of each visiting family / group of guests. We signed up for the Active Jungle Adventure package and loved every minute of it! The highlights for us were our 2-day trip to Tikal, our trip to the Chechem Hah cave (guided by one of the men who discovered it), and our adventure trip to the Crystal Cave (a last-minute substitution for ATM after two days of heavy rain caused ATM to temporarily close.) We came away with some amazing pictures -- and memories that we will cherish for a lifetime!

We particularly enjoyed meeting and mingling with the guests, all of whom were so fascinating and fun that we ended up exchanging contact information with many of them before we left!

Just one word of caution: If you're looking for a 5-star resort with an on-site spa, a variety of gourmet restaurants, a swimming pool and/or a private sandy beach -- this isn't your place! While Crystal Paradise describes itself as a "resort", those expecting to find themselves in a Club Med-like atmosphere will be very disappointed. For that type of experience, you would probably be better off at Chaa Creek. But what Crystal Paradise lacks in 5-star amenities -- it more than makes up for in true Belizean hospitality, excellent value, and a rustic charm that will likely bring us back again and again!

Thank you, Tut family, for an amazing vacation experience!

We were a party of 8, not all into physical challenges, and traveling to Belize for the first time. We wanted a base to travel to the Mayan ruins in Belize for the first part of our vacation followed by time at the seashore for the second. Our travel agent selected Crystal Paradise resort. It was the perfect place for our group.

The time we spent at Crystal Paradise was busy and exciting.
Many of us did things here that we had never done before, from cave tubing, to swimming under a waterfall, to bird watching for toucans. And we were able to visit two spectacular Mayan sites.

The hospitality and friendliness of the Tut family was tremendous.

Eric sort of adopted us and was our guide on most of our trips and transfers. His knowledge of the region, history , and wildlife as well as his great sense of humor made the time we spent with him both fun and educational. His patience and personality enabled some people in our party to perform activities that they never would have without his help. Also, arrange a morning birdwatching walk around the grounds with Eric. He is amazing at spotting and identifying the many birds inhabiting this valley.

The trip to Tikal was a highlight. It is an amazing place. The arrangements made by Crystal Paradise for that trip were excellent. ( But, Guatemala roads are unbelievable. Also, since some of our group were reluctant to walk the whole site, it would be good if the available option to ride to the various sites is made more apparent.)
Xunantunich was a pleasant surprise and a very interesting site.

We substituted the cave tubing trip for the canoeing on Eric's recommendation, and it was a highlight of the trip.

The accommodations at Crystal Paradise were very comfortable and always clean. The family style eating area and honor bar promoted easy conversations and information exchanges with other guests and the food was comfortable (in the best sense) and more than plentiful. Jeronie and the rest of the family were welcoming and helpful with any and all requests we made.

I would, and already have recommended Crystal Paradise to anyone interested in traveling to Belize.

Lifetime memories. Awesome hosts. Idyllic setting. Spectacularly accommodating.

Our holiday at Crystal Paradise gave us significantly more than we expected. This is a family owned and run hospitality center, run by one of the kindest, most nurturing and honestly caring families you will ever encounter. Our airport pick up was flawless and the journey to the resort included a lunch stop at the 'famous' roadside restaurant near the Belize zoo. Once we arrived, Jeronie helped insure our accommodations met our families needs and that our excursions were well coordinated.

The hand-built thatch-roofed huts offer plenty of space for everyone. You are unplugged from the frenzied pace of life in the States without feeling isolated. While the offerings of excursions are varied and authentic, many guests opt to enjoy the peace and quiet of the jungle ranch with reading, siestas and nature walks. Our family was invited to explore the beautiful landscape around the ranch on horseback with youngest son Andy as guide.

Miss Teresa, the matriarch, expertly prepares (from scratch) all the meals. Tasteful and healthy, these authentic local dishes are served family style in an open air pavilion complete with stocked bar and refrigerated drinks. We were most impressed with the honor system used to tally drinks.

Our family includes small children and Mr. Viktor and Miss Teresa were keenly aware of our desire to expose them to the beauty of the region, while maintaining a comfortable level of security. On our daytrip to Tikal, we were escorted to the Guatemalan border, through passport control and received by a reputable guide. At the end of the adventure, again, we were escorted through the boarder and greeted by another member of the Tut family to return to Crystal Paradise.

Our time spent in the rainforest at Crystal Paradise and surrounding area was amazing! We will happily return, sadly not soon enough.