This is a brand new lodge opened by Sharyn and Jim Brinker. It is nestled in hills of Cayo district. The hillside Cabanas blend into natural and landscaped rain forest. One can lie in a hammock in Cabanas and be in the rain forest canopy. I went for a morning walk with a guide on the lodge property and saw many birds, some unexcavated ruins, and many native plants. I enjoyed learning about plants, chuckled at the “give and take” plants. It reminded me of a tour I had taken in Amazon Jungle in Peru.

Cabanas and the lodge are very nicely decorated with local art. I thought this was a good mix of natural environment with some amenities we have gotten used to. There are mosquito nets in cabanas. Though there were no mosquitoes while we were there. The bathrooms are modern and nice. (Remember this is internal Belize, where there is no electric supply, or city water, or sewer.) Cabanas do have lights. The lodge generates their own electricity.
The best part was the Hosts and now our new friends, Sharyn and Jim. Sharyn came to Belize City to pick us up and it felt as if we had known each other for a long time. From picking us up at the airport to dropping us at the water taxi to Ambergris, they provided top notch service far exceeding expectations. Sharyn catered to fussy eaters in our party and provided gourmet meals. Even the lunches we ate out on excursions were well planned and beautifully presented. And all this with very health conscious menus that my daughter who was dieting did not complain even once! Sharyn planned our excursions and provided knowledgeable guides.
All in all, it was a wonderful experience. I liked this vacation because it was non-touristy.

My wife Penny and I just returned from one of our many visits to the Cayo District in Belize and our fantastic three day stay at the Mariposa Jungle Lodge. The Mariposa Jungle Lodge just recently opened for business and our hosts, Jim and Sharyn Brinker treated us royally! This 1st class lodge is conveniently located about 4 kilometers outside of the village of San Antonio (30 minutes from San Ignacio) on the Pine Ridge road leading to the Ancient Mayan Ruins of Carocol. While at the lodge, we took full advantage of the short drive to experience canoeing through the Barton Caves, a tour of the Butterfly Farm, and a personal guided tour of the local flora & fawna by the resident expert, Gustaf. Unfortunately our schedule did not allow us sufficient time for a day of horseback riding into the jungle, a visit to the local waterfalls or the Belize Zoo.Our accomodation consisted of a beautiful canbana with high thached roofs, tiled floors, a king size "netted" bed, hot, hot water and a private screened in porch with a swinging hammoka that allowed us to sit back, relax and listen to the howler monkey's and birds in the morning. The main lodge houses a beautiful restaurant with a menu that varies in cuisine from around the world to just a good old fashion grilled cheese sandwich. (The Belikin Beer's not bad either!) It was a treat to borrow a book from the well stocked lodge library or use the internet to send a note home. Penny & I were amazed at the attention to detail that Sharyn and Jim have paid throughout the resort from the solid wood doors carved with Mayan inscriptions to the decor and gift shop highlighting local crafts. If our review sounds like an paid advertisment for the Mariposa Jungle Lodge it's only because we fell in love with the Cayo District and the Mariposa Jungle Lodge. Penny & I have purchased property only a few kilometers away from the lodge and look forward to recommending the Mariposa to our many friends who will be visiting Belize. The Cayes are fantastic but don't cut your trip short, the Cayo District has many exciting adventures to experience. Thank you Sharyn & Jim for all your hospitality!
John & Penny Henderson
London Ontario, Canada
Email: CallTheHendersons@rogers.com

Just spent one week at the Mariposa Jungle Lodge in Belize and would like to recommend it to anyone looking for something different from the ordinary. The lodge itself is beautiful as are the grounds and cabannas. The tours they offer were wonderful. We saw the Mayan ruins at Carocol, went canoeing in an underground cave, spent time in the capital city of Belmapan, went to Belize City, saw the Mennonite community, went horseback riding in the jungle and mountains, had a bar b que at the top of a mountain, and spent time in two local Mayan homes where we had lunch and learned how to make tortillas. The food was excellent and bar well stocked! Our hosts, Jim and Sharon Brinker could not have been more cordial and accomadating.

We were in the Mountain Pine Ridge area and needed a place to stay for the night. We saw the sign to Mariposa Lodge and decided to give it a try. We were delighted to find a new, beautiful, and very clean cabana available. Our hosts, Jim & Sharyn, were very hospitable, and gave us a great dinner, and also provided a lot of information on the area. In the morning we excited to see a Toucan land in a tree right outside our cabana, followed by 4 more! We were also given a complementary nature walk by a very well versed native of the area. We would definitely recommend staying at the Mariposa if you are visiting that area.