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Blancaneaux Lodge

Tuesday, 05 January 2010 10:08 0 Comments
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In the early 80s, five-time Oscar winning director Francis Ford Coppola visited the fledgling democracy of Belize (formerly British Honduras) and fell in love with its verdant jungle, reminding him of the Philippines, where he’d filmed Apocalypse Now.  Coppola visited an abandoned lodge called Blancaneaux and bought it.  For more than a decade, his family and friends used it as a retreat.

In 1993, he opened his jungle paradise to the public.  Coppola explains that having a resort in the remote reaches of the jungle didn’t intimidate him at all.  “It’s like being on location for a movie—you just bring everything with you or build it yourself.”  Coppola’s done just that—he is delighted that his laptop computer is run by the clean free energy that his river-powered hydro-electric plant provides.

Coppola sees his role as that of conservator, preserving the pristine environment—he loves the fact that the river water is pure enough to drink, and strongly supports Belize’s commitment to eco-tourism.

About Blancaneaux Lodge
Tucked away in a pocket of the Maya Mountains, Blancaneaux Lodge is a 20-room luxury resort where waterfalls tumble into turquoise pools above the jungle canopy. Its remote mountain setting makes it a perfect place to relax, rejuvenate and enjoy life’s simple pleasures.

Guests can also explore the ancient civilization of the Maya, which still endures in the sacred sites throughout this magical region. From the ceremonial caves along the white-water rivers of the Mountain Pine Ridge Reserve to stalactite caverns and the vast ruins of Caracol deep within the lush rainforest, Blancaneaux is a window into the world of natural and archaeological wonders.

The Original Eco-Lodge
When Coppola opened Blancaneaux Lodge, the word 'green' denoted a color - not a marketing term.  Blancaneaux is one of the pioneers of Belize’s eco-lodges. The design as an eco-hotel was done as a necessity of operating within the Mountain Pine Ridge, not as an afterthought or a marketing advantage.  Instead Francis and Eleanor Coppola embraced the potential obstacles of the secluded getaway, turning obstacles into what is now considered standards of eco-tourism.

Eco-Friendly Facts for a Guilt-Free Getaway

  • Green Power – All the electricity used at the hotel is generated through a water turbine on the river.  Blancaneaux Lodge is self-sustaining in energy use through its hydro-electric plant that harnesses the energy of Privassion Creek.  This power source is not only environmental but is beautiful.  Guests enjoy the water cascading over the dam, only to find out that this beautiful “waterfall” was actually created to power all of their conveniences in their cabanas and villas.
  • The Lodge’s water is based on using water from the river through a bank of carbon filters, string filters, and UV shock to produce clean and purified water.  The sanitation of the water is done through natural salt rather than chlorine.
  • No noise pollution: No telephones, air-conditioning, TV’s or music systems.  Instead the villas and cabanas are structured to keep cool with careful architecture and open plan designs.
  • Energy efficient bulbs and hand cranked flashlights and torches eliminate the use of batteries.

Blancaneaux Lodge
Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve,
Cayo District, Belize .
Belize T: 501-824-4912
USA T: 1-800-746-3743
E: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
W: www.coppolaresorts.com

Images © 2001-2010 Francis Ford Coppola Presents

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