First of all, remember that selecting a place to stay has a lot to do with where you want to be and what activities you would like to do during your stay: beach or rainforest? Diving or hiking? Reef or ruins? Do you want to get pampered with massages or get sweaty and muddy with your loved one on a jungle trek?

Get an idea of what kind of trip you and your honey are looking for, then dive in and book it. Following are only a few of Belize's upscale romantic accommodations that stick out in my mind for quality and intimacy. For more on Belize's ample budget options, flip through a copy of my book, Moon Handbooks Belize.

Starting on swanky Ambergris Caye, just inshore from Belize's famous barrier reef and three miles north of San Pedro village, you will find Capricorn Resort, offering intimate beachfront seclusion in one of three bright and tasteful cabanas. Capricorn's restaurant is one of the best (considered the best by many) on the island.

Situated on 7,200 acres of private property in the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve, Hidden Valley Inn is a quiet paradise for hikers and birders who will have a blast exploring the resort's 90-plus miles of walking trails and old logging roads and then cozying up in front of their cottage's fireplace, listening to the birdsong outside (especially nice during the cool, misty, rainy season).

The property encompasses lush broadleaf forest and pine tree habitat. The two diverse ecosystems are divided by a geological fault line, which marks the edge of a towering 1,000-foot escarpment. Numerous watercourses spring from the mountain and then cascade down the steep slopes, often into deep, inviting pools; Hidden Valley's trail system runs through it all.

On Placencia Peninsula, Kitty's Place is one of the best and most unpretentious resorts on this long strip of beach resorts call it "low-key luxury," and check your shoes at the front desk. Be sure to schedule a day trip or overnight on Kitty's private isle, French Louis Caye, 12 miles offshore with great snorkelling and upscale accommodations.

Two of Belize's most romantic, beautiful, and expensive options are Francis Ford Coppola's gorgeous pair of resorts: Turtle Inn and Blancaneaux Lodge, located on the Placencia Peninsula and Mountain Pine Ridge, respectively, and offering a number of collective packages. Both places feature breathtaking architecture and artwork from all over the world, and top-notch service and facilities.

Located about an hour north of Belize City, Maruba Resort Jungle Spa pampers the body and soul, as evidenced by its acclaimed spa treatments and unique focal points spread around the grounds: A tiny, glass-decorated chapel; a palapa-covered stone chess table; two pools that seem to spring from the jungle complete with waterfalls.

The rooms are spread out for privacy and are addressed by name Moon, Fertility, and Bondage, to name a few. All boast an eclectic neo-primitive motif carved masks, mosaic tile floors, standing candles, cement fountains, tiled tubs, screened shuttered windows and fresh flowers on the massive feather beds and in the bathrooms.

NORM:

What should people know about celebrating a wedding in Belize from the point of view of requirements, experience of the various hotels, etc.

Joshua:

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