This lodge is set in a very lush part of the forest and the folks here are some of the best horse- and adventure-tour operators in the area. Rooms are decidedly rustic, but, for some, the kerosene lamps that light the rooms at night will be a charming adventure in life without electricity. Housed in a series of duplex buildings, all feature high thatched roofs, colorful Guatemalan bedspreads, indigenous arts and crafts on the walls, queen beds hung with mosquito netting, and plenty of windows for cross-ventilation. A large open-air palapa, The Cantina, serves as the lodge’s restaurant, bar, and meeting area. While horses and horseback riding tours are the principal draw here, a whole range of tours and activities is offered. And an added bonus of staying here is getting to socialize with the owners and their family, who share stories about Belize through the decades, and often invite other members of the community by to join guests at dinner. The MET owners also helped create the private Slate Creek Preserve, a 1,214-hectare (3,000-acre) tract of land bordering the Mountain Pine Ridge Preserve, in addition to running their operation off the grid, and acting as huge support for scarlet macaw conservation efforts.