Francis Ford Coppola turned abandoned Belize lodge into 20-room resort

In 1981, American filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola bought an abandoned hunting lodge in the forests of western Belize. The private retreat for his family later became Blancaneaux Lodge, a 20-room resort surrounded by pine forests, rivers and waterfalls.

The property, which the Coppola family used for years before opening it to visitors, continues to retain much of its original character.Located in a forested area of Belize, Blancaneaux Lodge was initially a place where Coppola and his family could spend time away from their regular lives. His children grew up visiting the property, swimming in the river and exploring the surrounding forests. Over time, the family's connection with the location became an important part of the resort's identity.According to Conde Nast Traveler, the lodge eventually opened to guests in 1993, around 12 years after Coppola purchased the property and continues to attract visitors interested in outdoor activities and a quiet stay in the forest.Coppola's daughter, filmmaker Sofia Coppola, recalled spending her childhood holidays at the lodge with her brothers. “I'd hop around on rocks and swim in the river with my brothers,” she told Conde Nast Traveler.

“I feel so lucky to have had these jungle adventures.”

Abandoned hunting lodge to family retreat

When Francis Ford Coppola acquired the property in 1981, it was a disused hunting lodge. He converted it into a private retreat where his family could spend time together in the forests of Belize.The surrounding landscape became an important part of their visits. The property is located near a creek, with forests and waterfalls in the surrounding area. The family spent time exploring these places, and the lodge gradually became a familiar holiday destination for Coppola's children.Years later, the family decided to open the property to visitors. Blancaneaux Lodge became a 20-room resort, offering accommodation in cottages designed to retain the character of the original retreat.Although access routes have improved since the family's early visits, the property has undergone relatively few changes in appearance. Its cottages remain naturally cooled by the breeze, while the wood-panelled Jaguar Bar displays photographs of earlier archaeological excavations.Sofia Coppola said the lodge's familiar appearance remains one of the things she appreciates about it. “I love that Blancaneaux has felt the same over the years which is rustic but comfortable,” she said.

The Blancaneaux Lodge

The resort's location allows guests to explore the surrounding landscape through several outdoor activities. Visitors can go kayaking through cave systems, where passages run between formations of stalactites.

Horse riding is another activity, with routes leading to waterfalls where guests can swim.The lodge's surroundings also provide opportunities to experience the forests and waterways of western Belize.While the property has developed into a resort, its accommodation and shared spaces continue to reflect the family's preference for relatively simple surroundings. The cottages, wooden interiors and outdoor setting remain important features of Blancaneaux.

Sofia Coppola's resort connection

The family's involvement with Blancaneaux has continued into the next generation. Sofia Coppola, who spent time there as a child, has also worked on a collaboration connected with the property's spa.In 2024, she collaborated with Monastery, a San Francisco-based botanical skincare company founded by aesthetician Athena Hewett.Hewett had previously sent Sofia a bottle of cleansing oil from her skincare range.

Sofia later visited Monastery's spa for a treatment, and the two began discussing a product that could be used at Blancaneaux. “Sofia loved that we were plant-based and small-batch,” Hewett said.Their collaboration resulted in a facial mist containing rosewood from Central America, rose and orchid oil. The product was developed for treatments at the Blancaneaux spa and as something visitors could take home.Blancaneaux is not the family's only hospitality property in Belize.

The Coppolas also own Turtle Inn, a coastal retreat near the Belize Barrier Reef system.Unlike the forest setting of Blancaneaux, Turtle Inn offers access to marine activities. The property has thatched cabanas, carved wooden doors, Japanese soaking tubs and pathways lined with hibiscus.Sofia also has a bungalow at Turtle Inn, where she spends time with her husband, musician Thomas Mars, and their daughters. She wrote the screenplay for Priscilla while staying there.