Family vacations are no easy feat. It means planning and meticulously accounting for full-to-the-brim luggage, naps, snacks, and yes even tantrums. It’s also a chunk of an expense: you’re budgeting for extra airfare and larger lodging. But what if you could find a destination that budgets for both peace of mind and even the pickiest pre-teen? After a two-year-long pandemic, your family might be long overdue to celebrate loved ones—and Belize’s lasting allure is perfect for sun worshippers looking for an international dose of Vitamin D. Dive into a resort villa that fits your family and its needs with offerings for every troop to make your Belize vacation precisely customized. From a two-bedroom treetop villa to the ultimate luxury beach house, families can enjoy a restful respite at Naia Resort no matter how large their ménage.

Why Placencia (And Naia Resort) Is Perfect For Multi-Gen Travel

Nestled within a secluded coastal oasis, Naia Resort & Spa offers families of all ages a luxury escape on Belize’s southeastern coast, with proximity to nearly a mile’s worth of renowned Placencia beach (named perfect for peace and quiet), tropical forests, and cascading waterfalls. There are beach games galore, like complimentary kayaks, cornhole, and even beach volleyball, all bound to bring the family closer together. Grandkids can cruise the coastline from their stand-up paddleboards; mom and grandma are too busy at the Spa to join them, but grandpa and dad are well-occupied enough (with a condensing Belikin in hand) to intently observe the kiddos on the beach.

Soak up the sun entirely from the property at Naia Resort, or arrange an adventure with your concierge for a taste of adrenaline through zip-lining, hiking, or scuba diving. Have older cousins or grandparents that rather take it easy instead? There’s a leisurely manatee watching jaunt, educational chocolate-making tour, or biking into Placencia Village available too. All villas at Naia Resort & Spa come outfitted with air conditioning, washer/dryer units, in-room safe & telephone, WiFi, and secure parking.

Sleeps 6

With 1,800 square feet of indoor-outdoor living space, Naia’s Tree Top Villa is perfect for style-obsessed, treetop dweller families. Loaded with warm details like locally handcrafted woodwork, 100% Turkish cotton towels and robes, plus Naia’s signature scent bath amenities, it’s hard to beat having your own treetop villa just steps away from the Caribbean Sea in Belize, three stories up. There are plenty of modern conveniences like en suite bathrooms with his-and-her vanities, air conditioning, smart TVs, and a fully fitted kitchen (complete with fresh coffee and teas). Outdoors, balcony seating is sure to entire your crew after hiking through Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, just a 45-minute drive away.

On the top floor, the master bedroom hosts a king bed, hardwood floors, a spa-inspired bathroom, and a private balcony. Meanwhile, the middle floor’s main space is a spacious living room that flows into a dining area. And thanks to a pull-out futon, Naia’s 2-bedroom Tree Top Villa can accommodate two more here on its middle floor, complete with a guest bathroom. The studio-style guest bedroom—outfitted with a queen bed—comes with its own private entrance on the ground floor, and bathroom, with direct access to Naia’s yoga studio & fitness center around the corner.

Rates start at US$375 per night.

2-Bedroom Beach House

Sleeps 4

Large glass doors open to a generous outdoor deck, a private plunge pool, and direct access to the beach; this 2-bedroom beach villa at Naia Resort is perfect for a brood wanting just a little extra privacy in the Caribbean. Bright and airy, the 2,673 square feet of open-plan living space boasts a fully-furnished kitchen, a bar, and oversized spa-inspired bathrooms—including standalone deep-soaking tubs and an indoor/outdoor shower.

Outfitted with 100% cotton Matouk sheets, lodgings split into a king bed inside the master bedroom and a queen bed in the guest bedroom. There’s custom seating in the living area, including a dining table for four, though more guests can cozy up at its bar and alfresco pool loungers. There’s a 40″ Smart TV, but how could it compete with the allure of the villa’s own private pool and walk-in beach access?

Rates start at US$675 per night.

Sleeps 6

Particularly perfect for multi-generational family escapes, Naia’s 3-bedroom beach house is actually three self-contained units paramount to individual privacy. Wooden features are the main focus here, with black poisonwood bedroom floors (which are completely safe to walk on, by the way) and magnificent mahogany cabinets, as is the barefoot-perfect beach that lies just beyond your private pool deck and sun-worshipping lounge chairs. You’ve got 3,000 square feet all to yourself.

Multi-generational family escapes are but one raging travel trend, but this 3-bedroom beach house executes it well. The master bedroom is perched above the living/dining area and is fitted with a king-size bed and walk-in wardrobe plus a private ensuite bathroom, perfect for the elders. Parents, you’ve earned a sleep-in on your Caribbean vacation, and waking with coffee in hand is the culmination of those efforts—from your own private balcony, might I add. The two guest rooms, fully outfitted with king beds and oversized tub showers, also enjoy their own entrance—ideal for groups who wish to share their adventures, but not their privacy. Early risers? Nestle into the 3-bedroom house’s indoor breakfast nook, or share a meal with the company of curious agouti breaking their fast on the beach’s coco plums; a full outdoor kitchen also means dining outside for up to 6.

Sleeps 6

A sweeping 1,550 square feet on the upper floor (which includes its screened deck) spells out a family vacation by the sea in one of Naia’s newest villa additions to its pool of rentals. There’s outdoor dining for eight here in the Madera Beach House, just in case you meet another family while dining at 1981. Wake to shore-break over a natural stone-laid seawall, golden beaches, and take in the expanse from the entire second floor; later that day, your hardest choice might be whether to make use of your kitchen or take a complimentary bicycle into Placencia Village for a bite to eat instead. Either way, location is one of Madera’s strengths, found just minutes from the main building of Naia Resort, and a 15-minute drive to the village from its private driveway.

The whole crew can sleep peacefully on the one king and two queen beds inside its three bedrooms, with welcomed comforts like 100% Matouk cotton sheets and an ensuite bathroom. And because there are no other rental units located directly next to Madera Beach House, parents can do away with any thoughts of their kids being ‘too loud’ playing Marco Polo in the pool.

Rates start at US$675 per night.

Naia’s Ultimate 5-Bedroom Beach House: Solvei

Sleeps 15

Massive and beautifully appointed, Solvei sleeps up to 15 guests in bare luxury. Solvei—meaning ‘path of the sun’ in Danish—meshes 6,250 square feet of interior space with its 5,260 square-foot exterior decks to create a powerful, decorate punch even with a full-throated architectural vision. Light-filled seating areas pepper the 5-bedroom home, which splits into three stories, thanks to generously scaled glass walls with views of the Caribbean Sea at any given moment.

This isn’t your typical family vacation villa. An incredibly extensive list of upscale features, amenities, and services render Solvei almost a resort itself inside of a resort. The five-bedroom house is complete with a game room, table tennis, a dedicated concierge for every (anticipated) need, and even an elevator. And because of its modernist design, Solvei has the amenities to match: Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances deck the kitchen, Lutron lighting illuminates, and an Elan sound system runs throughout. Meanwhile, the 58-foot infinity-edge pool runs adjacent to an outdoor kitchen and grill area, semi-covered deck, open-air gazebo, and bar. This is privacy personified. I’d go out on a limb to say even the pickiest teenager would be impressed if Solvei was their family villa, too.