Hamanasi Adventure & Dive Resort in Belize has claimed the top spot among hotels in Central America and landed at #15 globally in TripAdvisor's 2026 Travelers' Choice Best of the Best Awards — one of the travel industry's most closely watched consumer recognition programs. The recognition places the regenerative resort among an elite tier of properties worldwide and underscores a measurable shift in how travelers are evaluating and rewarding their accommodation choices.
For hospitality operators, the ranking carries a clear signal: guests are increasingly prioritizing properties that align with environmental and regenerative values, and those commitments are translating directly into the kind of high-volume positive reviews that fuel TripAdvisor's algorithm-driven awards. Hamanasi's positioning as a regenerative resort — rather than simply an eco-friendly one — reflects an elevated standard that is beginning to separate top performers in competitive destination markets.
The distinction between "sustainable" and "regenerative" is becoming more relevant to hospitality industry professionals as traveler expectations evolve. Regenerative hospitality goes beyond minimizing harm, aiming to actively restore ecosystems and local communities — a proposition that resonates with a growing segment of high-value leisure travelers willing to pay premium rates for meaningful experiences.
Belize has positioned itself as a destination where adventure tourism, marine conservation, and immersive cultural programming intersect, and resorts like Hamanasi have built their reputations on delivering all three. For operators considering how to differentiate their properties in saturated markets, the resort's global recognition offers a case study in how authentic sustainability commitments can be converted into competitive advantage and measurable guest loyalty.
As covered in restaurant and food-and-beverage hospitality analysis, the regenerative movement is also influencing how dining programs are built within resort environments — from sourcing hyper-local ingredients to designing menus that reflect and support the surrounding ecosystem. Resorts that integrate these values across every guest touchpoint, including food and beverage, are increasingly the ones capturing both media attention and top-tier traveler recognition.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
