We have just returned from a week in Belize. Overall the stay was wonderful. Great country, nice people, and lots to do. We spent our first three nights at duPlooys jungle lodge. We took the bus from Belize City which was certainly an experience. The bus system is very organized and frequented by the locals so it was a great way to learn about the culture. We also became more acquainted with the country during our ride.
We arrived at duPlooys and our room was ready and VERY clean. It definitely wasn't a 5 Star room, but had enough for us to feel comfortable. Each room has a screen porch which is very nice.
There is one restaurant and one bar at the lodge. The bar was nice and had a good variety of drinks and most of of the people staying there mingled before dinner. It was nice to hear about other people's travels. The restaurant definitely wasn't the best food we've had. Remember to sign up for a food plan so you don't get over charged for the food. When you check in they don't ask you, so remember to ask them. Our first dinner was delicious. However, in the morning when we went to breakfast we were told there wasn't any flour. This meant no bread, no pancakes, and no tortillas. It didn't leave much. We had corn flakes and they were stale. That night lobster was served and it had previously been frozen so was very rubbery and not good at all. The next breakfast they did have flour which was good, but the next day they were out of bananas. They did however have a meat choice, a vegetarian choice, and a fish choice for every dinner. We just felt that the restaurant was unorganized and the food wasn't horrible, but could have been better.
A plus about the lodge was the activities. There was a lot to do and they informed you well about what you were getting yourself into. We did the ATM cave tour which was amazing. A real reason to stay at the lodge for. We saw skeletons from 1000 years ago and the guides were well informed about the subject.
The Belize Botanical Gardens are at duPlooys. They are really worth a visit to, and were probably our favorite thing about the lodge. We paid to have a guided tour (SO WORTH IT) and were shown and taught about all the plants. The tour wasn't boring because were were able to eat the fruit and interact with the gardens. The tour took 1.5 hours, but you can choose how long to make it. Even my young daughter enjoyed it.
Overall, our stay at duPlooys was enjoyable. Even though the restaurant wasn't perfect, we expected that and really didn't think it took away from our stay. We recommend it!

We just returned from spending four nights at duPlooy's. The folks there are terrific and work hard to make sure that your stay is just how you'd like it.
The rooms were comfortable. We booked on short notice so we ended up with adjoining rooms with the other couple we were traveling with and a shared bath. We had the futons and they were actually very comfortable.
This is an ecolodge so you should go there with that in mind. Having said that we got fresh towels every day but don't expect air conditioning and be prepared for an occasional short electrical outage.
If you enjoy birding this is quite a nice spot. A trip through the Botantical Gardens is also very interesting. If you are looking for something a little more active there are a lot of activities from which to choose. The cave tubing was awesome as was the zip lines. A trip to Tikal in Guatemala is almost a must. It is truely amazing. There are other Mayan ruins very near to the Lodge.
The food is very good and they pack very nice lunches if you are traveling. Have a drink at the bar and ask for Rick. He makes a good drink called Jungle Juice!

duPlooy's is certainly a luxurious way to experience Belize and the jungle. I haven't stayed at any other jungle lodges (there are several in the Cayo district), so I can't say how it compares ) We (a couple) were there for a full week. Their 'bungalows' are very clean and comfortable (one-room cottages with comfortable kingsize bed, bathroom and nice porch,). They are scattered along the elevated wooden walkway that winds through the trees, the air full of the sound of birds and monkeys. Though not air-conditioned, the bungalows and jungle rooms do have ceiling fans, and at least in February it wasn't a problem since it cools down at night.
We signed up for the full meal plan, which generally worked out OK (there are no towns nearby). The food varied between OK and terrific., especially for dinner. (The packed picnic sandwiches for lunch left something to be desired). The kitchen and bar staff were great, the office staff OK, though at times disorganized.

The down side: when it's crowded at duPlooys, things fall apart fast. The staff gets overworked, the food turns into mediocre buffet style, and the whole atmosphere, normally relaxed and quiet, flips into stressed hotel mode.

We also signed up for the full trip/tour plan (=different trip every day). You can decide on your trip/adventure for the next day, as you go along. We did the Branton Creek Cave (terrific), the Butterfly Farm (also great), El Pilar (local Mayan ruins largely unexcavated but still interesting), the Belize Zoo (not to be missed), the "baboon (howler monkey) park (skip it), and an overnight to Tikal. Tikal is fabulous especially for the jungle walks even beyond the wonderful Mayan ruins. Plus you get a closeup view of Guatemala in the bargain. Each of these trips came with a driver/guide of varying quality. If you're lucky enough to get a man named Firman for your guide, you are in for a treat.

duPlooy's grounds are amazing. Wonderful plantings everywhere, a long elevated walkway through the rainforest and above the river, and a huge botanical garden with native specimen trees. Toucans and other birds arrive at dawn to grab the fruit laid out on the deck by the bar.

All this doesn't come cheap, and if we were to do it again (I hope so!) we'd probably rent a 4-wheel drive vehicle in Belize City (yes, many of the roads are awful), and go around on our own. Having the lodge do all your transportation is a luxury, but it also ties you down to a schedule. It was a good introduction to Belize for us, though, as this was our first trip there.

Belize and the Belizeans are great. They even speak English when they're not speaking Creole or Spanish.

And, we had almost NO bugs.

My husband and I stayed at duPlooy's in January. We only stayed for 3 nights but wished we had stayed longer! The acccomodations, staff and food were all beyond our expectations. We went there to relax, and the absence of TV, e-mail and noise was wonderful. The only noises were the soft tropical rain and the many beautiful birds. And if you're wondering what kinds of birds, the staff is very friendly and loves to share information and stories. We can't wait to return. From here we went to the Inn at Robert's Grove. (See review)