Ka'ana Resort

Seventeen rooms tucked into the Belizean rainforest outside San Ignacio, where the casitas have private gardens and the spa employs what is said to be the last practicing Mayan shaman in the Cayo district. This small boutique resort runs its own organic garden, feeds much of the kitchen from it, and organizes archaeological expeditions to nearby ruins when the pool loses its appeal. The jungle provides the atmosphere; the staff handles the rest with an unhurried warmth that feels nothing like a hotel script.

Two honors, in evidence: