Project Background
Ka’ana Resort is a 17-key boutique luxury property set in the Maya Mountains of western Belize. Conceived, developed, and operated by Proven’s principals over a ten-year period, the resort was built from the ground up and stewarded from 2008 to 2018, before being successfully sold.
Positioned under the philosophy of "adventure by day, luxury by night," Ka'ana was among the first luxury properties in Latin America built around the concept of experiential travel. The resort served as a base camp for exploring Belize's jungle interior, Mayan ruins, and cave systems, with bespoke experiences including overnight stays in archaeological sites and jaguar tracking with the region's leading big cat specialists.
Location: San Ignacio, Belize
Type: Boutique luxury resort
Keys: 15 suites, 2 villas
Amenities: Restaurant, bar, wine cellar/private dining, spa, pool, organic garden
Awards: World Travel Awards, Belize's Leading Boutique Hotel (five consecutive years); Small Luxury Hotels of the World member
Status: Sold in 2018
Involvement: 2008–2018
The property was designed and furnished using locally sourced stone and hardwoods, with all furniture handcrafted by regional workshops. La Ceiba restaurant operated a chef-driven menu supplied largely by an on-site organic garden. A wine cellar doubled as a private dining venue.
Ka'ana achieved average daily rates 800% above the national average and won Central America's Leading Boutique Hotel at the World Travel Awards for five consecutive years. The resort was accepted into Small Luxury Hotels of the World, the first Belizean property to receive the designation.
The project demonstrated a model that Proven has carried through subsequent developments: intimate scale, design integrity, deep integration with the surrounding culture, and a hospitality standard calibrated to an international clientele.
"Irish brothers escaped corporate careers to start a luxury resort in the far reaches of Belize."
— BLOOMBERG BUSINESSWEEK
“An enchanting and sophisticated hideaway. Upon arrival, you know you have landed somewhere special.”
— Forbes
