Ka’ana Boutique Resort

Preparing your own three-course dinner with the assistance of award winning chef Manolo Castillo is something else entirely. After expressing his own personal interest in cooking, guest Gregg Santo was invited to join Chef Manolo in preparing a delicious customized dinner consisting of involtini mozzarella, with parsley and basil olive oil; tom kah gai Thai soup, followed by a chocolate mousse with grand mariner.

Changing from his chef uniform to dinner attire, Santos slipped back into the restaurant in time to surprise his partner with his culinary talents. The evening was a great success and lots of fun for everyone.

Representing Ka’ana Boutique Resort, Executive Chef Manolo Castillo receives three medals at the 2008 Festival Gastronomical in Guatemala City. The two day event held September 9-11, 2008 at the Grand Tikal Futura Hotel attracts professionals from around the globe seeking top culinary honors.

Chef Manolo received first place in the team leader category. Directing a team of six, he successfully prepared a three-course meal in ninety minutes from a surprise basket of ingredients provided by the organizers.  In the individual competition, Chef Manolo received second place for his rabbit terrine with pea and cold wasabi soup entrée and third place for Tom Yum Gai, a popular Thai soup.

Chef Manolo was the only competitor representing Belize. “This is a big honor for the country”. said Ian Lizarraga, Ka’ana’s Resort Director. “We are very proud of Manolo’s accomplishments”. Recently opened in September 2007, Ka’ana Boutique Resort is a luxury resort in the Cayo District of Western Belize. 

                                                                                                                                                                                    In keeping with its mission of promoting tourism development in Belize, Ka’ana Boutique Resort was pleased to make a contribution in the education sector by awarding a full scholarship to Galen University.

Following a rigorous three-part application process, three finalists were selected to enter the final round.  This final testing phase consisted of a series of challenges over a 24-hour period at Ka’ana Boutique Resort. The challenges ranged from management skills, food and beverage preparation, to academic knowledge.  These were designed to test the finalists’ ability to maintain a high standard of service under demanding conditions, to make good judgment calls under pressure, and to be creative and spontaneous, which are just some of the skills it takes to succeed in the hospitality business.

The finalists were evaluated on a point system with a total possible score of 400 points.  With only two and a half points separating the top two competitors, Flora Pereira was awarded the Bachelor’s Degree in Tourism and Hospitality Management scholarship. All three ladies did an exceptional job throughout the course of this challenging experience and we can expect that they will be making big strides in Belize’s tourism industry. 

The full scholarship, a value of BZ$16,760.00, will cover tuition, fees, and books over a two year period.  Flora Pereira will be required to maintain a high level of academic standard while enrolled in the Bachelor’s programme as well as complete an internship at Ka’ana Boutique Resort during the two years.  This scholarship will enable Flora to be the first of her family to pursue a graduate degree.

“It is a fundamental principle of Ka’ana’s mission statement to assist in and dedicate time and resources to outreach programs and to foster mutual respect for all those “touched” by the Ka’ana brand while working for the greater good of tourism development in Belize”. 

                                                                                                                                       To contribute to the current global initiative to reduce carbon emissions, Ka’ana Boutique Resort & Spa, a new luxury resort located in the Cayo District of Belize, has implemented the Trade Trees for Travel program for guests.  The program offers guests the opportunity to plant a tree on property and offset their own personal carbon footprint.

“As a 15-room boutique resort, Ka’ana isn’t doing an extreme amount of damage to the environment, but this program gives us the chance to combat the climate crisis, while also encouraging guests to do their part,” said Nick Davies, general manager of Ka’ana and the mastermind behind the new program. 

Ka’ana Boutique Resort & Spa sits on terrain that has been farmland ever since the Mayans once laid claim to it.  The new Trade Trees for Travel program will add to the lush vegetation and fruit trees that already adorn the property by planting a variety of trees, including mahogany and ginger.  The program is completely subsidized by Ka’ana.

The new Trade Trees for Travel program isn’t the only thing Ka’ana is doing to give back.  The resort has been preserving the landscape and the local culture since its official grand opening in September.  All of the furnishings throughout the resort are crafted locally and made with local products/wood and the unique artwork in the rooms was purchased from local artists.  The resort also grows a majority of its own produce in an organic garden, which is used by Chef Manolo Castillo to prepare his signature dishes.

With a perfect balance of luxury, adventure and relaxation, Ka’ana Boutique Resort & Spa is a haven for travelers seeking the ultimate Belizean experience. 

ATM is the most impressive and ultimate cave adventure in the country of Belize! This cave is full of excitement and challenges that promise to be an unforgettable experience. You will be hiking through the tropical forest of Tapir Mountain Reserve until you reach the crystal clear waters at the entrance of the cave. You will encounter stunning stalagmites & stalactites, hidden chambers, untouched Mayan artifacts and human remains that reveal Mayan ancient rituals from thousands of years ago.

Inside the cave, visitors climb and swim, while passing through tight spaces adding more excitement to the tour. The guide will be explaining to you the history of the cave and about the Mayan rituals that will leave you amazed!!  This four hour tour is an great value for those that are up for an amazing caving adventure.

Pollo de la nona, “Grandma’s Chicken” 

Makes four servings

Ingredients: 

1lb boneless chicken

1 cup lentils

2 cups peel whole tomatoes

1 small onion

2 bay leaves

3 garlic clove

3 teaspoon olive oil

8 oz bacon

1 bunch cilantro

2 whole tomato (diced)

Preparations: 

Dice the bacon and place in a hot sauce pan, after 3 min add garlic, cilantro, onion and sautéed for 5 more minutes, remove from heat.  Once it cools, blend and strain,  then save.

Place the 2 cups of lentils into 5 cups of cold water, so they could cook evenly and in less time. Make sure not to overcook them, when they start to get tender add the mix that we reserved previous. Let it come to a boil for 5 min.  Then add salt and black pepper.

After the chicken is washed, add salt and black pepper. Add 3 tsp of olive oil. A.low it to get hot. At this point, dump the bay leaves and then grilled the chicken into the pan for about 5 min on each side. When it appears done topped with the lentil sauce.

We warmly welcome you to Ka’ana, which means “heavenly place” in the Mayan language.

We are delighted that you have decided to visit the beautiful Cayo District of Belize where there is an abundance of high quality tours and experiences, all of which are worth visiting. Mayan temples, ancient caves, sparkling rivers where you can go tubing or canoeing, majestic rainforest, horseback riding are just a few of those choices, and our concierge will be pleased to assist in planning trips and activities; and creating a personalized itinerary.

After a long day touring our country where else to relax than in our tranquil and romantic spa enjoying a variety of calming and revitalizing massages, body and hair treatments. We recommend making an appointment before starting your day’s adventure.

During your visit we would like you to know that each and every member of the team is dedicated to making your stay a pleasurable and memorable one. Please count on us to be there to assist with any request or service you require.

And so to food! Chef Manolo Castillo is recognized as one of the finest Executive Chefs in Belize and we hope that you will enjoy a carefully balanced culinary range of dishes to tickle and delight all your taste-buds. To compliment the food, we invite you to try some fine wines and cocktails from our wine cellar and Martini Lounge Bar.

Ka’ana was designed as a tribute to Belize and its people - all of the wooden furniture is made of Belizean hardwood by local craftsmen. Also, all of the artwork and slate carvings were commissioned from local artists specifically for display and sale at Ka’ana.

On behalf of the entire team “Kulun Bilesh” which is Mayan for “welcome.” Enjoy your visit.

Nick Davies

General Manager