October 18th, 2021, marks 21 years that Hamanasi has been in operation. In 2000, Hamanasi opened with a small staff, few rooms and a PADI dive shop. Over years filled with love, regeneration, drama and fun, Hamanasi is now one of the top 25 resorts in the world. As we celebrate our 21st birthday, we are taking a look back at the changes we have experienced over the course of two decades.
In 1995, Dana & David Krauskopf purchased land in Hopkins, Stann Creek District, Belize. Their dream was to open a resort that catered to divers and adventure travelers. Dana flew in a 4 passenger plane with her mother-in-law, a pilot and a real estate agent who pointed to land dotted with coconut trees as they passed overhead. Of all the photos she took during that first flight, only the ones of the land that now houses Hamanasi turned out — fate? It seems so. The land had no structures and featured a coastal forest, large stretch of beach, a pond and an abandoned air strip. Take a look at photos taken then and throughout the years.
The first buildings to be constructed were the Great House and the beachfront rooms and an infinity pool was installed. Initially, the Great House was only one story, although a second story was always planned. Hamanasi invested in adding more rooms before adding to the Great House. Initially, the beach was rather barren except for recently planted disease resistant coconut trees. Over the years, with the help of our talented gardeners’ green thumbs our beachfront is filled with mature trees, colorful ixoras and erosion controlling morning glories.
One thing we knew from the beginning was that we wanted to protect and regenerate the littoral forest. When Hamanasi needed to add more rooms, our builder recommended that we clear some of the forest and build a tall building. This totally went against our philosophy. Instead, we decided to build within the trees. In July 2001, our first two treehouses were built and emerged out of the forest canopy. Today, the trees have all grown and the treehouses are nestled amidst a variety of trees, orchids and vines. Guests enjoy the chorus of birds and the sights iguanas and kinkajous in the trees, as agoutis scurry on the forest floor.
Over the course of 21 years, Hamanasi guest rooms keep getting more luxurious. All rooms have handmade furniture, often built on property, colorfully tiled bathrooms and porches to enjoy the surrounding nature. In response to COVID, we’ve added WIFI to all rooms so that it is easier to social distance naturally. Our goal remains to ensure that our guests have a casually elegant sanctuary after a day filled with adventure.
Hamanasi’s Great House was one story for many years. We had invested in adding many rooms, but eventually needed to expand our public space. In 2013, we underwent a 2 year project to add a second story to the Great House. This involved building and flying one ton trusses for the roof. Now, the first floor features a bakery, front desk, large bar and lounge area with additional seating on the veranda. Upstairs, is an expansive kitchen, stunning restaurant and a quiet library. The Lookout on top of the building offers 360 vistas of the surrounding area with sunrise views over the Caribbean and sunset views over the Maya Mountains.
When Hamanasi opened we had a small staff of around 25 people. Now, we are 170+ strong. We employ people from various parts of Belize, but predominantly from surrounding communities. Nearly all Belize ethnicities are represented, including Garinagu, Maya, Creole and Mestizo. The many faces of our employees are what makes Hamanasi special. We want them to be skilled, happy and have pride in what they do. We provide extensive training so that each one can reach their potential. Over 21 years, our employees have delivered award-winning customer service making our guests feel like a part of our family.
And who can forget our furry friends? We know that when guests travel, many miss their beloved pets. Our pet ambassadors have eagerly fulfilled any longing guests may have for the comfort of animals. Most of Hamanasi’s cats and dogs were rescued. Hamanasi has long supported the Hopkins Belize Humane Society. We encourage guests to bring pet supplies as a part of Pack for a Purpose.
Occasionally, Mother Nature shows us who is in charge. We have endured hurricanes, tropical storms, floods, fires, but no snow — yet! While devastating, it is remarkable how our staff and community come together to help one another, clean up debris and rebuild. As destructive as Mother Nature can be, she also is life giving. Our coastal forest flourishes in the tropical sun, and within months, regeneration is evident.
And speaking of regeneration, Hamanasi had purchased adjacent property that was denuded and virtually lifeless. We had a crazy idea to build treehouses on it. But how to do it when there were no trees? Easy. Just plant a forest. In 2016, that’s what we did, with the skilled help of Tony Chanona. We planted thousands of trees, bushes and vines. Now, the new treehouses are hidden by vegetation.
The beauty of regeneration is that it brings life. Not just plant life, but animal life, as well. When we opened in 2000, we had a few snakes, frogs and iguanas, as well as some birds. Feral cats kept down the population and not enough food prevented very much wildlife. As we have regenerated our property, we have seen wildlife return. Now, we have a plethora of iguanas, kinkajous, agouties, coatimundi and armadillos. The variety of birds has expanded exponentially as our fruit bearing trees mature. Currently, we even have resident aracari toucans, as wells as parrots, parakeets, trogons and many songbirds. We deepened our pond, and now it has fish, turtles, migrating crocodiles and wading birds, all visible from the boardwalk. Walking around Hamanasi is like being in a zoo, except the wildlife is, indeed, wild and free, happy at home with us.
As we celebrate our 21st birthday, it has been rewarding to reflect on all the changes that have occurred since 2000. Each employee and guest has played an important role in that journey. We look forward to continuing this journey while positively impacting our employees, guests and community in the years to come!
