Fort George Belize Joins Autograph Collection Hotels, Bringing the History, Culture and Spirit of Belize City to Life Through a Distinctive Waterfront Experience

MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov 3, 2026--

Fort George Belize, Autograph Collection, part of Marriott Bonvoy’s distinctive portfolio of independent hotels, announces its debut as a landmark waterfront retreat in the historic Fort George neighborhood. Celebrated for its individual character and story, the hotel enters a new chapter that honors its longstanding connection to Belize City while inviting travelers to experience the destination’s history, culture, and Caribbean spirit through a refreshed and distinctly local hospitality experience.

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Deeply woven into the life and evolution of Belize City, Fort George brings together generations of history with a renewed waterfront experience designed for today’s traveler. Guided by the idea of “Heritage in Motion,” the property carries its history forward rather than preserving it as something static, pairing contemporary hospitality with thoughtfully crafted experiences that connect guests to the city, its people, and the stories that continue to shape Belize today.

The property currently features 64 guestrooms and suites and will expand to 130 accommodations with the upcoming debut of its Signature Sea View Tower, adding 66 new guestrooms and suites across King and Queen accommodations, including two Signature Sea View Penthouses, all designed to take advantage of the property’s waterfront setting and views across Belize City and the Caribbean Sea, while further enhancing the hotel’s connection to the destination’s culture, history, and Caribbean waterfront.

Set to debut later this fall, the Signature Sea View Tower, designed by Arguelles Architects, draws inspiration from Belize’s coastal landscape while complementing the hotel’s historic setting. Expansive windows frame views of the sea, while natural textures, warm woods, locally inspired artwork, and thoughtfully curated details reflect Belize’s landscape, culture and sense of place.

The hotel’s culinary offering will continue that connection to place through a collection of new dining and social experiences. Marea, a Mediterranean-inspired restaurant, will join the property’s existing restaurant, The Treehouse, while The George — “Coffee by Day, Cocktails by Night” — will anchor the expansive new lobby with an all-day concept transitioning from a curated specialty coffee program by day to elevated mixology featuring Belizean botanicals and ingredients in the evening.

Fort George invites guests to experience Belize City through moments centered around relaxation, connection and discovery. The expansion will also introduce a new waterfront swimming pool and retail boutique, complementing existing experiences including K’IN Spa, BurnBox Gym and the Courtyard Plunge Pool.

For meetings, celebrations and group travel, the expansion will introduce Lubaantun, a boardroom meeting space with an adjoining outdoor deck, and The Canopy Terrace, a fourth-floor venue offering panoramic views across Belize City and the Caribbean Sea. Together, the new spaces will add approximately 4,500 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting and event space. These new venues will complement the hotel’s existing Lord Ashcroft Centre, offering 6,815 square feet of flexible meeting and event space with capacity for up to 500 guests. With the hotel’s expansion from 64 to 130 guestrooms and suites, Fort George is now positioned to accommodate a broader range of conferences, incentives, groups, weddings and celebrations directly on property.

Art and cultural storytelling are woven throughout the guest journey, creating meaningful opportunities for discovery while celebrating the people, traditions and creative spirit that make Belize distinctive. Historical imagery documenting Belize City and its waterfront will sit alongside contemporary works inspired by Belize and the wider Caribbean, with selected pieces incorporating QR-enabled storytelling that will invite guests to discover their cultural and historical context.

From its waterfront setting in the historic Fort George neighborhood, the hotel invites travelers to discover Belize City as part of the journey itself, while providing convenient access to some of the country’s most celebrated experiences — from the Belize Barrier Reef and ancient Maya sites to rainforest adventures and communities throughout the historic waterfront district.

“Autograph Collection Hotels celebrates independent properties whose stories are inseparable from their destinations. Fort George stands as a reflection of Belize City's history, culture and spirit, delivering an experience that could exist nowhere else in the world,” said Ricardo Echeverri, Vice President, Owner & Franchise Services, Marriott International in the Caribbean and Latin America. “Fort George embodies that spirit through its longstanding connection to Belize City, its waterfront setting and the thoughtful way the property brings Belizean culture and hospitality into the guest experience.”

“Joining the Autograph Collection represents an important milestone in the evolution of Fort George, allowing us to introduce the property to a broader global audience while preserving the individuality and sense of place that have always defined it,” said Scott McArdle, Vice President of Hospitality. “Fort George has always been deeply connected to Belize City, and as the property continues to evolve, we are being very intentional about how the destination is experienced throughout the guest journey through design, art, cuisine and storytelling, while encouraging travelers to discover the city as an important part of their wider experience.”

Fort George Belize, Autograph Collection, Resort is part of Marriott Bonvoy®, Marriott International’s award-winning travel program, which allows members to earn and redeem points for stays at this property and at more than 10,000 destinations and territories around the world. With the Marriott Bonvoy mobile app, members can enjoy a personalized, contactless experience, traveling with peace of mind.

About Autograph Collection® Hotels

Autograph Collection Hotels advocates for the original, championing the individuality of each of its over 375 independent hotels located in the most desirable destinations across more than 60 countries and territories. Each hotel is a product of passion, inspired by a clear vision, soul, and story that makes it individual and special: Exactly LikeNothing Else. Hand-selected for their inherent craft and distinct perspectives on design and hospitality, Autograph Collection properties offer rich immersive moments that leave a lasting imprint. For more information, please visit www.autographhotels.com, and explore on social via Instagram, X, and Facebook to be inspired by immersive moments that are #ExactlyLikeNothingElse. Autograph Collection is proud to participate in Marriott Bonvoy®, the global travel program from Marriott International. The program offers members an extraordinary portfolio of global brands, exclusive experiences on Marriott Bonvoy Moments and unparalleled benefits including free nights and Elite status recognition. To enroll for free or for more information about the program, visit marriottbonvoy.com.

About Marriott Bonvoy®

Marriott Bonvoy, Marriott International’s portfolio of more than 30 hotel brands and 10,000 global destinations, offers renowned hospitality in the most memorable locations around the world. The award-winning travel program and marketplace gives members access to transformative, eye-opening experiences around the corner and across the globe. To enroll for free or for more information about Marriott Bonvoy, visit marriottbonvoy.com. To download the Marriott app, go here. Travelers can also connect with Marriott Bonvoy on Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok.

The historic property joins Marriott Bonvoy’s distinctive portfolio of independent hotels, blending generations of Belize City history with a renewed waterfront experience and an upcoming transformative expansion.

Iran’s chief negotiator says it’s up to the United States to prevent renewed war after what he described as a “firm and rational response” to Washington. Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf did not elaborate. His comments came after the U.S. conducted defensive strikes on some Iranian targets in the Strait of Hormuz.

Meanwhile, India says an attack on a commercial vessel off Oman killed an Indian national while 13 others were rescued.

Here is the latest news from the Middle East on Tuesday. Read our full coverage here.

Iran’s chief negotiator and parliament speaker says it's up to the United States to prevent new fighting after Tehran delivered what he called a “firm and rational response” to the U.S., state TV reported.

In an address to parliament, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said Iran remained ready “for battle with its finger on the trigger.”

He did not elaborate and it was unclear what “response” he referred to. His comment came after a U.S. official said the military conducted defensive strikes on some Iranian targets in the Strait of Hormuz.

According to the official, the strikes targeted Iranians using surface-to-air missiles. The official wasn’t authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Iranian state television reported that explosions were heard on Qeshm Island.

Qalibaf said: “If Washington makes another strategic miscalculation, it should know that this time it will face a new battlefield and will find itself even more desperate than it is today, searching for a way out.”

— By Michelle L. Price

A commercial vessel was attacked near Limah, Oman, India’s foreign ministry said, killing one Indian national while 13 were rescued in the aftermath.

Indian Ports, Shipping and Waterways Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said the Indian-flagged vessel MSV AL JUSUFI was hit by an unidentified aerial object off the coast of Oman on Monday.

India’s foreign ministry said the Indian Embassy in Oman was working with local authorities to arrange the return of the rescued nationals and the body of the deceased.

There was no claim of responsibility, but Iran previously has claimed attacks on vessels it says took unauthorized routes through the strait. It also has claimed some vessels have struck mines laid in the early days of the war.

Iran opened its third military training center in Tehran as authorities announced plans to train 1 million paramilitary volunteers nationwide, amid fears of renewed conflict with the United States and Israel.

Members of the Basij, a paramilitary force affiliated with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, attended the inauguration, the semiofficial ISNA news agency reported. Two similar centers previously opened in Tehran in August and September.

Iran's “Janfada,” or “sacrificials,” campaign began registering volunteers in March and includes military training, emergency relief and logistical support. Courses cover urban defense, weapons handling, air defense, rescue operations, firefighting and navigation.

Women and children displaced by the fighting in Yemen are losing access to essential services, including maternity care and protection from violence, the U.N. said.

Renewed fighting between the Iran-backed Houthis and the Saudi-backed government forces has displaced some 300,000 people over the past few months. The conflict, which is mainly concentrated on the west coast and in the southern province of Taiz, broke a four-year truce and exacerbated an already dire humanitarian situation in one of the Arab world’s poorest countries.

Francesco Galtieri, the U.N. Population Fund's representative in Aden, said fighting has led to limited access to services, leaving women and girls increasingly vulnerable to gender-based violence, sexual violence and exploitation.

In the besieged city of Taiz, Galtieri warned of a “rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation,” with life-saving services increasingly out of reach for more than 147,000 women and girls of reproductive age. Of the city’s 27 emergency maternal and neonatal hospitals, only five remain operational.

The leaders of Israel’s political parties opposed to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met for the first time since last week’s election, as the country is mired in political deadlock from results that do not show either side with a conclusive win.

The opposition parties agreed to recommend former general Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the Yashar party, to form the first coalition. Israel’s president, who holds a largely ceremonial position, chooses which party will have the first attempt to build a majority coalition of 61 seats after the election.

Results released by election officials early Friday showed Netanyahu’s bloc winning 53 seats in the 120-member assembly, well below the 68 seats it had controlled at its peak in the previous parliament. His main opposition won 48 seats and Arab-led parties secured the other 19.

A plane from Israel made an emergency landing in Bulgaria following a bomb threat, officials said.

The threat was made by email, according to Lyubomir Nikolov, the acting chief secretary of Bulgaria’s Ministry of Interior. The plane landed safely at Sofia’s Vasil Levski Airport and is being searched by special counter-terrorism units. Security measures were stepped up.

The incident comes as several planes in Europe have been grounded by bomb threats over the past few days.

This report will be updated throughout the day as new developments emerge.

Members of Iran's Revolutionary Guard demonstrate rappelling techniques, with the Imamzadeh Saleh shrine in the background, during the inauguration of a military training center for civilian volunteers in Tajrish Square in Tehran, Iran, Monday, Nov. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

A woman holds a sign calling for the killing of U.S. President Donald Trump and a poster depicting, from left, Iran's supreme leaders Ruhollah Khomeini, Ali Khamenei and Mojtaba Khamenei during an anti-U.S. gathering beneath a billboard depicting Trump in central Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)