How Francis Ford Coppola turned an abandoned Belize hunting lodge into a 20-room resort

In 1981, filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola bought an abandoned hunting lodge in the forests of Belize and turned it into a private family retreat. Twelve years later, it opened as Blancaneaux Lodge, a 20-room resort. The property has retained much of its original character, with cottages, wooden interiors and outdoor activities including kayaking, horse riding and swimming near waterfalls.