Martin Krediet – Tintin in Belize
Whenever I think of Martin Krediet, Tintin immediately springs to mind. He doesn’t have a quiff – perhaps he did at one time – but instead you always see him wearing his trademark little hat. Whereas Tintin is always accompanied by his little dog Bobby, it is Martin’s faithful four-legged friends who wait for him when he returns home after one of his many journeys to the far corners of the globe. Home for him is his cosy little spot by the coast, just outside the village of Placencia in Belize. Martin lives here whilst working as general manager of Turtle Inn, a breathtakingly beautiful luxury resort on the idyllic coast of Belize.
Johan talking to Martin
During our Gente Mágica interview, Johan spoke to Martin Krediet, general manager of Turtle Inn. Martin talks about his travels, which eventually led him to Turtle Inn. He talks about his life in Belize and about the Coppola resorts in Belize and Guatemala.
A brief history
It was actually by chance that Coppola ended up in Belize in 1981. He had spent a long time in the Philippines whilst filming *Apocalypse Now *. He had fallen in love with the idyllic surroundings and was keen to have a pied-à-terre there. However, his wife Eleanor thought this was too far away, so Coppola set out to find a similar spot closer to home. In 1981, he read an article about Belize, which had only just gained independence. He decided to go on a voyage of discovery there with his eldest son.
They were sitting in a dimly lit little bar in Belize City, sipping an ice-cold Belekin – the local beer of Belize – when they came across an interesting story. Somewhere in the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve, not far from the border with Guatemala, there was said to be a place called Hidden Valley. The place Coppola had initially had his eye on in the Philippines was also called Hidden Valley. This could not be a coincidence, so father and son decided to put it to the test. They set off to investigate in a small aeroplane and discovered, in the dense forest on the banks of the Macal River, an old, dilapidated lodge, which Coppola decided to buy. After the filmmaker had purchased and refurbished the estate, he initially used it as a home away from home before opening it to hotel guests in 1993 as the Blancaneaux Lodge.
Turtle Inn
In 1999, Coppola purchased a small diving resort called the Turtle Inn, just outside the coastal village of Placencia. When Hurricane Iris levelled the resort in 2001, Coppola and his team were forced to rebuild the place from scratch. The upside, however, was that this gave them the opportunity to design the resort entirely to their own vision. The result is a luxurious, small-scale resort. The resort’s distinctive style is dominated by influences from the Far East, which remind the director of his time in the Philippines.
The travels of Martin Krediet
About ten years ago, Dutch hotelier Martin Krediet took the helm at Turtle Inn. Martin was born in the Netherlands but spent much of his childhood in Curaçao. He trained at the De Kogge hotel school in Amsterdam and then returned to Curaçao, where he completed his compulsory military service, before his adventurous spirit took him to Miami.
After spending a few more months backpacking through Puerto Rico and Costa Rica, he returned via New York to Miami Beach, where he began working in the hotel industry. Among other things, he spent seven years working for the legendary and world-famous Raleigh Hotel, where his clientele included the ‘rich and famous’, and from which he eventually left as Director of Sales and Marketing.
By adding Martin Krediet to his dream team, Francis Ford Coppola had struck gold. Both the Turtle Inn and the Blancaneaux Lodge were firmly put on the map. It is no coincidence that the renowned travel magazine *Travel + Leisure* included both hotels on this year’s list of the 10 best hotels in Central America, and that the Turtle Inn featured on the 2020 Gold List of the world-famous magazine *Condé Nast Traveller*.
On a desert island
With the opening of the private island of Coral Caye in 2018, a long-cherished dream of Martin’s came true. Off the coast of Belize lies the second-largest coral reef in the world, home to many idyllic islets. The islet of Coral Caye is one of these and lies a 25-minute boat ride from the Turtle Inn. After it was purchased by Coppola, Martin was given free rein to design it to his own taste, and the result is stunning. It is no exaggeration to call this a paradise on earth. A place where you can stay with up to 10 people, whilst being pampered by your private butler and chef.
A lovely spot in Belize
A globetrotter through and through, Martin Krediet has nevertheless found his niche in Belize. He enjoys life and is passionate about his work. His eye for detail, his sense of style and the fact that hospitality and interacting with people are an integral part of his personality make him a successful hotelier.
In his spare time, Martin enjoys getting out and about, going for long walks with his dogs, diving at the nearby coral reef, or taking part in other water sports. He also never misses an opportunity to explore the rest of Belize and other countries in Latin America.
A conversation with Martin
During our Gente Mágica interview, Johan spoke to Martin Krediet, general manager of Turtle Inn. Martin talks about his travels, which eventually led him to Turtle Inn. He talks about his life in Belize and about the Coppola resorts in Belize and Guatemala.
Please get in touch for more information
For more information about this interview or a visit to one of the Coppola resorts, please feel free to contact us. We’d be happy to help. Send an email to info@sapapanatravel.nl or call us on +31 73 610 62 04. We’d be happy to help.