Hilton Curacao

Built in 1964 and most recently renovated in 2014, the 196-room Hilton Curacao Resort is the kind of place where shoes (or sandals) feel optional. Set on 23-acres of landscaped gardens, the bleach-white building’s architecture is a blend of traditional Dutch styling with the strong, bold lines of brutalism (a popular aesthetic between the 1960s and mid-1970s). The first impression is stylishly vintage, but inside things are Caribbean-contemporary. The Hilton's open-air lobby has azure triangles and octagons recessed in the ceiling, long wave-shaped couches, and plush white wicker chairs. Its glass-walled elevator traces the side of the five-story hotel and offers views of the ocean and its restored Piscadera Bay Fort, an 18th-century Dutch fortress covered in shady trees next to the resort’s full-service dive shop.A stone path meanders through the Hilton’s grounds passing the infinity pool, mini-golf course, children’s pool and playground, and at times, along its rocky oceanfront. This creates many small places for guests to kick back and relax. It's worth noting that while everything is bright and beachy on the surface, there are some problems here, mostly from a lack of attention to detail. We spotted wear in the rooms and sagging furniture in common areas that all combine to make this resort feel a bit less fresh than it wants to be. The resort’s three restaurants take advantage of the ocean views and at Cielo, the fine-dining Italian restaurant, diners eat under the stars. This is a family friendly hotel, but at the time of our visit most of the guests we saw were couples of all ages.

The Hilton Curacao’s location outside of town is great for guests looking to unwind on the beach and lounge at their resort, but not for those looking to explore on foot. A car is necessary to see most of Curacao's sights and beaches, as there's really nothing of interest within walking distance. Within a five-minute drive of the resort is a first-run movie theater, mall, and large supermarket. It’s a short 10-minute drive to Punda, the restored colonial heart of Willemstad (Curacao’s UNESCO-listed capital city), with its tropical-pastel painted buildings, restaurants, bars, and museums. Hato International Airport is a 15-minute drive from the airport and the similarly named Hato Caves, a 790-foot long cave whose walls are covered with 1500-year-old Amerindian Arawak petroglyphs, will take about the same amount of time to reach. Of course, the island is famous for its beaches, and popular Playa Cas Abao is a 35-minute drive from the hotel, as is Playa Porto Marie. 

The Hilton’s room are bright and sunny, with ocean- or island-view balconies. Unfortunately, despite their 2014 renovation, they still have the look of a tired 1970s Florida hotel, with their bamboo loveseats and carved wooden headboards and desks. The sea-green carpets with streaks of what looks like red and blue sea grass doesn't do much to update the style, and despite nominally contemporary prints in some of the seating and soft furnishings, the overall green color scheme and blond wood just looks dated. Additionally, the balcony in the room where we stayed was cracked and crumbling.Rooms are reasonably spacious and come in a variety of configurations. The entry-level Islandview One King Bed Rooms start at 25 square meters of space (269 square feet), while Suites and Executive Rooms are even larger. All rooms have flat-screen TVs with cable channels and HBO, mini-fridges, coffeemakers, air-conditioning, safes, and MP3-docking clock radios. There are also both U.S. and European-style outlets plus irons and ironing boards. Wi-Fi is available, but comes at a fee for guests who aren't HHonors members or staying in higher-category bookings. The loyalty program is free to join. Guests in Executive Rooms and Suites are also entitled to a host of exclusive in-hotel amenities detailed below. We wish more thought would have been put into the bathroom design. The marble counters, beauty mirrors, and glass-walled walk-in showers are nice details, but bathrooms a bit dark despite the frame of recessed lights surrounding the large mirror. In the room where we stayed, the toilet is so close to the wall that the toilet paper roll inevitably gets knocked off the holder while seated. Guests must also step into the shower to turn it on, thus being splashed with cold water before it warms up. We even spotted some discolored grout, and the drop-tile ceilings look anything but chic. Bathroom amenities include hair dryers, Peter Thomas Roth toiletries, mouthwash, and shower caps.

The Hilton Curacao is a resort for water lovers. It has a tiny private beach with lounge chairs and palapas, an infinity pool overlooking the ocean, and a long wooden dock that's perfect for mastering cannonballs and backflips. The full-service dive shop rents diving equipment and arranges diving trips throughout the island and certification courses. Other water-sports equipment is also available to rent. The hotel’s infinity pool overlooks the ocean and isn’t usually as crowded as the beach, though neither were especially crowded when we visited.  A smaller, star-shaped children's pool and jungle gym are perfect for families with kids and the resort can arrange babysitters for a parents night out.Like most Hiltons, there is a decent handful of dining and drinking opportunities here, including Aqua, the hotel's breakfast restaurant. The buffet is generous, with a wide range of hot and cold options, though it's not included with most room rates. Cielo serves Italian food in an open-air setting, and the Beach Bar and Grill is located next to the beach with a menu of light food, snacks, and drinks. Room service is available for much of the day and night. The hotel’s Captain Bligh’s Bar (named after the captain of the HMS Bounty who was set adrift in 1789 by his mutinous crew) serves up drinks all day long and into the night.  The resort excels with their fitness offerings with the 24-hour Livingwell Health and Beach Club & Wellness Center, a full-service gym with machines, free weights, treadmills and more, and sauna and steam rooms. Some guests noted that it could be better maintained and sanitizing cleaning spray was not available. There are multiple tennis courts, and free tennis racket rentals are available at the fitness center. Additional activities include a basketball court and a mini-golf course.Other resort offerings include an ATM, laundry service, and an Executive Lounge on the hotel’s fifth floor with discounted and free drinks for guests in Suites and Executive Rooms. A free breakfast buffet is also served in the Executive Lounge for those guests. There is an on-site car rental office, the hotel offers a free shuttle service to downtown Willemstad, and there's a taxi on-site as well. Meeting rooms and banquet halls are available for events and there’s even a casino with machines and live-dealer tables. Free parking is available.