Bellafonte Luxury Oceanfront Hotel has 22 individually-owned apartments in a three-and-a-half-pearl package. Despite the hotel's name, this isn't a luxury property, and decor varies from bright and funky to simple and homey. Air-conditioning, free Wi-Fi, and flat-screen TVs come standard, and while most rooms are spacious and have full kitchens, Studios only include kitchenettes and can be small. Bellafonte has an oceanfront soaking pool and its dock provides easy access to the hotel’s house reef, a short swim from shore. Snorkeling equipment is free and the hotel has a concierge, but other features are scarce. It’s a fine choice for independent travelers, but for something with amenities like a gym, spa, and a sandy beach, the pricier Harbor Village Beach Club is worth a look.
Bellafonte Luxury Oceanfront Hotel has 22 individually-owned apartments in a three-and-a-half-pearl package. Despite the hotel's name, this isn't a luxury property, and decor varies from bright and funky to simple and homey. Air-conditioning, free Wi-Fi, and flat-screen TVs come standard, and while most rooms are spacious and have full kitchens, Studios only include kitchenettes and can be small. Bellafonte has an oceanfront soaking pool and its dock provides easy access to the hotel’s house reef, a short swim from shore. Snorkeling equipment is free and the hotel has a concierge, but other features are scarce. It’s a fine choice for independent travelers, but for something with amenities like a gym, spa, and a sandy beach, the pricier Harbor Village Beach Club is worth a look.
Sonrisa Boutique Hotel is a low-frills 10-room hotel for travelers needing a pleasant place to sleep between dives or exploring Boniare’s natural beauty. Rooms are spacious and simple, if a bit worn, and feature private balconies or porches with pool or garden views. The Master Suites have full kitchens and there’s a Weber Grill and microwave available for guest use. A free breakfast is served up poolside six days a week. The hotel is a pleasant 10-minute walk to downtown Kralendijk, where plenty of restaurants, bars, and shops are located. Children under 10 aren't allowed. For an alternative with more amenities, the nearby Divi Flamingo Beach Resort and Casino has lush oceanfront grounds, restaurants, and multiple pools, though rates will be higher.
Sonrisa Boutique Hotel is a low-frills 10-room hotel for travelers needing a pleasant place to sleep between dives or exploring Boniare’s natural beauty. Rooms are spacious and simple, if a bit worn, and feature private balconies or porches with pool or garden views. The Master Suites have full kitchens and there’s a Weber Grill and microwave available for guest use. A free breakfast is served up poolside six days a week. The hotel is a pleasant 10-minute walk to downtown Kralendijk, where plenty of restaurants, bars, and shops are located. Children under 10 aren't allowed. For an alternative with more amenities, the nearby Divi Flamingo Beach Resort and Casino has lush oceanfront grounds, restaurants, and multiple pools, though rates will be higher.
The three-pearl Plaza Beach Resort Bonaire is a rare all-inclusive resort on an island without many such options. Its 126 rooms are a mix of dated and modern spaces. All are simple and include air-conditioning, balconies, and free (spotty) Wi-Fi. The hotel’s seaside buffet restaurant, the Tipsy Seagull, has great views and live music on select nights, though the food is uninspiring. The in-house dive shop and activity center can arrange diving trips, excursions, and free rentals of kayaks, sailboats, and stand-up paddleboards. The beach is long and there's a decent pool, as well as excellent environmentally friendly features, including an extensive solar energy program. For an equally green alternative to the all-inclusive scene, the diving-focused Buddy Dive Beach Resort has more charm and a delicious restaurant.
The three-pearl Plaza Beach Resort Bonaire is a rare all-inclusive resort on an island without many such options. Its 126 rooms are a mix of dated and modern spaces. All are simple and include air-conditioning, balconies, and free (spotty) Wi-Fi. The hotel’s seaside buffet restaurant, the Tipsy Seagull, has great views and live music on select nights, though the food is uninspiring. The in-house dive shop and activity center can arrange diving trips, excursions, and free rentals of kayaks, sailboats, and stand-up paddleboards. The beach is long and there's a decent pool, as well as excellent environmentally friendly features, including an extensive solar energy program. For an equally green alternative to the all-inclusive scene, the diving-focused Buddy Dive Beach Resort has more charm and a delicious restaurant.
Buddy Dive Resort breathes diving -- from the drive-through tank-filling station to the pathway lighting made from repurposed dive tanks, this is a diver’s diving hotel. Its 72 rooms -- while clean -- are generic and spartan, with full kitchens, flat-screen TVs, and balconies or porches. The hotel’s dive shop offers certification classes, daily dives, and the island's only underwater digital photography classes. Still, guests complain that dive boats fill up quickly. With two pools, two restaurants, and on-site car rentals, Buddy Dive is a three-pearl hotel with plenty to keep guests busy. For those seeking something more intimate, Belmar Resort -- which is part of the Buddy Dive resort family -- offers similar dive-oriented features in a smaller package.
Buddy Dive Resort breathes diving -- from the drive-through tank-filling station to the pathway lighting made from repurposed dive tanks, this is a diver’s diving hotel. Its 72 rooms -- while clean -- are generic and spartan, with full kitchens, flat-screen TVs, and balconies or porches. The hotel’s dive shop offers certification classes, daily dives, and the island's only underwater digital photography classes. Still, guests complain that dive boats fill up quickly. With two pools, two restaurants, and on-site car rentals, Buddy Dive is a three-pearl hotel with plenty to keep guests busy. For those seeking something more intimate, Belmar Resort -- which is part of the Buddy Dive resort family -- offers similar dive-oriented features in a smaller package.
Divi Flamingo Resort and Casino is a 129-room oceanfront hotel catering to divers and families. The hotel’s grounds are lush and green and there's a house reef within swimming distance from the resort’s pier. Simple rooms have vaulted ceilings and are done in pleasant tropical decor with hardwood furniture and island scenes on the walls. Renovations are ongoing until 2017 -- until then, some of the units remain tired. Many of Divi’s rooms are ADA compliant and the hotel’s main pool has a ramp for wheelchair accessibility. The hotel caters to families and has kids activities, but we saw plenty of retirees who return year after year. It's worth considering the Eden Beach Resort, which is a bit more modern, but pricier as well.
Divi Flamingo Resort and Casino is a 129-room oceanfront hotel catering to divers and families. The hotel’s grounds are lush and green and there's a house reef within swimming distance from the resort’s pier. Simple rooms have vaulted ceilings and are done in pleasant tropical decor with hardwood furniture and island scenes on the walls. Renovations are ongoing until 2017 -- until then, some of the units remain tired. Many of Divi’s rooms are ADA compliant and the hotel’s main pool has a ramp for wheelchair accessibility. The hotel caters to families and has kids activities, but we saw plenty of retirees who return year after year. It's worth considering the Eden Beach Resort, which is a bit more modern, but pricier as well.
Caribbean Club Resort is a mid-range ocean-view hotel catering to divers on the outskirts of Kralendijk, Bonaire’s bustling commercial heart. The 39 rooms all have kitchens (or kitchenettes) and are simply decorated with wicker furniture. Some rooms have been renovated but the ones that haven’t show their age. The restaurant and bar offer daily happy hour drink specials and weekly barbecues include Managers Rum Punch. Divers will appreciate Caribbean Club’s full service dive shop that schedules diving trips and offers certification courses. As the northernmost resort on the island, Caribbean Club is a bit off the beaten path: it's a 15-minute drive to central Kralendijk and a 20-minute drive to Flamingo International Airport. For a more central stay, Caribbean Club’s sister property, Buddy Dive, has a gourmet restaurant, updated rooms, and a full-service dive shop.
Caribbean Club Resort is a mid-range ocean-view hotel catering to divers on the outskirts of Kralendijk, Bonaire’s bustling commercial heart. The 39 rooms all have kitchens (or kitchenettes) and are simply decorated with wicker furniture. Some rooms have been renovated but the ones that haven’t show their age. The restaurant and bar offer daily happy hour drink specials and weekly barbecues include Managers Rum Punch. Divers will appreciate Caribbean Club’s full service dive shop that schedules diving trips and offers certification courses. As the northernmost resort on the island, Caribbean Club is a bit off the beaten path: it's a 15-minute drive to central Kralendijk and a 20-minute drive to Flamingo International Airport. For a more central stay, Caribbean Club’s sister property, Buddy Dive, has a gourmet restaurant, updated rooms, and a full-service dive shop.
As one of the more polished resorts on Bonaire, Harbour Village Beach Club has a lot to like. The 43 rooms, suites, and beach houses -- many with ocean views -- are spacious and decorated with details like hardwood furniture and clawfoot bathtubs. It’s no surprise then that guests often arrive on private yachts, like the two mega-yachts docked in the club’s private marina the week before our visit. La Balandra, the resort’s nautically-themed restaurant serves up decent fare and is especially nice at night, with the sea illuminated. The resort also has a dive shop, fitness center, and full-service spa. It's worth investigating the stylish apartments at Bellafonte Luxury Oceanfront Hotel, which are nearly as nice and cheaper, though the resort lacks the same amenities.
As one of the more polished resorts on Bonaire, Harbour Village Beach Club has a lot to like. The 43 rooms, suites, and beach houses -- many with ocean views -- are spacious and decorated with details like hardwood furniture and clawfoot bathtubs. It’s no surprise then that guests often arrive on private yachts, like the two mega-yachts docked in the club’s private marina the week before our visit. La Balandra, the resort’s nautically-themed restaurant serves up decent fare and is especially nice at night, with the sea illuminated. The resort also has a dive shop, fitness center, and full-service spa. It's worth investigating the stylish apartments at Bellafonte Luxury Oceanfront Hotel, which are nearly as nice and cheaper, though the resort lacks the same amenities.
Eden Beach is a three-pearl, 71-room oceanfront hotel in Kralendijk, Bonaire’s shopping and restaurant hub. The hotel offers discounted dive and drive packages, and its lounge-chair and cabana-filled beach is a short ferry from Klein Bonaire, a beautiful undeveloped tropical island. Rooms are modern, if simple, with IKEA furniture and configurations up to two-bedroom suites with full kitchens, balconies, and ocean views. Spice, Eden Beach’s oceanfront eatery, serves up international cuisine and a Euro-centric breakfast buffet, though the pool area needs a bit of TLC and the beach can be crowded. The mosquitos can be pretty bad here as well, and it's worth considering Divi Flamingo Beach Resort and Casino, with its sandy waterfront and colorful rooms at a similar price point.
Eden Beach is a three-pearl, 71-room oceanfront hotel in Kralendijk, Bonaire’s shopping and restaurant hub. The hotel offers discounted dive and drive packages, and its lounge-chair and cabana-filled beach is a short ferry from Klein Bonaire, a beautiful undeveloped tropical island. Rooms are modern, if simple, with IKEA furniture and configurations up to two-bedroom suites with full kitchens, balconies, and ocean views. Spice, Eden Beach’s oceanfront eatery, serves up international cuisine and a Euro-centric breakfast buffet, though the pool area needs a bit of TLC and the beach can be crowded. The mosquitos can be pretty bad here as well, and it's worth considering Divi Flamingo Beach Resort and Casino, with its sandy waterfront and colorful rooms at a similar price point.
The waterfront, Belmar Oceanfront Apartments is a three-pearl hotel catering to divers, with 20 one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments. The full-service dive shop and house reef just offshore draw most guests here. The apartments are bright and modern, with full kitchens, flat-screen TVs, and balconies (or patios) with ocean views. Unfortunately, only the bedrooms are air-conditioned. The hotel’s oceanfront chlorine-free pool is a big plus, and the closest beach is a five-minute drive (though it's across from the airport). There isn’t a restaurant or bar at Belmar, but the nearest restaurant is a quick two-minute walk from the hotel. Those looking for a more traditional hotel right on the beach in Kralendijk should check out the mostly modern Eden Beach Resort, where rates can be slightly lower.
The waterfront, Belmar Oceanfront Apartments is a three-pearl hotel catering to divers, with 20 one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments. The full-service dive shop and house reef just offshore draw most guests here. The apartments are bright and modern, with full kitchens, flat-screen TVs, and balconies (or patios) with ocean views. Unfortunately, only the bedrooms are air-conditioned. The hotel’s oceanfront chlorine-free pool is a big plus, and the closest beach is a five-minute drive (though it's across from the airport). There isn’t a restaurant or bar at Belmar, but the nearest restaurant is a quick two-minute walk from the hotel. Those looking for a more traditional hotel right on the beach in Kralendijk should check out the mostly modern Eden Beach Resort, where rates can be slightly lower.