Bonaire lodging options

[laurelgsc]

I have stayed at both Buddy Dive and Golden Reef Inn. Buddy was way more expensive and honestly I prefer Wannadive over Buddy Dive.

The rooms at Buddy weren't in my opinion any nicer than the ones at GRI, only difference was being on the water. I did not think the gear lockers at Buddy dive were convenient and preferred to schlep my gear up to my room each evening rather than using the lockers.

I like the fact that there are no stairs at GRI and you can park right in front of your room. I do 4 or 5 dives every day and I'm tired. I don't want to climb slippery stairs. I fell down the stairs at Buddy one morning halfway through my dive trip, could have ended right there, luckily I was ok. Why they use slippery tile on stairs I don't know.

Wannadive is great. My dive computer battery compartment flooded and they fixed it for me for just the cost of a new battery and loaned me a computer while mine was being fixed. We did an awesome guided dive on the east side with Bart and so far that has been my all time favorite dive experience.

I have not seen any packages cheaper than the ones at GRI. Liz and Ed are great! It's a small place and feels way more personal. Gibi cooks breakfast for you every morning and it is good and filling. These are the only 2 places on the island I have stayed. Have a great time. I have been 3 times and can't wait until my next trip.

 

[chauncy19]

Not real sure why but like wannadive and will someday use them as my dive op. may stay at wannadive apartments near windsock too. but can't recommend Eden beach during Cruise ship season. I've been there then,(did a boat dive to klein with wannadive) and its a circus (not in a good way).
Heard good things about Golden reef inn and know where it is and stay in the general area (Black Durgon Inn). Like the area. Personally would never stay there but that's just a personal preference. But again Wannadive and Bart are great.

 

[keithdiver]

Ed and liz that own the place are really nice people. Liz is a hyperbaric nurse on the island, and gibby that cooks breakfast is awesome. We stayed with them the first time to Bonaire, and loved it. Budget friendly, yes! Quiet , clean yes.

 

[pdive]

Golden Reef Inn - Wanna Dive - AB Car Rental

Golden Reef Inn Resort--Packages

 

[pdive]

Been to Bonaire twice, did the package with GRI/Wanna Dive/AB the first trip.
We decided to book our own packaget the second trip but we still went with GRI/WD/AB. Unfortunately there was "no room at the Inn" and Liz refered us to Bamboo Bali. She even helped when we had some minor issues wiht BB.

I really like the people at Wanna Dive. Always helpful, they don't try to push you to do/buy anything. Hopefully thier bar at Windsock will be open the next time we return.

 

[dvrliz1]

Hi guys, thanks for the praise.... FYI, we don't us AB, we use Total Carrental...great operation. Also, Wannadive's customer service is second to none (well actually ours...lol). They deliver tanks here at GRI and you have 3 other locations to pick up and drop off tanks if you don't want to come all the way back to GRI, especially if you are diving the south end of the island. You can drop off and pick up tanks at Wanndive Windsock (south), Wannadive City (right in town) and Eden Beach (actually right down the street from us).

 

[Codyjp]

When I went I did it all on my own and stayed in an ocean front condo for just a little more than a cubicle at Buddy. Plus, I was on the proper end of the island near the good diving. If your looking for a total package I'd recommend the Belmar hands down. This place was directly beside our condo and looked really nice.
If I were to go back I'd find a nice condo and arrange a car, then sort everything else out when I get there.

 

[Waterskier1]

Not real sure why but like wannadive and will someday use them as my dive op. may stay at wannadive apartments near windsock too. but can't recommend Eden beach during Cruise ship season. I've been there then,(did a boat dive to klein with wannadive) and its a circus (not in a good way).
Heard good things about Golden reef inn and know where it is and stay in the general area (Black Durgon Inn). Like the area. Personally would never stay there but that's just a personal preference. But again Wannadive and Bart are great.

I know the cruise ship issue bothers some people - especially those who don't like crowds. I have stayed with a dive club at Eden Beach 5 times in the last 2.5 years, the most recent being last month. The day that the cruise ship is in port, there are taxi's that bring passengers to Eden Beach for a "day at the beach", and the parking lot can get congested with passengers, along with the open bar (used to be Bongo's) and the nearby beach. Not a lot more crowded than I've seen Buddies on a normal day. You can drive into the old Bongo's parking lot, walk thru the gate and you are 20-ft from the tanks. Probably closer than you can get when no cruise ship is there. I've seen "traffic" backed up for 20 minutes waiting to get air at Buddies Drive-Thru. I really don't think the cruise ship affects Eden Beach significantly enough for to rule them out on that alone.

When I went I did it all on my own and stayed in an ocean front condo for just a little more than a cubicle at Buddy. Plus, I was on the proper end of the island near the good diving. If your looking for a total package I'd recommend the Belmar hands down. This place was directly beside our condo and looked really nice.
If I were to go back I'd find a nice condo and arrange a car, then sort everything else out when I get there.

Cody, I always try to do my own planning, because I can put together packages customized to my liking. That said, I tried to do that last January, when a buddy and I dove Bonaire. We wanted to do is inexpensively...it was all about diving, not beaches, bars, or fancy restaurants. I did a lot of checking around, and when all was said and done, no one could match Golden Reef Inns prices for what they offered. The excellent Wannadive dive op, car rental, and a nice functional (but not ritzy) one bedroom apartment package deal. The only thing Liz didn't package was the airfare, and she has helped me find deals on that too.

I'd be reluctant to recommend arriving on island and trying to sort out car rentals. I've been at the rental window when several without reservations were asked to stand aside while they helped those of us who had rentals (arranged as part of the package). I also heard the amounts quoted, and it wasn't the same deal as what you could get with reservations, when they had trucks available. Sometimes they asked the people to come back later, after trucks from a later departure flight were returned and cleaned. I think you can always get a week scuba package (weights and air) without prior commitment, but I'm not sure they will throw in the free Nitrox. Nor am I sure that they will match the prices that you can get with a package deal. But, as I said above, you can customize your package, I'd just do it all before arriving on island so I can get to diving immediately.

 

[mooner]

I stayed at GRI this past May as a single diver and loved it. Both Ed & Liz are wonderful host which you can read on many of the SB posts. I had an issue on Bonaire that Ed & Liz helped me with that I am sure a larger operation would not have been nearly as responsive and helpful. I spent many hours here on SB and online researching cost vs amenities and GRI was a great choice.

The one bedroom apartments at GRI are very large and spotless. Tank's (both air & nitrox) are on site or you can pick-up tanks from other Wannadive sites. The rental truck was waiting at the resort so you do not need to stand in the truck rental line at the airport. Breakfast was always good, filling & fun with Gibi cooking. Nice clean pool to relax and take a dip between dives or in the evening before turning in.

The location is not on the beach but a very short drive to all of the resorts to the north like Buddy's. After being in the water for 4-5 dives a day I really did not miss being on the water and it was supper quite for sleeping.

Hope this helps.

 

[billmosel]

I just got back from staying at Sand Dollar and it was great. The unit that I had (A1) was next to the dive op (BDA) which made things very convenient. Renting from Total was a breeze also. From the time the plane landed, it took 1 hour to get luggage, get the truck, and check in at BDA and at Sand Dollar. It doesn't get much easier. I made all arrangements on-line.