Bonaire once-in-a-lifetime vacation

[bcaderunr]

We ate and drank at the Beach Bar Restaurant which serves the same menu as another operation closer to the Buildings. Nice outdoor atmosphere. Open for lunch and dinner. Folks are spread out -- which is good due to random smokers. Basic brewpub type menu with reasonable prices for drinks and food. I had the seafood pasta for under $20 and it was tasty and substantial. There's a 3rd restaurant that is on the SW corner of the property which advertises gourmet dining but it's only open in the evenings and cooking is done in one of those Green Eggs.

TUI is definitely associated with the resort and the place was mostly a Dutch crowd - full demographic. Our ex-pat American friends who are living/working in Amsterdam said that TUI was currently running specials where a week stay with airfare was just as cheap as a standalone roundtrip ticket. That's how they ended up there. We also had friends from Colorado who booked a top floor studio room overlooking the water for just over $200/nt. and loved the place.

 

[scubadada]

Wife and I just returned from a multi-week "nostalgic" experience. We had friends who stayed at the new Chogogo resort. Having visited there for drinks and dinner and after seeing their rooms, we decided that this would be our "go to" place for any trip 2 weeks or under. Dive Friends at Sand Dollar right next door is the clincher. No need to even consider the Chogogo on-site shop which was geared toward a less-serious crowd.
Time to smile at our dive and beach resort - Chogogo Bonaire

If you stay at Chogogo and use Dive Friends Sand Dollar/Den Laman, you will not have use of the gear storage room and will not have access to the pier and tanks there for diving Bari Reef. These are reserved for guests at Sand Dollar and Den Laman only. You will be able to use the pier for boarding Dive Friends boats to Klein Bonaire and northern sites not accessible from shore. Of course, you will have tank pick up at all Dive Friends locations.

 

[bcaderunr]

If you stay at Chogogo and use Dive Friends Sand Dollar/Den Laman, you will not have use of the gear storage room and will not have access to the pier and tanks there for diving Bari Reef. These are reserved for guests at Sand Dollar and Den Laman only. You will be able to use the pier for boarding Dive Friends boats to Klein Bonaire and northern sites not accessible from shore. Of course, you will have tank pick up at all Dive Friends locations.

Correct. It was convenient for establishing our account for the trip, getting weights/tanks as needed, and doing our initial checkout dive (which was allowed off the Pier). The Colorado couple used DF for their snorkel gear rental so they could get full foot fines/booties (which Chogogo was short on) for the week.
Chogogo has an area for rinse and gear storage. And you can just dive from their property using the classic Bari Reef entry/exit.

 

[DiveProKoko]

winner!

although the penthouse is a little big for just the two of us, the one BR seaview looks great too

It's good to see "distinguished" folks here.....Hahahaha! Have fun!

 

[RonaldP]

Harbour Village. small, secluded, private beach, nice suites and a formidable diveshool, boat operations.
Even the king and queen from the Netherlands always stay there when they are on Bonaire.
Also many repeat visitors, I will go there in April and for my 6th time over the last years and see often people who I met there in an earlier stay again.
Delphins, more modern, more trendy. Chogogo, large, large, many people, more middle class. Not bad, but for the greater mass of tourists. At Harbour Village you are personally recognized and taken care for. They remember what you like or dislike as you would expect from the top place in the island. Maybe a bit rustic but that is also the charm of it.
Die dcveshool is fantastic, concierge service all the way all the time.
It is however not the “cheapest” place to stay.
Some suites also have a full kitchen, so hotel service and still you can you own thing if you not want to go out.

 

[FindingMenno]

Where is the absolutely most luxurious hotel/resort (not a condo/airbnb) to stay in Bonaire? (with diving!)

Traditionally I’d say Harbour Village or The Bellafonte as the top places to stay on island.

 

[wateraddiction]

Go to Delfins and get a Sea View Penthouse....thank me later!

Sea View Penthouse | Delfins Beach Resort

The Bellafonte is very nice as well.

The Bellafonte – Luxury Oceanfront Hotel Bonaire

The Bellafonte has a prime oceanfront location, stunning views, and relaxed atmosphere, it's your perfect boutique hideaway in Bonaire.

thebellafonte.com

Does Delfins have a good onsite dive shop and house reef? Our 10 & 11 yos are going to get certified and everyone always seems to rec Buddy's for kids but Delfins looks so much nicer.

 

[WetChucks]

Anyone else remember the skinny Suzuki vans?

We called em chiclets

 

[Bob118]

so we have narrowed down to 3 places: Harbor, Bellafonte, Delfins

anyone have thoughts on the house reef and on the walkability to town / restaurants of these three?

 

[arew+4]

so we have narrowed down to 3 places: Harbor, Bellafonte, Delfins

anyone have thoughts on the house reef and on the walkability to town / restaurants of these three?

Google says about a 1/2hr walk from harbour village. 1 hr from bellefonte, 11/2hr from delfins

For clarity, I put the in town destination as Karl's. Also, I tend to walk a good bit faster than Google's pace, and suspect most able bodied people would too.