Bonaire - question on condos

[Boat Chick]

Den Laman, from what I understand, shares dive shop with Sand Dollar, so both offer free Nitrox. The ones with a question mark for that are Bel-Mar and Buddy.

Den Laman does use Bonaire Dive and Adventure (the same shop as Sand$).

Belmar does not offer free nitrox upgrades :-( So that would be more expensive.

I've stayed at Belmar twice, and love the place. Here is a pic of the pool, and the docks from our balcony. Also, Great Escape across the road offers breakfast by their pool.

 

[blawler1]

Den Laman doesn't provide free breakfast. As far a laundry, there is an off site laundry in town that you can drop off your laundry or do self service washing, they include the detergent in the cost of the washers.

 

[Martha]

I've stayed at Belmar twice, and love the place. Here is a pic of the pool, and the docks from our balcony. Also, Great Escape across the road offers breakfast by their pool.

I've also stayed at Belmar twice and just love it. Maybe we should quit telling people about it though, otherwise we're not going to be able to get a reservation.

 

[skynscuba]

Some of the wording on the restaurant page would lead me to believe that they provide guests with complimentary breakfast, but the resort page doesn't really say that outright anywhere.

As blawler1 said, breakfast was not included. We ate there the first morning, and were not particularly impressed. We made a trip to the grocery store, and ate breakfast in for the rest of the week. Lunch was mostly in, from either the grocery store or from dinner leftovers. We had one dinner at the Den Laman, and it was delightful.

The only complaint we had: we really couldn't connect to the wireless from our room. BB would hang out downstairs outside or in the restaurant/bar, or just go over to Chat and Browse, where the connection was okay. Maybe they have fixed that by now.

 

[gangrel441]

Thanks everyone! I have no idea how I could have gotten the answers to all of these questions without the help of a great community like SB!

No complaint, but it is very interesting how planning a trip to Bonaire is a give and take. I have a list of 7 or 8 criteria that I am comparing, and while all criteria on the list are offered at (usually many) resorts on the island, no single resort offers all of them. Again, no complaint, just a somewhat delicate balancing act.

 

[Boat Chick]

Thanks everyone! I have no idea how I could have gotten the answers to all of these questions without the help of a great community like SB!

No complaint, but it is very interesting how planning a trip to Bonaire is a give and take. I have a list of 7 or 8 criteria that I am comparing, and while all criteria on the list are offered at (usually many) resorts on the island, no single resort offers all of them. Again, no complaint, just a somewhat delicate balancing act.

That is what makes Bonaire so unique There are no massive all inclusive resorts...a lot of smaller ones that offer a few ammeneties. Plus, no stoplights on the island...that's one of my favorite things too

 

[gangrel441]

That is what makes Bonaire so unique There are no massive all inclusive resorts...a lot of smaller ones that offer a few ammeneties. Plus, no stoplights on the island...that's one of my favorite things too

Agreed! That is one of the reasons we are so looking forward to going there. It is just making the decision difficult as to what ammenities to compromise on. I think we have limited our choices mainly down to an apartment with an oceanfront balcony and included unlimited nitrox. That leaves us with either Den Laman or Sand Dollar, since Plaza's rooms look out on the lagoon, not the Caribbean.

When they say the beach at Sand Dollar is small, how small are we talking? We are definately divers, not beach bums, but we don't get to the ocean often, and a little time on the beach is nice. Also, I know Den Laman has access to Sand Dollar's pool. I take it that applies to the beach as well?

Sorry if I sound picky. It really is coming down to details like this....

 

[Boat Chick]

Agreed! That is one of the reasons we are so looking forward to going there. It is just making the decision difficult as to what ammenities to compromise on. I think we have limited our choices mainly down to an apartment with an oceanfront balcony and included unlimited nitrox. That leaves us with either Den Laman or Sand Dollar, since Plaza's rooms look out on the lagoon, not the Caribbean.

When they say the beach at Sand Dollar is small, how small are we talking? We are definately divers, not beach bums, but we don't get to the ocean often, and a little time on the beach is nice. Also, I know Den Laman has access to Sand Dollar's pool. I take it that applies to the beach as well?

Sorry if I sound picky. It really is coming down to details like this....

Choice between Sand$ and Den Laman? I'd choose Den Laman hands down. Right on the water, great views, and brand new. Sand$ rooms are set back from the ocean, and you have an ocean view, but not like Den Laman.

Pool at Sand$ is by the road, not on the water.

Beach at Sand$...I 'guess' you could call it a beach. It's a patch of sand that is about 10x10 (at most, enough for maybe 2 lounge chairs). I wouldn't choose Sand$ for the 'beach.' I would assume as a DenLaman can use the patch of sand though

 

[gangrel441]

Choice between Sand$ and Den Laman? I'd choose Den Laman hands down. Right on the water, great views, and brand new. Sand$ rooms are set back from the ocean, and you have an ocean view, but not like Den Laman.

Pool at Sand$ is by the road, not on the water.

Beach at Sand$...I 'guess' you could call it a beach. It's a patch of sand that is about 10x10 (at most, enough for maybe 2 lounge chairs). I wouldn't choose Sand$ for the 'beach.' I would assume as a DenLaman can use the patch of sand though

That's pretty much the impression I got too. Like I said, a beach isn't a high priority except to get a little sand between or toes on surface intervals. Aside from the apartment balconies, how are the common areas near the oceanfront at DL or Sand$?

 

[gangrel441]

Ok...coming back to the beach thing...is there public access to the beaches at Plaza or Divi?