I hesitated to make a glowing review of a destination since it seems to get harder to book after but...
This was our third time at Port Bonaire Residencia and our second stay in one of the three units owned by Connie Rubek and could not have been more pleased. She is among the best owners we have dealt with. Prompt communication via email and even sends an arrival packet with all the info needed to make arrival smooth and your stay complete. Connie does not live on island but she does have someone available if there are any problems. We had none.
This stay was in her one bedroom unit that is the last unit on the ocean end of the second building. So though the airport is across the road the noise issue was truly nonexistent. The condo had everything needed to make a relaxing week for two. The view was fabulous and is one if not the only unit in the complex that has a view of the sunset from the main balcony and yet faces northwest so direct sun on the balcony is not an issue, keeping it pleasant even during the afternoon surface interval. And the balcony chairs are very comfortable. Maybe a little too comfortable.
The bedroom is small but adequate with a king bed and the most comfortable mattress I have slept in. I want one of these for my home! Kitchen is well stocked. Fridge is small but good for two. Ceiling and floor fans in living room. Charging station. All windows screened so you can enjoy the breeze but also ac bedroom and living room if the breeze isn’t there. There is a miniwasher and a drying rack. There is also a drying rod and dive hangers provided on the bedroom balcony. The towels are wonderfully soft.
Dive Friends is quite literally right next door and we used their rinse tanks and lockers for the fins and BPWs. You just exit the resort gate and make a u-turn into DF Port Bonaire. Could not possibly be more convenient and one reason we were able to get in 26 dives this trip. Connie provides a discount voucher.
And to the other side is Kite City Food Truck. In fact, most days we would return to the rental after two morning dives and Eric would go through the secure back gate right next to our unit and walk the short distance on the beach to the food truck for lunch. Then a brief siesta and back out for two more dives. Rinse and repeat.
Port Bonaire is a great staging area to dive both the north and south sites. And of course just minutes from town.
Down side. Well I really had to struggle to come up with any but I always try to do a balanced review. I don’t know if it was typical but we really didn’t get the ocean breeze through the unit as we have at other rentals. Maybe because there is not a direct end to end passage with the unit’s floor plan. Plus rain threatened most days during the first half of our stay. So we ended up using the ac more than typical for us. And the Port Bonaire complex itself does not have a hot tub if that is important to you. But it does have a nice pool and deck area.
There really is not a good house reef. You can dive and snorkel there, in fact we saw a lot of snorkeling this trip, but we just didn’t care for the dive and risk of boat traffic into the harbor.
Last, there is a small combination microwave and convection oven that we found difficult to operate.
It suited us so well I had hoped to book our April trip while there but OceanScape was already booked solid winter to spring so Connie worked with us to get us into her third unit in the same complex and knowing Connie I am sure it will be another great stay.
Oceanscape Bonaire - - Oceanfront Condo wit... - VRBO
This was our third time at Port Bonaire Residencia and our second stay in one of the three units owned by Connie Rubek and could not have been more pleased. She is among the best owners we have dealt with. Prompt communication via email and even sends an arrival packet with all the info needed to make arrival smooth and your stay complete. Connie does not live on island but she does have someone available if there are any problems. We had none.
This stay was in her one bedroom unit that is the last unit on the ocean end of the second building. So though the airport is across the road the noise issue was truly nonexistent. The condo had everything needed to make a relaxing week for two. The view was fabulous and is one if not the only unit in the complex that has a view of the sunset from the main balcony and yet faces northwest so direct sun on the balcony is not an issue, keeping it pleasant even during the afternoon surface interval. And the balcony chairs are very comfortable. Maybe a little too comfortable.
The bedroom is small but adequate with a king bed and the most comfortable mattress I have slept in. I want one of these for my home! Kitchen is well stocked. Fridge is small but good for two. Ceiling and floor fans in living room. Charging station. All windows screened so you can enjoy the breeze but also ac bedroom and living room if the breeze isn’t there. There is a miniwasher and a drying rack. There is also a drying rod and dive hangers provided on the bedroom balcony. The towels are wonderfully soft.
Dive Friends is quite literally right next door and we used their rinse tanks and lockers for the fins and BPWs. You just exit the resort gate and make a u-turn into DF Port Bonaire. Could not possibly be more convenient and one reason we were able to get in 26 dives this trip. Connie provides a discount voucher.
And to the other side is Kite City Food Truck. In fact, most days we would return to the rental after two morning dives and Eric would go through the secure back gate right next to our unit and walk the short distance on the beach to the food truck for lunch. Then a brief siesta and back out for two more dives. Rinse and repeat.
Port Bonaire is a great staging area to dive both the north and south sites. And of course just minutes from town.
Down side. Well I really had to struggle to come up with any but I always try to do a balanced review. I don’t know if it was typical but we really didn’t get the ocean breeze through the unit as we have at other rentals. Maybe because there is not a direct end to end passage with the unit’s floor plan. Plus rain threatened most days during the first half of our stay. So we ended up using the ac more than typical for us. And the Port Bonaire complex itself does not have a hot tub if that is important to you. But it does have a nice pool and deck area.
There really is not a good house reef. You can dive and snorkel there, in fact we saw a lot of snorkeling this trip, but we just didn’t care for the dive and risk of boat traffic into the harbor.
Last, there is a small combination microwave and convection oven that we found difficult to operate.
It suited us so well I had hoped to book our April trip while there but OceanScape was already booked solid winter to spring so Connie worked with us to get us into her third unit in the same complex and knowing Connie I am sure it will be another great stay.
Oceanscape Bonaire - - Oceanfront Condo wit... - VRBO
