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Accommodations: Current status of Sand Dollar
Bonaire Talk: Accommodations: Archives: Archives 2000 to 2006: Archives - 2004-08-04 to 2005-05-09: Current status of Sand Dollar
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Rod Childs (BonaireTalker - Post #11) on Friday, February 25, 2005 - 8:42 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Does anyone know the current status at Sand Dollar ? Is the pool and restaurant closed and if so when are they expected to open ?

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cynde (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #13166) on Friday, February 25, 2005 - 9:04 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Rod, by what someone posted a couple of days ago, the pool is closed for repair. The restaruant has moved and is now on the cement platform by the water (where the green parrot used to be). They are open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner (a couple hours at each time I believe). Maybe someone else can add to this (or tell me I'm full of it! LOL!)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Sandra Adams (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #9) on Saturday, February 26, 2005 - 1:35 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Just got back from the Sand Dollar last night and yes there are renos going on at the pool. The deck is closed, however access to the pool is open. The restaurant is open at the seaside. Excellent food, with a buffet bar-b-cue every Wednesday, beginning with a rum party. Excellent vacation!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Josie (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1020) on Saturday, February 26, 2005 - 4:17 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

We just had breakfast at the restaurant at the SD. Great buffet -- $8 pp. Cook to order omelets (v. nice!) fresh watermelon, pineapple, cantalope, papaya, bananas, two lots of sweet bread, toast, cereal, corn fritters, french toast, potatoes, chicken sausage, coffee and juice. Breakfast is provided by Eddie's Gourmandise -- three lovely ladies were serving it this morning. Highly recommended -- especially such a lovely waterfront location.
Josie

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Rod Childs (BonaireTalker - Post #12) on Saturday, February 26, 2005 - 5:04 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Thank you all for your answers, I shall be landing at Flamingo in 192 hours, but who is counting.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By wendy3@womans-web.com (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #8) on Tuesday, March 1, 2005 - 2:37 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I'm glad I saw this, although there is nothing I can do now. I just called the hotel, and they are saying it's not "closed". They are saying because of the construction on the restaurant, they prefer you don't use the pool. I'm very upset about this, we have reservations there from 4/21-28 and we rely heavily on using the pool for our 3 year old in the afternoon. They said it should be done by the end of April, but no guarantees. I could cancel and re-book somewhere else, but the only reason we used this place is for the kids program. Arrrrrrrrrrgh

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Lynn Franzson (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #2) on Thursday, March 3, 2005 - 3:29 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

We were at Sand$ for 11 nights beginning of February -- We hadn't been to Bonaire for at least 4 years. We have time share at Divi but since it wasn't our time and it was a quick vacation we couldn't get in. We were disappointed with Sand$ -- felt it was a little run down -- very disappointed that Mangos was not open. Pool was not inviting being out by the road. We did enjoy being back on Bonaire and will be getting to our Divi timeshare for 3 weeks in April -- hoping that the time share dive dock will be finished by then. We were also all the way down in "F" building at Sand$ so it was a long walk with heavy camera equipment to the dive area.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Karen Lorentz (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #2) on Thursday, March 3, 2005 - 5:00 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

We're booked at SD starting 3.23. One of my kids is too young to dive so the pool is important. What the %)(#* do I do now?????

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Rod Childs (BonaireTalker - Post #13) on Thursday, March 3, 2005 - 8:01 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Karen, talk to the people at SD, maybe they can get you permission to use the pool next door for the week.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By bowl300 (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #9) on Friday, March 4, 2005 - 12:13 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I wanted to add that I emailed Buddy Dive about possibly using their pool. They were very gracious and said:

Quote:
Please note that it will be no problem to use our pool.

Quote:
Please note that we do have 3 pool.
2 at the Buddy dive site and 1 at the Lions Dive site.

So, at least we have another pool to use, although it sure would be a lot more convenient to use Sand Dollar's. So, I'm crossing my fingers and am cautiously optimistic that the construction will be finished as expected (since this is the Caribbean!)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ann Phelan (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1719) on Friday, March 4, 2005 - 12:17 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hello Bowl,

Is this an arrangement for all Sand $ guests please?

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Karen Lorentz (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #3) on Friday, March 4, 2005 - 12:18 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Mary at Sand Dollar said the same -- Buddy Dive pool is available. Is that a walk from SD or a drive? If a walk, a short one?

I certainly do appreciate your responses.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Betty Wills (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #7) on Friday, March 4, 2005 - 12:44 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

The pool and Mangos restaurant are being renovated, and guests will absolutely love the changes when everything is done!!! The pool work (new pool deck, and interior pool repair) is scheduled for completion on March 20th, possibly sooner. Lion's Dive has agreed to help by offering the use of their pool while the SD pool is closed. Neighbors helping neighbors - just like when our dive shop helped out the other resorts when they ran short of NITROX, or needed access to a dock while their dock was being repaired, etc. There are a lot of positive things happening at Sand Dollar including the addition of an excellent seaside restaurant on the platform, the Wednesday night Manager's Party with free rum punch and live entertainment by Moogie, and the soon to be open Den Laman restaurant near the dive shop. Individual owners have been busy updating their condos, and 99% of guests are loving the changes. The guest relations situation has improved remarkably with the addition of the new property manager, Junny Janga, and now he also has Tasmi to assist him. Management does its best to accommodate the needs of every single guest. Hope I was able to address your concerns.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jim Thompson (BonaireTalker - Post #14) on Friday, March 4, 2005 - 3:15 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I'm not familiar with where the Green Parrot use to be, will the new location of Mango's be temporary? Does anybody have the e-mail address of Junny Janga, the property mgr.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By bowl300 (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #10) on Friday, March 4, 2005 - 3:58 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Lion's Dive is right next door, and Buddy's is right next to Lion's Dive. I've not stayed at Sand Dollar to know for sure, but I don't think it's a long walk to Lion's Dive.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cynde (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #13217) on Friday, March 4, 2005 - 4:40 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Jim, the Green Parrot was on the water, on a cement platform. If you are looking at the ocean standing at the wall that is at the edge of the water (before the beach) there is/was a big cement platform...that's where the Green Parrot was, and it is my understanding that's where the new restaruant is...I'll take some pics when I'm there in a little over a week!

The cement platform is just above the arrow (this picture was taken in 2001, prior to the rebuilding of the dive shop and great dock that is now there:-)
sand$

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Rod Childs (BonaireTalker - Post #14) on Friday, March 4, 2005 - 10:54 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

BTW, does anyone know if there are laundry facilities at Sand Dollar ?

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jen Gray (BonaireTalker - Post #12) on Friday, March 4, 2005 - 10:54 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I am glad to hear they are re-doing the deck around the pool. We were there from 1/22 to 2/6 with our 9 year old son and used the pool almost every day. You had to be very careful while walking on the deck without shoes. I did get a splinter and worried about my son. That was our only suggestion on the questionnaire when we checked out, something needed to be done about the deck. Otherwise, our stay at Sand$ was wonderful. I loved our unit and everything about our stay. The breakfast buffet was WONDERFUL! The dive shop staff was very friendly, helpful and extremely gracious! I am anxious to see the new Den Laman restaurant. We took a tour and it is going to be very nice! So will the photo shop. I can't wait for our next visit.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jen Gray (BonaireTalker - Post #13) on Saturday, March 5, 2005 - 11:20 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

I read in the information packet in the unit that you can drop off laundry at the office to be cleaned. I don't know if there is an extra charge for this or not.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Alan & Joan Zale (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #390) on Saturday, March 5, 2005 - 11:38 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Cynde, I have had a hard time getting photos below 50K. I have e-mailed you a few of the restaurant down by the water if you can post them for me. Trip report should be up later today. Thanks. Alan

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cynde (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #13223) on Saturday, March 5, 2005 - 5:41 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Alan, I'll check my mail and post them:-) I'm really curious as to how it looks! Now, off to read your trip report!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cynde (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #13225) on Saturday, March 5, 2005 - 6:04 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

OK Alan, let's see! It looks great. How close is it to the water, is it on the other side of the wall, down by the beach area?
mango
mango1

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cynde (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #13226) on Saturday, March 5, 2005 - 6:08 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Ok, 2 more...
mango3
mango4

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ruth van Tilburg (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #335) on Sunday, March 6, 2005 - 11:09 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

I don't think any of the hotels have laundry facilities for guests, but Caribbean Laundry is near the stadium, and has excellent & reasonably priced drop-off service (I can't understand why I see tourists sitting around Caribbean Laundry doing their own laundry at the coin machines, rather than using the "drop off" off service; that's no way to spend vacation hours!).

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Alan & Joan Zale (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #392) on Sunday, March 6, 2005 - 11:35 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Cynde, thanks for helping out with the posting

The new location is right at the base of the steps leading to the old Green Parrot restaurant. If you are sitting at the outer tables you can almost reach out and touch the water. The food there is great on any night but you really must check out Wednesday night barbeque!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cynde (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #13237) on Sunday, March 6, 2005 - 1:21 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Alan, sounds like it's the place to be! I'm so glad they have something down by the water now, it's really what Sand$ has been needing ;-)

 


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