HI,
I have been reading posts for the past six months and feel as though I know some of you!
This is my 2nd post...the first one was not answered by anyone at all so I am hoping for better results this time :o)
We are contemplating booking at Captain Dons but I am not seeing much about this resort in trip reports...does anyone have any comments about this resort...does anyone have any photos of the exterior of the resort (ie.swimming pool, dock). I have read through what seems like millions of posts but can't seem to find much about Dons. Thanks in advance for your responses.
Excited to dive bonaire for the first time.....
We are coming for 18 days..spending the first half at Carib Inn.

Maurita, I'm sorry no one answered your post. There is a lot of information on the board about Cap'n Don's. When I did a search on Don's I came up with hundreds of links

http://www.oldbonairetalk.com/cgi-local/bbs/search.cgi

Have you gone to Don'e website at all, and have you looked at infobonaire.com, which is also a wealth of information.
I suspect sometimes when people know there is a lot of information available on a subject by doing a simple search at the bottom of the page, they tend not to respond.
Best of luck
Seb

Thanks for your reply Seb..
I have checked out their website and I have read several pages into the search for Don's on this site. And I definately have received lots of good information which has brought me to the decision to book at this resort.
I suppose I should be more specific...... we are interested in the deluxe junior suites. Most everyone who have posted here talks about the cottages and villas but not information about the ocean view rooms. I do know these rooms are without a kitchen but was wondering about the size and the views....
I love to have a view of the ocean and from what I have read the best views of the ocean from this resort is from these rooms. I would like to have a kitchen but the cottages and villas do not seem to have good ocean views..is this true?

This next question may really cause some to think I am nuts.
What about the TV's do they get good reception..size of screens...what about available channels...dvd players available?
Can you rent movies on Bonaire?
Some may think I am crazy to care about that on a diving vacation but if you knew what my life is like here in the states...I never get opportunities to watch TV and/or movies! After diving all day, I love relaxing in front of the TV with a good movie.

The villas are right on the water. Here's a sunset view from our villa suite out the back door last October:

The deluxe junior suites (which have been renamed I think - they're now "Deluxe Ocean View") are behind the pool. From street to ocean, there's the D.Ocean View suites, a small beach volleyball area, the pool, a small enclosed sandy area with lounge chairs, then a drop off down to the water.

I've been in one of these, on the second floor. It's a bit like a larger motel room - two queen size beds, a small apartment sized refrigerator in between them, a dresser, closet space and a bathroom. Then a sliding glass door to your patio/deck.

I think I prefer the second floor, even though it means a climb up stairs, since the deck/patio then has a pretty unobstructed view of the water. Ground floor, you have a good view still, but not direct. On the other hand, on the ground floor you get to interact with the Habitat kitties.

Anyway: the TVs I've seen have been about 27" size, though they might be a bit bigger. It may depend on the room. They get cable, but Bonaire cable isn't what you have in the states - much more limited. I've not seen any DVD players, but you could get a RoadStor (it's about $200 or less) and play DVDs through it connected to the TV. Another thing about the RoadStor - it is a CD burner and takes probably all of the different kinds of Digital camera media, so you can back up your images from your digital camera on it every day.

I've never done it, but I believe I've seen a movie rental place advertised in the Bonaire Reporter. I don't have any idea what the selection is like.

Hope this helps.

I was hoping you'd jump in here Susan, thx

So was I... I love that sunset pic... {sigh}

Oh thanks, now Pam wants to go to Captain Dons because of the 27" TVs!

Who needs TV when you've got the ocean to look at?

We always go for the deluxe junior suites, the other thing about them is that have lots of storage space. There are three full height wardrobes - two for hanging clothes and the third shelving. The small Safe is in these wardrobes. There is a chest of draws (with TV on it) and a dressing table with more draws.

Our aircon broke down a few trips back and we were moved to a beautiful villa room with kitchen and a fantastic patio with barbeque and table outside and direct ocean views. The downside was the amount of storeage space. We moved back as soon as the aircon was repaired.

Here are some shots of the pool area. The middle two were taken during a sudden rainstorm, but they do show the layout.

Brian,

Thanks for posting those photos. They do show the view to the water well. It's certainly a nice view, but there are things between you and the water. In a villa, there's a small clear space filled with coral rubble and a walkway to the edge of the water from your unit - nothing else. I did a quick search to see if I have any photos of that, and the only one I found was from the upstairs in a Villa (I think a Villa Superior room):


Some Villas have more storage space than others, but that is a fair nit - you won't know until you're in it whether there's a built-in wardrobe like you describe (I called it a closet). In the last one we were in, there was a walk-in closet, but we'd not seen that in the other two we stayed in previously.

In my experience, the Deluxe Jr Suites are pretty uniform in accoutrements, whereas the Villas can be more individualistic.

Thanks Brian, Susan, Seb... You guys are awesome
to take the time out and send me photos and information.
Now however, I am being torn between getting
the Jr. Suite or a Villa. Can I ask another question (or two)...
When you are there for two weeks do you get tired of eating out. Is there good selections at grocery stores to prepare your own meals...

By the way Captain Don's website shows three types of villas...villa studio, villa suite & villa superior. They are different in size and layout with kitchens or no kitchens but do they all have the same ocean view that Susan is talking about? Which one do you stay in Susan?
Thanks again

Maurita, if you can afford it, you wil not get tired of eating out, unless you like to eat and run; you have to make it plain to your server you want the check, in no uncertain terms, or it will never come.
Frankly, I could probably eat at Gibis every night and be very happy. Best darn goat stew ever ( especially his special xmas edition goat stew)Do yourself a favor and bring the directions to his place from the dining thread
Also, if you go to casablanca and get the mixed grill, there is enough meat leftover to eat for DAYS!

(Message edited by seb on April 6, 2005)

Maurita,

The Villa buildings have two levels. The Villa studio and Villa suite rooms are all ground floor, I believe. I've stayed in both types (and will be staying in a villa studio again in 24+ days). The Villa Suite has a separate bedroom while the Villa Studio the bedroom is pretty much the room, though there is ample space for a living room alcove of sorts, as you can see in the picture on the Habitat website. They both have full kitchens. We found the Studio to be a nice size, and the Suite to be so big to be decadent for just two people.

The Villa superiors are on the second floor of the villas, and are pretty small. The one we were in had a tiny kitchenette of sorts, with an apartment sized fridge. With a large dive suitcase for each of us, (and us not finding a good place to put them) moving around was a bit of a challenge. We could just have been a bit dumb and not found the storage space, though.

I don't know if all of them have decks where you can sit and have the ocean view - the one we were in did, but judging by the layout of some of the Villa buildings I'd guess some do not. I should think that you could request one with a deck with the ocean view.

Personally, I never get tired of eating out. We did do some grocery shopping (gotta have BEER!) and had favorites we liked to go to more than once (Pasa Bon Pizza, yum!). For that matter, Rum Runners right at Captain Don's was an easy place to just fall into after a long day of doing as much or as little as we wanted - you could have anything from sandwiches to pizza to a really lovely meal there.

I have been to Bonaire only once, but I thought Captain Dons' was a great place to stay. We had an ocean view villa on the second floor. No kitchen just room with two big beds, patio area with plenty of table-room and room to sit. We had a TV, but we never turned it on even once. We dove every day and night, did the boat dives from right there and rented a car the other days, car rental place was right onsite at Captain Don's. We ate all the meals there, we thought the food was great. We didn't need to go anywhere else. I'd stay there again. The other neat thing is there are divers from all over the world you will meet. It is a great place for not just diving but meeting others with a common interest.

Thanks Susan for the detailed information on the villas!!
Okay so I have made my decision to stay in the second floor deluxe ocean views.
Although the view from the villas is probably more what I am after....my husband may make me cook...in the deluxe ocean views there will be no chance of that :o)

Although staying on the second floor will be a bummer as I would LOVE to intermingle with the habitat kitties. My husband is allergic to them but my longing for them never ends. I had seven before I met him.. had to give them up but he was worth it! Hopefully I will be able to socialize with them around the grounds....
Thanks again to all of you for all the detailed information...now I have to work out car rental details and research dining. I will look into Gibis as that seems to be popular.

Pre vacation planning when you are going to a new place almost requires a mini vacation to rest before you actually go on vacation :0)
I suppose I can rent a truck from Captain Don's for the whole two weeks even though I am only staying at the Habitat for the last week??
Anyone reading this going to be there between June 12th and the 27th??

It's AB Carrental at Captain Don's, so I can't see why not. We rented from them there, and dropped off at the airport, at least once.

I'll be experiencing PBD (Post Bonaire Depression) by June 12 - I'll be back at home on May 11th (Air Jamaica gods willing). Have a GREAT vacation!

Maurita, glad you got your answers, and were able to make the decision. You won't get tired of eating out, and for those meals in house, Warehouse is a good choice (but bring cash or guilders...they don't take ANY credit cards). Cultimara or Tropicana are good for quick items. When we were there a couple weeks ago, Cultimara had a lot of empty shelves, so we ended up going to the Warehouse most of the time to get supplies.

There is a video (not sure if it's DVD) rental place in Cultimara, it's back by the wine section.

Have a great trip!

Maurita,

If your husband has allergy meds, he should bring them. If there's one thing Bonaire has a lot of, it's kitties; and they're all accomplished beggars. I think all of the resorts, big and small, have resident kitties.

You'll find some at nearly every restaurant, though the waitstaff do their best to shoo them off. There are too many of us (I admit it, I'm a sucker for a cute furry face) who succumb to their mewings and put a bit of food down next to our feet. I've been reprimanded, but I can't resist them.

Habitat has a couple of kitty feeding stations (one between the dive shop and the cottages, another by the beach volleyball court) and the divemasters put out dry cat food (out of pocket expense for them). Guests often will purchase bags of dry food to supplement. They carry Meow Mix at Sanddollar Grocery, and that appears to be a favorite, as opposed to the Dutch brands. It's pretty expensive on Bonaire but I figure I'm on vacation, and those kitties help me to get my kitty fix (I have 3 at home).

Just a word of warning...

Cynde! You found the Warehouse! I'm so proud of you... lol...

Yes, and can you believe how FAR OFF we were the last time? My only warning is that they don't take any credit cards. Cash only, this was a surprise to me the first time as I handed her my AMEX, them MC, and she kept shaking her head no...thank goodness I had enough gilders in my purse! I guess there is some Dutch debit card that they do take, but it's only available in Holland (or on Boniare I suppose)...Bas and Yana wanted hotdogs for the BBQ, and they had Oscar Myer Wieners!!!

I can't believe how far off we were, and I can't believe it's so easy to find !! LOL !!

Oscar Mayer weiners... outstanding !!!!

Hi,
We stayed at Harbor village, but ate at Captain don's several times. the food was great and the property quite lovely- much better than expected. the only downside- no beach. but beautifully run and maintained, from what we could tell.

Maurita,
I'm glad you finally got your answers....I just returned (April 6th) from 15 nights at Capt Don's. My trip report from 2002 states why we chose and continue to stay at Capt. Don's.
http://www.oldbonairetalk.com/newsgroup/messages/1022/31140.html?1021997999

The view from the Suites has been posted above...heres's the opposite direction.