Has anyone stayed at the Cocoa Palms Garden facilities. We are looking for a package deal for lodging, diving and vehicle. We are planning a trip for March/April 2006. Would love any suggestions.

Alan, do a keyword search at the bottom of this page, and search for "cocoa palms" under the accommodations or trip report sections. There have been great reports on the place. Good luck!

Alan, actually, it's "Coco Palms"

Coco Palms is a wonderful place to stay. It is located in a quiet, safe neighborhood of Belnam. The owners are warm and helpful. The accommodations are clean, comfortable and close to the beach and south side dives. We have stayed several times and will be there again in August! We would highly recommend staying here.

Thank you all for your responses. Being a first-time user of this site, the search for Coco Palms was a tremendous help Cynde. This sounds like what we're looking for.

Actually, it's "Coco Palm", no s.

I can only second Tracy. Have stayed in Coco Palm several times and will do so again - next in September. Quiet, yet conveniently located and - in addition to what was said before; love the gardens, hammocks and BBQ!
Enjoy Bonaire where ever you go!

coco palm...A+++++++++

We have been to Bonaire many times over the past ten years and have stayed at numerous places until we found Coco Palm Gardens and will never stay anywhere else!! It is wonderful. Great units that are like home (we love to cook), no phone and TV (We love that also!!). The private gardens are romantic. The owners are great and the food buffets are the best and very reasonable. You can't find a better deal on the island!!!

What would you recommend for 2 couples? Nos Kas? Diving/driving/lodging deal of $58pp/d seems quite good.

Jim

Jim
I am sure Brigitte/Marion/Nikki will be in touch to help you make your choice; or just send them an email. You've probably already checked out the website? Nos Kas should be good since it's a house. There are also a few two bedroom apartments to chose from, which are quite spacious, too. Have stayed several times in CocoPalmGardens; though not in Nos Kas (we are only two).
Heike

Yes, I've checked out the website. Looks like a cute property, and was just wondering if it's really as nice as it looks!

Jim

Jim -

We just left Bonaire on Tuesday and stayed in Pisca Sonriendo for one week. The rooms are exactly as pictured. Remember the property is apartment rental, so you need to provide your own consumables (toilet paper/paper towels/mosquito coils are things we usually bring) and there is no daily maid service.

The setting is very picturesque as the gardens are quite beautiful and allow privacy on your patio. The Asian buffet on Monday and Thursdays ($10 US / person) is also highly recommended! It gave us an opportunity to meet wonderful people from around the world.

Coco Palm Garden is the real thing!

Tracy

I have stayed at CoCo Palms numerous times, returning again in Sept. It is a well maintained property, each apt has it's own patio area and Brigitte, Marion and Nikki take great care of their guests. Also get my truck from them. And yes it its as cute as it looks.

This is not self promotion, only to clarify:

The buffet always has a theme and can either be Indonesian, Surinamese, Indian or Chinese. This is an amenity available only to the guests of Coco Palm Garden, Ocean View Villas and Happy Holiday Homes.

I'd say it is as cute as it looks! :-) Clean, private patios/pretty gardens to hang out in and colourfully decorated and fully equipped self-catering studios and apartments. Use of BBQ outside is fun, too!

Also the main office had a wonderful swimming pool that is open to the guests during office hours. It is a lovely set up. It really is the real thing and a perfect place to stay. Also within walking distance to the beach (very short walk). Couldn't find a better spot......We love it....over and over and over again!!

Marty, are you back? How was your trip?

No, am still here till the 9th!! Going great!!

Marty, hope you have a great rest of your vacation!

Lost 1st day and 1/2 to airco not working and then when we got ready to leave, had to listen to a bunch of nasty anti-American racial slurs about how we are spoiled. Place was pretty, clean and functional - people (owners?) were the worst hospitality I have every experienced in 30+ years of travel.

Won't be back!

When Marion was informed that the airco did not work she directly phoned the electrician .. as this did not help, she offered to change to the apartment next door, one of the guest slept in that apartment and as the reparation of the airco was more complicated than thought, all 3 men moved next day to the other apartment. There was no need for them to wait for the electrician ... so I still do not understand how you can loose 1 1/2 ....
Guests checking in will find with the remote control and in a little booklet the information that Water and Electricity are precious and expensive on Bonaire and that we try to keep our prices low, and please don' t run your airco when out and with windows and doors open.
We realized than very soon that the aircos where working 24 h a day with all doors open and gave them " our friendly reminder " that we reserve the right to add $10 per night if it continues.
The comments on the last day of Mr. Martine and his friends were rather exagerated and my comment anti-american comment must have been the one, that Europeans a lot of time don' t use airco at all and are much more careful with the energy on our planet.....
For not having an endless discussion, we did not counted the 1st night but we did counted the extra use of airco in the 2nd apartment
As most of you know, since a few months electricity costs have increased on Bonaire with 70% and we have not changed our low prices. After this experience we decided that starting 1st of January 2006 we will add $10 per night per bedroom for the use of the airco and so we will not punish those guests who prefere anyhow to sleep with open windows and fan ... and that is possible, as by the end of October all our units will have spanish stile bars in front of the windows.

I would venture to guess that the previous people that complained were mis-using the airco. They were not made to try to cool the whole apartment, only to be used in the bedroom, when you are using that room!
The use of the airco is made very clear in the booklet in each apartment and a reminder is by the remote control.
Electricity has gotten very expensive on the island and to run the airco when you are not in the room, or to try to cool the whole apartment is very wasteful and unnecessary. That is why each apartment has a cute garden with a lovely breeze, to stay cool. We always eat our meals outside in the garden and it is quite lovely.
Most Americans are used to central air-conditioning and that is not the case here......So....When in Rome!!
I still think this is the best place to stay on the island and the owners are very friendly, fun and engaging as well as accomadating!