BonaireTalk Discussion Group
Accommodations: Safe, cheap and near the water
Bonaire Talk: Accommodations: Archives: Archives 2000 to 2006: Archives - 2005-08-17 to 2006-01-02: Safe, cheap and near the water
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tim Campbell (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #1) on Monday, October 17, 2005 - 2:27 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

I hope to visit in January for 2 weeks. I will be solo and I am a little concerned about theft in rooms.

I was in Bonaire 8 years ago and then the concern was vechile breakins but I understand how this can be avoided. My concern is someone stealing something from my room while I am in town.

Can someone suggest a safe , economical place to stay for single occupancy and near the water. Hopefully this is not too much to look for.

Thanks in advance .

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kelly Baum (GDLW) (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #3297) on Monday, October 17, 2005 - 9:51 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Tim, check out the Golden Reef Inn. It's not right on the water, but a VERY short 3 min. walk. The rooms are very nice and extremely clean, and your hosts Liz and Ed Ginocchio are FABULOUS !

www.goldenreefinn.com

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Andy & Dave Bartlett (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #392) on Monday, October 17, 2005 - 11:00 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

You might check www.infobonaire.com, then click on accommodations and look at the different properties listed in your price range. A couple that I would recommend are Golden Reef Inn and Dive Inn. They are both listed on infobonaire.
Andy

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Toby and Sandy (BonaireTalker - Post #39) on Monday, October 17, 2005 - 5:54 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Tim
Try Black Durgon Inn. All the things you asked for, plus a really cool house reef. Bonus points: an outdoor communal kitchen and an eclectic clientele. Check it out!
T&S

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Lorraine Bayford (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #187) on Thursday, October 20, 2005 - 3:06 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Tim, welcome from a fellow BC'er. My husband and I have stayed at the Dive Inn twice and are in the process of booking again for March/06. Their studios and dive shop (right next to each other) are right on the water. It couldn't be any more convenient and a short 10 min walk to the town center. I've heard good things about many other places, but my vote is the Dive Inn. Feel free to e-mail me if you need any details or hints on getting to Bonaire from BC.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By James T. McPeak (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #298) on Saturday, October 22, 2005 - 1:53 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Tim we have stayed at the Dive Inn at least 8 times. Babs and Harry, the owners, are wonderful people and good friends. We shall be staying there again in December. The rooms are not the Taj Mahal, but they are clean and safe. They have little efficiencies with a two burner stove, a refrigerator, and a wall safe. I also like the proximity to all the good things of Bonaire.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Michael Stanfield (BonaireTalker - Post #28) on Thursday, October 27, 2005 - 9:55 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Tim,
I second Toby and Sandy's recommendation on the Black Durgon Inn. My wife and I have stayed there numerous times. The hotel layout offers privacy. Most guests are repeat visitors and tend to be "protective" of any strangers coming around the property. You are just a few steps from the room to the dock to the water.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Francesca & Paola (BonaireTalker - Post #17) on Thursday, November 17, 2005 - 8:56 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi Tim,
we stayed August 2005 in belnem, aquarius lodge. We always left our money, passport and air-tickets in the room, never had problems.we rented a pickup and we left it open, without nothing inside. no problem. we travelled a lot, and we found Bonaire one of the most safe place in the caribbean area.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ron Gould (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #352) on Friday, November 18, 2005 - 9:50 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Dive Inn is my choice. We have stayed there 6 times and love it. Small but clean with AC, bathroom with shower, cable TV, safe, kitchenette with stovetop, frig, all utencels, coffee maker. The best part of the location is it is on the sea! The price is right. Babs (the owner) has a diveshop and diveboat for your use right on site. Right on the blvd. a short walk to town. http://www.diveinnbonaire.com/ Give her a call you won't be sorry... Ron

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Julia Graves (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #748) on Friday, November 18, 2005 - 10:04 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Pelican Reef house was excellent and we felt very safe, e mail me if interested.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mark Lloyd (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #1) on Friday, November 18, 2005 - 4:17 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

We just got back and stayed at Bonaire Bungalows. They had steel gates which were over all the windows and doors. We were advised to keep them locked at all times. We had no issues but one of the houses was broken into. The day after we left the house was broken into, even with the steel gates. A camera was stolen. It is still bad there for petty crime.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Francesca & Paola (BonaireTalker - Post #19) on Friday, November 18, 2005 - 6:39 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

to Mark
Uhh what a bad experience for you. We had problem in Jamaica and Trinidad, but in Bonaire we never had, we also slept with the french door open!!
and one day we left our camera in the pickup (open) and found it once back from snorkel; or we have been very lucky or you very unlucky ;-)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tom (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #2867) on Monday, November 28, 2005 - 4:06 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Julia, Pelican Reef was indeed a wonderful place. Recently I have been trying to contact them via all of the known e-mail addresses to no avail:-{)}

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By RUTH (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #3) on Sunday, December 18, 2005 - 3:54 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Please bear with me, this is my first general message. Lorraine Bayford offered information regarding the Dive Inn, but not the email. My question is regarding all of the little female necessities to bring or to be aware of, including health foods. I plan to be there for 3 or 4 weeks, primarily to regain muscle tone after an accident. I'll be snorkeling until I feel strong enough to keep up with the divers. Are there any special things to take to the Dive Inn that are better bought in the States? Any special suggestions about the San Juan stopover? Air travel to Bonaire is so difficult to obtain that I had an idea staying a few days in San Juan might be an option. I'm still searching for open travel dates, so, everything is iffy. Thanks.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cynde Loo Hoo WWNMT2 (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #15770) on Sunday, December 18, 2005 - 1:36 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Ruth, welcome to BT:-) I'm not sure what you mean by "female necessities"...but most of the accommodations places on Bonaire do not offer soap, hair dryers, etc. Any cosmetics, soaps, wash cloths, personal items such as those, bring down as you may not find your brand you like on Bonaire. I hope this helps...

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ron Gould (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #385) on Sunday, December 18, 2005 - 4:30 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Ruth www.diveinnbonaire.com will give you all of the information you will need. Have a good trip.. Ron

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cynde Loo Hoo WWNMT2 (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #15787) on Sunday, December 18, 2005 - 5:57 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Ron, I clicked around a lot but didn't find any specific info on "feminine necessities", i.e., soaps, hair dryers, wash cloths, etc. Ruth, can you expand on what you specifically need? That might help:-)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By RUTH (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #5) on Sunday, December 18, 2005 - 6:44 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Thanks for your input. You've answered the question better than I asked it! Also, the suggestion to take a frying pan and knife brought up the thought that dishwashing supplies might come in handy. Any comments about using tap water? Does drinking water have to be imported? Getting ready to travel to a strange place brings up all kinds of questions about stuff we just take for granted, at home.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Back to Jeanine, or is it Tribs? (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1595) on Sunday, December 18, 2005 - 7:19 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hello Ruth! I'm going to help with this answer because I am the person who got sick from using tap water to brush my teeth in the Dominican Republic - not a pleasant experience. I have NEVER had a problem with the tap water on Bonaire. I actually like the taste too and I am picky about that. Now...any one can have a problem some place new, but I have yet to meet someone who had a problem on Bonaire. That said, I always pack Immodium/Anti Gas just to be safe.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cynde Loo Hoo WWNMT2 (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #15788) on Sunday, December 18, 2005 - 7:53 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Ruth, the water on Bonaire is very safe...no worries! I always bring my "first aid" kit that has bandaids, sudafed, aspirin, cortaid itch cream, neosporin, etc. They do not sell a lot of the otc things we are used to on Bonaire. A lot of it in part because of their laws for selling certain drugs differ than ours. For example, you can't get sudafed, or any product like that, or nyquil on bonaire. Any medication that has combined ingredients are strictly prescription. So I take a small medicine cabinet:-)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ron Gould (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #387) on Sunday, December 18, 2005 - 10:54 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Dish soap is not furnished nor bath soap. The tap water is the best tasting distilled sea water. Washclothes and towels are there. A/C and cable TV as well. Great water and air temps and the beautiful sea right outside your door at the Dive Inn... The inroom safe is large and the bathroom has a hot water shower. The Cha Cha public beach across the street is easy in and out for a snorkle or dive. The house reef is a wall dive from 30 ft to 120 ft. and a easy dive night or day. A large rope runs from the edge of the pier to the reef top and if you bear north you will find a cable that runs from shore to the bottom of the reef and on. To the south is a 20ft dingy at 65ft that signals our turn around for a shore dive... Well, I could go on and on.... Have a good trip and Dive safe... Ron

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By RUTH (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #6) on Monday, December 19, 2005 - 2:41 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Golly! You guys are so good that I'm beginning to suspect telepathy must be a Bon thing. Ron's input answered stuff that I was going to ask. By the way, Ron, is there any threat to snorkelers from the boats that travel over that area? Jeanine and Cynde Loo gave info which should be in all newcomer's before-you-go pack. Thanks.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ron Gould (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #388) on Monday, December 19, 2005 - 9:22 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Ruth, The boat traffic, except Dive Inn's dive boat, travel outside the reef line. No safety problems at all. The local school kids get swimming lessons from that pier in the afternoon everyday... Ron

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By DARLENE ELLIS (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1829) on Monday, December 19, 2005 - 10:19 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

If you are planning on doing mostly snorkeling you might like to do a guided snorkel with Renee or a sail and two snorkel stop on the Woodwind. They are both great! Renee knows all the easy entries and where all the little creatures live. I call her old eagle eyes! She is also great if you need any help getting in and out of the water.
The Woodwind sails from the Divi which is right next door to the Dive Inn. She is a trimaran that does two snorkel stops and serves snacks drinks and lunch. It is a great way to spend a morning and meet people. The web sites are www.reneesnorkeltrips.com and www.woodwindbonaire.com Have a blast!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By lonnie hoover (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #101) on Monday, December 19, 2005 - 6:24 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I agree with atleast two others, the Black Durgon Inn is the best bet. It is a 10 room Inn located just south of Habitat and directly in front of the Small Wall. This Inn is the closest property you can find to the water. In fact you can enjoy morning breakfast(which by the way is included in the price of the room) under a canopy only 15' from waters edge. Most of the rooms face the water. The ambience is the best on the island and the owners are especially friendly. I've stayed there many many times and always enjoy it. Their e-mail is: bonaire@blackdurgon.com.

 


Visit: The Bonaire WebCams - Current Bonaire images and weather!
The Bonaire Insider - the latest tourism news about Bonaire
The Bonaire Information Site, InfoBonaire
Search Bonaire - Search top Bonaire Web sites


Topics Last Day Last Week Tree View    Getting Started Formatting Troubleshooting    New Messages Keyword Search Contact Moderators Edit Profile Administration