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Accommodations: BELMAR VS BUDDY'S
Bonaire Talk: Accommodations: Archives: Archives 2000 to 2006: Archives - 2005-08-17 to 2006-01-02: BELMAR VS BUDDY'S
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By MONTY FORBESS (BonaireTalker - Post #31) on Thursday, December 1, 2005 - 2:01 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

have stayed at cpt don's sand dollar(2) and buddy's (5) was thinking about belmar this time, wondered if anyone out there had stayed at both places and had a good comparison or preference between the two, only shore dive so the boat schedules aren't important, thanks for the help

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Vince DePietro (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #139) on Thursday, December 1, 2005 - 4:35 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Both are great but I lean more towards BelMar (although I've never stayed in the units at Buddy but have done many dives off their dock), especially since you are not interested in doing boat dives everyday. I do a lot of diving on the southern sites & Bel Mar is convenient for this. The dive operation is the same as Buddy, so if you dive north you can drop off or pick up tanks at where ever it's convenient, Buddy Dive or Belmar.

The units at Bel Mar directly front the ocean so they have a great view of the sunsets. Alternatively, the way the building is constructed the seaside terraces are all open to one another, so standing outside on your terrace you don't really have any privacy.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kelly Baum (GDLW) (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #3527) on Thursday, December 1, 2005 - 4:43 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I love Belmar ! The rooms are very spacious and very clean, it's smaller, the pool is fabulous... I could go on and on. I am a huge fan of Belmar.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By David Frank (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #220) on Thursday, December 1, 2005 - 8:24 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Just completely different atmosphere. Belmar is small, quieter, out-of-the-way, no onsite restaurant, whereas at buddy you've got 3 or 4 in walking distance. No hustle and bustle for/from the boats at BelMar (we pretty much exclusively shoredive too).Have stayed at Sand$ several times, never at Buddydive, but we are now BelMar devotees. We like the proximity to the southern dive sites also. Returning 12/20, count-down in progress.

David

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Marcus L. Barnes (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #412) on Friday, December 2, 2005 - 1:52 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Just returned from Belmar in September and booked again for June. This is 3d accomodation we have tried and we are planning to stay at the Belmar on yearly basis going forward. Belmar Rules!!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cyn Loo Hoo (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #15482) on Friday, December 2, 2005 - 2:11 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Ya know...I think we should all stop raving about Belmar...it's going to be hard to get a reservation there if we keep on raving about it...LOL! (or maybe not LOL!)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By David Frank (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #221) on Friday, December 2, 2005 - 3:03 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Er...yup, absolutely dreadful place. Why do I keep going back? Just a glutton for punishment. The NOISE, the CROWDS, the cruise ships docked at the Belmar pier...the loud partying til 3AM...

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cyn Loo Hoo (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #15485) on Friday, December 2, 2005 - 3:49 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

David, thank you for posting the truth about Belmar...I absolutely agree...absolutely dreadful...and you're right about the cruise ships and the noise. I do wish they would find another place to dock!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Linda Stoltzfus (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #741) on Friday, December 2, 2005 - 5:05 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I was wandering when you guys would wise up! HA! Reservations are going to be tough.... no, wait, not for such a place in disrepair.....:-)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kelly Baum (GDLW) (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #3529) on Friday, December 2, 2005 - 5:13 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

And let's not forget the horribly rude staff. It's a crime how they treat you.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Linda Stoltzfus (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #742) on Friday, December 2, 2005 - 7:24 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

And the photo opportunities...TERRIBLE
family'05

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dr. Director (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #112) on Friday, December 2, 2005 - 7:40 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Nice picture of "the agony of da feet". Too bad there is such a pretty lady blocking the sunset. Whoever took this picture should have asked her to move left or right. (Joke here, just in case you didn't understand my sense of humor.)

As Belmar "twice-a-year folks" for several years now (not counting the two confirmed reservations already for 2006), we echo all those negative things people say: the cruise ships crowds, the 3 AM parties, the rude staff. Also these is that terribly long trek from the rooms into the water and the horrible conditions of their house reef (example: one or more octipii has/have set up house along the guide rope from Belmar's dock to the dropoff, and there is all this coral ruble strewn about their home - just atrocious).

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cyn Loo Hoo (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #15494) on Friday, December 2, 2005 - 8:11 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Linda...how did Megan suffer through it all? Man, that is the most disgusting picture I have ever seen...LOL!

Let's not forget those 2 TINY, ugly, and rickety things they call "docks." AND the LONG walk to the shower and rinse tank on those rickety docks...and beware of those HUGE house iguanas...the list goes on!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Andy & Dave Bartlett (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #413) on Sunday, December 4, 2005 - 12:34 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Monty, BelMar is smaller than Buddy's, it only has 22 apt. BelMar does not have a resturant/bar on site, but there is one across the street at Great Escape. BelMar is south and Buddy's is north. Check out BelMar through www.infobonaire.com We love to stay at BelMar because it is quite and laid back.

Andy

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kevin Wayne Williams (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #8) on Thursday, December 8, 2005 - 10:32 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Just curious: isn't my restaurant and bar at The Great Escape as close to most of the rooms at the BelMar as the "onsite" restaurant is to the rooms at Buddy's?

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cyn Loo Hoo (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #15569) on Thursday, December 8, 2005 - 1:37 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Kevin, yes, just look above at Andy's post...she does indeed mention the Great Escape right across the street...as many do when this question comes up. I had the pleasure of having coffee, and a chance to surf the net at your place ($5.00 for unlimited access all day is great) last time I stayed at Belmar. It was very convenient. Your staff is extremely accommodating, I also love the outdoor area where you serve breakfast by the pool:-) In fact, I can still smell the salt air as I was walking across the street:-)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By David Frank (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #224) on Thursday, December 8, 2005 - 4:31 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Kevin,

You had not yet taken over when we were last at Belmar. We are looking forward to trying your restaurant and my 16 y/o is happy about internet availability across the street. See you in 2 weeks!

David

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cyn Loo Hoo (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #15582) on Thursday, December 8, 2005 - 5:04 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

David, it was convenient to have a cup of Joe and surf the net, looking out at the pool!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By David Frank (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #225) on Friday, December 9, 2005 - 12:58 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Ms. Hoo,

Got coffee, got milk, got view of ocean, assuming the NJ weather gods, travel gods, and other assorted deities all cooperate. For reasons that made sense at the time but are now questionable, I will be traveling to BON via AA, AE 2 days ahead of my wife and daughter who are doing EWR>MIA>CUR>BON, giving above-mentioned entities way too many chances for mischief. I leave 12-20 for trip #10.

If all goes smoothly (sic transit Air Jamaica} we look forward to checking out the new Great Escape. Wish us (and our luggage/gear) luck!

-David

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Debbie Babcock (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #2597) on Friday, December 9, 2005 - 10:23 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi David! Have a great and safe trip! Jersey weather here is the pits lately, so go for it! Look forward to a trip report when you get back!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By David Frank (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #227) on Friday, December 9, 2005 - 10:43 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Debbie,

Hauling out the gear and starting to pack today. I'm off, Janet and Sarah were hoping for a snow day but we are just getting rain. With internet across the street at Great Escape (I keep typing Great Adventure and having to re-type) will try to do an "in progress" trip report with photos. But ambitions do have a way of waning on Bonaire, don't they?

Dare I ask...are you still smoke-free??
Hope all is well.

David

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cyn Loo Hoo (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #15593) on Friday, December 9, 2005 - 11:01 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

David, have a great trip! It was funny, I happened to go there by chance because we had NO coffee at our place...so I quickly remembered there WAS coffee right across the street...along with the internet access. The GE property is very nice:-)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By seb (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #2485) on Friday, December 9, 2005 - 11:58 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Heck Dave, I been packing for WEEKS!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Debbie Babcock (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #2598) on Friday, December 9, 2005 - 12:07 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

David,

Know what you mean, David. I was on Bonaire for a week at Thanksgiving and never got time to get to the cams. :-( Had a shipment of new furniture for my house come in and one thing lead to another and time just flew by! I did get to stop by and see Linda at the art gallery though, which has some lovely paintings on display for purchase. Definitely worth a trip to see. I used the internet at Great Escape my last trip as it was so close to my house, very convenient. Say Hi to Kevin for me. They really have done a lot with the place since they took over. Nice to go have a drink there as well at the end of the day or dinner. They have a new menu as well.

As far a being smoke-free, well, I was doing good till I gained 25 pounds in two months, so not feeling too good about the weight gain afraid it was never going to stop, I started smoking about 5 cigarettes a day and now am starting all over again to rid myself of those too. Weight seems to have stopped gaining and I am on a diet as well. Always a battle lately. :-( Hubby was very disappointed about my laspe, but I am still trying and hopefully will make it this time. :-)
Thanks for asking.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By David Frank (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #228) on Friday, December 9, 2005 - 1:53 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hang in there; think of all the cigs you DIDN'T smoke!!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Debbie Babcock (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #2604) on Friday, December 9, 2005 - 4:17 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Thanks, David. Hangin' tough and keeping real busy with the holidays is a help. I will be thinking of you all over the holidays. You too, Seb and Mare! Very lucky people you all are! :-) Can't think of a better way to spend the holidays!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cynde Loo Hoo NMT2 (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #15614) on Saturday, December 10, 2005 - 2:09 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hang in there Debbie...25 pounds is easier to lose in the long run than beating lung cancer...I know how how the extra weight makes you feel mentally and physically, but again, once you get off the cigs for good, the weight will eventually come off. And if it doesn't, there is more of you to LOVE:-) AND, as David said, think of all the cigs you didn't smoke:-)

 


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