My wife and I try to stay at different places each time we come to the island. I've never seen a review on here for the Caribbean Club, so I thought I'd put one up. We've driven by this place hundreds of times but never thought to stop and check it out. It's just north of Santa Barbara Crowns/Hato area and we never really paid attention to it as we were heading up to the northern dive sites. That's all changed after this trip. While we will continue our sampling of all the resorts, this is one that I would definitely go back to if I had to settle on one or two. Let me try to give everyone the pros and cons of the place:

Pros:

1. Quiet, Quiet, and Quiet! I love the ability to step outside the resort and be immediately in the "outback." Star gazing at night, watching the city lights from the hills, it's all very tranquil.

2. Very friendly and accommodating. The staff and manager go out of their way to be friendly. Between the manager and I, I'm not sure who bought the last beer, but I think I came out ahead on the deal.

3. Immediate access to the northern dive sites. If you're a fan of the hard corals and deep dives that these sites offer, you couldn't ask for a better launching point. The dive platform and ladder that Caribbean Club put in at Oil Slick Leap is great, and if you go up to Karpata, you can come back via the dirt road that goes up by the radio towers. It drops you off right back at the resort, saving you the round island trip that most have to do.

4. Price. Including diving, lodging and vehicle, for two of us, it was about 1/3 the cost of what we would spend down closer to town.

5. Great food and fairly prompt service in the restaurant.

Cons:

1. Communications. There were a few instances where things were not communicated to us that would have made the stay more enjoyable (ie: we missed out on a party and we weren't informed where the dive locker was located at).

2. Minimal dive store. The resort contracts out with Yellow Sub for their dive operation, and they supply the onsite store with the very basics. The main complaint being no Nitrox onsite. We would have had to go into town to get those.

3. Apartment furnishings. The apartments consist of bedroom(s), livingroom/dining room/kitchen, and then a very large walled porch. We had more furniture on the porch than we did in the living room. It wasn't a big deal to us as we spent most of our time on the porch, but those who like to stay inside more would probably like more furniture.

All in all, if I had to give it a rating, I'd give it 3 out of 4 stars. Combine the price with the hospitality and the idyllic setting and you really can't go wrong with it.

Josh.

Great information... sounds like a nice place to stay. Thanks!

Josh, thanks for the report. Is it the place that is on the right side of the road just before you get to Oil Slick?

Cynde,

Yep, just before you go down a little hill and make the hairpin turn towards the north along the water. Across the street from it is a gravel parking lot and also the Park Headquarters building back in the bush a bit.

By the way.. watch out for their two little kittens, they like to pounce and dart off into the gardens.

cynde, that's the place...right next to the hilltopper restaurant (i think that's the name). i've heard they have a great st. patricks day party and we're going to try to hit that on our next trip.

Josh, Pat, thanks. Every time I pass that place I want to go check it out, it looks like it is a relaxed place, and obviously by your report, it is. Do they have a bar there?

Cyndee Loo Hoo, I'm starting to really worry about you and this bar thing. Some day soon we are going to have to sit down and talk about this problem over a couple on beers your choice of coarse. LOL :-0

LOL Patrick...you're on ;-) I always like to know a good place to have a beer or glass of wine at the end of the day :-)

Nice report Josh. Passes it many times and never gave it any thought! Now I have a nice report to associate with it.

That would be "passed" it many times!

I can recall two weeks ago, when we stopped for a drink between two dives, it was calm and quiet next to the pool, we just took a drink and a a nap, i am sure it is a nice place to stay.
thierry

Cyndee,

Yes, the bar is part of the Hilltopper restaurant, which is part of the administration building in the rear of the property. On the plus side, they have Campari, my wife's favorite aperitif. On the down side, they do not have Seagrams 7, hence no 7&7's. But.... they do have three different types of Amstels if you're an Amstel fan.

thierry,

We were there two weeks ago! Wish I would have known you were stopping in, we would have bought you a drink.

Josh,
that would have been nice, we stayed at Happy Holiday home from 8th nobember to 6 december and now we r back in switzerland wherer it's freezing cold, As soon as I got on the plane; I have missed bonaire...
bye now thierry

Josh, We also stayed there out a month ago after "finding" it while stopping for a drink last year after diving Oil Slick. We loved the fact it was outside of town and very quiet! I see they have raised the prices for next year--not the value it once was but still a great one. We are planning on taking the dive club there next year. We arrived to no power at the resort due to a storm and had to check in by candlelight! Everyone was very warm and welcoming as we were treated to drinks at the bar. I think the best part was the fact that I could get up at sunrise, walk down to Oil Slick, and jump right in and snorkel with just myself and the fish. It was quiet and awesome!

Just like to say we stayed there last June and will be there again in 2 weeks. It is charming & comfortable and just a little off the beaten track. Loved it.