I am thinking about staying in a beachfront suite at Harbour Village Resort for my honeymoon in May. I am concerned that the property is rated only 4 stars and not 5, but it still looks like the nicest place to stay on Bonaire, and they have a really nice honeymoon package with romantic extras and whatnot. Anyone stayed here?Any other suggestions?

Kristen..I say go for it! We stayed there about 10 years ago & it was very nice. Personally I think it's currently the most upscale resort on the island.

Welcome to BT Kristen and congratulations on your upcoming wedding.

Harbour Village is by far THE nicest place to stay on Bonaire. We used to stay there before they renovated and priced themselves beyond what we wanted to pay, and the new rooms were a big improvement over the old. The place is very private and very quiet, and usually not many people stay there. The beach is small, but still larger than most other resorts. The dive operation is usually not very crowded.

There are other very nice places including but not limited to Belmar (we stayed there twice a year since 2002) and Bellafonte (haven't stayed there but many rave about it on BT), but neither has a beach. (I am sure others will chime in here with many other recommendations.) Plaza (we stayed there twice after Harbour Village and still use their dive operation Toucan) has a larger beach than HV but is a distant second compared to HV in ambiance.

My suggestion is to stay at HV. You will only have this particular honeymoon once in your life.

One thought - HV used to do a private dinner for two on their beach. Not sure of the price or if the food is good or if they still do, but it always looked romantic. Also, suggest calling Richards to reserve their pier table. (If calling from the States, 011-599-717-5263, open Tuesday - Sunday for dinner only so call after 5:00 PM.) This table is all by itself on a pier and is perfect for an intimate dinner for two.

Another nice place to eat only a short distance from HV is Patagonia. Looks out on HV's marina. Also suggest checking the dining section of this board for recommendations on many other good places for meals.

Enjoy you trip to Bonaire.

Hello Kristen,

Congratulations on your wedding!

It is a very nice place for a honeymoon...Bonaire it is a lovely and romantic getaway and Harbour Village gives you the perfect setting. If you would like to see some reviews on the property and service visit Trip Advisor, here is the link http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g147267-d253845-r12821437-Harbour_Village_Beach_Club-Bonaire.html

Enjoy and have a lovely vacation!

My wife and I made out eighth trip to Bonaire in October and, after numerous stays at Sand Dollar and Belmar, decided to splurge on Harbour Village. We're now convinced we'll never stay anywhere else.

I could go on and on about the gracious staff, impeccable grounds, and wonderful rooms ... but two very simple things impressed us the most:

the shower and the bed.

Laugh all you want but after a day of diving there's nothing quite like a hot, strong shower in a huge tiled shower enclosure and a bed that rivals your own back home for comfort.

Below are links to two QTVR (QuickTime Virtual Reality) "movies" I created at HV: one on the dock and the other in front of out room. Note, these are *large* files and are not recommended for dial-up or slow connections. You'll need QuickTime or a browser with a QT plug-in. Use your mouse to rotate the image.

http://greggnixon.net/dock.mov

http://greggnixon.net/harbourvillage1.mov

Hi Kristen,

My first trip to Bonaire (in 2005), I stayed at HV. I stayed in a harborview room, but really envied the folks staying in the beachfront suites. If I ever save up enough (or win the lottery) that's where I'll stay.

Dr. Director is right about the dinner on the beach. Our "Lazy Days" package included the dinner, and it was certainly a highlight of our stay (along with the two-person massage and the bottle of champagne served on the beach!). A table for two on the beach as the sun is setting over Klein Bonaire, superb dinner, and then dessert as the stars come out above you. *long sigh*

HV is a great place to focus on each other and relax in the quiet atmosphere of the resort. The staff leaves you alone if that's what you want, but they are there for you if you need anything. Even though there are LOTS of great places to stay on Bonaire, I don't think you'll go wrong in choosing HV for a honeymoon.

Then, you'll need to decide where to stay for your second trip to Bonaire, and the third and the fourth....

Amy

Kristen,

I had to chime in here. We stay in Harbour Village every other winter for 2 weeks. The beach front suites are lovely and perfect for a honeymoon. We are somewhat discerning about where we stay usually try not to go to the same place twice - but we always come back to Bonaire and HV. It just can't be beat-the dive operation is great, the ambiance is quiet, comfortable and romantic.

We are leaving for our 6th trip to HV in 10 days but who's counting!!

Congratulations and have a great honeymoon.

Thanks to everyone that responded. We are BOOKED! After hearing what all of you had to say, I am convinced we will not be disappointed! We are SO EXCITED for our honeymoon. It was fun to read all of the stellar reviews on Tripadvisor, and to see the traveler's photos, which were as beautiful as the pics on HV's website. We of course booked the recommended "Lazy Days" package which includes the champagne and private hammock, beach dinner, unlimited water sports, couple's massage, and full American breakfast daily! You can't beat that! We also managed to get a DIRECT flight on Continental since we are close enough to the Newark, NJ airport. We are first time divers and are planning on completing all of our book work before we leave. I will certainly post an update after we return in May. Any other travel tips or suggestions are welcome! Thanks again... your feedback has been so helpful!

Kristen, Be sure to tell your diveshop that you want a REFERAL to HV/diveshop,then email harbor village diveshop and ask them to book you for the open water dives and WALA your certified... Ron

Hi Kristen:
First of all congrats and good luck
HV is absolutely the best place on the island. My wife and I have been going there yearly since 1990. We have stayed on occassion at other places, but none measure up to HV. From the rooms, staff, amenities, etc. The dive operation (Great Adventures is top notch)is a less intense operation than other's on the island. They run 2 boat dives daily. The shore diving is good with a wreck only 75 yards offshore. They have a beach with plenty of palm trees for shade. A great spa and workout area. Good food as well.
The suites (especially the beachfront rooms are amazing.
My wife and I are planning a return probably in May-June. Maybe we'll renew our vows there????
Anyway, Good luck and Congrats