By Craig Santelman on Monday, January 3, 2000 - 11:38 pm: |
We are going to be staying at the Divi Flamingo at the end of Feburary. Just wanted to get a feel for what is going on at the place! Seems some people would consider it okay - others hate it. What is the real situation???
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By Robert Deal on Tuesday, January 4, 2000 - 11:35 am: |
We will be at the Divi for two weeks from January 14 'til January 29...granted, on the timeshare side, same as every year. I will be posting a report, which I hope will be thorough and objective, as soon as possible.
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By Lorraine Meadows on Tuesday, January 4, 2000 - 2:17 pm: |
I totally agree with Robert about Divi.
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By Lorraine Meadows on Tuesday, January 4, 2000 - 2:18 pm: |
I totally agree with Robert about Divi.
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By rich james on Wednesday, January 5, 2000 - 12:14 am: |
Good Luck, And I suggest you pack some tools to help them with thier reconstruction.
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By Craig Santelman on Wednesday, January 5, 2000 - 11:23 am: |
So Rich, are you speaking from a particular experience? Or just adding some noise into the discussion?
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By TERRY BURT on Friday, January 7, 2000 - 9:45 pm: |
I am tried of all you people trying to bandage the DIVI problems.This place is a dump and should be shut down before someone is hurt or killer.It is dirty,safe,unhealthy,and you timeshare people get "real".I stayed there in the first week in December and after three day got out quickly.
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By rich james on Saturday, January 8, 2000 - 12:00 am: |
If you think we are just making this up skroll down the other posts about Divi and read some of the past comments, I belive you will find one last summer that had an intruder enter there room while they were in it.
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By C. Shiro on Saturday, January 8, 2000 - 8:13 am: |
I suggest that you call Divi HQ in North Carolina and put them on the spot. I'm not sure if its the right person, but the sake of having a name at all, try asking for Fran Fink (she's Timeshares VP, or something like that).
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By Cors Boom on Saturday, January 29, 2000 - 8:43 am: |
I have stayed in the Divi from 19th to 23rd january. It's clearly an old hotel which needs renovation. The airco is very noisy but in general the room was clean. They were working on one of the buildings but it didn't cause any disruption to my holiday. I live in the Netherlands and the Divi was one of the cheapest hotels on offer here and until they have renovated the hotel this should certainly stay that way. The lower ocean view rooms were not in use, probably because of damage from Lenny. The winds from Lenny didn't cause that much damage on the islands, most damage came from the water. I had one of the upper ocean view rooms and the view was incredible. You can see the fish swimming, see the planes landing and have a nice sight on Klein Bonaire. The beach at the Divi had quite a few stones on it, like many of the beaches I have seen on Bonaire and Curacao. I would not call most of the staff at the Divi very friendly but if you asked them something the did everything they could to help you. I found the security staff to be the most friendly. At no moment I felt unsafe or threatened at the hotel or anywhere else on the island. Walking from the hotel to Kralendijk is perfectly safe. In all I would say the hotel can be much improved but I certainly enjoyed my stay here.
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By Lorraine Meadows on Saturday, January 29, 2000 - 8:41 pm: |
Masha Danki for the latest on Divi.
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By Silvia Peters on Sunday, January 30, 2000 - 12:23 am: |
We, also, are wondering about Divi. This will be our first vacation without the kids, and are using the timeshare program to come to Bonaire. We are on a budget, as I will be graduating from school and hope to start a new job when we return from vacation. Hope to have an enjoyable trip...... or should we book at Lions Dive???
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By Silvia Peters on Sunday, January 30, 2000 - 2:04 am: |
Anybody that does time-sharing in Divi or Lion's Dive- Do they give deals in dive package or do you just get retail?
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By Lorraine Meadows on Sunday, January 30, 2000 - 8:28 pm: |
We get a dive pkg when at the Divi usually like unlimited air and some boat dives dependng on our sched. Ask at the dive shop I think I get a dis. for being a timeshare owner if you pay in advance. Bring all your receipts if you do.
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By Robert Deal on Monday, February 7, 2000 - 5:41 pm: |
Trip report - Divi Flamingo, Jan 14-19
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By Lorraine Meadows on Tuesday, February 8, 2000 - 7:16 am: |
Masha Danki for the report Robert!
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By Robert Deal on Tuesday, February 8, 2000 - 5:14 pm: |
Actually, yes, Lorraine. The Tanning dock as well as Dive I are to be rebuilt. Engineers were to be seen measuring for both during our stay. Lenny did a job on it, so it may take a while...a measure of the commitment from Divi on all this would be to see how far they have come by the time you go in May.
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By Lorraine Meadows on Tuesday, February 8, 2000 - 7:12 pm: |
I hope they fix the tanning dock by May, but I'm not "holding my breath". Glad to hear it's on the agenda.I am the optomist always.
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By Robert Deal on Wednesday, February 9, 2000 - 2:21 pm: |
Equally optimistic, always.
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By Lorraine Meadows on Thursday, February 10, 2000 - 8:18 am: |
Robert,Masha danki for the reply, answered my questions.
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By Annette & Mark Roswell on Tuesday, February 15, 2000 - 4:22 pm: |
Just logged into this site. New at this game (if you can believe it !!) Am the old Guest Services Manager at the Divi (Annette). Was there with Alastair MacKellar and the rest. Glad to hear that Flamingo Beach is renovating and that we (they) still have such loyal repeaters :-) Am in Vail, Colorado now and as I sit here my fingers and toes are cold. My husband (born on Bonaire) and I are planning our return to Bonaire (to live). Maybe we'll run into some of you guys there on the island. Masha danki for words of the island !!
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By michael gaynor on Tuesday, February 15, 2000 - 7:28 pm: |
I wondered when you would come back....Hi to Mark!
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By DARLENE ELLIS on Thursday, February 17, 2000 - 10:43 am: |
HI THERE EVERYONE! WE JUST RETURNED FROM OUR FIRST TRIP TO BONAIRE. I THOUGHT I HAD DIED AND WENT TO HEAVEN!!!! EVEN WITH THE DISTRUCTION OF LENNY I SAW MORE BEAUTY SNORKELING THAN I HAVE EVER SEEN AT ANY OTHER ISLAND! I REALLY LOVED THE LITTLE BOAT THAT WAS SUNK BY THE DIVI. ALL KINDS OF CORAL ON IT INCLUDING PURPLE TUBE SPONGES. THE FISH REALLY LOVED IT AND I SPENT A LOT OF TIME JUST FLOATING OVER IT! THE WOODWIND WITH RENEE, JAN AND BARNEY REALLY MADE OUR TRIP!!!!! WE WENT OUT ON THE WOODWIND 4 TIMES AND RENEE WOULD POINT THINGS OUT THAT WE WOULD HAVE NEVER SEEN. I AM A SCARDY CAT AND RENEE MADE ME FEEL SO COMFORTABLE THAT I EVEN DID A NIGHT SNORKEL IN FRONT OF THE DIVI WITH HER. RENEE WOULD OF EVEN HELD MY HAND IF I HAD NEEDED IT; LUCKILY I DIDN'T. IT WAS AWESOME! WE BOUGHT THE VIDEO THAT JAN DID AND WE HAVE WATCHED IT EVERY NIGHT SINCE WE GOT HOME!!!REALITY IS THE PITS AND WE HAVE BEEN DRIFTING BACK TO BONAIRE EVERY EVENING!!! RENEE, JAN AND BARNEY AREN'T JUST BUSINESS PEOPLE, THEY ARE OUR NEW FRIENDS! THANKS FOR THE HOSPITALITY!!! I MENTION ALL OUR SAILING AND SNORKEL EXPERIENCE UNDER THIS POST BECAUSE I FEEL IT IS VERY RELATED TO THE DIVI FLAMINGO. EVERY THING I SAW AND DID WAS RIGHT AT MY FINGERTIPS STAYING AT THE DIVI!!!! THE LOCATION IS FANTASTIC!!!! THE WOODWIND SAILS OUT OF THE DIVI. THE WALK TO TOWN IS VERY SAFE AND BEAUTIFUL. I NEVER FELT UNSAFE ANYWHERE ON THE ISLAND. THERE IS A TON OF RESTAURANTS TO CHOOSE FROM IN CLOSE WALKING DISTANCE.WE HAD AN OCEAN FRON 2ND FLOOR ROOM AND THE VIEW OF THE SUNSET WAS BEAUTIFUL AND EVERY MORNING WE WOULD WAKE UP AND FEED ALL THE FISH THAT WOULD COME TO VISIT US. WE COULD SEE KLEIN, THE AIRPLANES LANDING, THE CRUISE SHIPS COMING FROM AFAR, WE COULD SEE ALL THE ACTION AT THE TOWN DOCKS WITH OUR BINOCULARS. IT WAS REALLY COOL. I REALLY DID THINK THAT I HAD DIED AND WENT TO HEAVEN WITH THE NATURE AND BEAUTY THAT WAS ALL AROUND ME. THE SECURITY PEOPLE WERE ALL VERY FRIENDLY. ONE OF THEM EVEN BROUGHT HER PET BIRD IN FOR ME TO SEE BECAUSE SHE SAW ME LOOKING FOR THE PARAKETTES AND I HADN'T SEEN ANY! NOW THAT IS WHAT I CALL BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY! O.K. I HAVE TO AGREE WITH CORS BOOM'S POST THAT THE DIVI IS OLD AND IN NEED OF REPAIRS AND THEY ARE BEGINNING TO WORK ON THAT.(ISLAND TIME OF COURSE!) OUR ROOM HAD SLIDING GLASS DOOR PROBLEMS BUT THAT WAS IT. IT WAS CLEAN AND ROOMY. IF YOU ARE GOING AWAY AND EXPECTING THE RITZ, DON'T GO TO THE DIVI. BUT IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A GOOD DEAL, CLEAN AND SAFE PLACE IN A GREAT LOCATION, THEN THE DIVI IS PERFECT! I GUESS THE MESSAGE THAT I AM TRYING TO PORTRAY IS THAT I WENT TO BONAIRE FOR PEACE, TRANQUILITY,TO GET IN TOUCH WITH NATURE, AND TO SEE PLENTY OF FISH AND CORALS. I HAD NEVER SEEN A QUEEN OR FRENCH ANGEL AND I GOT TO SEE THE QUEEN ANGEL WHEN EVER I WENT OUT SAILING WITH RENEE AND I SAW FRENCH ANGELS WHEN EVER I WENT IN THE WATER!!I SAW OVER 75 DIFFERENT VARITIES OF FISH AND SPOTTED GREEN TURTLES 3 DIFFERENT TIMES. I GOT ALL THAT STAYING AT THE DIVI!!!!!
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By Robert Deal on Thursday, February 17, 2000 - 7:33 pm: |
Darlene, I love your enthusiasm. It sounds like you had a great time and caught the Bonaire bug big time! Welcome to the club! I have to agree with you about Renee and all the crew on Woodwind: they are truly wonderful people. Of course, I have to recognize that our daughter decided that Barney's son Lars was her best buddy, so maybe I'm biased. Hope to bump into you some day in Bonaire...
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By Donna M. Leiss on Saturday, February 19, 2000 - 6:22 pm: |
I vote with Robert and Darlene: Divis is certainly not the Hyatt Regency by any stretch of the imagination, but if you're spending most of your time in the water, who cares if your accommodations are less than 4star, as long as they're clean and comfortable? We are timeshare owners (although not at the Flamingo) and have stayed there twice. We'll probably go back again next year, simply because we enjoy the snorkelling so much and the fact that there's so much to see right out in front of the hotel. We were a little disturbed at how much is still in need of repairs, but sounds to me like they're slowly taking place. We were sad to see all the damage done to the reefs by Lenny, but there's still plenty left to enjoy; and it will all come back eventually. Going out with Renee and the Woodwind was wonderful, as usual. Last year I started out being afraid to go into water over my head, but by the end of the week Renee had me jumping overboard fearlessly. Next year we'll definitely try a night snorkel. We walked into town at night on several occasions and never worried about it for a moment. Try the Blue Moon and Amadeus, which was Le Mangerie last year. For the person wondering about Lion's Dive--they lost their dive shop and photo shop courtesy of Lenny. Still in shambles in early January. Shame about the Green Parrot; I still have my carved hummingbird swizzle stick from last year.
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By Lorraine Meadows on Sunday, February 20, 2000 - 11:37 am: |
Did anyone get to the new pic at the Divi renovation site. Bright colors. How's it look in person Donna or Robert?
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By Anonymous on Sunday, February 20, 2000 - 8:01 pm: |
I certainly hope the new color "scheme" in Bonaire does not look like the Divi Tamarijn Resort in Aruba. They painted that resort a multitude of colors such as purple, pink, mustard yellow, green, etc. Each block of buildings had been painted a different color.
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By Donna M. Leiss on Monday, February 21, 2000 - 1:29 pm: |
Lorraine:
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By Lorraine Meadows on Tuesday, February 22, 2000 - 8:27 am: |
Masha Danki Donna.
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By Antonio Ferrer on Tuesday, February 22, 2000 - 3:18 pm: |
I would not mind spending next week in a house painted bright red with yellow polka-dots, if it was in Bonaire!
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By DARLENE ELLIS on Tuesday, February 22, 2000 - 4:13 pm: |
I'M WITH YOU ANTONIO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I CAN'T WAIT TILL NEXT YEAR ALREADY AND I JUST GOT BACK!!
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By Lorraine Meadows on Wednesday, February 23, 2000 - 5:08 pm: |
The place has a way of doing that to you.
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By Edie Wayman on Wednesday, March 8, 2000 - 3:17 pm: |
What a great newsgroup! My first visit will be the first week in May. I'm just going crazy waiting. I'll be staying in a timeshare at the Divi and will be signing up for the 2 morning dives - is it really necessary to get a vehicle? if not, is there transportation to/from the airport?
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By Robert Deal on Wednesday, March 8, 2000 - 6:22 pm: |
Edie:
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By michaelgaynor on Thursday, March 9, 2000 - 9:49 am: |
FYI. All the taxi fares are posted on a board next to the taxi stand at the airport.
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By Edie Wayman on Thursday, March 9, 2000 - 10:05 am: |
Thanks for the responses. I read this everyday as May gets closer!
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By Linda Richter - NetTech on Thursday, March 9, 2000 - 10:36 am: |
The taxi rates are available on this web site. See http://www.infobonaire.com/html/taxirates.html
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By Clay Lansdown on Thursday, March 9, 2000 - 11:25 am: |
Edie,
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By Edie Wayman on Thursday, March 9, 2000 - 11:32 am: |
Clay,
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By Craig Santelman on Monday, March 13, 2000 - 11:26 am: |
Due to the fact that I started this thread way back, I feel that I should add my view on the Divi into the discussion. We stayed there from February 26th - March 4th and were happy with the accomadations.
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By Tamara Brunger on Tuesday, March 14, 2000 - 1:00 am: |
Craig,
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By Lorraine Meadows on Tuesday, March 14, 2000 - 8:19 am: |
Dear Tamara, We'll be there then too! We're timeshare ownwers. I'm hoping the renovations are coming along, The timeshare studios are not terribly large, but do offer the kitchenette. As far as the refrig for $6 a day ,check on that I'm not familiar with the ones in hotel side. How large is it? It's nice to come back after a dive and be "at home". Have a cold drink and a snack on the patio, still with the options of the hotel if you want them. There a little more roomy too!Either way you'll have great snorkeling I'll share some things with you over a drink. See you there!
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By Craig Santelman on Tuesday, March 14, 2000 - 8:48 am: |
I never actually went into a hotel room - but I would have to say the place looked better on the timeshare side. The pool, the grounds, the overall maintenance of the building itself. I could scan in some pictures of the timeshare side and e-mail them to you if you would like. Our whole party really liked the kitchenette in the timeshare - I would go for the extra $240.
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