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Accommodations: Any recommended accomodation?
Bonaire Talk: Accommodations: Archives: Archives 2000 to 2006: Archives - 2002-10-07 to 2003-04-30: Any recommended accomodation?
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By anna connolly (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #1) on Monday, April 14, 2003 - 11:26 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

A friend and I will be staying in Bonaire from 14th June to 17th June - we are a bit taken aback by the seemingly expensive accomodation prices for hotels especially when none of them have gotten good reviews from other travellers. I wouldn't expect to pay more than $70 per night in a good hotel with/without amenities. Can anyone recommend a place to stay that's not too expensive with friendly & helpful staff? Neither of us dive, although we love watersports. We would like to stay somewhere in the main town with comfortable accomodation.
Thanks!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ginny Stokes (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #498) on Monday, April 14, 2003 - 9:27 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hmmmmmmmmm....Anna - first, welcome to the board! Second, I think maybe folks are hesitant to reply....I read your post this morning, and was puzzled. If you read posts in the Accommodations section of this board, you will find almost unanimous rave reviews of virtually every hotel on the island. Naturally there are the occasional bad experiences, but for the most part there isn't a bad place to stay on Bonaire. Perhaps your expectations of pricing are unrealistic? Is your quoted price per person or per room? What do you mean, with/without amenities? None of us know how much you have traveled elsewhere and your basis for comparison. Take a few minutes and go to Bonaireinfo.com, click on Accommodations, and check the budget section for properties in your price range. When you find specific properties to explore, come back to this board and ask for feedback on those properties. I think you will find the people who frequent this board very open to giving honest opinions when not operating in a vacuum. Happy planning!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By anna connolly (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #2) on Tuesday, April 15, 2003 - 6:59 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Thanks Ginny - Yeah I know, I read reviews on the site www.travelaid.com before I found your site & they were pretty negative about a lot of the hotels, whereas most of the reviews I've read on your site have been very good.
I'm not sure how realistic I'm being pricewise - I'm 28 & have travelled mostly across Europe, staying in hostel accomodation & I am not too keen on large hotel complexes, mostly because I find them very impersonal. I suppose I'm judging my expectations on any hotel accomodation I expect to stay in on accomodation & price range standards in Ireland (where I live). The exchange rate between the US dollar & the Euro are pretty much even at the moment & you can stay in a really nice hotel in Dublin for €80 per person per night - although it would not have a gym or other amenities, just a hotel with a restaurant. I've never been to that part of the world before & didn't think the hotel prices would be so high - again judging by prices in Ireland, but then I suppose it's because we don't have a Caribbean climate over here! I'm also a little nervous about where I would stay because I may end up being on my own for the 3 days - it is not definite that my friend will be able to stop over, and it's important to me that I can be somewhere I can relax & trust people - I've had my share of hair-raising experiences in Europe! Ideally I would like to stay somewhere within walking distance of the main town, close to the beach & with comfortable & clean facilities & with nice people. It wouldn't have to be a hotel complex because I like fairly simple & homely places to stay for less than $100 per night (per person). I have looked at accomodation on the site Bonaireinfo.com but was not sure what would be a good place to stay as places & prices & recommendations can vary. I suppose I will just have to keep looking - thank you for your advice I really appreciate it!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By mary pequinot (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #303) on Tuesday, April 15, 2003 - 7:55 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Anna, first of all-Bonaire is safe for a woman to stay alone. I've NEVER felt uncomfortable there. It is tranquil and peaceful, and the people are friendly and nice. The only place we've stayed is Lion's Dive, which is a little more than you were looking for, but I'm sure by looking on this website and infobonaire.com, you'll find something.

Most of the hotels are not large, but don't expect miles of beaches. Bonaire is so close to the reef that most of the island is coral.

Keep searching and asking questions. I put together our first vacation on Bonaire from using this board and another one, and found the information very accurate.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By pat murphy (BonaireTalker - Post #38) on Tuesday, April 15, 2003 - 8:54 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

if you can get in, try carib inn. it's small, relatively inexpensive, and close to town. we have stayed there a number of times and walk to and from town all the time.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Rita Daggett (BonaireTalker - Post #132) on Tuesday, April 15, 2003 - 10:01 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

I'm wondering why you are going to Bonaire - esp for such a short time! (not that I have been (yet) but its seems its charms for Europeans are definitely the undersea life).
If you want windsurfing, then I think the east side of the island is where that happens; I've not read much about any other watersports (apart from diving/snorkelling).
But the Caribbean in general is expensive - even after you've allowed for the airfare! And it seems to be getting more expensive, relatively.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By anna connolly (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #3) on Tuesday, April 15, 2003 - 10:10 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Thanks for all your advice - it's much better to have people's advice who've stayed there rather than just looking at guidebooks opinions. I'm actually going to Peru for a wedding & staying for 3 wks & I just decided it'd be nice to stay in Bonaire on my way back because it's a free stop-over! And better to be somewhere exotic for a couple of days than never at all! Cheers!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mercy Baron (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #113) on Sunday, April 20, 2003 - 8:02 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Anna, try Yacht Club apts...full kitchen, nice separate bedroom, mile walk into town. I believe they're only about $65 a night? I've stayed there, and liked it. Be prepared for no hot water though as it is in the smaller places like that. Have stayed in Carib Inn, Divi and they have hot water, but it is more money to stay there.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By michael gaynor (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1644) on Monday, April 21, 2003 - 1:32 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Welcome back Mercy....

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Carole Baker (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #2295) on Monday, April 21, 2003 - 2:14 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

We've missed you, Mercy....don't run away like that again, OK? How's things?? Carole

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By DARLENE ELLIS (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #713) on Monday, April 21, 2003 - 4:16 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Welcome back Mercy! I bet you were having a good time while you have been away!!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Annie Pon (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #7) on Saturday, May 3, 2003 - 2:14 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Try http://www.infobonaire.com/bth/

I'm making plans to stay with them, their in our price range. I found this place with the help of Josie here on this site.

I'm waiting for a confirm from them.

Annie

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Josie (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #794) on Saturday, May 3, 2003 - 10:53 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Anna, we stay at Bonaire Town Homes (I spent three weeks there alone for several visits), which is definitely a budget accommodation, price-wise. They have just two units (one one bedroom and one two bedroom bungalow) owned and run by a lovely local couple. About a km from center of town/waterfront, in quiet residential area.

The owners live next door and are very available for their guests, the units are new and very clean and fully equipped.

I think the one-bedroom unit is $60/night (for the unit, not per person), plus service charge and local taxes, so it's very reasonable.

I'm also very comfortable staying alone there and on Bonaire in general.

 


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