Harbour Village Beach Club

Last week, we visited Bonaire for the first time and had an incredible experience at Harbour Village. As a family of four with two teenage boys, the two-bedroom suite was ideal for us. The resort is impeccably maintained, from the grounds and rooms to the beach. The staff was exceptionally friendly and attentive. Whether you're a diver or not (our family is a mix), the resort caters to both. The beach and pools are quiet and secluded, making it the perfect spot to relax and recharge. Pepe and the dive staff were outstanding. We participated in several boat dives and thoroughly enjoyed the guided sites, which are generally less accessible from the shore. We also did a lot of self-guided shore diving, and the tank exchange program at the resort was seamless. We spoke with several other guests who mentioned they visit Bonaire regularly and only stay at Harbour Village. Now I understand why! We will definitely return to Bonaire and will undoubtedly stay at Harbour Village again.

This was the perfect place for my husband and me to stay. The location was ideal, featuring a private beach and a unique, multilayered rancho-style hotel. Just to be clear, this is not a standard hotel with elevators, so it may not be suitable for older guests who would need to navigate stairs on foot. However, it was perfect for us. We stayed on the second floor, and the hotel staff kindly carried all our luggage upstairs, leaving us to only carry ourselves. The highlight was the on-site restaurant right by the beach, which meant we didn't have to venture far for meals unless we wanted to explore. The restaurant quickly became a favorite of mine, offering decent options for lunch and dinner. While I'm usually not impressed with breakfasts outside because I prefer my own cooking, this can vary from person to person. Their pastries were really good, and they offered a fresh catch of the day. We were fortunate to enjoy an unexpected catch—lobster—straight from the sea, which Chef Gabriel turned into a superb dish for us. It was a special treat for our honeymoon. Gisele, our waitress, was incredibly attentive and made our dining experience even better. I absolutely loved the restaurant, which was set on a small pier resembling a pirate ship. I found myself there at least once a day, just to set foot on that "pirate ship." They also provided beachside service, allowing us to order drinks and enjoy our beach time in swimsuits. We will definitely be going back there.

The hotel is located on a fantastic beach, which is truly wonderful. The dive club organizes excellent snorkeling excursions; we went to Andrea 2 and had a great time. You can snorkel right in front of the hotel, but it's more suited for very inexperienced snorkelers and is somewhat limited. The reception staff are excellent and very helpful, as are the maintenance staff. The restaurant staff are okay, but they are young and lack experience. The gym is adequate but a bit outdated, though it has everything you need. The hotel restaurant is expensive and doesn't use high-quality products, which seems to be a common issue throughout Bonaire, possibly due to import challenges. The rooms are somewhat dated and could use refurbishment. Additionally, in our room category, there were no double beds available, so we had to sleep separately, which wasn't very romantic.

You can't beat staying in a condo within a resort! We enjoyed all the comforts of home while being just steps away from a private sandy beach, where I encountered more wildlife than anywhere else on the island (including two octopuses, huge eels, sea cucumbers, spotted drum, lionfish, scorpionfish, conch, massive tarpon, flounders, puffers, angels, anemones, and parrotfish). Additionally, we had daily housekeeping, room service, beach service, a spa, a dive shop, boat trips, and a souvenir/sundry shop at our disposal. Another fantastic feature is that 100% of the beach chairs, tables, and hammocks are shaded by dense palm trees, and even during peak hours of spring break, only 20% were occupied. There was always a table available at the restaurant, which offered great service, an excellent breakfast, a good lunch, and a passable dinner. Plus, there are plenty of great dining options within walking distance. With ample parking in Bonaire (even downtown) and driving on the right side, you can easily reach almost anywhere in 15 minutes. This has now become our second favorite lodging of all our travels. The only downside is the laundry situation—there are no washer-dryers in the beachfront condos (even for a fee), and while they do offer laundry service, it's not included and requires filling out a form (we had a one-day turnaround). Our favorite place (Tulemar in Costa Rica) offers the same amenities (except the wildlife is on land) but includes laundry service in the price, where you simply leave your clothes on the bathroom floor, and they return them clean.

We spent eight days on the island, dining at a different nice restaurant each night. LA Balandra stood out as the best experience - exceptional food, outstanding service, and a fantastic atmosphere! It was so impressive that it was the only place we visited twice, even having lunch there on our last day.