We recently returned from our first trip to Curacao. We had looked at many options for our stay, including vacation bungalows, villas, and homes. We decided to stay at Bonbini based on a recommendation from a family member who lives and works in Curacao. We had booked the bungalow for 11 nights out of a 12 night stay on the island, they were booked for the last evening but we ended up being able to stay the last night which helped us out a lot.
The booking process was very easy, they were prompt in returning email and all the information they provided was accurate. The price we ended up paying was exactly what we were quoted. We arrived at the resort on Sunday afternoon, the office was closed but the keys were left with the security guard and we had no problems getting in. We were pleasantly surprised with the size and cleanliness of the bungalow, very spartan but had everything that we needed for our stay. There were two mid-sized bedrooms, one with a king size bed (my parents stayed in this room), and another bedroom with two queen size beds for my wife and I and our two young children. Both bedrooms had televisions and bathrooms with showers. The beds were very firm which took some getting used to, if you are looking for a soft bed you will be disappointed. However we found that we had very busy days and had no trouble falling asleep, although we did wake up a little sore in the mornings.
The kitchen was well stocked, there was a coffee maker and toaster, and pots and pans, plates, etc. and cutlery. We ate around half of our meals at the bungalow and it had everything we needed. It would have been nice to have a BBQ for outdoor cooking, but overall it was fine.
The remainder of the bungalow was a sitting area with couch and loveseat, and an eating nook with four chairs. There was also a small table and chairs if you wanted to eat inside. We spent most of our time on the deck enjoying the view of the Caribbean and the great sunsets. There was two lounge chairs and four deck chairs, perfect for our situation. There is also a laundry facility at the resort, worked well for us.
With our two young kids we spent a lot of time either at the beach or at the pool. It is a small vinyl lined pool, great for the kids and the area was very clean. This is not a busy resort so there was never problems with the pool being crowded. The location of this resort is fantastic, just across the road is Mambo Beach, it is busy but nice sand, have to pay for either your lounge chairs or the palapas, but if you go early you can find something fairly easily. Entrance to the beach is included with your bungalow. Great beach for kids, there is a wave break that makes it very calm and safe for the little ones. The weekends were very busy at the beach, we stayed away as we could see by the parking lot that it would be packed. Typical public beach, they want to sell you food and drink and frown on you bringing your own, but no big deal as you could find burgers, etc. at a decent price.
There were a few minor things that were negative about the resort. They had WIFI, but it was very unreliable and I often had trouble connecting, but we were on holidays so it wasn't a big deal.... We also had no hot water for part of the stay, they said they were upgrading, but when we did mention the problem they were quick to get it going again. Also, the office is closed for part of the days and all day on Sunday, but once you know that you can plan accordingly.
Overall for us the positives far outweighed the negatives. This is a no frills resort, but it is clean, the staff are great, and the location is perfect. It is very close to the Sea Aquarium, there are some good local restaurants, and the Breezes Casino is just down the road. If you are looking for a luxurious bed and fancy surroundings, this isn't the resort for you. But if you are looking for a clean, safe place to stay with the basic amenities at a great price, I would recommend Bonbini Seaside Resort. We will certainly consider it for our next trip.
Thanks to all the staff at Bonbini for our stay, we enjoyed it a lot and have tons of great memories!
- Bon Bini Seaside Hotel
