Ocean Breeze Boutique Hotel & Marina

The food is excellent, and there's a pool by the restaurant. Reception staff were friendly and helpful, and the beds were comfortable. Rooms are clean and practical. I only missed having a hairdryer, but the weather took care of that just fine. There's a good location, with scooter and car rentals nearby, and the beach is a 10-minute walk away. The airport is also a 10-minute walk, which might sound worrying, but planes don't fly at night. Everything was a plus for me, and I'll definitely come back.

We were there for nine days in a studio with a small kitchen. The supplies were very basic, so I'm glad we brought a knife sharpener. They replaced a worn-out cutting board quickly. We cooked all but five of our meals. Liguangkee was delicious and very affordable, while Osaka was delicious but more expensive. We're from Maine and have good sushi at home. Also, a shout-out to the smoothie shack!! The mattress was two smaller ones joined together, probably to make shipping and placing it easier, but it worked. Lovely sheets, good pillows, and a very good shower. We liked Warehouse Bonaire for groceries and also shopped at several other stores, including Van Den Tweel. The room was good overall, with a comfy couch, though a suitcase stand would've helped. The balcony side had a lovely view, and the place felt private and tucked away. Dock restaurant was good too. The airport is across the way, but it only bothered me twice, when a plane sat at the runway edge with its engine running. My service rating would've been five stars if it weren't for what happened on our first night. After a long day and a half of travel, including driving to Boston the night before for a 5 a.m. flight, the check-in person insisted I'd booked an extra night. They said they could give me a couple of hours past checkout on the last day but couldn't refund it. They kept saying I'd booked through the 31st, then finally showed me an email that said I was booked through the 30th. There was no apology then or later, just a curt, "I'll have to check with the manager to see if we can refund you the 31st." I got the refund, of course, but the damage was done. I've never been treated that way as a customer. Maybe the clerk was having a bad day, but it felt like a scene from a lousy sitcom. I'm easygoing, which is why I still gave service three stars, but that really got me worked up.

We got a call an hour or two after arriving to check that everything was okay and were told to get in touch if we needed anything. After that, we had a quiet week. The porch looked over a beautiful inlet. The kitchen had all the appliances, the place was spotless, and the spice cabinet was full, with even some coffee. There was complimentary beer, seltzer, and juice. Check-in wasn't obvious, but we contacted them on whatsap and someone arrived within five minutes to show us around and hand over the keys. This was my eighth visit to Bonaire and by far my best stay. We compared reviews and other options before booking, nearly chose somewhere else, and I'm glad we didn't. I'm surprised by some of the negative reviews. You can't dive from the resort itself, so you have to drive to the dive sites. I don't have much sympathy for people who book without checking where it is. Yes, it's across from the airport. There aren't many flights and they stop in the early evening, but it's a tiny island. Wherever you stay, you'll hear a jet flying overhead on approach or takeoff. These are condos, so daily maid service isn't included. I suspect they could arrange cleaning for an extra fee if you ask. Otherwise, maybe a hotel is a better fit. They also ask you to turn off the AC when you're out. Some places care about conservation, and Bonaire depends on its reef system. If you came just to sit on a beach, maybe try Aruba. If you came to dive, respect that they care. You won't get plastic bags at the grocery store either, and they have windmills. No one checked whether we actually turned the AC off. There are no AC police. They just hope guests to their island care too. If I come back, I'd seriously consider staying here again.

The parking situation was crazy, and someone backed into my rental car and damaged it. That added stress to my vacation and my life. Otherwise I had a phenomenal stay, with great rooms and a location close to town. That's the only thing keeping me from giving five stars.