Bario Hotel

Once we got settled, the apartment felt like a little home away from home. It was clean and simple, the shower worked well, and we used the kitchen for breakfast and to make lunch for our beach trips. The pool by reception was nice too. At first, the place seemed dark and quite hot. We turned on the bedroom and living room air conditioning, switched on the lights, and opened the blinds a bit. Having to put toilet paper in a bin was a little unusual, though we’d encountered that before and it wasn’t a big deal.

We appreciated being able to leave the car in the free secured lot before check-in and after checkout while we explored nearby sights. The location worked well, and the pool was great for cooling off after a warm afternoon walking around. Our two-bedroom room with kitchenette was spotless and had everything we needed. The historic buildings were lovely, and the staff at Bario Hotel were very friendly. We really enjoyed our visit and would come back.

There were plenty of good places to eat and drink within walking distance, and Queen Emma bridge was an easy walk for exploring the Punda side of Willemstad. Weekend nights got a little noisy, but things quieted down. My wife and I enjoyed our stay and would love to come back to El Bario and its wonderful staff.

We were there for about a week and liked the stay overall. The room had a fridge, stove, microwave, and pots and pans, so cooking for ourselves often made sense. The kitchen was closed during our visit, so I can’t comment on its food. I did get a drink at the bar, though, and $5US for a mini Heineken seemed steep. After that, I bought beer at the nearby market. The beds were quite uncomfortable for side sleeping and left us aching. The mattress might be fine for back sleepers, but the sheet and thin extra layer never made the bed feel cozy. The entrance doors only open halfway by default, which made squeezing through feel odd, even though we joked about it. The shower had body wash, but no shampoo or conditioner. Since the pipes and septic system can’t handle toilet paper, there’s a bin beside the toilet. Staff asked us to use Whatsapp, but our messages often seemed unread; we had more luck speaking to someone directly when we could find them. They were very helpful arranging taxis, especially early on our departure morning. There are two cats on the property. The grey and white one really stole our hearts. She’s outgoing and friendly, and seems keen to meet everyone.