Dolphin Suites & Wellness Curacao

The hotel is pretty new, and a lot of thought went into its layout and amenities. The main pool area is a little small. It’s a short walk to the Aquarium, with lots for kids of all ages to do, and about five minutes to Mambo Beach and the shopping area. A good fit if you want some seclusion while staying close to the action. One heads-up: construction was happening in the distance, and the heavy jacket hammer noise could disturb your morning if you sleep very late.

This is a cute place, but calling it a resort is misleading. The decor is really nice, very boho chic, and the location is convenient. The beach entry and shuttle to the market are through the lions den. Access to beach chairs and the entry fee at Madero are great, though Madero may still try to charge for chair use, so it was awkward having to pull up the Dolphin website to prove that. Maybe communication with Maderos staff could be better. The back pools were very dirty, and I wondered if that was why no one seemed to use them. There are about 10 tight parking spots; if they’re full, you have to park in a paid lot and get reimbursed by the hotel. Our flights changed and we arrived a day late. I contacted the third-party booking site, which reached out to the hotel. They honored the reservation, but declined to refund even the missed night or half of it, although the hotel wasn’t full and didn’t lose a room. There is travel insurance, but as a business owner I would have tried to work something out at least a little. We had a two-room family studio, or whatever it’s called, with one Jack and Jill bathroom. The shower flooded well past the curtain, so put a towel down. There was one TV in the living area, and streaming was confusing even with the instructions. The microwave made an awful noise, the refrigerator smelled oddly of cigarettes, the curved couch only fit two people, and flushing the toilet brought a strong sewage smell. The hotel is accessible for people with disabilities, which is great. I also don’t really understand the “wellness” part of the name. There’s a massage hut, but that’s about it. Service was sparse apart from two lovely women at the front desk, Chantel and Mote (sp?), who were very kind, and I think a maintenance man. Finding reception at check-in was difficult, with no signs or anyone to help. It looked like the restaurant hostess area, and restaurant tables stretch down the walkway to the rooms, making it awkward to pass people eating breakfast or lunch with luggage. One luggage rack was faulty; the maintenance man saw us struggling and helped us upstairs, which we appreciated. It wasn’t a horrific stay, but I’d personally choose a real resort.

The location was nice, and the pool was good, with free beach chairs too. But the AC in one of our rooms never worked during our stay, despite several requests to have it fixed in 29-degree heat. They did nothing to make up for that. Money was also taken from our room, and staff didn’t address it after we reported it. Having both the broken AC and the missing money go unresolved left a bad taste.

We especially appreciated the pool toys and floats for kids, the beach toys you can borrow, and the drying rack in the room for wet swimsuits. The rooms were comfortable, and the saltwater and mineral water pools were refreshing. It’s close to Mambo Beach, a lovely clean sand beach with free access to Madeiro Beach Club, and near Mambo Beach Blvd restaurants and shops. The Reef Restaurant breakfasts were delicious, and the complimentary grocery shuttle was handy. Staff were welcoming, friendly, attentive, and helpful, especially Chantal and Sherone. A cozy, family-friendly resort in an excellent location. My only suggestions are daily housekeeping, full-size bed pillows, and face or wash cloths in the suites.