Hotel Calabona

The pools were great, and there was a good range of food with decent quality. But charging for water was a low point, and the staff were average, doing an average job. The rooms are a gamble depending on which of the five blocks you get. Ours was poor: old beds, bedding and furniture, with towels like cardboard. They aren't four-star rooms. I won't be back.

I've been coming to the cala bona hotel for many years and love it. The manager and staff are truly wonderful, so friendly and always willing to do whatever they can for you.

The hotel is beautifully clean, in a lovely position over the harbour, with lovely pools and a surprise new little spa pool. The staff are absolutely fabulous. Our room this time had a pool view, a mini fridge, kettle, tea and coffee, and a walk-in shower. The rooms are small but adequate. Breakfast's fresh breads, butter and pastries were beautiful, and the bacon was delicious. We could always find something to eat, though the food wasn't up to the standard of our previous visit. The early-season entertainment was also below what we remembered. This was our second stay. Two years ago we loved the holiday so much we extended it by another week. This time, the beds were a real problem for my husband, who has a disability. They were too low and too hard, like camp beds, and the pillows were lumpy. We didn't have this trouble before, so perhaps the mattresses have changed. Staff tried to help, adding a topper and an extra duvet to lie on, but it didn't help enough and could stop us returning. Raising the beds and providing much thicker mattresses for disabled guests would make a big difference. The new spa pool was lovely, but some younger guests were playing around in it, so we couldn't relax. We didn't say anything because they were having fun and, this early in the season, the outdoor pool was too cold. This hotel really isn't suited to children or young people; the protur bonaire may suit them better. We love the hotel and its position, and thank the staff for all their help, but the bed issue is our one real disadvantage.

The food was okay, and the entertainment was often great. If you can, try for a sea-view room. We hired a boat at the harbour in front of the hotel, which was fantastic. The small public beach was great too, about 300 metres away: walk out of the hotel and turn right. A good little hotel.