Bonaire holiday

We stayed at Benno's home for a full two weeks, and could have stayed longer. This is the place to stay in Bonaire. The house had everything you could possible need, and is set on the best possible place on Bonaire. It is close to grocery stores and dive shops, but has the privacy of living in your own home rather than a hotel. We have stayed in numerous rental houses/villas all over the Bahamas and the Carribean, and this was our favorite. We have two children, seven and eleven. The house and beach were perfect for them and they loved the pool. The beach was perfect for snorkeling. We saw so many fish and corals, and the variety was exceptional!. My 11 year old and husband were able to get open-water certified and then were able to scuba right from the front door. People are friendly and helpful in Bonaire. We would not hestitate to return for another vacation on Bonaire and would definitely return to this same home.

Villa Crowne Ridge is all new with large open rooms, it is beautifully decorated and well-equipped – we immediately felt at home. It had all of the comforts of home that one might need: well stocked cupboards and drawers full of all the pots, pans, plates and utensils one could ever need, plenty of towels, fresh linens, each room had it’s own (very quiet) a/c which kept everyone comfortable, a decent sized well maintained pool, cable TV, internet access and nice laundry facilities – that is once you figure out how to use them (hint – bone up on your Dutch). The reef of the divesite Andrea I is part of your backyard; even youngsters can snorkel and see all kinds of sea creatures while you relax and watch from the patio. We took the opportunity of being in a divers paradise to get our children their open water dive certifications – the people at Wannadive are wonderful. When you are not taking advantage of the well appointed kitchen and eating at the very large table poolside, there are numerous local restaurants to explore. Worthy of note: Bobbejan's BBQ, Patagonia, and the Rose Inn located a short drive away in Rincon for a taste of the local fare (one of the few places you will find iguana on the menu). For the adventurous types a trip to Washington Slaagbi Park is a must; plan on all day.

Benno, the owner, was a pleasure to deal with and was available seemingly 24/7 to answer any questions via email or by phone. Rob, the property manager was nice enough to meet us at the airport for our 4:30 AM arrival and then again at 5:00AM for our early AM departure. Much thanks to both!

To summarize: For that home away from home feeling; Villa Crowne Ridge is THE place to stay on Bonaire.

If you are looking for the perfect house by the ocean, this is it. We decided to take a last minute vacation and searched all over the web. We cut it down to 3 homes and we are SO pleased we chose this one.
If you love diving or snorkelling, you will love Bonaire. But more than that, if you love going to stay somewhere that has all the amenities of home but in a perfect setting, this is your place. Our experience was great. What a joy to arrive somewhere and find it nicer than the photos suggest. It was immaculate and is equipped with everything you could possibly need. The house is beautifully furnished and has the most comfortable beds. Fresh crisp linens, clean towels by the dozen, everything brand new. And the best part about this house - its location. It has incredible views of the ocean - you are literally steps away. The pool is lovely and the deck is the perfect place to enjoy your evening, sipping a cocktail while the sun goes down. It is very private and quiet. Unlike the previous poster, we never had much of a problem with mosquitoes - there was a lovely ocean breeze most evenings that seemed to keep them away.

Aside from diving/snorkelling, if you have kids, there are a few other fun things to do.
- take the 3hr horseback ride from the Riding Academy at Kunuku Warahama to the Ocean. You can swim with the horses in the ocean (they are actually swimming not wading). Amazing. Even my 5yr old did it and loved it. Call Marion, the owner, to schedule but if you do want to do it, book well in advance.
- visit the Donkey Sanctuary. They have more than 400 rescued donkeys there. Lots of fun for the kids.
- visit Rum Runners for cocktails overlooking the ocean. They do the adult version for mom and dad and the kids "virgin" cocktails too.
- Sunset Bar and Grill. The fish is great and there is a little sand beach directly in front of the restaurant where the kids can splash in the ocean before and after lunch/dinner.
- Visit the Butterfly farm. The kids put mango juice on their fingers and the butterflies came and landed on their hands. They loved it.

We would recommend this house without reservation. We'd like to thank Benno and Suzanne for renting it out and allowing us to enjoy their lovely home. And thanks too to Rob for being such a friendly and helpful property manager - not to mention, for being so cheerful despite our 4:30am arrival!
We hope to be back sometime next year. Thanks again - Karen, David, Chloe and Keira, NYC.