Location! Location! Location!

Guest: Jean (New Jersey)
Date of Stay: 01/07/12 Review Submitted: 01/31/12

What a great vacation! We stayed two weeks at this condo, and it felt like home. This studio was spacious and provided all the amenities we could possibly need, from spices to coolers; no need to bring anything from home. Patrick and Susan communicated with us regularly, answering any questions we had and giving us lots of information before our arrival. By far the biggest plus is its location! Right next to the dive shop, and steps to Bari Reef. There is a small sandy beach in front of this unit that we used on the days we didn't go snorkeling, or just wanted a quick swim. We had dinner at the beachfront restaurant next door more than once; great atmosphere and food, friendly and very convenient. And Lover's ice cream is just a two minute walk for dessert. There was a constant breeze through the studio, so we rarely needed the air conditioning. We would recommend this to friends, and look forward to coming back.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, people with disabilities, adventure seekers, girls getaway, age 55+.

Three times and we look forward to going back!

Guest: Keith & Linda (Berthoud, CO)
Date of Stay: 09/24/11 Review Submitted: 01/13/12

From a couple of gray-hairs still diving: We’ve been to Bonaire somewhere around twenty times. We’ve stayed in a fairly wide variety of resorts, including Buddy’s, Divi, the old Sunset Beach, some I don’t remember and several off-the-water dives not worth mentioning. We had our first stay at Sand Dollar a couple of years ago in the unit above Patrick & Susan's (I’ll leave it unnamed but it’s a good one, too). Since then, we’ve stayed in Patrick & Susan's condo the last three visits. We will continue to book this unit whenever we can. It’s the neatest and cleanest place we’ve stayed – the bed and furniture are good and the kitchen has all the needed appliances and utensils (we rarely eat out). It has one of the best ocean views of any place we’ve stayed – and it’s by far the most convenient to the dive shop (if you use Bonaire Dive & Adventure). Bonaire Dive & Adventure, right next door, is a good shop to dive with – tanks are convenient, Nitrox is typically free, and their gear storage, dock and reef are excellent. We’ve read the other reviews ahead of this one and agree strongly with all the good things that have been said – both about the condo and Patrick and Susan. It’s a top-notch place to stay!! Other notes: Parking is plentiful and adequately close to the unit. The staff at Sand Dollar is exceptional – both the office staff and the housekeeping people. The unit is very handicap accessible - no stairs or steps. If you need internet, wi-fi is available in the rooms but a little better hookup is available across the parking lot at Chat-n-Browse – and Michael, the proprietor, easily becomes a good friend. But maybe best of all – right next door to Chat-n-Browse is Lovers Ice Cream – a double scoop and a short walk back to watch the sunset – it doesn’t get any better than that!!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, tourists without a car, people with disabilities, adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children.

Simply maaaavelous

Guest: dooperman (Lancaster, Pa)
Date of Stay: 04/03/09 Review Submitted: 11/15/11

We stayed at this condo the first time just by luck through online booking. We enjoyed the condo so much that we contacted the owners and booked through them for our next stay. It was even better the second time around because of the upgrades to the condo. They are right when they say "location, location, location. The condo is located very close to all you need, shopping, the dive shop, and the easy entries to the approppriately claimed most diverse reef to dive. Bari reef is amazing, and aftern a day of diving we enjoyed a beautiful view of the sunset from the deck ofm the condo The condo was very nicely decorated, the kitchen was well equipped with lots of little extras that really came in handy, and the furniture and bed were very comfy. Nice collecxtion of informative books, and nice entertainment center. We are looking forward to staying there again and highly reccomend this condo to anyone staying in Bonaire.

Recommended for:Tourists without a car, people with disabilities, sightseeing, adventure seekers, girls getaway, age 55+, families with young children.

Perfection!

Guest: Jenny (Aurora, CO)
Date of Stay: 10/21/11 Review Submitted: 11/04/11

About us: Married couple from Colorado, 28 & 30, traveled extensively throughout the Caribbean, first dive trip and first time to Bonaire. The other reviews ring true for these accommodations. We rented directly from the owner after considering several Sand Dollar vacation rentals by owner online. First of all, the owners of this unit are phenomenal. They were more than happy and willing to discuss their condo and help us plan our trip. They were even able to arrange an early check in for a nominal fee. They sent us two separate packets in the mail containing maps, brochures and information, and even helped with recommendations about grocery stores, restaurants, and things to do while on dry land. They also emailed us before and after the trip to make sure we were all set and to see how our trip was. Nicest folks ever! When we arrived to the condo the check in process was easy and the front desk staff was very friendly. One thing to think about is location. The building the condo is in is very close to the office, dock, the dive shop, and the gear storage. We were really happy with our choice of this unit. I had wondered if a studio would be adequate for my Husband and I or if we would be cramped. However, the studio was incredibly spacious, and far exceeded our needs. We used the kitchen extensively as well, which was great. We slept incredibly well each night on the comfortable bed. We loved the bathroom and the screened in porch with the great view. The condo was also full of great books on the reef and creature identification. AC worked great. Housekeeping did a great job as well. Really every aspect of the condo was fantastic – the pictures do not do it justice. In terms of the Sand Dollar property itself, I find it hard to imagine a more streamlined setup. The location of the onsite dive facilities is incredibly convenient for either dives on their incredible house reef, boat dives, or for tank take away via their drive up tank storage. Also there are multiple restaurants within walking distance and even an Internet café, minimart, and ice cream shop footsteps away from the condo. The question is not if we will return to this condo and Sand Dollar, but when.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, tourists without a car, adventure seekers, girls getaway, age 55+.

Perfect week at Sand Dollar

Guest: R & G (Newton, MA)
Date of Stay: 02/19/11 Review Submitted: 03/01/11

We just spent a wonderful week in the Schlagels' condominium at Sand Dollar. We can't say enough about how delightful this experience was. The condo was beautifully equipped, very pleasant to live in, and most attractive. We particularly liked the screened-in porch, where we ate every meal looking out at beautiful view of the ocean and sunsets. Susan and Patrick were so helpful throughout the whole process, from questions before choosing this condo, to helpful ideas as we prepared to travel to Bonaire, and for all the helpful information about the island that was available in the condo. We felt as though we were visiting friends who wanted us to have a perfect vacation in their home. The kitchen is spacious and very well equipped, the storage area on the porch for dive/snorkel gear was great, the pool was so refreshing, and the nearby market, restaurant, dive shop, photo shop, etc. were very convenient. We had a perfect week, thanks to Susan and Patrick and their very conforatble condo.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, adventure seekers, age 55+.

Great time at Sand Dollar in December 2010!

Guest: Diver Girl (Kansas)
Date of Stay: 12/25/10 Review Submitted: 02/15/11

My husband and I stayed at Sand Dollar and were blown away by the personal attention given to us both before and after our trip by the condo owners. We have never had hosts so gracious and concerned about us having a good experience. Sand Dollar was easy to find, had great access to dining and shopping, and had excellent dockside dive entry/exit with beautiful reef--right outside your door! I definitely would stay there again should our travels take us back to Bonaire. The Sand Dollar staff was compassionate about some of the special needs we encountered on our trip and were always available to answer questions as needed. The condo was immaculate with all the provisions. I wish Sand Dollar had more beach available, but we didn't go there to lay out--we went to dive! It just would have been nice to walk along the beach at sunset! :) We need to go back to Bonaire to see more and do more, and when we are able to do so, I hope this Sand Dollar condo is available!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers.

What a great vacation

Guest: Hank & Terri (Minneapolis, MN)
Date of Stay: 03/29/10 Review Submitted: 04/21/10

We found Patrick & Susan on a Google search for rentals on Bonaire and they were so enthusiastic about the island and the condo when we contacted them we couldn't resist. First, this place is convenient to great snorkeling, excellent food, and is very comfortable for a couple on a getaway. Second, it's close to town (but not too close) for groceries, etc., the western dive/snorkel sites along the coastal road, and either Washington-Slagbaii to the north or the salt pans and Lac Bay to the south, as well as the airport! Third, it sits at sort of a hub of getting everywhere quickly and easily as the condo is right where the roads diverge to all points Bonaire. And we went everywhere! The bottom line is that we had a blast, and my wife would concur that we found Bonaire to be the best vacation we've been on. We aren't divers, but the snorkeling was simply beyond anything we expected. If St. John was my previous Gold Standard, Bonaire blows it out of the water (pun intended.) The island isn't a "pretty face" like some more lushly tropical islands, but we've never met a more friendly, genuine, and great bunch of people as we did here. When you sit down and chat with someone from Bonaire, you cannot help but feel as though they're old friends you are merely catching up with after an absence rather than people you just met. Let me finish by saying how helpful Patrick & Susan were throughout our trip planning. From the time we booked with them, they stayed in contact with us. We got maps and information on what to do from them in the mail weeks before our trip. When I had questions about the electrical differences via email, Patrick responded by calling me instead to discuss. When we were down to a week before departure, they again inquired if we had questions. We paid the nominal fee for access to the condo upon our arrival at 5 AM - and I can't recommend that enough to anyone flying in on a red-eye so a final confirmation was in place the day before we left. We've rented condos, villas, houses, and done one all-inclusive throughout the Caribbean over the past 7 years and never have we felt so welcomed by the owners of a property as we felt renting from Patrick & Susan. They are enthusiastic about the island, care about you enjoying your stay, and want nothing more than for you to have a relaxing vacation. They are friendly and gracious and offer comfortable quarters at a fair price. We highly recommend this property to anyone considering a stay on Bonaire.

Recommended for:Sightseeing, adventure seekers.

Amazing Stay in Bonaire

Guest: Water Rats (Spokane, WA)
Date of Stay: 03/20/10 Review Submitted: 04/15/10

My husband and I stayed at the Sand Dollar and it was exactly how they described it a home away from home. The condo had all the amenities and more than you could ask for on your vacation. The view from the oceanfront condo looks at the most beautiful sunsets Bonaire has to offer. We thoroughly enjoyed the beginning and ending of our day in the screened-in patio area over looking at the oceanfront. The dive shop is right next door. The accessibility of the dive shop is the most convenient and accommodating you could possibly ask for. The staff were outstanding and friendly. We thoroughly enjoyed all the our boat and shore dives we endured. The owners were more than helpful in assuring are stay was more than spectacular. You could not ask for a more amazing experience in our stay in Bonaire. The diving is plentiful. The diving is a divers paradise. The short drive to enjoy plentiful shore diving is remarkable. We enjoyed some of the activities Bonaire has to offer. We visited the slave huts, kite and wind surfing and the National Park. These were more than enjoyable activities to enjoy during our stay in Bonaire and only being a few minutes away. My husband and I plan to revisit Bonaire again soon and we could not recommend any where better to stay than at the Sand Dollar Condominiums with Patrick and Susan. There recommendations and accommodations are more than prestige.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children.

Guest: Mike and Christine (DeKalb, Illinois, USA)
Date of Stay: 02/03/10 Review Submitted: 02/03/10

What a great location to all the dive sites on the island! You feel right at home in this condo because it's in excellent condition, well decorated, has a nice dive library,and a fully furnished kitchen (they even provided a cooler to pack lunches, drinks, and snacks). This is the best location at the Sand Dollar because it's located next to the dive shop, close to the pier and a great restaurant. You can enjoy the evening sunset right outside your patio door - couldn't have pick a better place!

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