Great Bonaire diving vacation property

Guest: Bonaire divers (Boulder, CO)
Date of Stay: 05/30/10 Review Submitted: 07/09/10

This is a great rental and is perfect for a family or 2 couples who dive or just want to relax. We stayed 5 weeks and had 2 other couples visit us at separate times. We dove with a diving couple during the first 3 weeks and then snorkeled with non-diving friends the last 2 weeks. This condo and location accomodated the different interests of both groups. I won't repeat what Dive Daddy said in the first review (which was spot on!) but I will add that the condo has easy access for watching the fabulous Bonaire sunsets (with drinks in hand!). Also, many of the reviewers mentioned that the location was good for southern dive sites, which is true, but if you book with a shop like Dive Friends or Wannadive, they have several locations from north to south where you can exchange tanks so it is not a problem to dive all day up north if you wish. You don't need to return to the south between dives. Finally, you do need to rent a vehicle to stay at this property and if you are a family with teenagers or young children, it would help if the teenagers are divers or snorkelers or can otherwise occupy themselves since this is not a resort despite the title. If your teenagers are looking for a social scene, this property is not for them. Also, you would need to monitor young children since there is no lifeguard at the pool. We saw both teenagers and young children at other units during our stay and they seemed to be having a great time.

Owner response:I couldn't have done a more accurate description than this. Thanks for sharing your experience with all, Patty and Alan, and come again soon! Buddy

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+.

Bonaire Villa

Guest: DaddyDiver (Oregon)
Date of Stay: 03/13/10 Review Submitted: 03/24/10

My son and I just spent a delightful week diving off Bonaire in the southern Caribbean. We had been there before and generally knew the better dive sites and locations we would prefer staying in. Buddy Voelkel's condo was a great fit for us. Prior to our arrival, the owner sent us detailed instructions regarding everything from security to cleaning help. The home was absolutely spotless when we arrived. The upstairs bedrooms, with en suite baths, gave us the privacy we needed. The fully stocked kitchen allowed us to eat breakfast on our time and menu. The central pool area is very private and swept clean daily. Even after multiple dives, the evening dip in the pool felt great. The neighborhood is ultra quiet. No highway noise or wild parties to disturb a good night's sleep. The WiFi service signal seemed to vary somewhat; usually the signal was strong in the morning and weak at night, though we could always get on and keep up with the e-mail/etc. The rooms are air conditioned which was really nice after we got sunburned the first day out. There is an outside hose for cleaning and rinsing the dive gear and we just moved our BCDs and regs into the entry hall for security purposes at night. Recommend highly as good value for the dollar.

Owner response:Thanks Ken, after reading your review today, I booked my own trip down in 2 weeks. Come back soon!!!!!!!

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, romantic getaway, adventure seekers, age 55+, girls getaway, sightseeing, families with young children.

Guest: Tiffany36 (Richmond, TX)
Date of Stay: 06/26/09 Review Submitted: 06/26/09

Buddy's place is wonderful! It meets all your needs and has some nice features too (local cell phone & bikes to use)! Location is perfect for those who prefer diving the southern end. We even took a day, loaded up the bikes, and biked the northern side. It was beautiful! And, let me tell you about the locals - Queso, Junior, & Daisy! They're 3 wonderful dogs that greet you as your pull up. They live just past Buddy's place but love you just the same! Thank you, Buddy, for opening up your home! You can count on us coming back!! ~Tiffany & Scott

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 01/25/09 Review Submitted: 01/25/09

Had a wonderful vacation in Bonaire Christmas 2008 for 2 weeks. Buddy's accommodations were exactally as advertized. They were clean, neat, fully stocked "home" and very comfortable. The location is excellent for diving in the south, we enjoyed southern diving. We were met by the housekeeper and car rental company at the airport...all arranged by Buddy. Buddy was excellent to deal with. We would rent with Buddy again. Thank you

Owner response:Thanks Marc & Natalie, hope you are able to come back again soon. Buddy

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