Curacao - 2 divers, 2 young kids in tow...where to stay?/or should we go elsewhere?

[SunTunnel]

Hi all,

I'm hoping that you might be able to offer some advice. I've been trying to plan a dive/family trip and have been looking on the boards for older posts, but thought I'd write my own and ask some specific questions.

Before I get to the Curacao questions....I'm open to suggestions for other locations in the Caribbean/Central America. (saying that this trip is planned for November so I figured that being further south in somewhere like Curacao would mean that the water would likely be warmer...a must for my wife!).



We want great diving, but also really would like somewhat decent beaches for the kids who are 2 and 4 years old.
We need a place that can offer 2 bedrooms.
We definitely need somewhere that has a kids club so we can dive while the kids are watched (in the mornings).

I'm not on a backpacker budget, but at the same time, I can't afford $300+ a night!

I was looking at Blue Bay, but then saw that some guests were complaining about really rude service and also that they got a nasty smell from an oil refinery up wind.

So...any suggestions for hotel/resort that has a kitchen, 2 bedrooms, beach, and a kids club?

Or suggestions of other spots that might not be too tricky to get to (we are in Colorado so the connections to may places are not great anyway).
FYI - Been to Coz, Roatan, Turks & Caicos, Tobago, Belize, so was hoping for somewhere a bit different that isn't too outrageous in price.

Cheers!

Ollie

 

[diver 85]

Water temps will/should not be a problem anyplace in the Caribbean in Nov......Try ? Little Cayman or Cayman Brac, great diving with a slight edge to LC(shallower ending to all dives..)...I would suggest Grand Cayman also but for us it's too crowded...dunno.....

My suggestion would be don't tow em???.........good luck, let us know where you end up.....

 

[ScubaMarc]

I stayed at blue bay 2 times, there was no smell that i could tell. Rude people; i did not need to talk to anyone except to get the keys and at the end to check out so i did not have any rude people to deal with if they were there. Place is nice, comfortable 3 bedrooms villas.

Beach for the kids is clean, quite and only paid guest are allowed.

 

[CT Sean]

We (wife and I) have only stayed at the Lodge Kura Hulanda but I don't think it will meet your budget for a two bedroom unit. I also don't recall seeing anything that would qualify as a kids club. So none of that does you any good

I've never been there but the [-]Hilton Curacao[/-] I meant the Marriot always seems well-reviewed when this type of topic comes up. Their website does mention a kids club but no specific details. You definitely want to gets the specifics before booking. I can say from experience that many "kids clubs" include statements like "children must be potty-trained" and "parents may not leave the property and/or must be reachable by phone at all times" in the fine print. There was the usually the option of in room babysitting but it was often rather expensive and I honestly just wasn't comfortable leaving the kids alone with a total stranger for 3 hours (and my kids were 9 and 10 at the time).

 

[Curacao Sunshine]

Would bringing a babysitter or grandmother be an option?

 

[MrB]

Hi,

I would recommend the Jan Thiel area on Curaçao. I've been there 3 times and I very much like that spot on the Island because it has a good beach (recently renewed) which is kids-friendly. Also lots of restaurants/bars on the domain.

The area is like a sort of a domain with 1 entrance. There are shops, bars, restaurants, casino and a dive center all within a distance of 200 meters.

Some nice dive spots such as Jan Thiel, Directors Bay, Tug Boat are only a 10min drive away. (The house reef is directly on the beach).

Also Willemstad, the capital, is only 20mins away by car where you could go diving the Superior Producer (wreck).

I stayed in the Papagayo Beach Resort (a little more expensive), a rented Villa and the Morena Resort (recommended); The morena resort has some villa's and appartements with 2 bedrooms and kitchen.

If you need more info, don't hesitate...

Regards,
Bjorn

 

[diversteve]

I've been to the Hilton Curacao. Not stayed there but spent two evenings on the grounds. The hotel itself is from the 70's and showed it. Grounds were nice, beach was average. There's this sort of boardwalk/pier just off the "beach" - it's odd looking.

The Marriott Beach Resort next door is very nice. Nice beach, pool area, Caribbean Sea Sports on-site for diving/other water activities. They offer kids activities but it seems to be age 4 and up. Curacao Resort Activities & Fitness Center | Marriott Curacao Vacation Resort

Both are in Piscadera Bay - about 10-15 minutes from downtown. I'm fairly certain neither would have a kitchen though.

There's also a Breezes 5mins. east of town. It's a family AI resort. Ocean Encounters is on-site there so two boat dives and you'd be back around noon. Also the DiveBus is across the street for escorted shore diving. They also list a Kids Club but no details - Curacao – Activities New | Breezes

Also:

Two Bedroom Suite

King size bed in each room + 1 pull out sofa.Featuring two separate bedrooms. The master bedroom with an oversized tub and separate full bathroom with shower and tub. Living room with pull-out sofa bed. Plus a fully equipped kitchen.

fwiw, it's been our experience - at several locations in Curacao - that kitchenette usually means a 2 burner cooktop, micro and mini-refrigerator. Only the villas at Lodge Kura Hulanda have a full kitchen. Not a lot of good beach there and I'd doubt they have a kids program - not that sort of resort. The villas are probably not under $300/nt. in high season either. It's also 45mins. drive to town from there.

 

[RJP]

\
I've never been there but the Hilton Curacao always seems well-reviewed when this type of topic comes up. Their website does mention a kids club but no specific details. You definitely want to gets the specifics before booking. I can say from experience that many "kids clubs" include statements like "children must be potty-trained" and "parents may not leave the property and/or must be reachable by phone at all times" in the fine print. There was the usually the option of in room babysitting but it was often rather expensive and I honestly just wasn't comfortable leaving the kids alone with a total stranger for 3 hours (and my kids were 9 and 10 at the time).

The Hilton Curacao is a hole. I have an absurd amount of Hilton Honors points - could stay there for free for months - but when I travel to Curacao I pay cash to stay at the Marriott instead. The Hilton's beach is a few dump-truck loads of construction sand... the pool looks as if it was abandoned... and the rest of the property is downhill from there.

I can't vouch for the kid's club at the Marriott. My kids are 14 and 8, and my wife doesn't dive so she is the "camp counselor" while I'm underwater. Also, you won't get 2 bedrooms for $300/night.

 

[CT Sean]

The Hilton Curacao is a hole. I have an absurd amount of Hilton Honors points - could stay there for free for months - but when I travel to Curacao I pay cash to stay at the Marriott instead. The Hilton's beach is a few dump-truck loads of construction sand... the pool looks as if it was abandoned... and the rest of the property is downhill from there.

I can't vouch for the kid's club at the Marriott. My kids are 14 and 8, and my wife doesn't dive so she is the "camp counselor" while I'm underwater. Also, you won't get 2 bedrooms for $300/night.

Crap - I must have been thinking of the Marriot. Good to know - thanks

 

[Swim_mom]

We have stayed at the Breezes several times, and used the kids club when our kids were younger. We all really enjoyed it, and lots for the kids to do - rock wall climbing, circus school etc. Our kids were 10 & 8 when we first went. We only had positive experiences at the Breezes on all 3 visits, but lots of reviews say otherwise. I think this resort would be in your budget.
You never know - during our first trip, we met another family where the mom was a non-diver. She watched all the kids, and we buddied with the husband so he could dive. It worked out for every one.
We had adjoining rooms in the royal tower. Could keep an eye on the kids, and still got some privacy, within budget.
My boys eat A LOT, and having meals included is important, because eating out adds up very quickly. The Breezes is re-opening in the fall as a Sunscape resort. No info on what kinds of changes renovation are happening. Their website says they will still include 1 daily shore dive.
We were there in April 2012, did our daily shore dive, and dove on our own with a rented car, and also with Dive Bus (who are great by the way). Our kids are 16 & 14 now, so I don't have current info on kids club, but they looked like they were having a blast.