HELP! Plaza Resort Bonaire Gets Mixed Reviews

[DazedAndConfuzed]

I got the package with the meals, but I took Insel that brings me to the island at 9:30pm. Does this place have dinner available late? Not sure why Insel leaves Charlotte so so late.

And the return flght is 7am or so, causing me to miss all the dives the previous day (maybe could get a twilight dive). If Insel has 1 flight to Charlotte to/from Charlotte a day, it should at least be at reasonable times.

 

[Dannybot]

I was wondering, those who have stayed and/or commented, have you stayed at Hotel Cozumel, or Fantasy Island, and how would you compare to those?

I am looking at the Plaza AI November 12-19.

 

[DazedAndConfuzed]

Plaza Jr suite seemed to be updated and fine, but I think the cleaning people intentionally placed a crab, gekko and cockroach in our room on the last day. Maybe unhappy with our tip to them?

 

[herbdb]

I have stayed at both the Plaza and Fantasy Island within the past 10 months. The Plaza is physically in better shape. We stayed in a Junior Suite which was very nice.

I think the diving on Bonaire is really outstanding. The ability to set your own schedule with the shore diving can't be beat.

Having said that, the price for Fantasy Island when we went made it a great bargain and we had a good time.

 

[South4Scuba]

Crab and Gekko are cool. Cockroach I can do without!!

 

[DazedAndConfuzed]

I saw the gekko when I lifted my luggage to start packing, I thought it was dead but it was a foot from its original location a hour or two later and disappeared next morning. I can't believe it was hiding under the luggage for a week. I saw the little crab the next morning and cornered it to let it out. Cockroach, I can't shoo out, so I had to get the la-cockroacha spray in the room and then send him down the toilet.

...and they gave me a notice for running the AC when I am not in the room. Apparently, they have one of those key card slots that you put your card in so all the power and lights are enabled. I had my card in so I could charge my batteries and the AC was still on, although at 25 deg C, was probably not using much power. The clock plugged into the wall also goes off when you pull the card out, although the fridge stays on.

 

[ianr33]

Thank you
Perhaps the most interesting thing I learned from this thread is to take wash cloths. It is kind of amusing to me that most of their guests must be from the USA and yet they don't get the message about our customs. Maybe I'll take several wash cloths and leave them behind as a hint.

I wouldn't be too sure about most guests being American. The one time I was in Bonaire many visitors were from Europe and also South America. (At least I think they were from South America 'cos of the speedos and gold chains, but maybe they were from Jersey? )

It's not the U.S. Don't expect it to be the same as home.

 

[Mossman]

I was going to make a comment like that, but I looked up the stats and indeed, a bit more than half of the visitors to Bonaire do come from the States. Maybe they're worried about people stealing them?

And Jersey is certainly a possibility with the direct flight from Newark.

 

[Mike]

I was wondering, those who have stayed and/or commented, have you stayed at Hotel Cozumel, or Fantasy Island, and how would you compare to those?

I am looking at the Plaza AI November 12-19.

Interesting places to compare. I'd say Hotel Cozumel is just a big motel 6. Fantasy Island is a dive till you drop destination, kind of like a big plantation that needs some TLC. The Plaza is like somebody wanted to make a 5 star resort but sort of missed the mark, never made it, and the current ownership seems confused on what to really do with it. Kind of "let's fix up the suites really nice, and forget about all the missing tiles in the pool"

I'd say the Plaza on Bonaire and Fantasy Island on Roatan are closer to being the top of the places on those islands to give you as nice an experience as is possible there. Hotel Cozumel is just a big motel 6, there are certainly a ton of nicer places to stay on Cozumel.

 

[lmorin]

I saw the gekko when I lifted my luggage to start packing, I thought it was dead but it was a foot from its original location a hour or two later and disappeared next morning. I can't believe it was hiding under the luggage for a week. I saw the little crab the next morning and cornered it to let it out. Cockroach, I can't shoo out, so I had to get the la-cockroacha spray in the room and then send him down the toilet.

...and they gave me a notice for running the AC when I am not in the room. Apparently, they have one of those key card slots that you put your card in so all the power and lights are enabled. I had my card in so I could charge my batteries and the AC was still on, although at 25 deg C, was probably not using much power. The clock plugged into the wall also goes off when you pull the card out, although the fridge stays on.

FWIW, electricity on Bonaire is really expensive. My wife and I own a 1 BR condo on Bonaire and the 1 wk electrical bill is averages about $100. Owners get upset whenever anything electrical runs without a good purpose. As for the creatures, in July we heard scratching at our front door and there was a huge red land crab trying to get in. We have 2-3 house gekkos that feed on the almost microscopic ants and hang out primarily around the door frames. They are about 3" long and hard to catch because they squeeze into narrow cracks. I moved the couch to check for debris and found a young iquana poised to flee. But he didn't and I was able to catch then let him go outside. Better than having one of the wandering goats or donkeys in the house. No joke because they frequently come around.