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This was my third trip to Bonaire and for this trip I booked a room at Bamboo Bali for my girlfriend and I at the suggestion of a friend and all I can say is wow! Bamboo Bali is a small inn decorated with an indonesian flair. It has lots of plants and the owners (Anno, Vera, and Sebastian) have clearly spent a great deal of time decorating their place. There are five rooms available for rent, each with it's own unique style. They are located right across from Captain Don's Habitat which makes it quite convenient to grab a quick bite or take a quick dive off Captain Don's pier.
Our room was similar to a studio with a single room and an attached bathroom. The rooms have A/C during the night (also available during the day for a surcharge but we were never there). They have a small kitchen, fridge, and a coffeemaker so you can fix some meals if you want. Each room is a separate building with it's own porch (sort of like a cabin but nicer). There are rinse tanks and a drying area specifically set up for scuba gear which made cleaning up quite easy each day. Security was good which also made us feel at home (they have a fence around the entire property and were always on the property).
I would highly recommend the Bamboo Bali for couples and people who are looking to have some privacy while on vacation. Anno consistently went out of his way to ensure we had the best possible time while in Bonaire. We will definitely be back! If you go to their website you can see some pictures (Bamboo Bali Bonaire).
Anno and his family were outstanding hosts. Made us feel completely at home. Numerous small touches such as a personalized sign above our room with our names painted on it.
My wife and I stayed at BB back in April/May at the suggestion of Liz b/c there was no room at the (Golden Reef) Inn. Anno's family was in Europe so he was there by himself. Apparently he doesn't do alot of the guest relations tasks (he admitted his wife takes care of that) and he was particular about only replacing the water in the dunk tanks once a week and it seemed odd to him that we asked for a second roll of toilet paper the first night we were there (there was only one in the room). But, he was very nice and accomidating and we enjoyed our stay. He was almost always around and the place was usually locked up so we felt safe (actually there were supposed to be safes in the rooms but there wasn't, don't know if they have installed them yet). I would recomend BB. Its accross from Capt Don's so its a nice centralized location as well.
I too went there based on Liz's recommendation as I could not book at Golden Reef Inn this visit. They now have safes in all the rooms except one which they said should arrive shortly. Anno is not a diver so he did not understand about the need to change rinse water and so forth. He set up a barrel for my rebreather so I could clean it within 12 hours after me explaining what I was doing (rebreather did not entirely fit in the dunk tank). They all seemed quite eager to learn about how to best support divers while on holiday which is a very refreshing change from some other encounters.
one night we left and locked the gate but had forgotten something so we came back five minutes later. Anno heard me unlocking the gate and he came running out brandishing a spatula. "oh, i thought you left". Not sure what he was going to do with the spatula but it was comforting to know he was ever vigilant!
With all the vegetation at Bamboo Bali I am wondering about the mosquito population. Also, because of the location I am wondering if there is much air circulation on the porches or in the units.
Ask away with questions while my memory is fresh! Mosquitos were no worse than anywhere else on the island with dawn and dusk being the time they come around. Winds flow through the compound and the windows allowed a very nice breeze to flow through the units. The resort is surrounded by a six to eight foot chain link fence which allows the wind through nicely. It also does not have any big buildings around it yet so the wind flows. I'll see if I can find a photo and post it for y'all.
Cost was very reasonable with our total working out to about $688 for the week including taxes for both of us. I believe Anno said the regular rate was $80 per night and they gave us one night free. The rest was taxes, cleaning fee, etc. Very reasonable and fit us perfectly.
Oh and no pool, this is a very small place (5 rooms total). So think of it as a little B&B. I brought my rebreather but we picked up my fiance's dive package through Wannadive. $150 for unlimited nitrox! They do rent trucks though.
Just back from our second week with BBB. They are great to deal with. The rooms are comfortable, clean and safe. The grounds are beautiful and well maintained. Misquitoes are not a problem with some insect spray. (We used Off wipes which work well.) Best of all they have added a plunge pool and 2 hot tubs in a private area on the back side of the property. We have been to Bonaire 6 times, stayed here twice and will return in the near future I hope. I cannot give them a higher reccomendation. They are great!
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