Buddy Dive Resort, Bonaire, N.A.

jmk1 · July 18th, 2008, 05:18 AM

Just returned from Buddy Dive Resort in Bonaire. A great place, where we were treated wonderfully, and the resort reef, Buddy Reef, was one where you could spend the entire week. Hard to believe it was just within 150 feet of the room. I took the PADI Deep Dive Course with Bart Linders, who was an exceptionally gifted teacher and diver. Kudos to the staff who returned my friends regs after they were forgotten in the rinse tub.

I'm going back!!!

JeffInVA · July 25th, 2008, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmk1

Just returned from Buddy Dive Resort in Bonaire. A great place, where we were treated wonderfully, and the resort reef, Buddy Reef, was one where you could spend the entire week. Hard to believe it was just within 150 feet of the room. I took the PADI Deep Dive Course with Bart Linders, who was an exceptionally gifted teacher and diver. Kudos to the staff who returned my friends regs after they were forgotten in the rinse tub.

I'm going back!!!

I also just returned from a week at Buddy's. The reef there is great. The dive staff and dive setup is awesome. Really from a diving perspective you can't ask for a better staff, reef, or setup.

But the rooms at the resort are badly in a need of an upgrade. Our first room was a disaster. It wasn't clean and there were bugs in the bed! To Buddy's credit they did quickly move us to another room. The second room was an improvement, but still not great. The AC leaked and mold was growing where it was leaking. But at least the room was clean and no bugs! I felt bad for the people who were checking in on our last day. There was a long line at the counter of people with complaints (big group on the Delta flight). The resort was pretty full so I don't know if they were able to move many of them.

This was the third time I stayed at Buddy's. It has really gone down hill in the last couple of years. We will most likely be staying at the Plaza on the next trip.

Bob · July 28th, 2008, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeffInVA

I also just returned from a week at Buddy's. The reef there is great. The dive staff and dive setup is awesome. Really from a diving perspective you can't ask for a better staff, reef, or setup.

But the rooms at the resort are badly in a need of an upgrade. Our first room was a disaster. It wasn't clean and there were bugs in the bed! To Buddy's credit they did quickly move us to another room. The second room was an improvement, but still not great. The AC leaked and mold was growing where it was leaking. But at least the room was clean and no bugs! I felt bad for the people who were checking in on our last day. There was a long line at the counter of people with complaints (big group on the Delta flight). The resort was pretty full so I don't know if they were able to move many of them.

This was the third time I stayed at Buddy's. It has really gone down hill in the last couple of years. We will most likely be staying at the Plaza on the next trip.

We just returned from Bonaire also, and it sounds like we stayed in diffent resorts. We stayed in 601 and couldn't have asked for a better room. Our buddies stayed in 602 and liked their room also. Sorry to hear your rooms were disappointing. We used to stay at the Plaza, but moved to Buddy Dive a few years ago. I got tired of making that long walk to the water, the dive shop, the breakfast buffet, the parking lot, or anywhere for that matter. The Plaza is very nice, just get ready for alot of travel time.

Bob

robint · July 29th, 2008, 09:37 AM

we stayed at Buddy's last June and our room was great. No problems at all. I don't remember the number but we were just steps away from the dive shop/breakfast buffet on the bottom floor. We were with a group of 20+ people and the only couple who complained about their room said that they had to keep the ceiling fan running constantly as the living room was hot (they were on the 3rd floor). We were all in the 1 bdrm condos which only have AC in the bedrooms. We only used to AC a couple of times as by the end of the day of dive dive dive, we weren't hot. The couple on the 3rd floor said they ran theirs constantly.
The only bugs we saw were mosquitos at night.
The whole setup at Buddy's was amazing! Just steps to the dock to dive the house reef or load up truck and drive through the fill station to grab tanks. We will definitely go back!

robin

jepuskar · July 29th, 2008, 11:19 AM

FYI,

The rooms are being upgraded very soon...5 at a time, modernized, redecorated etc...

I just returned from Buddy as well and it is always my first choice when going to Bonaire. If they are booked up I still use their dive operations for tanks etc..

I have stayed there atleast 6 times and have always had a great experience.

JeffInVA · July 29th, 2008, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jepuskar

FYI,

The rooms are being upgraded very soon...5 at a time, modernized, redecorated etc...

That's good to hear. I liked everything about Buddy's except the rooms on this visit.

On my previous two visits I had no complaints. I had heard the rooms there can be hit or miss. I guess that's what I experienced this time.

jscott099 · August 11th, 2008, 12:04 PM

I just got back, was in 502 which is convenient to Lion's Den and dive shop and dock entry and had good views of the water and nice private patio.

I was happy with the room and its size. The only negatives were black hard mold in the AC vents (they really needed to be cleaned). Also the shower had some mold spots hear the top. We could park the vehicle beside the room for brief periods of unloading and loading.

I was really pleased with it but could see how other rooms further away or on 2nd or third floors might be a pain. But hey, I spent all my time diving.