Hotel Review - Habitat Curacao

Although the main focus of our trip was scuba diving in Bonaire, my wife and I also spent a week in Curacao. Curacao is a bigger island than Bonaire, and it is definitely much easier to get to. While we were in Curacao, we stayed at a resort called Habitat Curacao, and we thoroughly enjoyed our time there.

As we were invited by my wife's college friend to join them on a scuba diving trip to Bonaire, hat was to be the main focus of our trip. We originally thought we would have to pass on the trip completely as the airfare to Bonaire was fairly expensive, and the airline that we have frequent flier miles for doesn't even go to Bonaire anymore. However, we figured out that by using our frequent flier miles to fly to Curacao we could save more than $2000 and only pay about $100 round trip to take a local airline over to Bonaire. This would not only save us money, it would also allow us to extend our vacation. So we modified our plans to include three days in Curacao at the beginning and three days at the end of our trip. we would sandwich a week of scuba diving in Bonaire in between. While we were in Curacao accommodations, we decided to chose the Habitat Curacao resort. This proved to be an excellent choice.

While the scuba diving in Curacao is not quite in the same class as its more famous neighbor Bonaire, we found that there some really fine scuba diving in Curacao. And for those on a budget, Curacao is also a bit cheaper and easier to get to than Bonaire. There are quite a few more options as far as airlines and schedules go. Additionally, if you are travelling with non-divers, Curacao definitely offers more for them.

There were several things about Habitat Curacao that really appealed to us. For example, it had the location, the security and even the scuba diving we were looking for.

For those who are looking for peace and quiet, the location is ideal. We didn't really want to spend a lot of time sightseeing or shopping. Habitat Curacao is located about half an hour from the city center. They have rental cars available, but the daily shuttles into the town were more than sufficient for our needs.

Since Habitat Curacao is located inside a gated community, with security manning the access gate 24 hours a day, they also feel plenty secure. We had heard some stories about crime on the island (mostly petty robbery of things out of cars or near hotels), but the location and the security eased most of our concerns.

While the rooms are fairly basic, they are nice. While it wouldn't rate as a high-end, luxury hotel, it was clean, the rooms were big and more than sufficient as a place to relax between dives. And while many of the rooms aren't classified as "ocean view", they still allow you a nice view of the ocean beyond the resort. They also have an infinity pool that looks out over the spectacularly blue Caribbean. We found this to be a nice place to relax and unwind when we weren't resting or diving. The bar and restaurant are right there next to the pool if you need a little refreshment while you soak up some rays.

Finally, we enjoyed some truly wonderful scuba diving. There is a separately owned and run dive shop located at the resort. You can book boat diving excursions or classes if you like. We didn't bother, as Habitat Curacao has what is generally regarded as the best house reef on the island. You just put on your gear, and after a small flight of steps you are just a few fin kicks away from a beautiful coral reef. While our main diving plans were focused on our week in Bonaire, we did spend an afternoon and the following morning diving the house reef both at the beginning and end of our trip. We even did one night dive right off the shore, and were not disappointed with any of the seven dives we were able to squeeze in.

While the location it is nice for relaxing, if you get a little restless and decide to do a little shopping or sightseeing, everything worth seeing and doing is at least a half hour away. If you rent a car, this isn't too much of a problem. But if you are relying on the shuttles, this can be a little difficult as their schedule might not fit yours. This is especially true if you have some boat diving excursions planned.

The restaurant was another problem that the isolation exacerbated. While the food is good, it can become a little repetitive in a few days. Breakfast is sufficient, if not gourmet. However, the lunches and dinners are top notch, maybe even close to world class. Well prepared, well presented and satisfying, the only complaint might be the variety. Unless you intend to try everything on the menu, after a few meals we had trouble choosing something different that appealed to us. With absolutely nothing nearby to give you a change, the restaurant can begin to lose its appeal.

We really enjoyed staying at Habitat Curacao. If we find ourselves back in Curacao - or stopping on our way to Bonaire - it's a pretty good bet that this will may be where we stay.