The Bellafonte - Luxury Oceanfront Hotel

From the initial booking, the lead up to our trip, and during our trip, The Bellafonte staff exceeded my expectations in every possible way. The suite was spacious and comfortable, and the stunning private pier drew us in each morning, afternoon, and night. We reserved the snack package as well as the wine package upon arrival. The selection of wine was impressive and very tasty, catered to our general love of dry wines. Our last night we reserved the pier for a private dinner with Chef Manouk. I cannot express enough how incredible the food and wine pairing was that Manouk curated. I am also very confused how she is not booked each night of the week given her elite talents in the kitchen. Hearing her story and enjoying a glass of wine together at the end of the night was an added bonus. I can’t imagine staying anywhere other the Bellafonte for when we return next to Bonaire. I highly recommend an ocean facing room…the view does not get old.

There are so many positives to a stay at the Bellafonte! The location is great- just midway between Bachelors and Te Amo beaches, and across the street from Wanna Dive for tanks and equipment if you need. The complex is small and quiet, with comfortable and modern furnishings and a well maintained dock with covered loungers and easy step entry to the water. There’s a small plunge pool, clean and fresh, and an office staffed with really nice people who are helpful in every way. We were in a junior suite, which has a separate bedroom, en suite bathroom, small kitchenette and sitting area. There’s a tiny balcony with table facing the ocean and a lovely sea view. It was perfect for a short stay. Coffee is provided with Nespresso pods. Daily cleaning is included. We opted for the charcuterie pack on arrival and found it perfect for our needs, with meats, cheeses, crackers chips and spreads. Wine, both chilled and red, are available in the office. The only issues we found were the linens and bedding which need updating and deterred from a comfortable sleep. There’s also no restroom or changing area on the entry floor, so if you have an afternoon flight it’s difficult to hang around and change prior to the airport. There’s a scuba locker but the dunk tank was always empty, and the single shower had low pressure making it difficult to rinse gear. Our gear ended up pretty stinky at the end of a few days. The loungers on the dock are often “occupied” all day as well, but since we weren’t there to sit around it wasn’t a big deal for us. Overall found this complex to be a reasonable choice for an oceanfront lodging with a bit of lux.

The stay was excellent. Rooms were spacious and clean. Easy entry into the ocean with snorkeling available just off the pier. Convenient to other snorkeling sites, Donkey, Te Amo, and Bachelors are walkable. Quick 10 min to ‘downtown’. Parking on site. Has a dive/snorkel locker for storing gear to keep rooms from getting sandy. Room had a great view of the ocean. Very peaceful mornings on the balcony drinking coffee from the coffee machine. As an FYI, the pool is super small, BUT the calm ocean is about 15 steps (literally) further - so easy. There is a nice restaurant next door.