I just returned from my first vacation to Bonaire. Dec 5-13, 2006.
The Divi resort is located in a great location, only a 5-6 min walk to town. There is a gate at the end of the property that you need a key to access, but makes the walk a lot shorter. No one at the resort told us about this key, after several days we had to ask to get one.
The rooms are in need of some major renovating and the bathroom was moldy. The bed was one of the most uncomfortable beds I have ever slept on. The cleaning service did not do a very good job either. The refrigerator smelled like rotten fish and the floor had a thin covering of sand all over it. Our room was an oceanfront room and we had a beautiful view of the ocean which was the best part about the whole place.

The snorkeling and diving right out in front of the hotel was nice there are a few sunken life boats which add some unique features to this site. The dive staff was ok. The manager was friendly and helpful. They charge you a service charge just for renting tanks from them, they did not do anything to deserve a tip. Plus everything in the store is a lot more expensive than in town and the service charge gets added to your total bill. We had to carry, load and unload all of our own stuff and tanks but pay the dive shop a 10-15% tip just for being there.
The boat dives were a bit unorganized also, the crew didn't ask anyone on the boat for a suggestion on which site they wanted to dive. Everyone just jumped on the boat and we took off, there was no discussion. In fact I didn't even know which people on the boat were part of the crew. Then we got to the dive site and there was finally a short brief and then everyone jumped off the boat. I was also surprised because they make such a big deal about doing an orientation dive and paying a marine park fee but the dive master didn't say anything when several divers were banging into coral and sponges while trying to take pictures.
I would recommend that you rent a truck and go to the cheapest place to get your unlimited tank rentals. You have to load and unload them all yourself anyway. It was really nice to be able to dive at your own pace and at the sites that you wanted to dive on.
Diving from the dock at the resort was very convenient especially for night dives. They have lockers at the end of the dock for all of your gear and rinse tanks.

The resort staff at the front desk was rude and could have cared less about the guests. They acted bothered every time I tried to get a new beach towel or ask the front desk a question. Most of the time they would ignore me for a couple minutes to see if I would go away.

The food at the Chibi Chibi was great. It was one of the best restaurants on the island. The wait staff at the restaurant was very nice and helpful. It was more expensive though. The breakfast buffet was ok. The food was decent. I recommend Casablanca and Capriccio also (in town). They both had excellent and reasonably priced food. Casablanca had the best service we had on the island.

This resort itself was nice. If you’re not a diver, I would say that this place is the best place to stay on the island because there are other things to do (pools, casino, small beach, spa, etc). If all you want to do is dive and relax there are better hotels.

I would never stay at this hotel again. There are several other hotels on the island that are priced fairly close to the Divi and are not in the same state of disrepair.

This resort is aging and many parts are clearly in need of renovation. At the same time, the per night cost was very reasonable given the location, the amenity level of the resort, and the high level of staffing.

We had a studio with kitchen. The kitchen, bathroom, floors, and linens were in fact very clean and tidy. The downside is that the rooms must have last been renovated a very long time ago and typical caribbean stressors have taken their toll - leaking roofs, buidling shift, and general wear and tear. The facilities staff was in the process of re-painting exteriors in preparation for high season.

The kitchen was very well equipped, with a refrigerator that could reverse global warming and everything I needed as a chef on holiday to cook the meals we wanted to during our stay. Coffee maker, microwave, hob, oven, toaster, blender, even an electric can opener - and rather new crockery.

We were received pleasantly and efficiently, even if it was late at night. We had no issues with room charges, the handling of our folio or the staff.

For all the good and bad reviews, I offer this...there are very few resorts on Bonaire, fewer still where you can have this access to the diving and town and stay for so little money. And no offense to anyone, a room on a relatively remote island for less than $150 is actually really cheap in the caribbean these days. You can find better properties for the same money, but they are not easy to find nor will they have so many facilities.

I won't return to the DIvi anytime soon unless I hear they have done a major renovation job on their studios, but I can not malign how hard the staff is working to present what they have on hand.

We love staying here for a restful vacation with excellent snorkeling right in front of the dining area and pier. Our room was not the best so they moved us to one that was more than adequate. We like staying on the water in our room, and this resort has that option. There isn't a lot to do at night unless you like to gamble, but we found places in town that were inexpensive and delicious. The need for a car for the adventurous is a must, but if you like to hang around the pool or the pier this is the place to be. Our next trip to Divi Bonaire is with four other couples in February 2007. Some divers and some snorkelers, but all will love the island and Divi as much as we do I'm sure.

Overall we had a good time and a great week of diving at the Divi. The location of the hotel is ideal - right on the water, a short 5- 10 minute walk into town, situated on a nice reef. The oceanfront room, though small, was clean and had a great balcony right on the water. The biggest downside was the quality of the beds - ours were pretty old and sagging.

The onsite restaurants were good - the breakfast buffet was nothing too fancy but was satisfactory. The Chibi Chibi which serves lunch and dinner, was quite good and has a great location over the water - you can see the fish down below right from your seat.

The boat diving was excellent - the dive shop is well run. There's a nice set up to dive right from the dock - especially good for night dives. There's a Hertz right on site at the hotel so you can rent a car for a few days to do shore diving or just expore the island.