I stayed at Golden Reef Inn on Kaya Alkmaar in July 2005 and had a great experience. The room was clean and comfortable, and the owners, Ed and Liz, couldn't have been better hosts. Although there were no staff on site, someone from the management would swing by several times a day just to check in. That sort of arrangement was actually very nice as the guests had plenty of privacy. The Inn is set a little way off from most of the other hotels/resorts, at the edge of a pleasant residential area. It is really peaceful there, and with hardly any light pollution at night the stars are amazing! In the gravel courtyard, there is a shower and some tubs to rinse off your dive gear. There is also a thatch terrace with a grill if you prefer a BBQ over a stove-cooked meal. While it is true that the apartments aren't right on the water, it wasn't a big issue as a couple of wonderful dive sites (Andrea I & II) are less than 10 minutes' drive away.

I notice that a couple other guests had unpleasant experiences, which is very surprising to me. Ed and Liz, and the day manager Renee, were all very helpful and downright nice. In fact, they went beyond the call of duty to include guests in local activities (gallery visits, local dining). I'm sorry that some of the other folks weren't happy but I have to say that everything worked just great for me (aircond, hot/cold shower, toilet, cable TV, kitchenette). Obviously, I can't speak for the other reviewers but I have to stand up in support of Ed and Liz, who played a major role in making my trip a memorable one. The Golden Reef Inn may not be luxurious, but it is a perfectly good place for a happy stay. I'd certainly go there again.

By the way, there's not an oil refinery nearby as mentioned in one review. In fact, I don't think there are any oil refineries on Bonaire. There is a desalination plant along the main road ON THE WAY to (not near) the apartments. So, no worries about nasty fumes. And the desal plant isn't close enough for noise to be a problem. The only things you might hear are the donkeys, goats or wild birds!

Stayed four days at one of the Golden Reef Inn's townhouses in Belnem last week. These townhouses are not near their main property with pool etc. and we did not check the pool out. The location, property and lay out of the townhouse are good. Close to the beach and spacious enough for a family of four. It is a shame though they don't take care of the property at all. The lock of the sliding door was broken so we could not lock the house properly and the garden was a disaster. My husband cleaned the refrigerator because he refused to eat the food that was stored in the dirty freezer. The shower curtain was full of mildew. Continental breakfast was non-existent or it must have been the already open box of cereal we found in the kitchen cupboard.The price is very reasonable (US$80 a night) but it could be so much better if the owners would take care of their properties. Will make my reservations earlier next year and try to stay somewhere else. There are plenty of alternatives in the same price range.

First off, these other two reviews are totally off the mark. We totally loved our stay here. My partner and I did not want to stay at a big resort and this seemed like a great place from the website and speaking with the manager, Liz. The rooms were very clean and very nicely decorated. The other guests were all so nice and were also enjoying their stay. Liz was always available to answer any questions that we had. I would really recommend Golden Reef to anyone that want's to stay at a nice quaint inn. Also, the "oil refinery" is actually the power generation plant for the entire island and one of the big resorts is right next to it too! It never bothered us at all. Golden Reef is more geared to the vacationer who is not going to be spending most of their time at the hotel, but out enjoying the island. When I go back again this april, I am not staying anywhere else!

I am not sure the people that wrote those two scathing evaluations stayed at the same Golden Reef Inn (GRI) where I stayed. The GRI was purchased and revamped in the last year and a half or so and is one of the cleanest, most modern facilities on the island. In fact, they just won an island award!!!

When it first opened the GRI did in fact not have hot water (if you do your research you will find most of the houses there on Bonaire don’t have hot water because they don’t feel they need it), but very shortly after opening, the owners listened to the guests comments and immediately put in those ‘’on demand’’ hot water systems in the showers. If the camera had gone in on a different angle in that picture of the shower, the device could have been seen. They also listened to their guests and installed security cages where you can secure your dive gear when not in use. Try asking the “big guys” on ANY island to do things like that.

As for bugs and roaches???? The only animal I saw was a lizard on the front porch. And, if you aren’t familiar with Carib islands....lizards are common place. But we never had any kind of pests inside the rooms.

I feel like the proper research wasn’t done and now they are not being fair to the GRI.

I found the location great. If you want the “big resort” feeling, then no, the GRI is not for you. But if you want a more secluded, quieter, much more friendly atmosphere, then it would suit you fine. At the end of each dive day all the guest in our area would gather for drinks and swap great dive stories and find out who was diving where the next day. Sports fans….in case you don’t know it….Bonaire is a scuba dive island….there ain’t jack else to do!!!! Know where you are going and what you are getting into !!!

I don’t want to put down the big resorts. They are not just for me. I visited several of them on my last trip to Bonaire to check out rooms and I found them old and in need of much attention. They in no way were superior to the GRI’s rooms. I also found that they were pretty noisy and that isn’t my desire either. The writer was absolutely correct about the GRI not being on the beach. You can not put on your dive gear and walk out of the room and into the ocean. But, I like that. I like to be able to sit on MY porch and relax without a flurry of activity going on around me. I don’t like a bunch of drunks yelling and screaming at an outside bar and keeping me up at night when I want to do a sunrise dive the next day. If you like that kind of thing….then go for it. But do your research.

I know each to their own and some expect the Taj Mahal on every island. It isn’t that way anywhere on Bonaire. But if you want CLEAN rooms, kept by owners that care about their place deeply, then the GRI is for you. You are a real guest and person when you visit the GRI. The owners take a real pride in their facility.

Yep, it is small. And, I pray it stays that way. Yep, it is clean, convenient, VERY economical, cozy and a lot of other things I look for in an out of the way place.

I am trying to get a trip organized there this Sept and sure hope work does not get in the way. But if all works out and I go…..I will be going back to the GRI with no hesitation. I have no problem recommending the GRI to anyone.