“Plenty of bang for your bucks, or florins”

With tempered expectations because of mixed reviews here, I rolled the dice and booked an eight-day stay at the Holiday Beach Hotel instead of one of those luxurious five-star resorts. Photos on the hotel website and from travelers offered ample proof to me that the place wasn't a dump. Let me pref… Más

With tempered expectations because of mixed reviews here, I rolled the dice and booked an eight-day stay at the Holiday Beach Hotel instead of one of those luxurious five-star resorts. Photos on the hotel website and from travelers offered ample proof to me that the place wasn't a dump. Let me preface that I'm a single, easily satisfied traveler. It's unreasonable to expect Renaissance amenities for Motel 6 rates. But the Holiday Beach Hotel offers a serene, rarely crowded pebbly beach that is located in a protected cove, a large swimming pool, an adequate fitness facility, a scuba diving shop, a travel excursions office and even a small grocery store on the property. While not as gorgeous as the island's West End beaches, Holiday Beach Hotel's beach offered great swimming and views of ships passing by. The casino, which I didn't visit, is adjoined to the hotel. And patrons also get a ticket for a free breakfast each morning, either outdoors by the beach or two doors down at Denny's. Although my supposed pool-view room instead overlooked a water treatment plant, I had no complaints. The room had all the essentials: A flat-screen TV with a nice variety of cable channels in several languages, a mini-fridge and a veranda on which to hang wet swimwear and towels. The service at the hotel was excellent. Housekeepers and maintenance workers continually prowl the two buildings and are both friendly and helpful. The front desk personnel accommodated me with wake-up calls, excursion suggestions, nearby dining options and friendly greetings throughout my stay. No, the place isn't perfect. It doesn't look like much from the outside. Some of the rooms need updates and repairs. My door didn't latch properly and the key card mechanism was being held together by tape. The green-hued pool was out of service my first two days. I couldn't receive WI-FI in my fourth-floor room and apparently others didn't either since the spacious front lobby area usually was packed with people using their phones. The 24-hour Denny's a few steps away is advertised as one of the island's most popular spots. It inexplicably was closed the first five days of my visit. On the night I ate dinner there, virtually everything I ordered was unavailable. And the turkey sandwich I ultimately ordered instead included ham. I'm not sure what's going on there, but guests have much better options simply walking 10 minutes down the street to beautiful downtown Willemstad. Enclosed in the Fort Dix area along the waterfront are several shops and restaurants. There are even American favorites such as Pizza Hut, KFC and Subway along one block. Definitely check out the beautiful downtown and harbor area. It's colorful, modern and upbeat with floating bridges and markets everywhere. One final suggestion regardless of whether you choose Holiday Beach Hotel: Bring along some bug repellent or wipes. Mosquitoes are thick on the property and along the trail downtown. This is a tropical island, after all.

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“I just hope it is not closing down”

This was my 3rd stay in this hotel, previous time was last year, and then in 2011. Every time I come I see no improvements, or, in some cases, unfortunately, changes for the worst. So, this time, when we arrived end of May, we have learned that the lively beachfront restaurant got closed just a f… Más

This was my 3rd stay in this hotel, previous time was last year, and then in 2011. Every time I come I see no improvements, or, in some cases, unfortunately, changes for the worst. So, this time, when we arrived end of May, we have learned that the lively beachfront restaurant got closed just a few days before. So, we had to eat breakfast at Denny's inside. The breakfast was plentiful, but I missed the opportunity to have my coffee looking at the sea, that is really why I paid for breakfast in advance and was disappointed. I have been in three rooms: the regular rooms are a lottery: some are decent, but other have really worn out furniture, smell, mosquitos, not working phones, missing safe boxes, etc... The premium rooms on the fourth floors are probably the best. But when you pay such a low price to be on the beach, walking distance to the historical center of Willemsted, how to complain? For me, it is just very sad to see the place that likely knew much better days in such a condition. I feel sorry for nice people working there because I think it can be quite depressing to see unhappy customers and nor being able to help much. I am not talking even of grand investment. Small things: how about to throw away stained and ripped towels and replace them with new ones? Surely, it is not a huge expense for the hotel. But what they do, I have never seen in any place I stayed before: every towel and bath mat is labeled with the room number. Wow, can they really not find anything better to do for the housekeeping stuff? So, if in your particular room these towels are already beyond salvation, you have no hope to ever see anything better. To make it worse, you have to wait with no towels until your particular towel is washed, dried and sorted out to be returned back to you by the maid. I was sick and tired looking at the same stains every day, and not to have myself being left out with no towels for hours, I had to hide one every morning so that the maid did not take it and I had something to dry myself with if I take a shower after beach midday. Simple suggestion: get rid of stupid labels and buy enough towels to be able to switch it. The hotel was hardly 25% full when we stayed there, so I doubt having enough towels was an issue. Now, with this review scaring away probably a lot of people (just trying to be honest), you can ask why 4*? I have one answer: cabanas. I see some people turning away from them as someone thought that they smell (you can't beat humidity being right on the beach), there is no internet, and sometimes you may get occasional roach guests flying from the beach (not my favorite either), but all these annoyances will not discourage me from the absolute pleasure of being on the beach right outside your doorstep, that is getting to enjoy it all hours day and night. Yes, for cabana I will come back to Holiday Beach despite all the issues I listed, And lovely people working there and the occasional dance nights in casino - there is still a lot of good in Veneto as I keep calling it despite the name change, and I just hope it will stay around because it does appear that the current owners have no interest in investing in it and just let it degrade more and more.... really a shame... So,if you come to this place with open eyes, prepared for all the downfalls i mention you may not experience any shock but instead, concentrate on the good things. This hotel is not for everyone. Do you like to be both on the beach and close to the town, with big free parking, and you don't spend a lot of time inside the hotel room and you don't want or can't spend $$$ in places like Renaissance? This place can be for you then. Just make sure to be prepared that your room will not be perfect, and, oh yes, don't forget to bring your own toiletries, as the hotel only provides you with the miniscule soap bar like in German concentration camps.... Oh well... consider yourself duly warned.

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“It is what it is - as one reviewer wrote ”

Read all the reviews on TA and booked regardless. We needed accommodation for additional nights due to change in flight plans. It is good for the price. Check in was a fine process and those at the front desk were helpful. The casino changes USD to the local currency at an attractive rate. The h… Más

Read all the reviews on TA and booked regardless. We needed accommodation for additional nights due to change in flight plans. It is good for the price. Check in was a fine process and those at the front desk were helpful. The casino changes USD to the local currency at an attractive rate. The hotel is old but decent. The musty scent is strong traversing down the carpeted corridor and we were very worried about the room. However the room was fine (and tiled!) there was also an air filter in the room but we didn't turn it on. There's a mini fridge and an old fashioned TV. The bathroom sink is low. We took a pool view ground floor room - from there you are able to walk straight to the pool instead of going out through the corridor. The pool area is nice. The chairs weren't the cleanest. The private beach is good for swimming. As like most of Curaçao beaches, on entry there are a lot of pebbles so water shoes are recommended. There was no breakfast at the beach. It was served at the Dennys on the compound (not the most best food but it was a good quantity). Did not patronize for any other meal. Location: not within walking distance of any food stores as far as we could have told. It's approx a 10 min walk from Holiday to Renaissance and the bus station. Transportation: There's a bus stop right in front of Holiday hotel as well. We were able to walk about Otrobanda and Punda and take busses out of Willemstad. Renting a car is not necessary even though it is easier. Ample parking available. The room attendants cleaned the room daily. One day we came back early (around 2) and there were no towels. We requested some and were informed that the towels were in the wash (confusing because surely there are clean towels somewhere!!). We left for the afternoon and received the towels around 6pm. It surpassed our low expectations due to the reviews. However do not expect a five star hotel. We paid approx 50 per night and we got what we paid for. All in all it was a pleasant experience.

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