FEBRUARY 2007

In This Issue:

Harbour Village Blog

Please visit Harbour Village Beach Club’s blog at www.bonairevacationsblog.com to find a copy of this newsletter.  Feel free to post your own stories or photos from a past trip to Harbour Village.  Any travel tips or helpful hints for future travelers would be greatly appreciated as well!  We need your help to build the blog into a great resource center for up to date reviews on Harbour Village and the island of Bonaire.

Guests & Industry Experts on Harbour Village

October 2006
Harbour Village is OUR best kept secret. We have the best time there! There is no easier diving anywhere, the water is calm, warm and full of life. The room is top of the line and immaculate. The people who are associated with the resort are the best! The dive shop is the absolute best as well... but we prefer to keep this our secret. Everytime we find a wonderful place everyone else finds out about it... oh well. We travel alot and dive alot... this is our favorite place to dive and to stay!

Les & Rebecca Lubitz,
Three-time repeat guests
Cincinnati, OH

November 2006
Luxury Travel Review
“I arrived in Bonaire in time to see the sunset from my beachfront room wondering if this tiny remote island was worthy of a day of travel. A week later I left relaxed, invigorated and planning a return visit. That was the magic of Harbour Village and Bonaire.”

Elena Del Valle
Simon & Baker Luxury Travel Review

*See full review of Harbour Village Beach Club & Great Adventures Bonaire here at simonandbaker.com

December 2006

TripAdvisor  Traveler Review
Bonaire: Harbour Village Beach Club: "Probably the best hotel in Bonaire"
Dec 2, 2006  v8SAH, London, UK

"The hotel...generally has a quality residential feel about it rather than a hotel...The staff were extremely polite and helpful at all times and the hotel has its own dive shop and dive boat which is one of the best on Bonaire and has 3 scheduled boat trips per day, any of which are available to guests. The diving is outstanding - as it is in all of Bonaire - and the hotel has its own wreck sunk only 50m off the beach in 17m of water and a coral reef (called "Something Special") just across the harbour entrance. There is also an excellent outdoor restaurant which is shaped like a sailing galleon and their breakfasts are fantastic... This is a luxury hotel and the rooms are not cheap but if you are looking for the best on Bonaire, I am told by the locals that this is it and I certainly wouldn't argue.”

What’s new on Bonaire?
Carnival is Coming in February!

One of the most anticipated events of the year, Bonaire's Carnival features colorful costumes, exciting parades and traditional dances.  The 2007 Carnival begins with the Children’s Parade in Rincon on February 10th, 2007 and ends with the Grand Finale Evening Carnival Parade in Kralendijk on February 20th.

Upcoming events on Bonaire include:

May 17th-19th, 2007 :
Heineken Bonaire Jazz & Salsa Festival

June 16th - 23rd, 2007:
The Digital Shootout

June 16th - 23rd, 2007:
Dive Into Adventure Bonaire

August 2nd - 5th, 2007:
Pro Kids Worlds Windsurfing Event

October 7th - 13th, 2007:
40th Bonaire International Sailing Regatta

Arkefly Provides a Weekly flight from Amsterdam during High Season
Arkefly, a Dutch airline, provides weekly service from Amsterdam to Bonaire during the high season. They utilize aircraft that can accommodate 200-plus passengers.

KLM continues to fly direct from Amsterdam to Bonaire up to twice daily. One flight continues on to Quito, Ecuador and the other to Lima, Peru.

New Departure Tax for International Departures

It was decided by the Island Council of Bonaire on December 18, 2006 that the current departure tax, called the PFC (Passenger Facility Charge) will be raised for those departing Bonaire to other international destinations by air. Effective January 1, 2007, this fee will now be FL 57.60 or USD $32.00 per person. Consistent with current practices, Bonaire International Airport, N.V. will collect the fee at the airport tax booth.

 





Getting to Paradise Just got Easier!

In mid-December 2006, Continental Airlines launched a weekly non-stop round-trip flight between Newark and Bonaire, an addition to the current weekly non-stop flight from its Houston hub. Utilizing a Boeing 737 with 124 seats, the weekly flight departs Newark on Fridays at 11:55 PM, and arrives in Bonaire on the following Saturday morning at 5:40 AM. 
Early check in is available at Harbour Village, as well as breakfast at La Balandra, the perfect way to start your vacation!

For those arriving on late-evening flights, private airport transfers with the Harbour Village van are now available.  “Tio” will greet you at the airport and take care of your check-in personally.  For up-to-date travel information, visit our website or www.infobonaire.com/airlineinfo.html

Harbour Village Beach Club named “Bonaire’s Leading Hotel” for the Second Year in a Row

At the 13th annual World Travel Awards, held September 20, 2006, Harbour Village Beach Club was named “Bonaire’s Leading Hotel” for the second year in a row. Winning one of these prestigious awards is the best endorsement that any travel product can receive, since tens of thousands of travel professionals around the globe cast their votes, selecting winners in a multitude of categories.

Leaders in all sectors of the global travel industry are acknowledged and celebrated for their achievements each year, and what better endorsement than from partners in the industry with satisfied clients!

Harbour Village named Fodor’s
Choice 2006

Fodor’s, the leading travel publisher for American travelers selected Harbour Village Beach Club as a “Fodor’s Choice” for 2006.  An excerpt from the review: “Each year, our writers around the world select an exclusive list of restaurants, hotels and attractions in their area to represent the best places to visit when traveling to the region. Harbour Village has been chosen as one of these top establishments and so given the FODOR’S choice distinction in our guidebooks as well fodors.com where 1.7 million travelers plan their trips each month.”

Harbour Village is fit for royalty when Holland’s Queen Beatrix pays a visit

Holland’s Queen Beatrix visited Bonaire from November 8-10, 2006 and as always, she chose to stay at Harbour Village Beach Club.

The Queen visited all the islands in the Netherlands Antilles over a one-week period, following a long-awaited agreement by the Dutch government and the Netherlands Antilles to grant autonomy to the Caribbean territories of Curacao and St. Maarten, and to give smaller islands in the group the status of Dutch municipalities.
The Netherlands Antilles — which includes Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, St. Eustatius and St. Maarten — has been a self-governing territory since 1954, deferring only the issues of foreign policy and defense to the Netherlands. Aruba was granted autonomy in 1986.

The Queen’s favorite room is a second floor, corner two bedroom suite which has now been named the “Royal Suite”.  Overlooking the sea and one of Bonaire’s best beaches, this suite has a truly royal view and is the perfect location for enjoying one of our famed Caribbean sunsets.

More Dining Choices

New Marina Side Dining Location

A new Argentinean steakhouse, the Patagonia Restaurant, opened in December of 2006 at the lighthouse location of the Harbour Village Marina. Guests can now enjoy marina side dining available al fresco, overlooking the breathtaking marina or in air-conditioned comfort.

Pablo and Ines Palacios, the operators of Patagonia moved to Bonaire from Argentina four years ago and opened a successful restaurant on Bonaire named Casablanca. To build on their success, they decided to move their operation to the beautiful marina side location at the Harbour Village lighthouse. We wish them much success!

La Balandra Beach Bar & Restaurant



La Balandra Beach Bar & Restaurant located seaside along the Harbour Village Beach added some new items to their lunch and dinner menus. Atlantic Salmon Ceviche, Crispy Shrimp Causa, Wild Boar Tenderloin Anticucho and Japanese Tofu Salad are just a sampling of the new items. See them here: http://www.harbourvillage.com/html04/restaurants.html. Don’t worry, we haven’t stopped serving our famous Warm Chocolate Cake or Chef Alberto’s Tres Leches! Don’t forget our torch lit dining on the beach. Make reservations early!

Spa Pool and Treatment Rooms

The Spa at Harbour Village is still offering its full menu of massage treatments, waxing and salon services, in the comfort of the Spa facility. Massages are now being offered in the massage rooms or outdoors next to the cascade pool, both located on the upper level of the Spa. Guests are also welcome to relax next to the cascade pool before and after their treatments.

Let our excellent therapists pamper you during your stay! Advance reservations are suggested.

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© 2006 Harbour Village, Direct Marketing Dept, One Alhambra Plaza, Suite 1150, Miami, 33134.
All rights reserved.