If you are looking for an authentic Caribbean escape that swaps massive crowds and endless buffet lines for personalised luxury, I have found your next paradise. Tucked away on the quiet island of Bonaire sits Boutique Hotel Wanapa, an intimate hidden gem that completely stole my heart from the moment I arrived. Between the vibrant tropical design and a culinary experience that genuinely blew my mind, this tiny oasis is doing something incredibly special. Here is a look inside the boutique property that already has me planning my return trip.
Location and How To Get There
Boutique Hotel Wanapa is located on the tranquil island of Bonaire, part of the ABC islands in the Southern Caribbean. It is the least visited of the three islands, which adds to its charm, but it also means there are not as many frequent flights as you would find to Aruba and Curacao. Because of this, you need to double-check the airline schedules, especially when travelling from the United States since flights do not run every day. You can always work around this by flying into Curacao or Aruba and taking a short hopper flight to Bonaire, as these connection flights occur multiple times a day.
The big three, Delta, United, and American Airlines, all fly to the island. Since they do not offer daily flights, you can always fly down with one airline and head back with another, which is exactly what I did. On the other hand, there are daily flights from Amsterdam, which makes sense since it is a Dutch island. This makes it a little more accessible if you are coming from Europe. There are also flights from Santo Domingo and Sint Maarten, as well as Aruba and Curacao if you are embarking on a Caribbean island-hopping adventure.
There is only one airport on the island, Flamingo International Airport, a title I absolutely adore! The airport is small, and while there may be queues when you arrive, they move quickly and before you know it you will be out and ready to explore. At the time of writing, you need to pay a $75 visitor tax to enter the island. To save time at immigration, it is highly worth doing this ahead of time online. This entry fee replaced the previous tax that used to be applied per day to hotel and car rental bookings.
From the airport, the hotel is just a short ten-minute drive. The hotel arranged a reputable taxi driver for me named Koki, who greeted me with smiles at arrivals. Even though my flight arrived over eighty minutes late, he did not let me down.
Check-in Process
As mentioned, the hotel arranged my taxi driver ahead of time, making the entire arrival process a breeze. The hotel has also recently launched its own app, where you can easily request and set up arrival and departure taxis, as well as any excursions and activities you fancy doing during your stay. Despite my delayed flight, Koki was there to pick me up. He drove me the short distance to the hotel, giving me a few great tips and recommendations about what to do around the island and pointing out where the good restaurants were along the way. The price of the transfer can simply be added to your hotel bill, which makes things super easy.
I was greeted by Fenna, the co-host and owner of Wanapa. She was incredibly warm and inviting, assisted me with my luggage, and immediately showed me to my room. Because I arrived in the dark and fairly late at night, I was originally booked to enjoy one of the restaurant’s famous tasting menus that evening. However, Fenna thoughtfully suggested that I just order a regular meal off the menu instead. She invited me to come back later in the week with my friend to enjoy the full tasting menu experience when the lighting would be better and I wouldn’t be so tired after a long travel day. I took her up on that offer and headed straight to dinner, feeling entirely famished.
Rooms
There are just eleven rooms at Wanapa Hotel, which allows for the ultimate personalised experience, incredible attention to detail, and no competition for sunbeds in the morning! The staff know you by name, learn your preferences, and you generally feel like part of the family after just a few hours. There are a few different room categories, ranging from deluxe double rooms to one-bedroom apartments and a self-contained studio with an outdoor kitchen. I had the pleasure of staying in one of the deluxe rooms with a porch overlooking the pool. It had a wonderful outdoor seating area where I spent many hours relaxing with a cup of coffee or working on my laptop, and the Wi-Fi was exceptional, making it a haven for digital nomads.
Inside, the room is spacious and lavishly decorated with colourful accents and a large tropical mural on the walls. It was my dream bedroom, and every aspect screamed me. In case you didn’t know, I love a good splash of colour, which is probably given away by my handle, @chase.the.rainbows!
There is a large, very comfortable bed in the middle, scattered with a number of squishy pillows. The room also features a futon, a desk and table, some coffee tables, and an eclectic wardrobe with handles made from driftwood. There is an over-bed fan in addition to an efficient air conditioning unit, and a mini-fridge that included a beer and a can of Coke as welcome drinks. You will also find a large glass water bottle that can easily be refilled with tap water and kept cool in the fridge. The tap water throughout the island of Bonaire is completely safe to drink, which was a welcome surprise! Additionally, there is a coffee pod machine and a kettle with all the necessary extras to make a cup of coffee or tea in the morning. The bathroom is clean and brightly coloured with aqua tiles, featuring a rain shower head with Rituals toiletries, a toilet, and a sink.
Food and Drink
The real showstopper here? The food and drink. It is the one area where Wanapa Hotel absolutely outshines every other resort in the region. As mentioned, I was meant to savour their renowned tasting menu on night one but decided to reschedule it for later in the week. Instead, I just ate off their regular menu, and let me tell you, it was some of the best food I have had in my life! I had read how good the restaurant was, but nothing prepared me for just how brilliant it would actually be. I did not ask for anything in particular and let the chef choose a main course, salad, and amuse-bouche. My only request was that it be gluten-free, which I had communicated with the hotel ahead of time, and they were more than prepared for me being the dietary problem child!
I started with a trio of amuse-bouches. I only wish I had recorded what the three were when the chef presented them to me, but all I can say is they were exceptional. I have never had such an explosion of flavours from just a single mouthful. The main course was a beef tenderloin with various beautifully prepared vegetables and a side salad, resulting in some of the best beef I have ever had. I was blown away, especially since this was something the chef just whipped up! I finished the entire thing in a matter of minutes but reluctantly found myself too full for dessert.
The following morning, I wandered down for breakfast, which is served in the same area as dinner. While I had quite high expectations given the previous night’s meal, I also realised breakfast is one of the most challenging meals to make gluten-free. Once again, the kitchen totally raised the bar. I was first offered a ginger juice and a coffee made from their island beans using their very fancy coffee machine. Then, a delectable spread was delivered to my table featuring yoghurt with fruit and homemade gluten-free granola, a berry crumble with a homemade gluten-free topping, an egg and tomato frittata, and gluten-free bread with cheese, butter, and jam. To say I was spoiled is a massive understatement!
Now, the true star of the show here is their tasting menu. I was lucky enough to come back later in the week for their four-course tasting menu with wine pairings, and it utterly blew me away. My expectations were already sky-high given my previous dining experiences, but they were completely blown out of the water. We started with a crisp glass of champagne and a trio of amuse-bouches. The chef came out to present each dish, which was such a nice touch. More than that, our server, Stef, was also the sommelier and the brains behind the wine pairings. I am not super knowledgeable about my wines, so it was fascinating to hear how he matched the profiles to the ingredients of the upcoming dish. It also made for a fun game to try and guess what would be served next!
The first course was a delicious yellowfin tuna with avocado and ponzu mayonnaise. A new wine was presented ahead of each course, leading into the second plate: a delicious corvina filet with smoked bacon and a champagne foam. It was exceptional and presented meticulously. The main course was a hanging tender steak with potato mousseline and white Dutch asparagus. Last but not least was an amazing chocolate dessert with grilled and marinated pineapple and tonka bean ice cream. It was such an incredible evening between the vibe, the atmosphere, and everything in between. Not to mention, one of the owners picked us up and dropped us off at our Airbnb so we did not have to drive, a luxury they offer frequently, especially for their staycation packages.
When I say I would fly back to Bonaire just to eat here again, I am not lying. Watch this space, because I will be back! If you cannot book a stay here, you must at least book the tasting menu. They have now introduced an Italian tasting menu too, which looks equally insane.
Facilities
Wanapa boasts a gorgeous pool in the middle of the property, surrounded by comfortable padded loungers, palm trees, towering cacti, and frangipani plants. It is the perfect place to escape the hot Caribbean sun or take an evening dip and stargaze from the comfort of the water. There are a number of beanbags and hammocks scattered around the tropical gardens, and with so few rooms, you will never find the area crowded. Perhaps one of my favourite places was the rooftop terrace. Conveniently located two stories above my room, it offers unparalleled views of the entire island and is the absolute perfect place to watch the sunrise or sunset.
Another neat feature was the honesty bar located in the lobby by the coffee machine. It is stocked with sodas, beer, and lavish cocktail cans. All you need to do is write down on your form what you have consumed and pay at the end of your stay. It is such a lovely idea, and I definitely helped myself to a cocktail or two to enjoy while watching the sunset on the rooftop terrace.
Activities
Bonaire is not short of activities to do around the island. While most of the activities at the hotel focus on the pool, relaxation, and enjoying the rooftop terrace, Fenna and the staff are experts on the island. They can steer you toward whatever interests you have and assist you in booking any activities you have in mind. In addition, their guest portal and app have an option to view all of their recommended experiences. All you need to do is let the staff know what you want to do, and they will handle the rest. One thing I did note is that you can book an on-site massage during your stay, which sounds heavenly.
The space at the hotel is also perfectly set up for events, should you wish to host a wedding, conference, or birthday party. They have a conference room, an outdoor bar, and a rooftop terrace that are more than equipped for handling small to mid-size events.
Service
I really did receive exceptional service during my stay at Wanapa Hotel. Even before I arrived, I was in contact with the staff to confirm my dietary restrictions, arrival and departure logistics, and any activities I wanted to do during my stay. Every staff member I interacted with greeted me with smiles, and nothing was ever too much trouble.
During mealtimes, the service was excellent. I was fully expecting the “island time” mentality that is so common across the Caribbean, but that is definitely not the case at Restaurant Wanapa. I felt so well taken care of, and it was lovely to get to know all of the staff, even during my short stay. They knew me by name, remembered my preferences, and I was genuinely sad to leave. When my flight was delayed and I thought it might be too late for the arranged taxi driver to pick me up, the owners offered to do it themselves. That is the kind of personalised attention you just do not get at huge resorts, and it is exactly why I will always advocate for small, family-run hotels. Plus, you get the bonus of supporting local businesses.
Closing Remarks
Am I already planning my return visit? Yes. Within an hour of arriving, I felt so well looked after. It was a comforting feeling that I do not get very often, and given that I travel for a living, that really says something. The staff here are incredibly passionate about making your stay memorable and enjoyable, and I truly cannot fault the place. Even before I set foot on the island, they had arranged my transportation and a gluten-free tasting menu, setting a high standard of service that never faltered once I arrived.
Hotel Wanapa and its accompanying restaurant really are hidden gems on the island of Bonaire. I almost hesitated to share this spot in the hopes that I would still find availability to come back in the near future. However, as a travel writer, it is my joy to spotlight such wonderful establishments, and I feel like shouting from the rooftops about what a diamond of a place this is. Until next time, Wanapa!
Ready to book Hotel Wanapa? Click here!
You can find out more about my stay on my “Bonaire” Highlights on Instagram @chase.the.rainbows.
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