I’ve been living in Curacao for 3 years now, and each year I tell myself I need to find time to stay at Baoase Luxury Resort. For research, you know? And each year, one of the most common questions I get from travelers and fellow travel agents alike is “what is the best place to stay in Curacao?” 100% of the time my answer is “the nicest resort on the island is Baoase.”

Now, I’ve had dinner there and spent two full days enjoying both of their beach clubs, but I had yet to actually stay there. Sure, I could arrange a site inspection and tour the rooms and the property, but that doesn’t say much about the service quality, housekeeping and turndown timing, exclusive resort guest perks, etc. I much prefer to stay at the hotel like a guest and experience the property firsthand (that’s why I stay at and write reviews about so many luxury properties around the world!).

So, it made sense to just finally stay there myself!

I stayed at Baoase Luxury Resort for 2 nights, and let me tell you – I get why this resort is considered the best on the island. I had a fantastic stay, and I’m excited to share my experience with you. Keep reading to find out what the check-in process is like, thorough details about my Beachfront Pool Suite, my oceanfront spa treatment, theme night dinners, renovation/expansion updates, interactions with the guest services team, and more. If you’d like to book Baoase Luxury Resort with me, reach out! You’ll receive $100 resort credit and a special VIP welcome amenity on top of an expert travel agent to make sure your stay runs smoothly.

Table of Contents

• About Baoase Luxury Resort
• Location
• Style + Vibe
• First Impressions
• Beachfront Pool Suite
• Rooms
• Amenities
• Beach Clubs: Baoase Beach vs. Bida Island
• Pools
• Restaurants
• Spa Treatment
• Gym
• Activities
• Service
• Construction Work
• Pricing
• Who Would I Recommend This For?
• Kat’s Final Thoughts

About Baoase Luxury Resort

Baoase is a family-owned luxury boutique hotel, and the only 5-star resort in Curacao. Yes, it’s still owned by the Van der Valk family instead of a mega-corporation. The owners, Ad and Bibi, were visiting Curacao and fell in love with a neglected piece of land by the beach. In 2005, they started constructing the first villa on the property (known as the Master Villa, which you can book!). “Baoase” is a combination of the Dutch word for “oasis” (oase) and the owners ‘names, Bibi and Ad.

Originally, the property was meant to be a family vacation home for the Van der Valk family. Along with the owner’s Master Villa, 5 additional villas for Ad’s kids were erected as well. In 2009, Baoase opened as a luxury resort for the public and history was made. There were only 6 accommodations back then, and now they’re up to 23! Baoase has come a long way, but it still maintains that family-owned feeling.

Location

Baoase Luxury Resort is located just past the Pietermaai District. It’s about a 10-minute drive to Punda where the large “Curacao” sign is. From Punda, you could easily walk across the swinging bridge into the Otrobanda side for more sightseeing.

The resort is actually located within a residential neighborhood away from all of the restaurants and commercial buildings. It’s a great balance because you’re close enough to do some sightseeing in Willemstad or visit restaurants in Pietermaai and you don’t have to deal with crowds. You can escape to your quiet oasis after a day of adventure.

If you want to do sightseeing on the west side of the island (which I highly recommend), you’re looking at about an hour drive each way. The good news is, parking is free here so I encourage you to rent a car and explore the island while using Baoase as your homebase.

Style + Vibe

The decor of Baoase is Balinese-inspired. An Asian-feeling resort in the Caribbean? Yes, yes this is. But actually I’m not mad about it, the Balinese influence meshes well with the family and friends feeling that the resort exudes, and you’re still getting that Caribbean hospitality.

When I say the resort is Balinese-inspired, I mean that the staff all wear traditional skirts and pants from Indonesia. There are carved wooden accents around the entire property reminiscent of designs you would see in Bali. There is incense in all of the rooms, Asian fruit bowls, and Balinese-inspired paintings on the walls.

The vibe is very low key, and I love it. There’s no loud music or parties, just calm beach days and relaxing beach dinners. The vibe is perfect for honeymooners looking for a quiet luxury beach stay, and it’s also great for families who enjoy low-key vacations. I saw plenty of families during my stay with well-behaved kids that kept to themselves. Above all, the vibe is barefoot luxury. There’s no pressure to dress up formally, but you still manage to feel special.

First Impressions

Let me preface this by saying that I’ve been to Baoase before for dinner and beach days, so my first impression is more of a fourth impression. However, I was surprised to learn that Baoase does a special welcome ritual only for guests checking into the resort.

When we parked our car outside the resort and gave the security guard our name, we were told to wait in front of the big gates for a “grand welcome.” The large carved wooden double doors slowly swung open and we were met on the other side by a group of Baoase team members all saying, “welcome to Baoase!” From there we were given ice cold towels and learned everyone’s names.

Instead of being led to the front desk area for a traditional check-in, we were escorted immediately to our room being given a brief tour of the property on the way. Our check-in was done in our room, with a Baoase staff member and her portable scanner. She scanned our id cards and credit card and then wished us a wonderful stay. I absolutely love how personal and welcoming the check-in process is from the grand welcome to the administrative process in the room.

Beachfront Pool Suite

We were lucky to snag a Beachfront Pool Suite over a busy weekend, as it’s one of their best and most popular categories. Our accommodation was called “Bunga Elok” meaning “beautiful flower” in Indonesian. This particular unit was located toward the end of Baoase’s lagoon, where there is an opening to the ocean. It was the perfect location as there was just open ocean to our right, and this was the only unit with that feature.

Our Beachfront Pool Suite was incredibly spacious with over 2,500 sq. ft. of indoor and outdoor space. Stepping inside, we immediately spotted the carved stone bathtub straight ahead. Double vanities were to our left, a walk-in closet and toilet room to our right. The shower was located outside by the bathtub. That’s right, an outdoor shower! Back in the room is a king sized bed with a canopy, and a small sitting area by the foot of the bed. The suite had one of those cool TVs that rise from the foot of the bed. Everything was decorated in a Balinese style, similar to the rest of the resort.

The best part of this suite, in my opinion, is the outdoor space. There are three separate patios connected by a wraparound pool. There is a plunge pool on the left side, and then the water becomes more shallow as it wraps around. A private wooden walkway leads down to a slice of beach around the calm lagoon with a dining table and lounger set up for our suite only. There are also loungers overlooking the ocean on the right side from the bedroom. This is also where there is a high top table, minibar, and coffee/tea set up. I thought this suite was absolutely stunning, and I loved every aspect of it.

Rooms

Baoase Luxury Resort is a boutique experience with only 23 rooms. The resort is actually adding another 14 rooms and suites, which I’ll mention more about further down. At least half of the suites on property have their own private plunge pool. Most of the accommodations here are going to be suites with only a few rooms available, which is perfect for those who value privacy and space.

The rooms were all designed by Bibi, the co-owner of the resort, and that means that each accommodation is a bit different. This could mean a different location, feature, or design. It’s important to work with a luxury travel advisor like myself who can book you the best suite within the category. This is especially true since I’ve stayed there, I know the ins and outs of the suite locations in relation to the rest of the resort, and can recommend categories that make sense for groups and larger families. Plus, all of my clients receive $100 hotel credit when they book Baoase with me.

In addition to suites and rooms, there are villas. The Master Villa is going to be the most residential with a full kitchen. The villas are larger, many with two floors and multiple bedrooms. The villas are located centrally within the resort near the Culinary Beach Restaurant and the lagoon. This would be my pick for families and larger groups who want to stay near each other.

Amenities

I was pretty impressed with the amount of amenities at Baoase. In terms of hotel amenities, they have a private yacht that can be rented for the day. A boutique shop with high end clothing and local crafts in addition to hotel necessities (sunscreen, swimwear, bug spray, etc.). The hotel has their own in-house car, although it’s not free to use, and it’s basically a nice taxi service. You can also rent Jeeps through the resort. They have a reading library underneath an old banyan tree, a cupboard of board games, and more amenities on their beaches. Of course, they also have a spa, a gym, and three restaurants.

For beach amenities, the lagoon has more to offer. There you’ll find a beach shack with pool noodles, snorkel gear, sand toys for kids, various floaties, and kayaks. At Bida Beach, there’s no beach shack but you can use snorkel masks and kayaks.

In terms of in-room amenities, the toiletries are furnished by Molton Brown. I can still smell the orange and bergamot hand soap, it was so good. A plush bathrobe and slippers are awaiting in every closet. The slippers actually say “his” and “hers.” Small acqua panna waters are left in the room with each cleaning and turndown service, although the tap water is perfectly safe and tasty. A unique amenity for Baoase is the addition of an exotic fruit everyday. In our case, we received Rambutan the first day, and Mangosteen on the second day. And of course, I have to shout out the beautiful welcome amenities we received, which you would get too if you booked with me!

Beach Clubs: Baoase Beach vs. Bida Island

There are two beach clubs at Baoase: the lagoon beach and the new Bida Island beach. I wrote two separate blog posts about each experience, but I want to summarize both here because guests of Baoase have complimentary access to both beaches. Having complimentary access to the beaches are some of the biggest perks at Baoase, not only because of the included amenities, but because guests have priority pick of the loungers. They both offer different vibes, however, so it’s important to know the difference.

The Baoase lagoon beach (offered to the public as the “Baoase Beach Day Pass“) is the more family-friendly beach. The water in the lagoon is exceptionally calm, not too deep, and has plenty of soft sand for playing and easy entry. There are covered cabanas and sun loungers with parasols that are nicely spread out so it doesn’t feel too crowded. The beach shack is also nearby, and there are beach butlers that attend to guests who push the service buttons on their tables. This beach tends to be more quiet and low key. The Culinary Beach restaurant is just nearby so it’s easy to have a lovely open air lunch with your toes in the sand and then go back to your beach bed.

The Bida Island Beach is their newest addition, and it’s past the Sunset Deck Restaurant where the Baoase yachts are docked. Bida Island is more of an adults-focused beach experience. There’s not a ton of space for kids to play, and the swimming area is the open ocean which is less calm than the lagoon. The way to get into the ocean is via a steep staircase, which I think would be challenging for kids to navigate. That said, it’s an excellent beach for adults, it’s very chill, and the spa is located on this island.

Pools

For those of you who are pool people, this may not be the place for you. There is a pool, don’t get me wrong, but it’s surrounded by a handful of Tropical Pool Villas. It’s a little bit of an awkward area because you could swim and look right into their units. That said, most suites have their own private plunge pool, so you wouldn’t even think to use the main pool. Plus, you’ve got two beaches to make use of.

Restaurants

There are three restaurants at Baoase Luxury Resort, but they’re not all open daily. These include Baoase Culinary Restaurant, Sunset Deck Restaurant, and the Bida Island Restaurant. Some of the restaurants do theme nights to change up the menu every week, while others are only open on weekends or lunch only.

Baoase Culinary Restaurant is the main dining venue on the island, and it’s open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. On Thursdays, the restaurant has a Fruits de Mer special menu for dinner. On Sundays, the restaurant has an Asian special menu for dinner. The remaining days are the same menu focusing on a fusion of French techniques with Asian and Caribbean cuisine. I had dinner at this restaurant both nights and tried their main dinner menu and Asian menu. They were both great! Dinner is with toes in the sand and ambient lighting on the table. It’s very romantic. Side note: I always recommend people visiting to book a private gazebo for dinner here, especially for any special occasions.

Sunset Deck is the other main restaurant on the property. They only operate with rotating themed menus. Right now the schedule is: Mexican on Tuesdays, Indian on Wednesdays, Italian on Fridays, and BBQ on Saturdays. This is quite a small restaurant overlooking Bida Island and the small harbor holding the resort’s two yachts, so availability is limited. In fact, I couldn’t even get in for BBQ night on Saturday because it was fully booked! This restaurant is closed for lunch and closed on the evenings not mentioned. Non-resort guests can also make reservations at this restaurant.

The last restaurant is on Bida Island. This restaurant is open daily for lunch and only on Friday and Saturday for dinners. There isn’t an additional menu for the Friday and Saturday dinners, but rather a limited extension of the lunch menu. I actually dined here for lunch during my day visit to Bida Island, and the food was great! Everything came served in Asian steamer baskets. This restaurant’s menu focuses on light bites and popular items from their main restaurant menu. It’s a great lunch option for those staying at the resort.

Spa Treatment

I mentioned on my Bida Island blog that I wasn’t able to try their new spa. Well, that’s now old news. I have tried the new spa, and I’m reporting back – it was great! Way better than their old spa near the main lagoon, which has now become restrooms. There are two treatment rooms which can be combined for couples massages, and a separate salon room for nail treatments. The massage treatment rooms face the open ocean and they’re positioned perfectly for warm breezes to come through. There is also an air conditioning unit and the ability to close all the doors and the windows.

In addition to the treatment rooms, there’s a large shower area with two shower heads. There are no changing rooms though, so I removed my clothing with my masseuse holding up a sheet to block any potential onlookers. Honestly though, it’s perched right on the end of Bida Island so there wouldn’t be anyone looking, unless you count fishermen in the distance.

I had a deep tissue massage one morning, and it started with a foot wash. My masseuse did her thing for an hour and made it very relaxing. Her English wasn’t the best so she didn’t ask me about pressure or if everything is okay, but it ended up being perfectly fine. The music playing in the spa was a loop of 6 jazzy love song covers. Not my preference, but I didn’t have the language skills to ask for the music to be turned off. In any case, I had a great time and would do it again.

Gym

Yes, I absolutely went to the gym during my stay. I don’t usually work out when I’m traveling or staying elsewhere, but since Baoase has a gym program for outside guests, I thought I’d check it out in case that’s something I wanted to sign up for. The gym is complimentary for resort guests and is located right across from the main entrance of the resort.

The gym is pretty small, but functional. It’s a two-room space with Technogym cardio machines, free weights, and strength training machines as well. There aren’t any views from the gym, only some foliage and a glimpse of the Baoase entrance. There are rolled up towels and a mini-fridge with boxed water at the entrance. I also saw more of the exotic fruits on a platter here. There was no one in the gym. Not a single soul – not even any staff members!

I went on Sunday afternoon and did a routine workout with the machines. The air conditioning kept the whole space comfortably cool, and the machines were all in pristine condition. There isn’t a ton of space for yoga or stretch work or Pilates, so it’s a good thing those sessions are done on the lagoon pier. Apparently, I could’ve ordered healthy drinks post-workout, but there was no one there for me to ask.

Activities

Even though this is a resort where you can lounge, relax, and enjoy the beach all day every day, there are plenty of activities that can be arranged outside of the resort. Inside the resort, there typically isn’t daily programming or complimentary activities on offer. Like I said, most people are here to relax and wind down.

One of the unique things about Baoase is that they have their own in-house guides that operate some of the tours and activities, for a fee. Any activity booked through Baoase is going to be private. Some of the popular ones include West Side Island tours, Otrobanda City Art Walking tours, Punda Walking tours, and private yacht trips.

In terms of activities for kids, there isn’t a kids club on property nor is there kids programming. I was told that the team sometimes arranges activities for kids if there’s a holiday or there are a lot of kids in house. That said, I would still recommend it for families whose kids can enjoy a quiet and relaxing beach vacation. There’s plenty of beach to play with.

Service

Service here was excellent. I was expecting island time kind of service, but no, everyone was very friendly and quick with requests. I saw many of the same staff throughout my stay and they would greet me by name and ask me how my stay is going. One evening I got to talking with a lovely team member about how she’s from Jamaica but living in Curacao, and which is the best Jamaican restaurant on the island. I have zero complaints! Service was warm and welcoming throughout my stay.

One of the days I was laying on my private slice of beach and a beach butler came up to give me an afternoon snack and check if I needed anything. Let me tell you, my beach was at the far end, kind of isolated, so I was impressed he came all the way over to me. Even at the restaurants for breakfast, lunch, and dinners, the servers were always checking on me. It was a refreshing change from the usually slow service I find on the island.

For housekeeping and turn down service, they were top notch. There’s a coconut with a sleepy face and awake face painted on each side outside each room door. The coconut sleeping means “do not disturb” and the awake face means “come on in”. One day I left my room a bit late and turned the coconut on awake and Whatsapp’d guest services for cleaning, and they came right away. Turndown service consisted of closing all the curtains, leaving out your slippers, a little sweet treat on the bed, refreshed bottles of water, and an inspirational quote.

Construction Work

Yes, you heard it here first! There’s construction going on at Baoase that may impact anyone who plans to be on lagoon beach. The resort is adding 14 new accommodations: 12 suites and 2 rooms. There’s a large wood wall blocking the construction from the beach, but you can definitely see the crane and hear some drilling and chopping. Was it enough to deter people from the beach? No, absolutely not. People were still on the beach, including myself, still relaxing during the day.

The resort is leaving a notice in everyone’s rooms upon check-in letting them know there is construction by the beach. They encourage guests to use Bida Island’s beach for an alternative beach experience. It’s a good thing they have two beaches!

I was told that the construction is projected to finish in December 2026, but it’s the island so you never know. I’m excited to see how the rooms will turn out. I heard they may have more connectivity options in this building, and it’ll be in a stunning beachfront location. Reach out to me if you want to be among the first to stay in the new rooms once they’re complete!

Pricing

It should come as no surprise that the only 5-star luxury resort on the island comes with a high price tag. I’ve been in the luxury travel industry for a while now and can say that Baoase’s pricing is comparable to other beachfront luxury resorts. With that said, my Beachfront Pool Suite comes at a cost of around $2,000 USD per night including tax. For a luxurious and spacious suite with a private plunge pool and section of beach, I think that’s well worth the cost.

There are lower cost rooms, like the Colonial Room that is around the $775 range. Higher room categories, such as the Superior Beachfront Pool Suites go for around $2,300 a night. The Master Villa can connect to other rooms to make a massive 12 person accommodation on request.

Finally, I would be remiss not to mention that Baoase has a villa on a private island in the Spanish Waters, Isla Kiniw. This is a 4 bedroom, 4 bathroom modern villa with a full kitchen and plenty of open air space. There’s also a private beach, and the ability to do water sports in the Spanish Waters. Did I mention there’s a helipad, a putting green, and access to your own private powerboat boat? Yes, this one is going to cost a bit more, but it’s worth the splurge for a unique experience. Reach out to me to request pricing and availability, and I can set it all up for you.

Who Would I Recommend This For?

I would undoubtedly send honeymooners here, it’s the perfect ambiance for those wanting to enjoy a bit of romance. However, I would also consider sending families here especially if the kids enjoy a low key beach vacation. Is this the most luxurious resort I’ve ever been to? Not quite, but remember that Curacao is still under the radar compared to other Caribbean islands. It is certainly the most luxurious resort in Curacao.

The vibe of Baoase is very much a peaceful sanctuary, so I wouldn’t send anyone looking to party here. If you’re not a fan of staying in a Caribbean resort with Asian-inspired designs because you want to feel like you’re in the Caribbean, then I may suggest something else for you. If you’re penny pinching and aiming to go out and explore the island everyday, I’d probably recommend a different hotel or a split stay. Baoase is a resort you want to be at and enjoy all day.

Kat’s Final Thoughts

I’ve been itching to stay at Baoase ever since I moved to Curacao three years ago. I can say without a doubt that this resort is a great time. Even though my husband only joined me for part of the day a couple of times (he had to watch the dogs!), I had a lovely time enjoying the resort on my own. It was peaceful, relaxing, rejuvenating, and highlighted the beauty of the island.

Baoase is definitely the resort I get questions about the most, and I hope this blog answered most of them. I have a lot more photos and videos than I publish, so if you ever have questions feel free to reach out to me. I’ll be back once the new building is finished to check out the new rooms, and maybe for a few dinners until then. I can’t wait to be back!