11 Curaçao Resorts for Your Next Trip, From All-Inclusive to Historic 

By: - March 14th, 2024
curacao resorts best
The LionsDive resort in Curacao.

If you haven’t noticed, the Dutch Caribbean island of Curaçao has been among the fastest-growing destinations in the Caribbean in the last year, with record-breaking arrivals, a surging hotel pipeline, major new flights (including a big expansion from Delta) and a palpable sense of tourism energy. 

It’s a renaissance that largely began with the entry to the market of the stunning Sandals Royal Curacao a few years ago, and it hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down. But the island’s hotel product is far more than one large resort: it’s a diverse, eclectic, fascinating collection of resorts, large and small, all-inclusive and boutique, historic and cutting-edge. Are you planning a vacation to Curacao? Here are some of our favorites on the island right now. As always, our editors put together a comprehensive selection that includes options for every different kind of vacation, whether you’re looking for a budget-friendly affordable hotel or a classic beach resort or the best of all worlds.

the beach at the baoase luxury resort in curacao
The beach at the Baoase Luxury Resort in Curacao.

Baoase Luxury Resort This isn’t just the best resort in Curacao — it’s among the best anywhere in the Caribbean. Chef Rene Klop’s breathtakingly good food, the private beach, the private island, the magnificent service, we could go on and on. That’s of course without mentioning the spectacular Bali-style rooms, many of which have their own pools or hot tubs, creating your own private oasis for the duration of your stay. It’s just that good — and it’s better than ever. 

Blue Bay Curacao It just might be the buzziest place to stay on the island, and that’s in no small part due to the debut of the world-renowned Brass Boer restaurant, the three-Michelin-star-pedigree eatery out of Bonaire. But the food is just the beginning of the story at Blue Bay, which has a private beach, an excellent 18-hole golf course and spacious rooms.

Van Der Valk Kontiki Beach Resort It’s an all-day party: Mambo Beach, Curacao’s capital of cool, an enclave of beach bars, eateries, pools and non-stop entertainment. Our favorite Mambo spot is the Kontiki, one of the island’s most complete resorts. There’s something for everyone, from a trio of beach clubs and restaurants to a cleverly-designed poolscape that winds its way through a lush garden.  

Papagayo Beach Resort Jan Thiel Beach is one of the hippest spots on the island, focused around an almost impossibly turquoise, sparkling beach that almost feels like a pool. And it’s anchored by the Papagayo, an ultra-modern, luxe retreat with a mix of traditional rooms and large villas perfect for families or groups. 

brion hotel
The rooftop pool is a big draw.

Brion City Hotel BW Signature Collection There’s no better way to enjoy the heart of the cultural gem that is Willemstad than this well-run, 100-room boutique-style hotel with sleek rooms and a rooftop pool. It’s also arguably the best-value hotel on the island.

sandals royal curacao
We love the Awa bungalows.

Sandals Royal Curacao As we already mentioned, the stunning Sandals Royal Curacao helped usher in Curacao’s recent tourism boom, with its sparkling design (including those lovely Awa Seaside Butler Bungalows, which come with their own private plunge pools). The dining program is also a standout, with eight eateries, including a new addition for the brand: three food trucks set right on the sand. 

kura hulanda curacao

Kura Botanica Curacao’s newest adults-only is an 82-room historic hotel that’s a destination in its own right, with a full-fledged village on offer with everything from eateries and shops to a museum, all within a short stroll. It’s as charming a place to stay as there is on the island.

LionsDive Beach Resort With Curacao’s depth as a destination it’s sometimes easy to forget that the island is actually one of the region’s premier diving hotspots, with more than 70 different dive sites scattered around its coastline. And if that’s the kind of vacation you’re seeking, look no further than the LionsDive, the venerable dive resort with an on-site PADI Dive center and a great reef right at the property’s edge. (It’s also a top option for snorkelers, too). 

curacao resorts

Avila Beach Curacao A pair of private beaches; a lovely spa called Cloud Nine; a broad mix of rooms and suites; and the best live music anywhere on the island. Avila is a Caribbean signature, with a cult following of frequent Caribbean travelers and a warm, always-friendly ambience. And while it’s not an all-inclusive, it does offer a full-board option. 

curacao resorts
We’re also big fans of the rooftop “beach.”

Renaissance Wind Creek Curacao Resort A Curacao institution, the Renaissance continues to be a well-rounded hotel with a strong location in the heart of downtown, a terrific casino and, in what we love the most, the Renaissance Mall: a bustling district of cafes, shops and eateries built around the historic 19th century Rif Fort. 

curacao all-inclusive
The Rif.

Rif at Mangrove Beach Corendon Curacao The newest resort in Curacao is this all-inclusive that’s part of Hilton’s Curio by Hilton portfolio. The Rif, which welcomed its first guests at the end of last year, has 385 rooms (including a number of swim-ups), seven eateries and complimentary access to the adjacent Mangrove Beach Corendon resort. 

News

"Significant" Grand Cayman Beachfront Site Lists for $18 Million

grand cayman beach

A “significant” beachfront development site is for sale from The Lund Team on the southern coastline of the Cayman Islands. Offering offer 1,000 feet of beachfront, the site also has 450 feet of depth from the Caribbean sea, allowing ample space for any type of development, according to Kim Lund, broker-owner at RE/MAX Cayman Islands. An […]

News

This Top Bahamas Resort Has a New F&B Director 

nassau grand hyatt

It’s home to one of the greatest collections of fine restaurants in one place, well, anywhere: the Baha Mar resort in Nassau.  From Marcus Samuelsson’s Marcus at Baha Mar Fish + Chop House to the Chinese-focused Shuang Ba, there’s a reason the hotel is a foodie haven.  Now, the property’s Grand Hyatt Baha Mar has […]

News

This Tiny Caribbean Island Has a Must-Visit Food Festival  

caribbean island tiny food

The private-island Lovango Resort and Beach Club off the coast of St John is bringing back its Taste of Lovango food festival for a second edition, Caribbean Journal has learned.  This year’s Taste of Lovango will run from May 29-June 1, with guest chefs including Sam Choy, Tiffani Faison and Gerald Sombright.  The four-day event […]


American Airlines Just Expanded Its French Caribbean Flights

From the rainforests to the rum, the haute cuisine to the beaches, the French Caribbean island of Martinique is among the most diverse, fascinating places to visit in the wider region.  And now it’s easier than ever to fly to Martinique’s capital of Fort-de-France, thanks to a ramp-up by American Airlines.  For the current season, […]

How to Save on a Villa Retreat in Jamaica Right Now

It’s one of the most magical boutique hotels in the Caribbean: Jamaica’s legendary Round Hill, the place where the rooms are designed by part-owner Ralph Lauren.  But what some may not realize is that the resort is actually home to a large collection of standalone villas, ranging from intimate cottages to grand villas, some of […]

The Nassau Cruise Port Just Made History Again 

From the rainforests to the rum, the haute cuisine to the beaches, the French Caribbean island of Martinique is among the most diverse, fascinating places to visit in the wider region.  And now it’s easier than ever to fly to Martinique’s capital of Fort-de-France, thanks to a ramp-up by American Airlines.  For the current season, […]

The Great Grand Bahama Comeback

Approaching five years post-Hurricane Dorian, it appears Grand Bahama is having a major moment in the sun. The northernmost Bahamian island was ground zero for the 2019 storm, which caused an estimated $7 billion in damage Bahamas-wide. Today, according to Invest Grand Bahama, there are now more than 31 major projects in the pipeline island-wide […]