Avila Beach Hotel

We spent our honeymoon at Avila Beach Hotel in Curacao and it exceeded every expectation we had. The food surprised us most. We did the full board, three meals a day, and it never missed once. We're from Atlanta, so we have high standards, and Avila cleared them. There are two restaurants on property: The Pen and The Blues, which has live music. Get the tuna tartare. And if you're there for breakfast, find Miss Donna at the omelet station. She was one of the highlights of our trip. My wife had steak at nearly every other meal and I worked my way through the pasta dishes. There wasn't a single thing we didn't like. The property itself is beautiful. Avila is the oldest hotel on the island and they've done an excellent job revitalizing it while keeping its charm, which a lot of historic properties fail to do. We stayed in an Oceanfront Blues room and the view was incredible. The room came with champagne, which was a nice touch after our wedding. The gym has modern equipment, which I really appreciated as someone who works out regularly. There are also two beautiful coves on property for relaxing, and we used them constantly since we were exhausted from the wedding. The location is ideal. Avila is a ten minute walk from Willemstad. The island felt so safe that my wife made that walk on her own and was completely comfortable. Willemstad is a former Dutch colony, so the buildings are all these vivid colors, and there's a floating bridge downtown that swings open on the water while you're standing on it. Don't stay on property the entire time. There's a Budget car rental counter right in the lobby, but reserve ahead because they book up quickly. We would've loved to extend our rental but it was fully booked. Get a car for your entire trip because there is so much to do! We drove out to Westpunt for clear water and great beaches, and found a restaurant built into the cliffs where you can eat lunch and cliff jump right off the rocks. Landhuis Klein Santa Martha is worth the drive for lunch or dinner, with a beautiful view over the bay and a hidden overlook nearby. The sailboat tour to Klein Curacao is a must. The water is so blue it doesn't look real. There's a lighthouse you can climb and shipwrecks along the rocky side of the island. We were also there during the World Cup, which made the whole island feel like a celebration. The people of Curacao were genuinely joyful and welcoming the entire time. If you're considering Curacao, go. And if you go, stay at Avila.

This is my third visit to Avila Beach, my "happy place". My first visit was in 1981 for my honeymoon. Upon arrival, starting with a welcome cocktail, the front desk supervisor, Zachary, check in assistance with Kassia, luggage help with Silo and help setting up my tour with Queeny, I was off to a wonderful start. My spa treatment (facial and massage) was delicious thanks to Vaynis, who has hands kissed by God, as well the wait staff, including Cristina and Clyde who made sure my mojitos were always on point. From beginning to end I felt tended to and safe, and to say this was money well spent would be an understatement. I tip my hat to the management for their hospitality training, which is truly reflected in the staff's treatment of guests, which make each of us feel like family. Continued blessings to all of you!!

Amazing experience at Avila! Clyde was the best. He made feel at home from the moment we stepped in. He was Always upbeat and pleasant and very accommodating. We will be back!

Clyde was amazing server and provided excellent service at the beach party. He provided top tier service that is unparalleled to anything I have ever experienced. This man and this place deserves 10/10 stars!!

was served by clyde, great service