Willemstad is small, but the choice of neighborhood changes your stay more than the choice of hotel brand. The city centers on Sint Anna Bay, with Punda on the east bank and Otrobanda on the west, linked by the Queen Emma pontoon bridge. Behind and beside them are Pietermaai and Scharloo, and together these four are the UNESCO-listed historic districts. Beaches, the Sea Aquarium and the national parks are outside the centre, so the real decision is how much you want to walk and how much you want to drive. Here are our five hotels and the areas they sit in.
Otrobanda: the harbour-front and the old lanes
Otrobanda is on the west side of the bay and has the island's biggest harbour-front resort and its most atmospheric historic stay. The Renaissance Wind Creek Curaçao Resort is the full-service option, with a casino, pool area and restaurants, a short walk from the Queen Emma Bridge and next to the Rif Fort waterfront. Kurá Hulanda Village and Spa is the history option, a cluster of restored buildings on Klipstraat with the Kurá Hulanda Museum on site. Both put you on foot for the old town, though neither has a beach, and cruise-ship days bring crowds to the quay.
Pietermaai: restaurants and sea air
Pietermaai is a seafront strip east of Punda, with restored mansions turned into restaurants, bars and small hotels. The Pietermaai Boutique Hotel gives you that scene on your doorstep, with a ten to fifteen minute walk into Punda, and it is a good value base for couples who plan to eat out. The trade-off is evening noise from the bars, so request a quieter room. At the eastern end of the district is the Avila Beach Hotel, our pick for people who want a beach as well as the old town: it has two private beaches with breakwaters, a house reef for snorkeling, an infinity pool and a spa, about a fifteen-minute walk from downtown.
Scharloo: art, quiet and value
Scharloo is the district of grand merchant houses just behind Punda, and it is now an art district with murals and small cafes. Atelier Skalo Boutique Hotel on N. van den Brandhofstraat is our budget-friendly choice, a small art-led hotel in the UNESCO area. It is quiet, flat and walkable, but you will need transport for beaches and parks, and you should confirm facilities such as breakfast and parking before you book.
How to choose
If you want the biggest dose of history on foot, pick Otrobanda or Scharloo. If you want evening restaurants within a few steps, pick Pietermaai. If you want to swim and snorkel without leaving the hotel, choose the Avila Beach Hotel. If you want the simplest, most full-service stay with minimal planning, the Renaissance is the easy answer. Budget travelers should compare Atelier Skalo and the Pietermaai Boutique Hotel.
Cars, noise and seasons
Whichever area you choose, a rental car for part of your stay opens up the west coast, Christoffel Park and Shete Boka, and most hotels can help arrange one or recommend tours. Light sleepers should ask for rooms away from bars and the waterfront. Prices climb in the dry season from December to April and around holidays, and the quieter autumn months can be good for bargains, though you should check the weather and boat-trip conditions. Whichever hotel you pick, book the Klein Curaçao catamaran and your turtle swim early, and keep a weekday free for the Blue Curaçao distillery.
