The Royal Sea Aquarium Resort

The Royal Sea Aquarium Resort is a friendly 60-room hotel that, as the name suggests, is connected to Curacao’s popular Sea Aquarium and Dolphin Academy. Lovers of sea life will be right at home here. The whole resort is built on a small man-made island out in the sea, connected to the mainland by a short bridge. The property is then connected to a second island that contains the Aquarium complex, which includes large outdoor lagoons for the dolphins and other aquatic friends.

The hotel is ideal for family-friendly fun, and there are activities and restaurants in walking distance, including the Mambo Beach shopping and dining complex. The small lobby is more of a reception area, featuring comfortable, contemporary decor. There is a tiny kids' play area in the lobby with a Nintendo Wii. The buildings of the hotel are painted in a bright yellow color, reflecting the vibrant Caribbean style of the area. This is partially a time-share hotel, and a large percentage of the apartments are used by returning time-share guests, which can often add to the congenial atmosphere. Though it maintains a casual, laid-back island feel, the Aquarium complex could seem a bit touristy and inauthentic to some, compared to the rich local history found in downtown Willemstad.

The resort is located on the southwest coast of the island, on a man-made island that has some interesting neighbors. In fact, some areas of the Sea Aquarium next door, such as the dolphins and sea lions, can be seen from certain rooms of the hotel. There’s plenty to do and see close by. It’s just a few minutes walk to the large Lion’s Dive resort, which has a handful of restaurants including the popular Hemingway bar. Next to that is the lively Mambo Beach complex and BLVD, a touristy shopping mall with several restaurants and bars. The area is definitely geared towards tourists -- those looking for some local culture should head to town. The hotel runs a free shuttle to a grocery store or to downtown Willemstad. It’s about a 10-minute ride to town, and 25 minutes to the airport.

The hotel offers three room types: Junior Suites, One-Bedroom Villas, and the combination of the two, which creates a spacious Two-Bedroom Villa. The rooms are decorated with colorful artwork depicting local scenery, island-style wicker furniture, and neutral tones with pops of orange and lime green. While not fancy, the style is up to par for an upper-mid-range accommodation. All rooms have a small deck or patio with seating, many looking out onto the peaceful pool area.

Each villa includes a full living room with a pull-down Murphy bed for extra guests. It also has a dining area and a small well-equipped kitchen, with a stainless-steel refrigerator, stove, oven, dishwasher, microwave, toaster, and even a blender. The Junior Suites each include a small kitchenette with a mini-fridge, toaster, coffeemaker, microwave, and a few dishes. Every room has a flat-screen TV and DVD player, and villas include stereo systems. The bathrooms are basic, but are clean and bright with a separate sink area and large walk-in closet.

Two lovely pools are located side by side on a large deck facing out onto the ocean. One of the pools is connected to a large hot tub, a great spot for sunset. There is also a small, shallow kids' pool located close by. A few canopied daybeds and several lounge chairs are available, and plenty of shade can be found around the spacious pool deck area, with more room to spread out than at the small beach. A group of stoic iguanas, a common sight seen around the island, keep watch over the pool deck.

The resort has one restaurant and bar, Augusto’s, that serves light, casual Italian fare. It sits right on the water with great views.  There’s entertainment, including karaoke night, a few nights a week. A small guest laundry room nearby offers coin-operated machines. There is a computer in the lobby for guest use, if needed, and free Wi-Fi is available.

Next to the restaurant, there is a narrow stretch of tranquil beach and a shallow, protected cove for swimming. The small beach is well shaded by a grove of palm trees, and lounge chairs and even a few hammocks are available, though chairs often fill up when the hotel is busy. It directly faces the wide beach of Lion’s Dive Resort, and guests could easily swim across the small bay. Sand toys and floating toys for the water are available, snorkel gear can be borrowed for free, and kayaks are rented out for a fee.

Guests of the hotel receive a pass good for one free entry to the Sea Aquarium Park. While there is lots to see at the aquarium, it’s a bit old and there’s not as much learning material as you’d find at an American counterpart. The indoor-outdoor aquarium allows guests to view sealife both indoors, in tanks, and outdoors in large fenced-in areas of the sea. Highlights include the flamingos, nurse sharks, stingrays and a sea lion show. The main draw, of course, is the dolphin show, where trainers swim with the dolphins, showing off with lots of flips and tricks. For additional fees, guests can feed and swim with the dolphins at the Dolphin Academy.

This hotel offers a tourism attraction that involves animals. You can learn more about the cruelty animals suffer in captivity here.