The Ritz Village Hotel

The Ritz Village Hotel attracts a wide range of guests, from students to retirees (many of whom are Dutch). Its buildings and amenities are colorfully painted and have names like Float, Eskimo, and Scoop, in honor of the ice-cream and dairy factory that operated on-site until 2000. A small museum traces the site’s history and includes artifacts found during the 2004 transformation from factory to guest house. The buildings center around bright courtyards filled with palm trees and Adirondack-style chairs. During Curacao’s sweltering-hot days, guests can be seen lounging around the palm-fringed pool and whirlpool deck. The Ritz owner’s passion for art is on display with sculptures, Balinese statues, and carvings scattered throughout the property. Overall, The Ritz feels like a little town and has its own main street that cuts through the center. Many of its amenities -- reception, car rental, dive shop and more are located along this private route that leads to a guest parking lot. Overall, it's a quirky stay with a lot more personality than many other hotels in downtown Willemstad. 

The hotel is in Scharloo, a historic Willemstad neighborhood full of restored and crumbling mansions of Curacao’s wealthy merchant class. Curacao Central Bank’s Money Museum Yotin Korta, the Ronde Markt -- a traditional Curacao market -- and a movie theater are all within a five-minute walk. It's a 10-minute walk or five-minute drive to Punda, the city’s historic heart with restaurants, bars, and cultural sites like the Mikve Israel-Emanuel Synagogue, the oldest synagogue in the western hemisphere (built in 1728). While the widest variety of cuisines are located in Punda, there area Asian, Caribbean, and seafood restaurants closer to the hotel as well. The city’s Maritime Museum is a 10-minute walk for those interested in the island's history. There's also a grocery store within a 10-minute walk or five-minute drive that's handy for stocking the kitchenettes. Unfortunately, there's no beach within walking distance. The nearest one -- Jan Thiel Beach -- is a 20-minute drive from the property. Budget around 15 minutes to reach Hato International Airport.

A mix of studios, lofted apartments, cottages, and traditional rooms all make a great base for independent travelers, but it's worth noting that not everything here is as bright and cheerful as the decor may imply. While most rooms have a simple, modern look to them, some could use an overhaul, and the lack of hot water in all bathrooms will be off-putting for plenty of travelers. Most of the hotel's rooms have the original ice-cream factory cement floors -- they've been reglazed, giving them urban-chic appeal. Ikea bed frames, desks, lamps, and wardrobes give everything a simple, modern appeal, although some suites have stylishly-designed hardwood bed frames and night stands made by local artisans. Some -- like the Caribbean Cottage that we saw -- have funky, bold-patterned fabrics that bring an extra touch of style to the rooms. Despite the sheer abundance of cheery yellows, turquoises, and blues, some rooms -- like the Caribbean Loft that we visited -- still feel a bit dark.With five room types to choose from -- some with balconies and pool views -- rooms at The Ritz Village range from 301-square-foot Standard Queens to the 538-square-foot Caribbean Cottage. All rooms are air-conditioned and have kitchenettes, comfortable queen or king beds, flat-screen TVs, and free Wi-Fi. Kitchenettes include an electric range, refrigerator, microwave, electric tea kettle, cooking utensils, and flatware. Bathrooms are small, but functional, and feel chintzy despite the red and white checkerboard tile floors and white-tiled walls. Showerheads are basic and -- in some rooms -- white plastic plumber's tubing serves as the shower curtain rod. There is no hot water for the showers, which could be a deal breaker for some. Also, only liquid hand soap and dish soap are provided, so guests should bring toiletries.

While a stay at Curacao's version of The Ritz isn’t lapping up luxury, its amenities and colorful grounds do hold a nice number of features given its budget status. The pool and hot tub, ringed with palm trees and pillow-topped lounge chairs, are located next to Float Bar and Restaurant, which serves up cold drinks and reasonably-priced international cuisine. Breakfast is available and there are plenty of a la carte options to choose from, though it's not included with room rates. A separate deck overlooks the pool and adjacent hot tub, perfect for for bronzing in Curacao’s hot sun. At night, the pool becomes an outdoor theater as the hotel screens movies on a poolside wall.Other conveniences include Diving Center NAS, the in-house dive shop, and an in-house car rental office that has both cars and scooters. The hours of the latter can be unpredictable and rates are likely cheaper at the airport. Bicycles are also available for rent. A mini-market sells basic necessities and The Ritz has a book exchange library plus board games. One of the more unique features here is the rentable chauffeured 1979 Rolls Royce Silver Wraith II that can be booked for special events, photo shoots, or even your airport pickup. Same-day laundry service and self-service laundry facilities are available, and there is free Wi-Fi and on-site parking.