BONHATA
Over the past years, Bonaire has seen an increase in small accommodations. The Bonaire Hotel and Tourism Association (BONHATA) is committed to be an association welcoming and providing benefits for the diverse tourism sector that Bonaire has. In addition, BONHATA wants to contribute to the advancement of the tourism products and play a role in ensuring that accommodations offer a certain standard. Therefore, BONHATA developed the Small Accommodation Certification Program.
Small Accommodation Certification Program
BONHATA developed a Certification Program in which the smaller properties are audited on the overall quality of the property. This includes building grounds, administration, insurance, legal documents, rooms, bathrooms, kitchens and the use of sustainable practices. To be considered a small accommodation for the program, the property needs to have less than 20 units or rooms.
The audit
For the year of 2017/2018, BONHATA performs the audit at the accommodations. The audit was developed based on vergelijkbare audits currently available in the Caribbean, and was slightly adapted to inevitable situations on Bonaire. Accommodations agree to participate in the program and are then notified of the date of the audit, along with a simple overview of some of the points that will be audited. An audit at your accommodation will take no longer than 2 hours, including the review of the points afterwards.
During the audit the following areas will be reviewed:
- Building grounds including property signage; maintenance; lighting; secure doors & windows;
- Administrative processes will be reviewed including presentation of invoice/receipt; facilitating late evening guest access and check-in; accessibility by phone; accessibility of a property emergency number for the guests; keeping track of occupancy;
- Rooms including cleanliness; maintenance; security; condition of beds and linens; safety measures such as fire extinguishers & smoke detectors; condition of furniture; ventilation; local & guest info kit; provisions for shade & privacy;
- Kitchen/kitchenette (where present) including cleanliness; safety; practices for rodent and pest control;
- Bathrooms including cleanliness; security; electricity; facilities; exhaust; towels & bathmat;
- Facilities & amenities (where applicable) including pool/Jacuzzi/hot tub; storage area(s); restaurant; fitness, excursion desk; dive shop;
- Sustainable practices including recycling; separate waste collection; bio degradable cleaning products; water & electricity saving appliances; keeping track of water & electricity usage. This section includes eleven (11) practices where for the 2017 – 2018 audit at least three (3) need to be implemented;
Certified small accommodation, what does that mean?
If an accommodation successfully passes the audit, it will be a BONHATA certified small accommodation, but what does that mean?
It means the property has shown it is, in all areas of the audit, capable of providing their guests a product and service of a certain quality. As a guest staying in a BONHATA certified small accommodation, you can be sure that everything that is important to your safety and comfort is in order.
How do I know the accommodation is certified?
You will find the official and unique certificate right at the entrance of your accommodation. But before you arrive there, you can also check online. Visit this page and click the accommodation of your choice, if this accommodation has less than 20 units and passed the audit, you will find an online version of the certificate on their page.