When my husband and I realized the Curaçao plan was becoming a reality, we researched online from our living room in British Columbia, Canada to see if there were any apartments we could seek out ahead of time to narrow down the search for a new rental home in the Caribbean.

We made a top 5 list, and Cocolora was number one. We connected with a local realtor, and when we arrived on the island, he gave us the tour of several rental properties. Some were on our list, some were ones he’d picked out for us. The first one he showed us was Cocolora, and after viewing the others, we decided it was still number one. It was as lovely in person as it was in the pictures. For me personally, being surrounded by plants and the visual nourishment of nature is very important. Cocolora apartments have been designed around walking paths with lots and lots of tropical greenery. Each apartment looks out to a front area that is parallel to the walking path and is either full of tropical ground cover, flowering shrubs or trees. That was a big hit for me, and I hadn’t even viewed the apartment yet!

The apartments themselves are very well designed as is the entire complex. Simple, open and spacious, it is easy to make the space your own. I love the French doors and double opening picture window in the kitchen. The fourplex design of each mini block also means each apartment has much more of a townhouse feel. The outdoor deck/covered patio area serves as your dining room and/or extra lounge area, and it’s where we spent many many hours. We were lucky to have an unobstructed view of the custom-designed fishpond which also allowed us views into the distance all the way to Tafelberg mountain.

We loved the walk from our apartment through the maturing landscaping to the resort-like pool area. This is a real treat for anyone living at Cocolora. The pool itself is lovely with a cascading waterfall feature from a smaller upper pool, but its surroundings are what always made me feel so blessed to have access to such a treat. The pool is surrounded by coconut trees, church palms and other tropical plants, and evenly spaced on either side are palapas and loungers for residents to use. There is also a larger covered space with power outlets that sits at the upper level looking down at the pool. It was always very exciting to bring our house guests to our pool area as it is just so beautiful and peaceful.

The overall design of Cocolora has created a very safe place to live. There are no cars within the complex, so paths are all just for walking. Having the garages on the perimeter of the property adds another safety feature. I can honestly say that I always felt safe living at Cocolora.

Managers Henk and Hetty and maintenance manager Chen are always happy to help with any questions or problems and address issues quickly. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Chen not smiling. There is a real pride in the property and an honest desire to serve the residents. The upkeep of the property is constant but discreet, leaving the complex always looking fresh and new with only the maturing trees giving away any age.

I cannot say enough positive about our experience living at Cocolora. We were sad to leave, but life had other plans which is also a good thing. Our two years at our apartment provided us with great memories and new friends. We will miss our Cocolora home.