ORANJESTAD- Sint Eustatius has seen a successful 2023 with numerous awards and recognitions. The island has received wins from Scuba Diving Magazine’s Reader’s Choice Awards, the Caribbean Journal Boutique Hotel Awards and LUXLife’s Travel & Tourism Awards. 

Most recently, the island topped the list of Scuba Diving Magazine Reader’s Choice Awards, which celebrates the best diving in the world. Over 3,252 dedicated readers came together to name Statia #1 in Best Wreck Diving, Best Macro Life and Best Marine Environment. Statia also ranked Top 10 in several other categories including Advanced Diving, Best Value and Best Overall Destination. 

St. Eustatius is home to the Golden Rock Dive & Nature Resort, the island’s only luxury eco-retreat, which has seen a successful year of its own. This month, the Caribbean Journal announced their 2023 Caribbean Boutique Hotel Awards, recognizing Golden Rock Resort as the Best Boutique Hotel in Statia. More than 50,000 votes were cast by readers from around the world, picking the best small hotels across the wider Caribbean region.  

Earlier this year, Golden Rock Resort was also awarded Best Luxury Dive & Nature Resort in the LUXLife Travel & Tourism Awards. Now in its seventh year, the UK magazine showcases those in the industry that go above and beyond for their clients and provide excellence within their respective sector.   

Golden Rock Resort was established in 2021 and showcases 70 rooms, villa suites and standalone cottages.  

Dive Center

In early 2024 Golden Rock Resort will unveil a PADI Dive Center offering comprehensive valet diving services, including professional equipment and gear, O2 and Nitrox, two luxury diving boats, PADI INC diving instructors and snorkelling guides. Golden Rock’s Statia Divers will offer open water certifications from PADI Discover Scuba Diving through to PADI Divemaster.