Tagged: beach bar, caribbean, curacao, koraal rooftop terrace, pool bar, travel
When Koraal Rooftop Terrace, located at Coral Estate in Curacao, was first brought to my attention, the first question that came to my mind was “They put a pool bar on a roof?” I knew there was some kind of relationship to Karakter beach bar so my curiosity took over and I had to find out why – why build a rooftop pool bar when there are so many beautiful beaches in Curacao? I was put in touch with Roos van der Haar, the marketing and event manager for Karakter and Koraal, and she was more than happy to help satisfy my curiosity.
What is your role with Koraal?
I’m the Marketing & Event manager for both Koraal and Karakter. My role is very broad and differs from building the website, taking care of new pictures, advertising, online marketing, social media, etc to special events, weddings and more!
It’s my understanding that Koraal is a rooftop bar with a pool? How did the idea to build this come about?
Yes, Koraal Rooftop Terrace is a rooftop bar with an infinity pool and lounge area. Karakter is up and running on Curacao since April 2012 and has become one of Curacao’s leading beach restaurants. But Karakter was missing something. A nice and cozy bar. Of course, we do have a bar and nice bartenders, but it’s not really that typical bar where you meet each other and have a drink combined with a small snack. We want to fill the gap with a new concept: Koraal Rooftop Terrace with an infinity pool right next to it.
What is the relation to Karakter?
Karakter and Koraal are two separate companies owned by the same owner. Karakter is a beach restaurant with all day service (breakfast/lunch/dinner) and at Koraal we focus more on the bar. Cocktails, premium drinks like whiskey, gin and delicious wines combined with delicious bites, tapas platters and a small selection of main courses. As explained in the previous question, Koraal Rooftop adds something Karakter doesn’t have yet. The two together will make the package (whole experience) complete. Even though we work closely together, Koraal Rooftop Terrace certainly has its own identity.
How long have you been officially open? How has business been since you opened?
We had a pre-opening party on May 26th and we’ve opened the Rooftop terrace officially on the 1st of June. We opened our doors quietly without much commotion resulting in a slow start (which is perfect to do some final touches). However, word of mouth started quite fast and it is getting busier every day, especially after we opened our Koraal kitchen (live cooking). The weekends are busy but there is still enough space for you to enjoy a relaxing cup of coffee and enjoy the amazing view.
Besides the fact that it’s a rooftop bar with a pool, what makes Koraal unique from the other bars in Curacao?
Koraal is an exclusive rooftop bar with an infinity pool where you can enjoy the best cocktails, Gin Tonics and other premium drinks, all made with passion and love for the products. You can choose from the menu or let us surprise you with a perfect serve or something specially created for you! Bites and tapas are prepared in our outdoor kitchen, a variety of great dishes and bites that perfectly go with the drinks and the setting. The view of Koraal is a view you cannot see anywhere else but here – it is really stunning and surprises you with the best sunsets! So combine good food, delicious drinks and the best view on the island and you never want to leave again!
What are the main reasons locals or tourists should visit Koraal?
Koraal is everything you need on a hot day in Curacao. We have a large infinity pool, lounge chairs, delicious bites, salads and platters, juices and the best cocktails. The bar is in the center, literally and figuratively, surrounded by nice tables, sofas and cozy lounge corners. The 270 degrees sea view makes this location unique – you’ll have a sea view from every seat. It is like a rooftop deluxe.
Do you have any signature plates or cocktails? Can you describe them?
We have a couple of signature plates and cocktails. These are our surprising and unique cocktails like for example the Basil Beauty. It is a fresh cocktail with Stolichnaya Citros Vodka, pineapple juice, lime, passionfruit, coconut and basil. Or we have the Mat Hatter, Hendricks Gin, St. Germain Elderflower, Cloudy apple & lemon. This are just two cocktails but we have many more. About the kitchen, at Koraal you can enjoy several bites like fresh tuna tataki, crispy carpaccio rolls and beef tataki, all great to share and to combine with your drink.
As you may understand, we cannot say too much about the delicious cocktails and the bites. Discover it yourself… You’re welcome at Koraal!
Get Social
For the latest images from Koraal Curacao, you can check out Instagram. You can also stay up to date on the latest from Koraal by liking their Facebook page.
If you’ve been to Koraal, let us know what you thought of it in the comments. Since it recently opened, reviews are limited online and we’d love to hear what you think!