There are mostly private condo rentals near the western beaches, but not really big resorts or hotels, other than the Kura Hulanda. That area is a bit out of the way with few restaurants or activities other than the beaches. Very pretty though. It is about a 30-40 minute drive from downtown Willemstad, depending on which beaches you go to. The Avila Resort we stayed in was only a 5-7 minute drive from downtown Willemstad in one direction and the Mambo beach strip/shopping Blvd in the other. We compared it a bit with what we do on SXM; that is, sleep on the Dutch side and spend the day on the French-side beaches. Everyone has their own personal preferences as to where to stay and what is more convenient to be near. If we go back, we would still prefer to sleep closer to town.