25th October 2016: I've recently returned from an amazing trip to Barbados with Pure Luxury Holidays. From the moment I received my itinerary in the leather travel wallet I knew I was in for the trip of a lifetime! Here are some of the wonderful places I visited during my stay.
During the first two nights of my trip we stayed at the Crystal Cove, by Elegant Hotels. Upon arrival, the first thing I noticed was the lovely Caribbean feel that the hotel had. With just 88 rooms, 3 pools and the famous cave swim up bar, it really was a little gem.
The hotel only has two floors and the buildings look like quaint little cottages. We stayed in an Ocean View Junior Suite, so when you opened the curtains you could lie in bed and look out to sea.
The Crystal Cove is an all-inclusive hotel, with two restaurants, and themed buffet nights. I would thoroughly recommend this hotel for families and couples, as the beautiful sandy beach is very safe and offers a great selection of water sports that are included.
The next day we were lucky enough to take a look around the famous Sandy Lane Hotel, and upon entering, you know you’re in for a real treat. With beautiful views onto the white sandy beach, their signature pink themed sun loungers, fantastic spa facilitates and world famous-golf courses, there’s something for everyone.
Every client receives a welcome cocktail upon arrival, as well as personalised in room registration. I have to say this hotel had one of my favourite swimming pools, at 7,500 square feet, with cascading waterfalls and surrounded by lush tropical gardens.
Our next stop was the Fairmont Royal Pavilion, and if you’re a beach lover, this is the hotel for you. Set on the most beautiful and exclusive beach in Barbados, it’s the closest hotel to the beach on the whole island of Barbados.
What will stay with me, is the Beachfront Junior Suite, with the decking area just a few steps away from the beach, it was just stunning, and definitely worth paying a little extra!
The House by Elegant Hotels is an adult only hotel, a chic, tranquil retreat where you can unwind and reconnect in a setting of understated elegance. With only 34 rooms, this was the smallest hotel I visited.
Why not pamper yourself with a complimentary jet lag revival massage on the beach, and then enjoy afternoon tea and evening canapés.
We spent our last two nights at the Colony Club by Elegant Hotels, and this hotel ticked all the boxes for me. If you’re travelling as a couple or with your family you can’t go wrong with this hotel! I would recommend you upgrade to the Junior Suite, garden or sea view, which had the largest four-post bed I have ever seen, a lounge area, and my very own bar with a complimentary bottle of fruit rum. I was in heaven before I even left the room.
The grounds of the hotel didn't disappoint either, with four lagoon-style freshwater swimming pools, beach and pool concierge service and complimentary water sports including snorkelling, sailing, kayaking, water skiing and paddle-boarding. This hotel really was heaven.
We ended the trip with a Catamaran Tour, sailing down the coast, swimming with the turtles and a BBQ on board…AMAZING.
In summery this really was a fantastic trip, and with plenty of luxurious hotels to stay in, there’s something to suit every need. The advantages of staying in one of the Elegant Hotels is that you can enjoy a complimentary water taxi service to visit the other Elegant Hotels on the west coast, take advantage of the Elegance Dine Around program (available at the Colony Club, Tamarind & Crystal Cove) as well as complimentary snorkelling, kayaking, windsurfing, banana boating and more at the west coast properties. When clients ask me if the Caribbean is too far to travel for a week, I can truly say no.
