In November, Travel Specialist, Tania, visited Barbados and The Grenadines to see some of our beautiful resorts. While she was on the island she took part in a number of excursions and explored the surrounding landscape to be able to offer you the best first hand knowledge and advice when booking your holiday with us!
If you would like further information on any of the properties mentioned, or to discuss your next holiday to the Caribbean or the Maldives, please call us on 01752 880880 or email [email protected].
LITTLE GOOD HARBOUR, barbados
After landing into Barbados and passing through customs we were met by the local representatives and shown to our taxi transfer up to the North West coast of the island. The first hotel on my itinerary was Little Good Harbour, a charming boutique hotel which makes a great base for exploring the rest of Barbados.
I stayed in a One Bedroom Garden Suite which was beautifully decorated. All the rooms at this hotel have spacious kitchens and dining areas, plus I really liked the split-level design which separated the living area from the bedroom and bathroom upstairs.
The hotel’s open-air restaurant The Fish Pot is a must visit. Housed in a 17th century fort with incredible views out to sea, it is now considered to be one of the top restaurants in Barbados. I enjoyed the grilled king prawns and plum marinated salmon which I highly recommend!
On day two of my stay, we travelled from Little Good Harbour down to Bridgetown to join the Cool Runnings catamaran. The crew were fun and friendly, and offered drink service to us while we relaxed on the front deck. We enjoyed lunch on board and snorkelled with turtles, a real highlight for me!
Back at the hotel, we returned to The Fish Pot where Javon, General Manager of sister hotel The Atlantis, joined us for dinner and drinks while we watched the sun set – the perfect end to our visit.
YOUNG ISLAND, st vincent
The next morning, we returned to the airport and took a 40-minute flight west to the picturesque islands of St Vincent and The Grenadines. A further 20-minute taxi ride, and a 5-minute boat trip later we arrived at Young Island. This small island is a hidden gem and a truly picturesque resort with a natural feel and authentic Caribbean charm.
We received an extremely warm welcome from General Manager Bianca and the team and were shown to our rooms. I stayed in a Luxury Room with Plunge Pool which was set at the top of the hillside, offering stunning views out to sea and across to St Vincent.
The food at Young Island is simple yet tasty, with a highlight being the selection of fresh bread that is baked on a daily basis – I would highly recommend sampling as many variations as possible! After dinner we swam out to Young Island’s Coconut Bar, which floats just off shore, to taste the signature cocktail, Coconut Dream, which did not disappoint!
On day four of my trip we took a tour of St Vincent. The tour began with a drive along the Lywood Highway to our first stop in the capital city of Kingstown, which is also known as the City of Arches, and it’s easy to see why. It was fascinating to see all the old colonial buildings and the bustling local market. Next, we passed Wallilabou Bay, known for being one of the locations used in the filming of the Pirates of the Caribbean films, as well as the Wallilabou Heritage Park and Wallilablou Falls.
From here we moved on to visit one of the most beautiful stretches of black sand in St Vincent, Mt. Wynne Beach. Here you can enjoy a picnic lunch, a swim or a relaxing walk along the beach enjoying the views. After a short hike and crossing a bamboo bridge, we made it to the final stop of our island tour at the beautiful Dark View Falls.
After returning to Young Island, we took the sunset catamaran cruise, were treated to drinks, nibbles and chocolate brownies – a fantastic end to a great day out.
BEQUIA BEACH HOTEL, the grenadines
The following day we packed up and caught the ferry from Kingstown over to the beautiful island of Bequia. The crossing to Port Elizabeth took about an hour, and the friendly team from Bequia Beach Hotel met us at the ferry to take us to our transfer to the hotel. Once at the hotel I was shown to my room for the night, a beautifully decorated Beachfront Suite which had the most incredible views out to sea.
Once settled in we were invited for welcome cocktails at the Bequia Beach Bar, then enjoyed dinner at the beachside Bagatelle Restaurant. The food here was sensational, so much so that we asked to meet the chef so we could thank him personally. I had the lobster arancini and tenderloin which I highly recommend.
The next morning, we took a tour of this charming island, and around the bays filled with yachts, colourful houses and extremely friendly locals. Fort Hamilton had spectacular views over Admiralty Bay and Port Elizabeth and made for a great stop before heading north to visit the Old Hegg Turtle Sanctuary, which was set up by a local fisherman in an effort to help preserve the Hawksbill Turtle.
Following our visit, we made our way to Jack’s Beach Bar, a chic yet laid back restaurant located on Princess Margaret Beach. The setting was stunning, and the food did not disappoint – the lobster mac and cheese was delicious! From here we walked along the Belmont walkway to Port Elizabeth, which took about 15 minutes. This pretty port is lined with colourful houses, cafes and stalls selling trinkets and souvenirs making it well worth a visit whilst on the island.
Later that evening we dined at Blue Tropic, the hotels Italian themed restaurant which is nestled in the hillside with a live pianist creating a great atmosphere while we ate.
PORT FERDINAND, saint peters bay & fairmont royal pavilion, barbados
The following morning, we took the Bequia Express ferry back to the island of St Vincent where we caught a flight back to Barbados. From here we took a transfer to Port Ferdinand where we were greeted with a champagne reception, and cheese with crackers in our rooms. I stayed in a Three Bedroom Luxury Villa which had two en-suites, a fully equipped kitchen, living room and large terrace space.
Accommodation at Port Ferdinand is extremely luxurious and although it’s a property that Tropic Breeze doesn’t feature at the moment, I would have no hesitation in recommending it to our clients.
After a quick change and freshen up, we headed out for dinner at the Fairmont Royal Pavilion. The Fairmont is set on one of the best beaches in Barbados and it was a real treat to have dinner at Taboras Restaurant which overlooks the beach. The hotel’s second restaurant, Palm Terrace, has just completed a major refurbishment and has re-opened as a stylish oceanfront grill – I can’t wait to try it next time I’m in Barbados! After dinner we had a look around the rest of the hotel and I was particularly impressed by the accommodation here; each room has a balcony with a gorgeous ocean view, and the ground floor Beachfront Suites have a private patio just steps from the beach.
On our final morning in Barbados, we enjoyed a delicious breakfast at Port Ferdinand before taking a short drive to sister property, Saint Peter’s Bay Luxury Resort. Saint Peter’s Bay is one of my top picks for families as accommodation is comprised of spacious three bedroom apartments, giving larger families plenty of space to spread out. Each apartment has a fully fitted kitchen and a large balcony with dining area overlooking the pool and beach. The staff here are so friendly and the kids were having a great time being entertained by the fantastic kids’ club team!
After our visit to Saint Peter’s Bay we headed to the super stylish beach club, Nikki Beach, for a few farewell cocktails before our transfer to the airport for the flight home. I boarded the plane exhausted after such a whirlwind trip, but enjoyed every minute of it and can’t wait to talk to our customers about the places I visited!
Tropic Breeze specialises in creating holidays to resorts we know and love. We maintain a close relationship with each hotel, allowing us to offer you the very best deals. If you would like further information on any of our properties or a quote please call us on 01752 880 880 or email [email protected]
Tropic Breeze offer fully bonded and protected holidays, whether booked with flights via our ATOL 5615 or for accommodation only holidays with our ABTA Y5401. This means you can rest assured that your Tropic Breeze holiday is safe and secure.
Author KatieCategories Best places to go on holiday, Caribbean, News, Reviews