Is Barbados as wonderful as it seems?

I like Bds because you have beautiful beaches all over the island. Snorkeling, boogie boarding, great restaurants, beautiful scenery, great hotels, warm people, and good economy.

Peace, Greenie

I visited Barbados once and wished I had opted to go there in July instead of Curacao. The beaches and scenery in Barbados are lots nicer and there are more restaurants to choose from.

Barbados is a wonderful island with a variety of things to see and do. If you would like a very extensive list of Barbados Insider Tips (25 pgs) write me at:
swanson@ballardspahr.com and I will send them to you (free). It may help with your decision making.

Lois

Yes it is!! In addition to others' comments, there is varied sightseeing: Flower Forest & Andromeda Gardens, two of the most spectacular tropical forest/gardens anywhere, Harrison's Cave, Nature preserve, restored plantation houses such as Francia Plantation & Sunbury House, rum factory. The island is more lush and tropical than Maui, warmer water, more birds, and the wonderful little tree frogs which serenade you all night long with a crystal-clear bell-like sound, prettier than most birds. Check out Coral Reef Club, the class act on the island. Family owned for 50 years, gorgeous grounds, low rise or cottage accomodations, plantation style, on a nice beach. See www.coralreefbarbados.com and www.barbados.org

Thank you so much! It sounds amazing. I forgot to mention that I was checking out Peach and Quite, and Accra, as far as hotels. My husband definitely doesn't like anything too rustic though. Is the Peach and Quiet going to be a bad idea then? We can't go too expensive, but something moderate would be good.

Not to rain on anyone's parade who loves Barbados, but within 24 hours or our arrival, my wallet and passport were stolen. We are seasoned travelers and this has never happened in all the trips we have taken over several years. Our mishap required quality time with the Barbados police department and the US Embassy so we could be allowed back into the country. If you have your heart set on Barbados, then fine. We ultimately had a reasonably good vacation. However, have you ever considered Bermuda? It is a lovely, friendly island with little poverty or crime. It is clear and 84 degrees there today. There are numerous options for accommodations - our favorites are Horizons and Cottages and The Reefs. Check out Restaurant Blu which is part of the Belmont Hills Golf Course. The food is great and the views at sunset are memorable. Have a look at www.bermuda.com or www.bermudatourism,com. We try to go to Bermuda every opportunity we have. We never tire of it. There are always things to do - or not. Just a thought.

Thank you. Will it be too cold in January or February in Bermuda? Will there still be much to do at that time of year?

January and Frebruary are not good vacation times in Bermuda. I love Bermuda though. It is charming. but go there in July.
I just came back from a vacation in Barbados.
I absolutely love it there!
It is expensive but it is a beautiful island with great beaches and a lot to do. And the Barbados people are very friendly.
I live in the Caribbean and I think Barbados is one of the nicer Caribbean islands.

Thank you Barbara. Can you recommend any other islands that are nice, but less expensive?

I have been to many islands. Barbados was my least favourite. Why? It is very bland and the some of the people who work in the service industry are downright sullen. I also encountered some of the worst hawking --- even when I was in the water. It is a very popular destination with package tour groups. I really think you could do ALOT better. To me Barbados is extremely overrated.

Why not consider Kaua'i, Hawaii.

I've been to Barbados several times and I have not had the experiences that bosoco has had.
Flady. the whole Caribbean is somewhat expensive I think.
Barbados tends to be more expensive I think because they have high import duties.
I'm not sure which island to recommend.
there are so many to choose from.
We did go last year to Tobago and found it beautiful and not expensive at all. It is not as built up as some of the other islands and it's a little hard to get to, but it is a special place.

by the way, take a look at the thread below:
"wanted inexpensive Caribbean destination"
there are some interesting comments there.

Fllady - regarding Peach and Quiet. I think it would be a bad idea. Read the following to see why: (posted by someone recently):

The property is beautiful, it is right on the Ocean side of the island. The seas were very rough, and most of the coast line in the area was coral and rocks.

The "beach" that was in walking distance was about a ten minute walk through a residential neighborhood that was a little sketchy. The Beach as nothing more than a deserted strip of sand with plants and litter and very rough seas - not at all what you think of when you imagine a island beach.

The room could be described as rustic, but I think I would describe it as dumpy. There is a bed, with two light bulbs over the headboard. There is a home-made plywood closet with a safe, and a nice little private patio.

The bathroom was very rough - almost prison like. The lack of Air Conditioning was also a major issue - we had one noisy fan and basically sweat in bed all night.

Once the sun came up - forget about sleeping.

We were also told that this property was close to St. Lawrence Gap, but close is not how I would describe it. We once again had to walk through a residential neighborhood and wait for the "bus", which is really just a van with about 30 people stuffed inside. The 30 minute ride was hell, so when we came back we decided to take a Taxi which was MUCH more expensive.

So, as you can see, from what you have said you would like, I do not think this is it. If money is a problem, I would wait until you can afford the type of accommodation that will give you good memories of your stay in Barbados.

Lois

Thanks Lois. I saw that on Trip Advisor, and it did concern me. We can spend a little, but nothing like our honeymoon when we stayed at the Four Seasons. But my husband is the one who's tight-fisted with the money, and he's the one who wants to stay somewhere "nice" in his opinion, so hopefully we can splurge a little.

fllady, in defense of Peach and Quiet, the paragraphs that Lois has copied are one of the only negative comments on Trip Advisor. Four years ago we made our first trip to Barbados and are returning in November. Honestly, Peach and Quiet is exactly what keeps us going back. I think the review was written by someone who, in spite of all the other reviews describing the property quite accurately, had a preconceived notion of what they wanted it to be like. I disagree wholeheartedly with the review, would never think of the neighbourhood as being "sketchy", and found the bus trips to be alot of fun and part of being in the Caribbean. Peach and Quiet is not your average "resort" that is for sure and certainly not for everyone. The other reviews make this quite clear. But if you want simple, charming accommodation, wonderful food, gorgeous scenery away from the crowds and fabulous hosts, Peach and Quiet is the place. I doubt at this date you could get accommodation though as they book up a year or even two in advance. Now that tells you something.

While you may not agree with the other reviewer's comments, Peach and Quiet posts this about their resort:

Peach & Quiet is a small unpretentious ocean fronted property located in 4 acres of tropical gardens on the southern tip of Barbados.

The hotel is comprised of 22 suites each containing bathroom, fan cooled bedroom with king size, two doubles or double bed, a lounge area with tea/coffee making facilities, ice box and personal safe.

Facilities include a restaurant, serving breakfast and candlelit dinners, a freshwater swimming pool, bar with lunchtime snacks and the islands only sea rock pool.

When someone says "unpretentious", it's really a pretty basic place - nothing fancy. There is no air-conditioning - only ceiling fans. Sometimes in Barbados it gets quite hot, and I've appreciated the air-conditioned bedrooms I have been in. Also, no tv.

It's location in Inch Marlow is very remote. The sea is very rough in that area -- used by windsurfers.

If that's what you are looking for, I'd check into it as Fodors claims it is perhaps Barbados's best-kept secret.

However, when I travel I prefer something a little more luxurious than what this resort offers.

Lois

I agree with those who do not like Barbados. We've been to most of the islands and this is my least favorite. We like to go where locals go and do what locals do but did not feel safe to do so on Barbados and felt very unsafe more than once while there which is not typical of the islands. Probably our favorite islands are Aruba, St. John, St. Marten all for very different reasons. The best snorkeling we've done was in Curacao last year in knee deep water right off the beach absolutely beautiful. Sunset Waters resort is a must!

I will disagree with bosoco about the Bajan people. We found them to be lovely; friendly, polite and never sullen, actually. I will agree about the hawking.....the vendors could be quite aggressive, but property management generally tries to keep them moving along. I never felt threatened by it, it was just annoying.

There is plenty to do on the island and there is a lot of history and culture to be found. The restaurants are excellent. We enjoyed our stay and found it to be very memorable. There are better beaches and snorkeling to be had in the Caribbean, but I still think it is a worthy destination.

I went to Barbados a couple of years ago and stayed at the Casuarina Beach Club. I have mixed feelings about Barbados. I thought our resort was lovely...nice beach, BEAUTIFUL grounds, nice pool, but the rooms were only ok. It was great to have a kitchenette though as food on the island is WAY overpriced.

Barbados has stunning beaches. The island is easy to explore. We rented a little open air car and had a great time exploring the island...we saw so much and loved being able to drive ourselves around---stop in to see a local cricket match, etc.

We also took at 5 hour lunch catamaran cruise which took us snorkeling with sea turtles. It was definitely a highlight.

We found the food on the island to be WAY too overpriced and not too good. The best place BY FAR is Oistens. On Friday nights it is the happening place to be, but it's open every night. We had dinner there EVERY night. For $6 we got a plate of fish, macaroni pie, chips, salad...you name it. It's just a bunch of shops set up in a parking lot...but boy was the food good and worth it.

The downside to Barbados is that the island itself is just not that pretty. If you've been to Hawaii and think that's what Barbados will look like...you'll probably be disappointed. That's what St. Lucia looks like. Most of Barbados is under construction and it's not lush like Hawaii and St. Lucia are (parts of the Island, particularly the Atlantic side, are lush).

If you're looking for a place that looks like Hawaii...go to St. Lucia. But that said, Barbados' beaches are much nicer....white sand...turquoise waters.

We went in June, and since Barbados is hit by the trade winds, it was very comfortable.

I would go to Barbados if you get a great deal...when we went there was a fabulous deal going for 7 nights accommodation and airfare from Boston for $650 per person. I wouldn't break the bank to go there though.

Sorry fllady but I just want to clarify something in response to Lois.

I'm not quite sure how my disagreeing with the negative review is connected to what the hotel posts about their resort.

At any rate, my reaction was based on the copying of one very negative review that highly disparages a place when a simple referral to TA would have led to a more balanced opinion that highlights both the pros and cons.

I can certainly understand that Peach and Quiet is not for everyone. It is not luxurious and makes no pretense to be. However, I don't think it's quite fair for someone who has never stayed there to be blatant about pointing out what a very small minority consider to be negative aspects. And I will leave it at that.

To put it bluntly -- no. Barbados is tremendously overrated. It is a bland, middle of the road destination, perfect for people who have never been to the Caribbean before or who are skittish about the islands in general. I don't know what the fuss is about: the beaches aren't the greatest, the food is overpriced and service is awful, the island itself is dull and the hotels are mediocre. And yet it draws a lot of Brits and Canadians on packages. Would love to know what you have decided.

Whew! What mixed reviews. I'm trying to keep an open mind about our upcoming vacation, reading some Barbadian history, finding out a little about the people, their culture, and dialects. From all the pictures I've seen neither the island nor its people seem bland, but rather very colorful. I also plan to go with an open heart. Wish us well, won't you?

Yes - am also surprised about the mixed reviews! We will be going there for the 1st time this winter - combining with St. Vincent and Bequia. We've been to the Caribbean lots of times, but these islands are a first for us. I still don't really get a clear picture from all the comments, except that it may be somewhat comparable to St. Maarten/St. Martin, which we've visited lots of times. But anybody who has been to both, correct me if I'm wrong!

Much more beautiful than St.Martin. On Barbados, you have only to get outside of Bridgetown and the busy coast roads south of Bridgetown, to have the lovely countryside and sightseeing.

fllady and twigs, I just wanted to chime in with my thoughts on this post. You could have posted any other island in the title of this post (Is Barbados as wonderful as it seems?) and it would have brought out the naysayers and devotees in droves. It's just the nature of these boards. Most folks traveling to *any* island have a wonderful time, and those who do their research ahead of time like y'all are doing are more likely to know of any pratfalls and thus be prepared for them so that the vacation isn't ruined by unpleasant surprises.

It's a fact of life that budget hotels don't offer a lot of ameneties, so if you do choose Peach & Quiet (or anything else comparable), just be prepared. That place in particular has a very strong following of repeat clientele, and if I were traveling to Barbados on a budget with the hopes of exploring much of the island, I wouldn't hesitate to choose it. If, however, I were traveling to Barbados to do some major R&R and stay mostly put at a resort, or at least on a beach, I would be less inclined to pick it.

Thank you for all of the replies. I think we've decided to do a cruise instead, but it's helpful to hear everyone's thoughts for future reference.

Well, I'll have to make the best of it. We are booked at the FRP for ten days beginning Oct.27, which is my birthday!! If we were headed back to the Half Moon, this would be the birthday of a lifetime, because I could share it with my daughter and son-in-law{the best one in the world} My husband and I spent one day on Barbados about seven years ago while on a cruise. I don't even remember what beach we went to, but he had so much fun swimming and riding the waves, he's always wanted to go back. My daughter doesn't love the tropics like I do; she'd much prefer to be off on an adventure to Europe. My son-in-law should be quite happy anywhere where he can deep sea fish. I'll be happy just to read, relax, and sit in the sun. So wish us a happy trip. We know life is short, but we have to make it "wide," and I'm hoping to return with happy memories.

twigs, I'm sure you're in for a wonderful birthday getaway. How fortunate you are to have so many loved ones to celebrate with while you're there. FRP looks like a very nice place to stay. Enjoy yourself, and please write a trip report upon your return.

Lois, i don't know why but I wasn't able to email you. I am going on Nov 1st and would love your tip sheet. Thanks markhawk17@yahoo.com

My husband and I stayed in Barbados on a return from Petite St. Vincent in the Grenadines. We had to fly through Barbados anyway so we decided to extend our stay for a few days. I have to say we HATED it. We stayed on the south side at Coral Sands. Coral Sands hotel was just fine...clean, bright...very good value. When we were brought to our room our the hotel staff explained how we needed to be sure to use all the locks on the patio doors...both the glass ones and the extra thick screen ones. I swear there must have been 10 locks between those 2 sets of doors. We were also instructed to use the safe even while we were in the room. All of this for a 2nd floor rooom....We wanted to go to the beach and chose this hotel because it had a decent beach and was within walking distance or restarants (did not rent a car). But when we were there they had a sewer line broken and the south beaches were unusable. That started our adventure to find an open beach. We talked to the hotel staff who recommended some places on the west coast. Since we did not have a rental car we had to use taxi service. We went to a "beach club" on the west coast that had chairs for rent and a restaurant since we'd be there all day. The cab ride was about $50 and took way longer than I expected. The water was lovely...very calm and very warm. But the beach hawkers were terrible. We had people coming up to us constantly in the water, on the beach etc. We tried to take a walk to get out of the "beach club" area thinking the hawkers would be less. No luck. They were almost hostile. I was scared. After we got back to our hotel we went to St. Lawrence Gap area which was a short 10 minute walk from our hotel. The walk may have been short, but it too was scary. The neighborhood was sketchy at best and there were no sidewalks and it was dark. We took a very expensive cab back.

I think Barbados is probably very lovely if you stay at one of the big resorts on the west coast and basically stay on property the whole time. I'm sure they keep the beach area clean of the very persistant hawkers and have security.

My husband and I spent our honeymoon in Barbados this past July, and we had a wonderful experience. I recommend staying on the west side near Holetown. We had a few nights at the Fairmont Royal Pavilion and it was beautiful and had excellent service. We also spent a few nights at the Crane on the east coast, and it was a beautiful setting but service was mediocre and there is little to do over there. Definitely get a car to explore! The restaurants at the Crane and all around Holetown were amazing, but very pricey. Our dinners ranged from $100-300 per night, but we were in splurging mode. I would definitely go back to Barbados at some point, but its the only Caribbean island I've been to so I'd like to check out some others first.

A terrible thing to have to respond to with such a hopeful question but I have to agree with those stating - NO.

When people say that the people in Barbados are unfriendly it is harsh because it pangs of an over simplification of a serious systems issue IN Barbados that is impacting on tourism....Barbados to me and the many times I have visited my dear friend living there - struggles terribly or rather doesn't struggle just perpetuates major Classism, Racism and Sexism...and this seems to be making it increasingly painful for people who work there to be "happy" - maybe that is too much and maybe it is me being too much of an arm chair sociologist...but it is my observation. In terms of the island specifically - all the islands offer different things geographically and Barbados appeals to those looking for a simpler landscape with BEACHES....but I was shocked at how expensive it has become if you want to try a nice meal out....not even a "fancy" just nice...but on the flip side...there are amenities in Bbdos that you don't find on other islands - prioritize for yourself...

I found with my friend some of the best Cafe Lattes I have ever had in my life....but as terrific as they are...not what I am in the Caribbean for...

If you go I do hope you get to enjoy all that is wonderful about the island - just because it is a NO to me doesn't mean it will be a NO to you...

No, no, no...I can't tell you how disappointed I was in Barbados. People told me that vendors were a problem in Jamaica and Mexico but I had no idea what I was in for when I was in Barbados. I stayed at the Southern Palms which was in the St. Lawrence Gap area. Maybe I was in the wrong area but I could not walk outside the hotel to the store or to the restaurants without being harassed about timeshares, hairbraiding, jewellery etc. Even in the hotel, as soon as I went in swimming, I was pestered about renting jet skis. ANd this isn't the "no-thank- you-and-they-will-be-on-their-way" experience either. I was shocked because Barbados is supposed to be an upscale island. The hotels were a bit run down on the southside as well.

Typically you will not find this to be true at some of the more expensive island hotels like Sandy Lane, Coral Reef Club or The Sandpiper. However, the beaches are public and while they try to discourage vendors, some can be persistent.

On the South Coast they have set up several vendors stands on some of the beaches (like Accra, Sandy Beach) so that vendors have a place to display their items for sale and not become a bother.

In the St. Lawrence Gap area you will find many more vendors and timeshare people that you may find annoying.

We just completed our 24th trip to the island and have traveled throughout the Caribbean as well. We keep going back to Barbados as we feel it has the most to offer in the Caribbean.

Lois

I know my reply is late in coming, but I wanted to add my two cents.

I read this post before I visited Barbados for the first time (Oct 21-28th). I was a bit hesitant to go, after reading some of these posts. Turns out, there was no reason to be. I fell in love with Barbados! Our first few moments were a bit shaky. As soon as we got to our resort, we walked the beach, and the vendors did intimidate us a bit. But we soon realized they were harmless & just said "no thank you" & went on our way.

I found everyone that we spoke to - whether they were resort employees, taxi drivers, other visitors, or other Bajans we just ran into- to be warm, friendly and helpful. Every last one.

The island is beautiful, the food is wonderful and there's plenty to do. Or not do.

YES, Barbados IS as wonderful as it seems!!!!!!!!!

(I hope to write a trip report soon.)

ruffian,
Thank you SO much for your 2 cents. We are going to Barbados in Feb and have been hearing so many negative comments that it really is nice to hear someone come back and say something positive. Please DO post a trip report for those of us who have yet to experience the island! Thanks!

Yes - also looking forward to any trip reports! Like I said, somehow it's hard for me to get a clear picture of this island. It may be a first and last visit for us - we usually go to St. Martin/Anguilla, since these islands are much easier to get to for us. But we just thought we should try something else for a change, so we'll be in Barbados for a week followed by some time in St. Vincent and Bequia. Anyway, any information is most welcome!

What an interesting thread. I admit I was surprised by the "love it/hate it" reviews. I couldn't help thinking "Is Barbados the new Jamaica?".
There was an in-depth article on Barbados in one of the Caribbean Travel & Life magazines and I have to say the country looks beautiful. It's definitely on my list of places to go. I'm looking forward to some of your trip reports.

My family and I just returned November 4th from a week at the Fairmont Royal Pavilion. I am a avid Jamaican lover, and my family had to use all their powers of persuasion to convince me to spend my birthday in Barbados. I'm glad they did. The hotel had wonderful food, not only delicious, but beautifully presented. They even surprised me on the night of our arrival with a decadent chocolate cake with strawberries and complimentary drinks. What I loved most about Barbados,though, was the people. Every individual we encountered was friendly and helpful, from shopping in Bridgetown, dining in Holetown, and even the people renting jet skis on the beach. Three of those young men became our vacation buddies; I walked up the beach to a a local place called Ju Ju's and bought them lunch. One played football for Barbados. They were funny and made our stay twice as enjoyable. We did rent a jet ski and it was so much fun. Other vendors on the beach were very polite. One young gentleman really understands reflexology and gave me a spendid massage right on the beach,{Trevor} We took an Adventureland Tour to see much of the island, and although I joked that I'd lost my liver on some of the bumpy trails, I'm so happy we took that tour. We snorkeled. went deep sea fishing, relaxed, ate wonderful food, enjoyed the perfect beaches, and loved the people, especialy the ones we met "up close and personally." The beach at the Fairmont delivered the most beautiful gifts of sea glass . We collected every color and began to compete for pieces as clear as rain or for nuggets of aquamarine. Priceless souveniers. Ate at Olives. Calabaza, and the Cliff, which is magical and worth every dime for the experience. There is so much to do. Even the drive from the airport sets the tone, with fields green with sugar cane and cotton and floweres of every color. I still love Jamaica, and love the fact that it's only a two hour flight from our home. The flight to Barbados was a little tiring with a layover in Miami, so try to stay two weeks if you can, that's my advice. I'd surely go again and again and again.

I find the posts rather amazing considering my wife and I have been to Barbados three times and are going again next month. Contra to other posters who assume those who have gone and like Barbados have not spent time on islands elsewhere, we have vacationed on a number of islands and in Kauai, HI.

Some people who go to island vacations expect to sit on the beach or at the pool, relax, eat, drink and do little else. We have always looked to vacations as a way to explore the people, place and culture. No where have we found the people more enchanting, the place more inviting or culture more interesting. On every island, there are locals trying to sell you something. In virtually instances, a polite "thank you but no thank you" will suffice. The crime in Barbados is nearly non-existent. Would I wave several $100 bills around in a dark alley, ....no but there is little else to concern yourself with. If you rent a car and get off the beaten path, you can stop at virtually any whole in the wall bar or restaruant and will find friendly, open and honest folks who will treat you as you'd hope to be treated. For those who don't like Barbados, I am sure there is an island or other location waiting. For those who have fallen in love with it, I hope to see you there in March and buy you a drink overlooking the pink sands of Dover beach.

goodness me! i've just posted to ask about a cab fare - and have discovered this thread! calm down everyone... we don't all like the same the things and a good job too... but i hope i like barbados! and if i don't - well that will be down to experience. and do you know what - however bad my holiday will be it can't be as bad as sitting at my desk in rainy grey miserable london!!!

WoW, A nice rainbow of comments!! Let me add by saying.............I too have been to Barbados & did not care for it!!! for all the reason already stated! My two faves are St.Johm & Anguilla in that order!!!!!!!!! & sad but true all of the caribbean is expensive! SAVE SAVE SAVE!!!!!!!!!!!

I am going to Barbados in March and looking forward to it . I enjoy Islands that have more of a native feel . It seems to me the people on this site that do not care for Barbados like the more Americanized Islands . Does anyone else feel that way ?
We are staying at the Coral Reef.

DianaD, you nailed it. Many Americans feel uncomfortable away from the familiar. Many Americans also go to the islands on cruises for that reason, where their only contact with an island/islanders is on a sterilized tour or in the duty-free shops.

Well, I think that may be partially true. Barbados is so populated that when we went I wasn't sure how much I would like it as I don't care for the "Americanized" islands myself and thought surely there has to be a lot of that there. We had a wonderful vacation. There was so much to see and while there was a nightlife if we did decide some night that we wanted it, it was no Aruba. (Thank goodness!) The locals were some of the nicest people , the food was outstanding and creative and we were surrounded by magnificent views of water and beaches everywhere we went. A little windy, but that's my only complaint! Enjoy!!

I just came back from a week in Barbados. The last time I had visited was 11 years ago and I didn't like it then. I was impressed with how much better overall the service is all around and how much more welcome I felt the second time there. I do have to say that overall it is not one of my favourite islands but I can see how it appeals to many.

I did like Barbados, but not as much as St John, our favorite. We have been to St. Kitts, Cozumel, Nassau, St Thomas, St John, Playa del Carmen and Barbados. Barbados does have beautiful beaches and fantastic cuisine. Downside- it is expensive and the TRAFFIC was terrible! There were actual highways and we were caught in rush-hour traffic. It took too long to get from our hotel to some of these fabulous restaurants. Our hotel was fantastic- the Little Arches Hotel- highly recommend.

Wow! I’m amazed at how people either LOVE or HATE Barbados! There doesn’t seem to be an inbetween. I’m kind of upset because I think we must have just stayed at the wrong place when we went a few years ago. We stayed at the Almond Beach Club and hated it. We vowed never to return to Barbados, but we obviously must have missed something seeing all these responses! Our experience was that it took forever to get to and that the locals weren’t friendly AT ALL to Americans. When we landed, there was a giant plane next to use that flew in from England. It seemed that we were the only Americans (except for one other couple we met at the hotel) at our resort while there. Everyone else was English. The staff seemed to cater only to the English tourists. It was very strange. The other American couple who was there noticed the same thing. It was so bad that at dinner we had to get up and get our own water by the kitchen since the wait staff wouldn’t come over to our table.

The beach was lousy in front of that hotel and we ended up using the one next door which was nicer. My husband and I went snorkeling out front and got caught up in the undertow. He actually ended up carrying a lady back to shore who had been stuck out for about an hour. We both got stung pretty badly from jellyfish and cut up on the coral trying to get back to shore, and the staff wasn’t helpful at all. There wasn’t a doctor with the hotel, and they said we’d have to go into town to see someone. We were freaking out because we had no idea what was causing the giant blisters we had all over our arms. Fortunately, a local told us it was from jelly fish. We thought the island itself from what we could see was flat and uninteresting. We thought Georgetown was dirty. It was very, very poor. It’s ashame we didn’t see what the island has to offer. My uncle stayed on the eastern shore and thought it was the nicest island he’s been to. Maybe someday we’ll venture back and stay somewhere else – with a doctor on staff! I’d love to find these nice beaches everyone is raving about.

It’s one of those things though if I was deciding to visit for the first time I’d probably choose an island that isn’t hit or miss with the reviews. There are plenty out there that everyone seems to love.

Ps-fllady – I haven’t been Nevis, but have been to Maui. I found this link on fodors and it reminds me of Maui! Maybe you would like it here? http://www.fourseasons.com/nevis/
And we loved St. Lucia too-reminded us a lot of Kauai if you’re looking for something with hills and lush vegetation. From what we say Barbados was very flat.

Kellybeaches, sorry for your problems, but some seem to be of your own making. You seem to have not ventured into the interior of the island or the east coast, which are definitely not flat and boring. And the capital of B'dos is Bridgetown; of course it's congested and not wealthy, like most Caribbean capitals. As Caribbean islands go, Barbados is not a "poor" one. Even people with little material wealth there take great pride in their education, their religion, and their surroundings. Had you researched Almond Beach beforehand, you would have discovered that it is a so-so property with a so-so reputation, and a lousy beach. Barbados is not an island to go to for an Americanized experience, but that's knowable in advance. Again, sorry for your troubles; you seem to have missed out on the positives of a very special island.

Hi xkenx,
Yeah, I guess we didn't do our research before going. We went there about 6 years ago before we really started doing our caribbean traveling. I wish I had done more research prior as some of the reviews here sound like it is really nice. We had been to the different islands in Hawaii prior and I guess we were hoping it would be more similar to that at the time. (I guess I should have checked out Fodors reviews first Anyway, like I said, maybe someday we'll venture back-and this time check out the east coast. We've since been to St. Lucia, St. Martin, Virgin Gorda, Cozumel, Grand Cayman, Bahamas, and are going to St. John this fall. I must say we've fallen in love with the islands. We do love the culture and people of the various islands (we just happened to experience negativity from the locals when on Barbados). I really think a traveler's thoughts of the island as a whole depends upon where they stayed, what their expectations of the place were going in, and how much they got to get out and experience their surroundings. With that being said, we had an amazing time on every other place we stayed, and someday hopefully we'll be able to see what we missed on Barbados

I wanted to go to Barbados to try a different island. I've been to St Thomas, St Martin, Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, visit Grand Cayman every year, and we consistently go to Kauai.
I've also been to Tahiti, Bora Bora, Cook Islands, Moorea, Australia, and most of the popular places in Mexico.

Barbados wasn't worth it to me. I didn't feel safe, shopping was crowded and no fun, and didn't ever find any decent beaches or snorkeling. Driving around was also a big pain. Of note: I'm not fond of closed spaces, so we didn't do the caves. If you like the idea of the adventure activities and sights to see in Barbados, give it a go. If you just want to hang on a beach and do some snorkeling, try Kauai, Grand Cayman, or Bonaire. I've also heard St John is great.

If you plan to stay in Barbados near the Bougainvillea Beach Resort, I suggest dont. St Lawrence Gap is a party area and you'll get woken up at 3 AM every morning, by the young kids drunk returning to their hotels.

By the way, Grand Cayman is expensive but you can bring alot of dry goods with you, eliminating the big costs of dining out while there.

Best of luck.

Coral Reef Club, on the calm, quiet west coast, is the class act on the island, with gounnds, plantation-style low rise bldgs. or cottages, on a nice beach with wade-in snorkeling. And it doesn't cost more than Almond. Tour operators and travel agents promote Almond, which is why they get superior prices for inferior hotel.

Hmm. . .well, I've been to Barbados three times and intend to return! I loved it! Even got married there. No problems with crime, crowding and the beaches are beautiful (*especially* Miami/Enterprise Beach). Never harrassed by vendors. Maybe it's because we've done a lot of research ahead of time. We've stayed at Sandy Beach (nice hotel, but we had a room on the street side, which was noisy on the weekends), married at Bougainvillea and recently stayed at Inchcape Seaside Villas. By the way, I'm an American and have no interest in going to a beach to get an "Americanized" experience!

Inchcape Villas, Barbados...
Has anyone stayed there and how are they?

Barbados is fantastic! We went into it wanting to explore a new culture and to get away from the States for a while.

The people here are very proud and well educated (close to 100% literacy rate I routinely hear). It shows in the low crime rate and strong infrastructure.

I have been to most islands in the Caribbean several times, some more than others.

I absolutely do NOT like Barbados. I have been ripped off by taxi drivers, overcharged in restaurants and just generally felt scammed when visiting.

Never again...