Arriving in Barbados at 11 PM the night before starting a cruise. Any suggestions of where to stay? Near the airport? Near the pier? Obviously, we just need a safe and convenient place to sleep and maybe a morning lounge around a pool.

You can consider these two hotels. Sandy Bay Beach Club is all inclusive oceanfront property is just 2.1 miles from the airport. It has a lovely pool & and magnificent beach you mentioned you prefer a place around a pool.

Silver Point Hotels can be another good choice. It is just 2.7 miles from Christ Church Airport. It is located on a trendy beach, provides complete security, while maintaining natural beauty. You can also enjoy pools & bar facility.

For more about Barbados – http://www.govisitcaribbean.com/barbados/default.asp

I would urge you to check out the trip advisor reviews for the Sandy Bay before making a reservation. We stayed next door at the Coral Sands, which was great, by the way, and were glad that we had not booked at Sandy Bay. Many complaints from reviewers and from those we met on the beach.

The Hilton is the closest hotel to the cruise dock; you may also want to look at the Blue Orchid or the Coral Mist, very nice and affordable hotels on a good beach, about halfway between the airport and Bridgetown.

I can't imagine paying extra for AI if I was arriving at 11 p.m. anyway.

Can you go in early?

We have cruised several times and at least a couple of times bags have shown up late or flights get delayed.

If we hadn't planned on going early either us or the bags would have missed the boat.

When we sailed from Barbados last year we went in early and stayed at The Crane.

It was awesome and just 30 min from the airprot and about 45 from the cruise port.

We stayed two nights and then did a trans-Atlantic, so had our bags been late (or us) we would have been six days at sea without bags.

If you must arrive at 11pm, the Hilton would be good as it would be the shortest drive to the port next day, so make the most of the little time you will have on island. Nice beach, nice pool, 3 restaurants.