Coral Reef Club
Feb 19th, 2004, 05:49 PM
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Coral Reef Club
Has anyone stayed here recently and any suggestions about rooms with a view--Also we like to dive--is the diving good here?--we have been at St. Lucia, Bonaire, and Peter Island recently and loved all three for different reasons --how does this compare with Jalouisie St. Lucia or Peter Island?Thanks in advance. Jan
May 25th, 2005, 04:52 AM
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All of the rooms are nice - the cottage suites are just extra extra nice.
The diving offshore is ok in Barbados, but I believe other islands have better diving.
What price range and what time of the year will you be traveling?
Coral Sands Beach Resort on the South Coast goes for $160/night in low season -- it's an all suite hotel with full kitchen and on a great, calm beach.
Lois
The diving offshore is ok in Barbados, but I believe other islands have better diving.
What price range and what time of the year will you be traveling?
Coral Sands Beach Resort on the South Coast goes for $160/night in low season -- it's an all suite hotel with full kitchen and on a great, calm beach.
Lois
May 25th, 2005, 02:31 PM
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Hi Lois, This is for my honeymoon in mid-August. I posted another thread a month or so ago and got a ton of responses and some great advice. But I keep looking around and I'm now almost getting discouraged, because I just don't know how to choose. Interestingly, nobody on my thread ever mentioned Barbados. I'm only coming to it now because it seems at least a little bit less likely to get hit by a hurricane, and the reports last week about an expected increased threat of hurricanes this summer got me really spooked. Coral Reef seems almost exactly like what we're looking for, except I have a hard and fast $5000 budget for this trip, and I can't do the upper end rooms there for that much and afford the airfare (Which is going to be very expensive). The Fairmont Royal Pavilion also looks very nice, though Coral Reef strikes me for some reason as being a different level of service--though maybe I have that all wrong.
I'm looking now at maybe Barbados, Bermuda, and now possibly the Riviera Maya in Mexico. The frustration comes because all of the places I REALLY like--e.g., Coral Reef, Maroma--just keep coming up a bit out of my budget. I know that's the breaks, but I want this to be a spectacular trip for my better half, and don't want to feel like I settled.
I'm looking now at maybe Barbados, Bermuda, and now possibly the Riviera Maya in Mexico. The frustration comes because all of the places I REALLY like--e.g., Coral Reef, Maroma--just keep coming up a bit out of my budget. I know that's the breaks, but I want this to be a spectacular trip for my better half, and don't want to feel like I settled.
May 26th, 2005, 03:45 AM
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I would try for the nicest room your budget will allow at Coral Reef Club. It is family run - service is excellent. In my opinion it's better than Sandy Lane (a friendlier, warmer atmosphere). I'd definitely want a room in the gardens -- just not one of the buildings closer to the entrance of the property.
If you still cannot swing that, Royal Pavilion is very nice.
You are right about Barbados being out of the hurricane belt.
There will be more to do in Barbados than the other islands. Also, for Bermuda, it's gorgeous, but June, July and August are their "high season" -- prices are at their peak (like the Caribbean is during the winter), so I think you'd find Barbados more affordable. Also it's one of our dollars is worth 2 of theirs. In Bermuda, it's dollar for dollar so that really adds up.
Lois
If you still cannot swing that, Royal Pavilion is very nice.
You are right about Barbados being out of the hurricane belt.
There will be more to do in Barbados than the other islands. Also, for Bermuda, it's gorgeous, but June, July and August are their "high season" -- prices are at their peak (like the Caribbean is during the winter), so I think you'd find Barbados more affordable. Also it's one of our dollars is worth 2 of theirs. In Bermuda, it's dollar for dollar so that really adds up.
Lois
May 26th, 2005, 04:16 PM
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So, my only follow up question concerns a very long thread I read last night where a poster railed on the poverty and endless harrassment he/she experienced on the beaches of Barbados. Is that anything that needs to be considered or were they blowing it out of proportion. I had a lot of trouble gauging if they were just being WAY too hypersensitive, or if there was a real problem. Does that sound like Barbados to you? Does that sound like the experience someone could have on a beach at Coral Reef?
And I wish I had time for 6 or 7 nights. I saw that deal and it kills me that I only have five nights available for the trip.
And I wish I had time for 6 or 7 nights. I saw that deal and it kills me that I only have five nights available for the trip.
May 27th, 2005, 02:51 AM
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That reply was written by someone who, may have been approached by a vendor or someone -- (single women tend to be approached), but I contacted the owners of Bougainvillea Beach and the story was not what she led everyone to believe.
The popular beaches on the South Coast are patrolled and often have kiosks where vendors will stay.
Since 1986 when we've been traveling in Barbados, this has never happened to us.
Coral Reef has beach attendants for the chairs and that tends to keep vendors away. If someone on the beach approaches with shells, necklaces, etc. to sell - just say no thanks & that's enough.
Barbados is extremely safe (all over the island). Just use your common sense regarding locking things up and where you go (don't wander a deserted beach at night) and you will not have any problems.
Regards,
Lois
The popular beaches on the South Coast are patrolled and often have kiosks where vendors will stay.
Since 1986 when we've been traveling in Barbados, this has never happened to us.
Coral Reef has beach attendants for the chairs and that tends to keep vendors away. If someone on the beach approaches with shells, necklaces, etc. to sell - just say no thanks & that's enough.
Barbados is extremely safe (all over the island). Just use your common sense regarding locking things up and where you go (don't wander a deserted beach at night) and you will not have any problems.
Regards,
Lois
May 27th, 2005, 03:23 AM
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Hi there
I got back from Coral Reef about 2 weeks ago. I was on the beach every day. I was approached by a vendor maybe 2 or 3 times a day, maybe for jewellery, hair braiding or jet skis. When I say 'approached', I mean they just walked by and said 'can I interest you in........'. I just said no thanks, and on they went. There were never any problems, and they were never pushy, even when I was alone. We did buy some jewellery off one guy called James. He was very entertaining!! And every day after that he'd stop for a wee chat, or just say hello as he went past - he was lovely!!
Please don't worry about being hassled on the beach, becaus it just doesnt happen.
Angela
I got back from Coral Reef about 2 weeks ago. I was on the beach every day. I was approached by a vendor maybe 2 or 3 times a day, maybe for jewellery, hair braiding or jet skis. When I say 'approached', I mean they just walked by and said 'can I interest you in........'. I just said no thanks, and on they went. There were never any problems, and they were never pushy, even when I was alone. We did buy some jewellery off one guy called James. He was very entertaining!! And every day after that he'd stop for a wee chat, or just say hello as he went past - he was lovely!!
Please don't worry about being hassled on the beach, becaus it just doesnt happen.
Angela
May 28th, 2005, 12:17 PM
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We spent our honeymoon at the Coral Reef Club. Service was excellent. The family will do anything they can to make your stay wonderful. They arranged snorkeling, diving, jet skiing, water skiing a rental jeep with a picnic for one day, and a late night meal when our plane arrived after dinner for us.
Jun 4th, 2005, 07:34 PM
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padams421:
what did you think of the beach at Coral Reef? Was the water clear? Calm? Was the beach long enough and wide enough to take a good walk, or did it feel crowded? I'm just trying to figure out what "nice beach" means when people are refering to Barbados.
what did you think of the beach at Coral Reef? Was the water clear? Calm? Was the beach long enough and wide enough to take a good walk, or did it feel crowded? I'm just trying to figure out what "nice beach" means when people are refering to Barbados.
Jun 16th, 2005, 11:25 AM
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HI, just got back from a stay at the Colony Club, which is right next door to the Coral Reef, so we got to check it and a bunch of other hotels out. We did not check out the Fairmont Properties, were anti-Cobbler's Cove because of the baroque decor (too much for the tropics, in my opinion), and anti sandy lane because (a) we got food poisoning there (b) they are fond of buffets. $100 buffets, but buffets nonetheless (c) there beach is no different than other west coast beaches, only longer and (d) I refuse to pay for some fancy television that I will never turn on.
That said, we would rank The Crane and Coral Reef as the two number one's depending on what kind of beach you want. The Coral Reef was soooo nice and pretty, but the beach was a bit lackluster. Their "swimming section" like the Colony Club's, was corally witha weird drop off. But, just to the right of Colony Club's Beach (Coral Reed is to the left facing the ocean), there is a great swimming section in front of a gorgeous private beach (you are allowed there!).
And as for the beach itself... well, shockingly, Colony Club's was better. Coral Reef's beach is above an eroded area, so you have to jump down about 4 feet of tree roots to get to the shore. The chaises are all in the shade, so if you are looking for sun, you will not want to lie out by the beach, at least not until the sun is lower in the western sky.
The beaches on the west coast are not particularly wide, 15-25 feet, but if you are at a more "adult friendly" resort, they do not seem crowded because everyone keeps to themselves and respects other people's space.
All that said, The Crane beach was hands down the most beautiful beach on the island, and we checked out loads of beaches.
Oh--this may or may not help you out, but I searched for prices ALL OVER THE INTERNET for our trip--and got rates that were 40% lower than those quoted on expedia and 20% lower than the hotel would offer via tradewindtours.com -- and you also get an actual person you can talk to at no additonal charge if you have any questions/concerns. Of course, sometimes hotel websites give better deals--or if you call their desk, they will give you an extra incentive to book through them!
Have a great trip!
That said, we would rank The Crane and Coral Reef as the two number one's depending on what kind of beach you want. The Coral Reef was soooo nice and pretty, but the beach was a bit lackluster. Their "swimming section" like the Colony Club's, was corally witha weird drop off. But, just to the right of Colony Club's Beach (Coral Reed is to the left facing the ocean), there is a great swimming section in front of a gorgeous private beach (you are allowed there!).
And as for the beach itself... well, shockingly, Colony Club's was better. Coral Reef's beach is above an eroded area, so you have to jump down about 4 feet of tree roots to get to the shore. The chaises are all in the shade, so if you are looking for sun, you will not want to lie out by the beach, at least not until the sun is lower in the western sky.
The beaches on the west coast are not particularly wide, 15-25 feet, but if you are at a more "adult friendly" resort, they do not seem crowded because everyone keeps to themselves and respects other people's space.
All that said, The Crane beach was hands down the most beautiful beach on the island, and we checked out loads of beaches.
Oh--this may or may not help you out, but I searched for prices ALL OVER THE INTERNET for our trip--and got rates that were 40% lower than those quoted on expedia and 20% lower than the hotel would offer via tradewindtours.com -- and you also get an actual person you can talk to at no additonal charge if you have any questions/concerns. Of course, sometimes hotel websites give better deals--or if you call their desk, they will give you an extra incentive to book through them!
Have a great trip!
