We are planning a trip in April to Barbardos and need recommendations on a place to stay. We are considering Accra Beach Hotel or Southern Palms Beach Resort so far. We want somewhere on a nice beach, with nice rooms, not an all-inclusive. Any suggestions?

Since Accra was completely rebuilt in 1996, the hotel itself is probably nicer than Southern Palms, but I like the beach and the area that SP is in better than Accra. Accra is situated right on the heavily traveled main south coast road, and the beach is a very popular beach with locals. The SP beach is part of Dover Beach, which is very wide and just beautiful. If you would like me to e-mail you one of the recent photos I just took in July on that beach, I'd be happy to. The Southern Palms hotel is nice also, just may not be as nice as the brand new Accra accommodations. So I guess it depends on which is more important to you, hotel or beach.

If you are planning to stay in coconut court hotel make sure to get a oceanwiev room. Its cheap and have very nice beach. Good restaurant and a bar. Family owned hotel is very close to Bridgetown (3miles).

Divi Southwinds is my favorite. There are two sections. The newer one is luxury resort and the time share rooms are located there. Older sections are one room (huge) with refridgerator. The newer sections are two rooms and a full kitchen. The staff is helpful, there are activities, and it's located on the St. Lawrence Gap which has shops, restaurants, nightclubs within easy walking. Feel free to e-mail any questions.

i don't know when you were last at the divi, southwinds but i was there last year and checked out the day after i arrived. it is anything but a luxury hotel. when we were there it was very dirty and run down. there were cigaret burns in the furniture. oh i could just go on for ever, but i would never suggest that anyone stay at this hotel. <BR>

Hi. I hope you haven't left for your vacation yet. I can totally recommend "The Sea Breeze Hotel" on the South Coast. We stayed 11 nights there in November 1998. We are from Vancouver, Canada and booked this hotel through an Air Canada brochure I believe. It was perfect for us. The room was simple but very clean and had everything we required. Our room was on the third floor (the building was only 3 floors) overlooking the pool and the beach. The beach had very nice coral coloured sand and the swimming was good. We were there during off-season so the crowds were not overwhelming. I found the "Sea Breeze" particularly nice because it was quiet at night ... no loud partying or yelling. I guess I'm getting old, but I found that to be a plus. <BR> <BR>We rented a "moke" for 7 days and drove around the island quite a lot. Crane Beach is very lovely as is Bottom Bay. Swimming at these beaches is not recommened as the wave action is very severe ... but to wade in and to look at, it is spectacular. The West Coast beaches are beautiful in a different way totally. The swimming is like floating in a bathtub with palm trees all about. We could have stayed floating in the water, reading books and drinking rum punch (from a nice fellow from a catamaran cruise ... who swam in to us on the beach with two drinks held aloft in his hands) for weeks and weeks. A vacation is what you make it and we made Barbados a very memorable vacation for us. I hope you enjoy yourselves and would love to hear of your time there.

hi nora, did you find out any other informations about the accra beach hotel vs. the southern palms? I am also going there and I can't decide between the two. I am leaning towards the Southern Palms, you?

I have been to Barbados now 10 times and got married there also, and i am a travel agent so my advice is to you the accra beach is much nicer than southern palms it is on a marvellous stretch of beach and across from good shopping also....i would say that southern palms is ok great location right on the gap but if you want my advice i would stay at the accra beach...<BR><BR>carolanne hogg<BR>scotland