Tag Archives: Barbados

Little Good Harbour, Barbados, Caribbean

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Barbados is known to many as “Little England” and as we drove from the airport to our accommodation I could understand why… take away the palm trees and the heat, and the flat skyline could easily be a British scene.

We only stayed at Little Good Harbour for one night, but this quiet, understated guest house provided a comfortable and tranquil place for us to rest our weary heads. The few staff we saw were relaxed and helpful, even offering a lift to a nearby restaurant and kindly assisting us with any queries we had.

We were staying in the honeymoon apartment (!) – large and spacious with a kitchen, several bathrooms, two bedrooms and a big balcony with great sea views. From our windows we could see the sea lapping gently against the sand and hear the water’s gentle rhythm.

The apartment was a little worn around the edges, definitely different to the luxurious hotels along the main west coast strip, but felt homely and welcoming. The bedroom, though barely lit, was a decent size with a soft king sized bed. The bathrooms both smelt and felt rather damp with little natural light or air but were stocked with their own spa branded toiletries; a lovely touch. Outside the rest of the hotel was more luxurious, with an attractive aquamarine pool and pretty features.

Breakfast was served from 8:30 am and we were off on a tour from 8:15 so sadly didn’t have a chance to sample it, though I can tell you the popular Fishpot restaurant is always bustling and definitely worth a visit even if you can’t stay.

More information here.

http://www.littlegoodharbourbarbados.com/

Cin Cin by the Sea, Barbados

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Cin Cin by the Sea is the newest restaurant on the famously prestigious west-coast strip of Barbados, opening its doors just over a year ago. It provided, without doubt, the best meal we had in Barbados.

Located a little further south of the megabucks hotels, Cin Cin has a lovely combination of luxury and humility, the service is modest and the food, exceptional.

The exterior is glitzy and eye-catching with a vertical illuminated blue and orange design. Inside there is enough room for a substantial number of tables though many of the guests prefer the sea view balcony seating. We had an advantageous vista from our corner table, and it was lovely to sit so close to the water.

The menu has an impressive variety of European and American dishes all with an obvious Caribbean influence and using many in-season supplies. I chose two courses from the ‘specials’ sheet: Pumpkin Ravioli with a creamy sage sauce, and Ribeye Steak Provencale style with vegetables and frito potatoes (sliced potatoes with a cheesy top layer). My guest tried the Sautéed Sweet Tiger Shrimp with chilli tomato sauce and steak frites with Bearnaise sauce. Everything was delicious and I am struggling to find any fault. The pasta dishes were perfectly petite and unfussy, carefully presented in bowls and served extra hot. I felt the flavours had been meticulously picked to ensure top taste. The meat was among the best we both had tasted, particularly the steak frites which arrived medium-rare, so soft and velvety in texture and exquisite in flavour. The chips went away barely touched as we both concentrated on making our way through the hunks of meat.

We left Cin Cin full, content and satisfied. I only wish there was a branch in London as I’d love to try out more of the wonderful Cin Cin menu, especially the indulgent desserts we missed out on purely through our own fault.

More information here.

http://www.cincinbarbados.com/

Sandy Lane Hotel and Spa, Barbados

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Je vois la vie en rose…

This perfect powder pink kingdom is renowned the world over for its uber-luxurious and indulgent quarters. Catering not just for the rich and famous, but instead for the richest and most famous with a waiting list of over two years to nab a Christmas stay.

Located on Barbados’ west coast, Sandy Lane remains the Queen of the millionaire’s mile, surrounded by less impressive competitors. A tour of the hotel lasted almost an hour, wandering in and out of the fine restaurant, cocktail bar, library and onsite diamond shop – useful for the regular marriage proposals. I was amazed by the attention to detail and despite the obvious signs of wealth, the hotel miraculously manages to avoid appearing ostentatious or crude. In short, it was a heaven I wished I could call home.

The spa is a palace in itself with a marble reception hall, numerous rooms and every facility available to provide for any guest’s needs. I relished the opportunity to feel like a Sandy Lane resident for a few hours donning a snuggly white robe and plush matching slippers.

We were each given a 30-minute hot stone massage, which was delivered with the utmost care and expertise. Immediately my masseuse noticed the tension in my upper back, and using his elbows he alleviated the stress and soothed my muscles. He then used hot stones to stretch and relax the muscles. I left feeling revived and much looser in my back and neck. We were then led to the water therapy area, which includes hydrotherapy pools, a steam room, waterfall bucket shower, cold room, rainforest shower and relaxation suite.

Before leaving we tried a cheeky cocktail in the Sandy Lane bar on the beach. While sipping our drinks we peered round surreptitiously to see if we could spot any celebrities, but the truth is… if you make it inside the gates of Sandy Lane Hotel, you are a celebrity too and that thought made me smile as we watched the pink sunset far in the distance.

More information here.

http://www.sandylane.com/