The Crane, Barbados

The Crane, built in 1887 was the first resort hotel in the Caribbean, and although it has been fully restored and expanded it has managed to retain much of its old world charm. This combined with its understated elegance and the natural beauty of its surroundings, ensures that the Crane offers something truly special. Equally famous is the glorious Crane Beach over which the property looks. Consistently in the top 20 of the world's best beaches, with its beautiful powdery pink sand, Crane Beach can be accessed from the hotel by 99 steps, or thankfully, by a glass fronted elevator! The beach, though a public beach is fully serviced from the hotel. The beach is protected by a natural coral reef, and the sea is safe for bathing. Whether you choose to stay in one of the 18 historical residences in the original hotel or a suite in the park or by the sea, you can be assured of a tastefully designed, well appointed accommodation. There are so many choices of room categories, including one, two and three bedroomed suites, and even some with a plunge pool on the 'balcony'! WiFi is complimentary as are long distance phone calls to most international destinations. The Crane prides itself on unparalleled service and offers some fantastic award-winning restaurants with a variety of cuisines including Thai, Japanese, Italian and Contemporary Caribbean. The Serenity Spa, situated within the original hotel, is as its name suggests a fabulous place to unwind, whilst other more strenuous activities, such as golf can be arranged. Another striking feature of the Crane is its swimming pools. Apart from the main pool, with its stunning views, cliff pools meander down, following the paths that weave through the property. Stunning! At the Crane you will also find the beautiful Crane Village, which having been inspired by traditional Barbadian architecture offers cobbled streets and beautiful gardens and shopping! Every Wednesday it is transformed into an open air market selling all manner of arts, crafts and Bajan delicacies. The Village also houses some great places to eat and a fitness suite to counteract the wonderful cuisine! I have seen quite a number of hotels in Barbados, and many are quite similar to each other, but the Crane stays in my memory as being quite unique, in both its setting and its style... ....So, if you want to get away from it all, the Crane is, in my opinion, characterful and compelling - and a wonderful Caribbean choice.. For more details please contact me anytime on 023 80863663