The island of Barbados is located in the South-eastern Caribbean Sea, just south of St Lucia. The island is steeped in history which is one of the first things that drew me to it. Barbadians have been welcoming tourists to their beautiful island for 50 plus years and there are so many reasons people keep returning year on year and I am going to delve into this below – enjoy!
Service orientated island:
Barbados is known for it’s warm and friendly habitants. From the moment the sun kisses your skin as you’re jumping off the plane, the happy smiley faces of the local people are standing at the end of the runway to welcome you to experience their beautiful island. You are whisked away by your airport greeter through arrivals and soon to be on your way to your very own private Barbados Villa.
As you arrive to the villa, you will be greeted with cool clothes and refreshing juices while taking a grand tour of the villa or perhaps you’ll head straight for the pool or beach! Many of the wonderful villa staff have worked in their villa for over 35 years.
On my recent visit to the island, I met so many wonderful housekeepers and cooks including Yvonne who had just celebrated her 25th year, Trish who was celebrating 10 years, and the fabulous Norma who just celebrated 12 years …. I was blown away! I had never experienced something like this before. You hear of people working for many years in their respective jobs but 25 years in the same villa welcoming repeat guests year after year and never getting sick of it – very special!
With each of the Villas in Barbados, we visited, I just kept meeting men and women with similar stories. They love their jobs. They love meeting new people, welcoming every guest to the island with wide-open arms excited for them to experience a little taste of its beauty. No task is too large for the villa staff.
At Exceptional Villas, we handle every inquiry and every booking as a once-in-a-lifetime trip for the family, pulling out all the stops to have their holiday planned to perfection. The staff in Barbados have this exact same mission statement and it is so wonderful to see! Of course, people can say it’s not all about the staff but I have visited and worked in many hotels and resorts around the world, and the ones I do not return to are the resorts with no sense of comradery or warmth and it’s the same with villas – you can have the most amazing, grand villa, but without it’s staff the villa has no heart and does not function to its highest potential.
The best beaches in the world
The beaches in Barbados are some of the most beautiful I have ever seen – imagine every dream you’ve ever had of crystal blue waters – this once imaginary scene is now right in front of you in Barbados. The sand is soft and white and gradually drifts into the clearest, bluest water you have ever seen! It is magical to see little fish swimming around you.
Which brings me on to my next point, the wildlife in Barbados is discreet and it’s so special to see. Whether you’re playing a round of golf in The Green Monkey Sandy Lane or heading to the beach after your sweaty sunrise run, there’s something so special about seeing monkeys swing across trees in front of you. One activity we always recommend to our guests is to swim with the turtles, this is not only for kids, and it is not to be missed. Talk about once in a lifetime opportunity!
I am quite scared of swimming in waters with fish and other creatures, so I was hesitant but from what I had heard from locals, this was an opportunity not to be missed and boy I am so glad I did it. It’s quite an emotional experience, swimming with these wild animals in their natural habitat. It’s heart-warming and it made me want to try more of the wonderful snorkeling this island offers.
What I love about the snorkeling in Barbados is you can find a super clear patch of water glistening in your eyes and then 50m away there could be one of the world’s oldest, richest reefs. I love the combination especially for people who are a little scared of Sealife. I found this an absolute gamechanger as on many other islands, you must go one a certain beach for clear water and another beach for the reef – it is the best of both worlds and keeps every member of the family entertained.
Foodie heaven!
It goes without saying that Barbados offers one of the most incredible food experiences in the Caribbean from the buffets at Sandy Lane to the brand-new Quattro Passi (formerly The Cliff) to the latest cool, trendy spot for sundowners and exquisite food – Sea Shed – all these restaurants have many things in common which makes them so successful – high-quality food, incredible beachfront setting and of course their talented and local team of staff.
There is so many choices for dining you won’t know whether to eat with your personal chef or check out these amazing restaurants – no need to worry though, there is a simple solution to this, you take an extra week off work and stay longer! All joking aside, there are enough dining experiences along the West side of Barbados alone that you can dine somewhere new for dinner every night of the week if you are here for 10 days as well as experience the talents of your private in-villa chef.
The Bajan Blue night at the Sandy Lane hotel cannot be missed especially if you are celebrating a birthday or special occasion. It is the epitome of fancy, fun, and foody heaven! Located right on the beach, the night offers music, 5-star level service, and a huge selection of food. See the image alone for a small section of the desserts alone!
For me, the local people, beaches, and food are the top 3 reasons to make Barbados your next holiday destination. Please enquire directly to me at [email protected] – I look forward to booking your next vacation!
