Hollie in Barbados!

“I was lucky enough last week to spend 5 nights on the beautiful Caribbean island of Barbados hosted by If Only Holidays & the Barbados tourist board. We have direct flights frequently from Manchester which is great. I stayed in a few hotels, from a 4* all inclusive on the south coast to 5* self-catering condo apartment on the west coast and visited many other hotels on the island ranging from 4 to 5*, Bed and Breakfast to All inclusive. The island has a hotel to suit everyone’s needs. We were lucky enough to take a beautiful boat trip up the west coast of the island and experience snorkeling, swimming with turtles and exploring the shore line looking at all the amazing properties and homes of the rich and famous – of which there are many! The sea is beautiful to swim in, and the beaches sandy and clean. There are no private beaches in Barbados so even if you aren’t staying at that hotel and are interested in maybe having a look you can always walk along the beaches and see what different properties have to offer. A boat trip is a must when visiting the island. Barbados now has many beautiful restaurants and new gastronomic experiences are opening frequently. I dined at a beautiful roof top Asian fusion restaurant offering some of the best sushi around and then the next day did a rum pairing fine dining taster menu experience. If you’re a foodie like myself then Barbados has a lot to offer and the quality of produce is very good. I also went on a half a day island tour where we visited the northern most point of the island – St Lucy and the east coast town of Bathsheba which is very different from the west coast. It’s more lush, green and volcanic and being on the Atlantic side of the island the sea is a bit rougher but great and very popular with surfers which you can always see riding the waves on a good day! It is really interesting to explore the island and find out about its history and different areas – I really enjoyed it. Bajan hospitality in my opinion is second to none. No matter where we went we were always greeted with a warm smile and a friendly hug a lot of the time. The staff at all the properties are so happy to have you there and will try their upmost to make you feel at home which you will, it’s hard not to in such a beautiful place. Barbados is the perfect escape from the winter blues with beautiful blue sky and sunshine all year round however our winter Is always better with a lot less rainfall, humidly and chance of storms which can occur in the summer months. The island really does offer something for everyone, it has a special place in my heart and I can’t wait to return on another visit to be greeted by a warm smile and blue skies! For personal hotel recommendations and for any holiday quote requests please don’t hesitate to contact myself at the office on 01937 845678 or email me at hollie@spa-travel.com and as always I will be more than happy to help!”