Friday, 12 May 2017

Top 10 Beachfront Villas

The West Coast of Barbados is the place to visit for a truly unforgettable tropical retreat. With its gorgeous sandy beaches, crystal blue waters and the happy-go-lucky lifestyle, people from all over the world flock to the island to soak up some of the most incredible experiences. 

So why not stay in a world-class luxurious villa on the beachfront so you can be close throughout your stay? 

We have handpicked some of our favourites to help inspire you! 

Top 10 Beachfront Villas


Villa Greensleeves, St James



Features:
- 9 En-Suite Bedrooms
- An additional villa; 'Blue Point' with 4 bedrooms
- Luxurious Swimming Pool with swim up bar
- Flood Lit Tennis Court
- In House Cinema

You can view Villa Greensleeves on our website for more details and images.



Villa Crystal Springs, St James



Features:
- 10 En-Suite Bedrooms
- 1.7 Acres of Landscaped Gardens
- Your Own Private Speedboat
- Panoramic Sea Views
- Beautiful Terraces with Outdoor Dining Areas

You can view Villa Crystal Springs on our website for more details and images.


Villa The Great House, St Peter



Features:
- 8 En-Suite Bedrooms
- 30ft Gray White Pleasure Boat with Array of Water Sports
- Elegant Traditional Colonial Style
- Landscaped Gardens
- Professional Staff

You can view Villa The Great House on our website for more details and images. 

Villa Mango Bay, St James



Features:
- 7 En-Suite Bedrooms
- Private Beach Terrace
- Tropical Gardens
- Open Dining Gazebo
- Panoramic Sea Views

You can view Villa Mango Bay on our website for more details and images. 


Villa The Dream, St James



Features:
- 5 En-Suite Bedrooms
- Luxurious Contemporary Design
- Two Bars including Pool Side Bar
- Close to Golf Courses, Shopping & Night Life
- Covered Terraces 

You can view Villa The Dream on our website for more details and images. 


Villa Footprints, St James



Features:
- 5 En-Suite Bedrooms
- Infinity Swimming Pool
- Unique Contemporary Architecture
- Gym
- Panoramic Sea Views

You can view Villa Footprints on our website for more details and images.

Villa Sandalo, St Peter 



Features:
- 5 En-Suite Bedrooms
- Direct Beach Access via Private Gate
- 30ft Swimming Pool
- Amazing Sea Views
- Traditional Style Caribbean Decor

You can view Villa Sandalo on our website for more details and images.

Villa Fustic House



Features:
- 7 En-Suite Bedrooms
- Colonial Style Property
- 11 Acres of Tropical Gardens
- Lagoon Swimming Pool
- Private Estate

You can view Villa Fustic House on our website for more details and images.


Villa Bonita



Features:
- 6 Bedrooms
- Swimming Pool
- Panoramic Sea Views
- Close to Golf Course, Holetown & Night Life
- Spacious Patio Terrace

You can view Villa Bonita on our website for more details and images

Villa Moon Reach



Features:
- 5 En-Suite Bedrooms
- Beautiful Swimming Pool
- Secluded Tropical Gardens
- Gym & Games Room
- Panoramic Sea Views

You can view Villa Moon Reach on our website for more details and images


With the perfect weather, gorgeous beaches and heavenly Caribbean Sea to enjoy, we hope we've inspired you to take a peek at this beautiful island for your next holiday!

Speak to one of our experienced and expert luxury Barbados villa specialists today:

+44 (0)1244 629 963
enquiries@elegant-barbados.com
















Thursday, 4 May 2017

Barbados: Home of the Sea Turtles


Do you want to see Barbados from another perspective? Maybe you can view the tropical paradise the same way a turtle would...

Barbados: Home of the Sea Turtles


Barbados is where the hawksbill and the leatherback sea turtles call home and the healthy population is now protected and monitored closely to maintain their livelihood and importance to the eco-system. 




The island provides a range of tours and cruises focusing on these delightful creatures. Most tours take place on catamarans that provide guests with lunch, masks and snorkels. Enjoy the incredible scenery as you sail down the coastline, sipping delicious rum punches and indulging in a delicious lunch before snorkeling with the turtles. 



Turtles are very sociable creatures and tend to stay in the same area to ensure they follow a routine. They can be seen playing and feeding along the inshore reefs and certain monitored areas have meant that the animals have become accustomed to humans. 

Moonlight cruises are also available where you can see turtles nesting depending on the time of the year. Pregnant turtles come up from the water and lay their eggs in the soft sand on the shore. The eggs hatch into tiny newborns who make their way back to the sea. 



The Barbados Sea Turtle Project (BSTP)


Established in 1987, this project promotes the conservation of sea turtles in Barbados and aims to maintain and educate the public about the importance of the sea turtles' survival. 
Made up of a joint activity between the Department of Biological & Chemical Sciences at the University of the West Indies, the Cave Hill Campus and the Fisheries Division in the government of Barbados, the group strives to enlighten people about the conservation efforts. 



They rely heavily upon the generosity of the public, the hotel staff and their guests to monitor the nesting and hatching activity happening on the beach during the season. Some local fishermen also feed and care for them as well as scraping barnacles of the shells and protecting nesting areas. 
The main season is normally between April and December with the main hatching happening during the winter. 


The project personnel assist with nightly surveillance of any beaches known to be nesting sites to protect potential babies being accidentally killed or the pregnant females being poached. They also tag and monitor turtles in near shore waters as well as satellite tracking post nesting turtles. The team include a 24hour response and monitor any signs of disease that can afflict the animals. 



Would you like to see these amazing creatures for yourself?
Speak to our luxury Barbados villa and apartment specialists today

+44 (0)1244 62 99 63
enquiries@elegant-barbados.com


Tuesday, 25 April 2017

Crop Over Festival 2017

As a forever sunny and happy place to be, Barbados spreads the joy even more during their Crop Over Festival. Taking place from May until August, this incredible celebration has something for everyone and really emphasises the Barbadian way of life; full of colour, sun and smiles!

Crop Over Festival 2017


The Crop Over Festival is the most colourful and popular in the Caribbean and attracts thousands of people from all over the globe, including Barbadians who no longer live on the island. 
With origins dating back to the 1780's, the festival has deep set roots and is an important celebration to the people who live here. 


Barbados was the largest producer of sugar in the world, way back in the 18th century. The festival marked the end of a successful sugar cane harvest and became a huge tradition.
In the 1940's, the sugar industry declined sharply along with the success rate of the harvests produced. The Crop Over Festival eventually stopped altogether.

In 1974, the festival was revived and incorporated other Bajan cultural elements, really bringing the island together and showing the world what it was all about. 


Opening Ceremony & Ceremonial Delivery of the Last Canes

Being the very beginning of the celebrations, this is where the King & Queen of the Festival are crowned. This is judged by which male and which female has been the most productive cane cutters of the season.




Bridgetown Market

Running right the way through the festival, this incredible market features local food and beverages as well as arts and crafts to show off the unique Barbadian artistic flair. Calypso and Soca music is a major part of the celebrations and can be heard the whole time. 


Cohobblopot

A huge carnival like show where members of Kadooment bands display their amazing costumes and perform to packed audiences down the coast. 



Kiddies Kadooment

Children will never feel left out of the festivities and have their own mini version where they can show off their costumes and bands and parade for judges.


Calypso

Calypso is a major feature of Barbadian life and the Crop Over Festival.
Organised into tents, the groups are sponsored by Barbados businesses and compete for awards, prizes and coveted titles including 'Party Monarch', 'Sweet Soca Monarch' and 'Pic-O-De-Crop Monarch'.
The Pic-O-De-Crop is held at the Kensington Oval and is followed by the Fore Day Morning Jump Up.




Grand Kadooment

The finale of the festival features an incredible carnival parade featuring large bands in elaborate and often themed costumes. Designers can compete for the 'Designer of the Year' award and audiences are thrilled by the wild music, delicious food and drink and of course, the beach is always close by!




Have we tempted you to visit this Caribbean paradise yet?
Why not talk to one of our specialist Barbados villa & apartment experts today:

+44 (0)1244 62 99 63
enquiries@elegant-barbados.com






Tuesday, 18 April 2017

Our Top Reasons Why Barbados is the Best Caribbean Island!

With it's glorious white sandy beaches, crystal clear waters and stunning sunsets, Barbados is one of the world's most desirable destinations. A rich and fascinating history combined with some incredibly varied culture and the friendliest locals, we would recommend a trip to the Bajan island to everyone!


Here are our Top Reasons Why Barbados is the Best Caribbean Island




The Food

Barbados includes a wide variety of unique and diverse flavours with influences taken from all over the world including Africa, India and England. The island has so many restaurants to choose from and you're sure to find culinary delights on every corner from five star fine dining to locally run businesses, excelling in authentic cuisine.


Waterfront Restaurants; a dream view over dinner.

Flying Fish; a famous Bajan delicacy!

Rum!

Rum is a massive part of the culture in Barbados. Perfected during the 17th century, there are more than 1,500 roadside bars along the island and they're incredibly proud of their product. Rum tours and local distilleries are an interesting look into the historical side of the Bajan tipple. Mount Gay Rum is the oldest rum brand in the world, established in 1703. 

Just one of the many rum bars you're sure to encounter!

Mount Gay; 'The rum that invented rum.'

The Culture

Barbados has a fascinating historical, ecological and archaeological background. Some of the buildings are built with pink and white coral and the island is steeped with colonial history, adding some extra depth to your visit. St Nicholas Abbey is a 350 year old property that served as a sugar plantation and is a well-preserved historical residence. 

St Nicholas Abbey; the grounds & exterior


The People

When you speak to anyone who's visited Barbados, there will always be a mention about the people who live there. The locals are warm and welcoming to tourists, something that isn't seen as much in other destinations. The majority are friendly, laid back and happy-go-lucky which just adds to the atmosphere of this slice of paradise.

When in Barbados, do as the locals do!


The Nightlife

Whilst the locals on the island are laid back, they still know how to party. Barbados' nightlife is as exciting as you'd imagine. Plenty of bars and clubs fill the skies with music and laughter. St Lawrence's Gap (also known as the Gap) has everything from Irish pubs to Italian bistros and lots of live music. Holetown is on the west side of the island whilst 2nd Street in St James provides even more to choose from!




Crop Over Festival

The most popular and colourful festival dates back to the 1780's and marks the success of a sugar cane harvest. Spreading through May to August, this beautiful celebration is full of music, dancing, arts and crafts and street fares. It's also the perfect place to spot celebrities with Rihanna, Lewis Hamilton and more being spotted enjoying the festivities. 

Crop Over Festival; a sea of laughter, music and dance!

The Perfect Opportunity for Celebrity Spotting!


The Sea Turtles

With a very healthy population of leatherback and hawksbill sea turtles, Barbados is home to these beautiful creatures and if you're lucky enough, you can see these critters hatch from their eggs and make their way down to the beach and into the sea!

Watch a truly memorable experience when the babies hatch

Snorkeling with sea turtles sounds perfect to us!

The Beaches

Barbados has approximately 60 beaches all boasting pristine, white sand and crystal clear, naturally clean waters. If you're after more sun bathing, gentle swimming and wind-surfing then the Platinum Coast is the best place. Surfing is perfect in East Coast where the Soup Bowl is located. 

So many things to do!



Have we planted the seed for a perfect Bajan trip?
Take a look at our exclusive portfolio of luxury villas and apartments or speak to one of our expert Barbados property consultants today:

+44 (0) 1244 629 963











Friday, 24 March 2017

Our 5 Recommended Cocktail Bars on the West Coast..

The west coast of Barbados has a host of wonderful bars to enjoy whether you're after a few cocktails with your significant other or a starting point for a night out on the town. The beautiful surroundings and positive atmosphere will make sure you never forget your Bajan nightlife experience - no matter how many cocktails you indulge in...


Here are our 5 Recommended Cocktail Bars on the West Coast 


1. Red Door Lounge - Holetown
Open from 8pm until the early hours - Wednesday-Sunday 


Red Door Lounge is an uber-stylish lounge and bar with an upscale yet urban vibe. Situated on the renowned Second Street in Holetown, Red Door is fast becoming one of the island's trendiest nightspots to visit. 


The intimate atmosphere and glamorous setting make it the perfect place to mingle with friends and dance the night away. 


There's always time for cocktails and tapas before the lively DJ sessions or live musicians transform the place into the late night hot spot to be seen in.


2. Lime Bar - Limegrove Lifestyle Centre, Holetown
Open all week apart from Mondays - 10am until the early hours


Lime Bar has become the premier bar on the west coast of Barbados. Situated in the first courtyard of the Limegrove's luxurious facility, Lime Bar provides a great spot for meeting and making new friends.

They offer live entertainment every week with the best selection of musicians and DJ's. 


3. Ju Ju's Beach Bar - Bridgetown
Open - All the time!



Located slightly further down the west coast in Bridgetown, Ju Ju's Beach Bar is set off the main road and, as the same suggests, is right on the beach. Just north of the Fairmont Royal Pavillion, Ju Ju's relaxed vibe is a hit with locals and high profile visitors. 



Serving ice cold beverages and delicious local food, Ju Ju's is one of the west coast's hidden gems that ticks all of the right boxes. 


To top it off, this beach location not only allows you to dip your toes in the sand whilst you drink, it will also give you some of the most breathtaking sunset views in all of Barbados.


Open Every Day - 5pm until late



Enjoy some of the most delectable cocktails Barbados has to offer in the most sophisticated of surroundings. Inspired by the ocean itself, Drift Ocean Terrace is right by the beach, providing you with the incredible views of the west coast.


The atmosphere is perfect for unwinding after a long day in the sun or if you're celebrating a very special event. 



5. Scarlet - Payne's Bay, St James
Open Tuesday through to Saturdays 
Closed Sundays & Mondays


A modern bistro bar with a delightful Caribbean flare. Scarlet provide amazing cocktails that perfectly complement the low-key decor and contemporary dining choices. 


Decorated in a glorious crimson red, inside and out, this funky bar is a refreshing alternative to the rich nightlife Barbados boasts. 



Even more tempted to visit Barbados?

Why not take a look at our incredible portfolio of luxury villas and apartments on this beautiful island for a truly unforgettable retreat.