April 19, 20179 yr I'm going the Hilton in November for 11 nights, looks decent, never been before but I am expecting big things Flights are £450 each return TC from Manchester Miami is your man for a full breakdown, he's been a few times, be another thread on it somewhere I think
April 19, 20179 yr I was there last January for 2 weeks and there this January for 2 nights Cheapest flights are Thomas Cook or Condor who is who I flew with last year but I think they are Thomas Cook in disguise. If you want to spend a bit more on your flight, I'm told the Virgin flights are very good but I've not flown with them personally Resort has to be St Lawrence Gap purely for bars/eateries/night life And where to stay, just find the cheapest hotel or apartment you can, eat and drink out every night and go and explore the island on the cheap buses. Don't get stuck in an expensive AI hotel or you'll end up spending all your time there and won't get to meet the lovely locals or see the lovely Island The first person I met was Big Al who introduced himself as a giddy giddy man, I asked him what was one of them and he told me it was like a lucky lucky man but the things he was going to sell me would make me giddy instead Edited April 19, 20179 yr by Widnes Two Hats
April 19, 20179 yr Barbados was never on my list of places to visit but 3 years ago an all expenses paid week landed in my lap along with about 15 other family members. One of the best weeks of my life. Stayed at Butterfly Beach Hotel, massive all day buffet, great sea views. Shit reception on the telly which only shows NFL or MLS at best. Go to The Boatyard for a day/afternoon, a beach bar with a rope swing at the end of a pier into the wide blue ocean, cheap Banks' beers in the sea... paradise. Oystins Fish Fry on a Friday, its the only place to be on the entire island on a Friday. Look into it, kind of an outdoor club night on a fish market. Better than it sounds! Bridgetown is alright for a day, Carlisle Beach is beautiful... the shacks that sell fish and beers are great but er, don't accidentally look at the conditions in the kitchens (which double as bedroom and bathroom for the occupants...) Enjoy it, jealous!
April 19, 20179 yr Out of interest is the one legged rasta fella still hangng around St Lawrence Gap flogging his stuff? Fine area and some good bars and eateries. Do explore the Island very lovely
April 19, 20179 yr Out of interest is the one legged rasta fella still hangng around St Lawrence Gap flogging his stuff? Fine area and some good bars and eateries. Do explore the Island very lovely Aye, I told him to hop it last year. There's a kid on The Gap who's from St Helens but has loads of pics from when he visited the Reebok around a decade ago.
April 20, 20179 yr Been all over that island many times. I've visited places you peasants wouldn't even know about Ate and drunk in dodgy bars the tourists don't even know exist, at a third of the price. As Wham once sang, 'I'm your man'
April 20, 20179 yr Our favourite place. Got wed there and been several times. So Many places to explore and enjoy Could go back again and again
April 20, 20179 yr Now I'm not one for sitting on a beach or round a pool, bores me senseless. Would there be much to see and do if I went for some winter sun? I often go to the canaries in Feb but all that really offers is bars and walks along the front etc but would be a hell of a lot cheaper than Barbados if that only offers similar
April 20, 20179 yr Now I'm not one for sitting on a beach or round a pool, bores me senseless. Would there be much to see and do if I went for some winter sun? I often go to the canaries in Feb but all that really offers is bars and walks along the front etc but would be a hell of a lot cheaper than Barbados if that only offers similar Can't see there being a giddy goose with bolton flags on the wall. Stick to Tenerife
April 25, 20179 yr Been a couple of times - flown with Virgin - very good. Oystins is a really good night out. Did the submarine trip from Bridgetown - really worth while. Used to take a few beers from the hotel and go and watch the locals play cricket in the afternoon. St Lawrence gap - place to stay. My brother in law has been a few times when England have played cricket - he said you can't beat it.
July 26, 20178 yr Thanks to all on here, we have booked in early next year; a week in Barbados followed by a week in St Lucia
July 26, 20178 yr Thanks to all on here, we have booked in early next year; a week in Barbados followed by a week in St Lucia #thinlyviled its pissing down Bolton is shit
July 27, 20178 yr We flew with Virgin. Great. Stayed at the Sandals hotel. Ultra All-Inclusive. Was amazing. Still booked a local guy to drive us and another couple all over the island for a full day. Was great. Drank coconuts on the beach. Had a beer or two in some shack in the hills. Ate with the locals. Swam in sea from St. James beach. Also did the freebie snorkelling with Sandals which took us into Bridgetown. Had a walk into St. Lawrence Gap a couple of times. Was ok. Not as "exciting" as I first thought it would be. But I think the introduction of AI is starting to affect it. Had a meal at The Cliff (if you are with your Mrs, worth spending the extra and dining here - expensive as shit, but ticks plenty of boxes). Sharks swimming past, etc. Overall would go again and do as other suggest and try the Room Only option.
July 27, 20178 yr We flew with Virgin. Great. Stayed at the Sandals hotel. Ultra All-Inclusive. Was amazing. Still booked a local guy to drive us and another couple all over the island for a full day. Was great. Drank coconuts on the beach. Had a beer or two in some shack in the hills. Ate with the locals. Swam in sea from St. James beach. Also did the freebie snorkelling with Sandals which took us into Bridgetown. Had a walk into St. Lawrence Gap a couple of times. Was ok. Not as "exciting" as I first thought it would be. But I think the introduction of AI is starting to affect it. Had a meal at The Cliff (if you are with your Mrs, worth spending the extra and dining here - expensive as shit, but ticks plenty of boxes). Sharks swimming past, etc. Overall would go again and do as other suggest and try the Room Only option. How much discount did you get and where from?
July 28, 20178 yr How much discount did you get and where from? Paid full whack but has put a claim in for a full refund because they "got the shits" from the AI.
July 28, 20178 yr How much discount did you get and where from? He's mates with top guy from sandals don't you know? Edited July 28, 20178 yr by Mounts Kipper
July 28, 20178 yr He's mates with top guy from sandals don't you know? Smiley wears sandals........................................and white socks.
July 29, 20178 yr Smiley wears sandals........................................and white socks. Crocs & socks. Like the rest of my congregation.
July 29, 20178 yr How much discount did you get and where from? haha, the sad thing is. Had we booked it at the time we planned it, we'd have got a great deal. However, my man in the know said he'd get us a superb deal (ie. possibly very cheap accommodation, or at least upgrade to something top whack). On top of that he'd pull strings with his contacts at Virgin for the flights. In my mind we were going for free or very little. The weeks went by, we had no news. Finally, just a few weeks before he tells us that the hotel is over-subscribed and the flights are jam packed full. In the end we were lucky to get seats and lucky to get the basic room type. We did get a cake in our room on arrival. Most folk we met had paid much less for much better rooms. There's a moral somewhere in this story. Edited July 29, 20178 yr by Smiley
July 29, 20178 yr haha, the sad thing is. Had we booked it at the time we planned it, we'd have got a great deal. However, my man in the know said he'd get us a superb deal (ie. possibly very cheap accommodation, or at least upgrade to something top whack). On top of that he'd pull strings with his contacts at Virgin for the flights. In my mind we were going for free or very little. The weeks went by, we had no news. Finally, just a few weeks before he tells us that the hotel is over-subscribed and the flights are jam packed full. In the end we were lucky to get seats and lucky to get the basic room type. We did get a cake in our room on arrival. Most folk we met had paid much less for much better rooms. There's a moral somewhere in this story. Yes.....Karma.
July 29, 20178 yr haha, the sad thing is. Had we booked it at the time we planned it, we'd have got a great deal. However, my man in the know said he'd get us a superb deal (ie. possibly very cheap accommodation, or at least upgrade to something top whack). On top of that he'd pull strings with his contacts at Virgin for the flights. In my mind we were going for free or very little. The weeks went by, we had no news. Finally, just a few weeks before he tells us that the hotel is over-subscribed and the flights are jam packed full. In the end we were lucky to get seats and lucky to get the basic room type. We did get a cake in our room on arrival. Most folk we met had paid much less for much better rooms. There's a moral somewhere in this story. Next time, give me a nudge.
July 30, 20178 yr Next time, give me a nudge. Will do. In fairness the Sandals resort had only been open a week or two when we went. So it was mobbed as they'd waited 20+ years to finally get a foothold on Barbados. Not sure if their 2nd hotel is close to completion up around St. James'. Think it may be a family Beaches resort. Far better location. Found the sea too rough around St. Lawrence.
Flights from Manchester.
Accommodation
Resort?
Thank you