This is the spot!! The Crane has the weather, the amenities, and wonderful staff. My suite
was an upper floor unit in the "park" where I enjoyed the views of the village, the ocean and the stars. Situated on the south east coast of Barbados, the cooling breeze from the ocean was divine, rendering the AC unnessary. I fully enjoyed the rooftop garden area, taking advantage of the BBQ, the minifridge, and the plunge pool. The pool is not heated but is
refreshing none the less. L'Azure is my favorite restaurant here, combining good food at realistic prices. Zen is excellent Thai/Japanese fusion but a bit formal for my taste while on vacation. D'Onofrios is very simple, lacking the qualities of what I expect in an Italian resto. Consider it a basic pizza and pasta joint. The Carriage House is great for lunches at the poolside or grill in the evening. A nice touch is the managers cocktail party on Monday evenings which provides the opportunity to meet fellow guests and staff in an informal setting. The beach is simply fantastic and enough has been written on it's fine qualities. A grill has be added at the beach which can provide a lunch while enjoying the waves. The staff tries to minimize the impact of the ongoing construction. It did not bother me in my rooftop oasis but I have heard complaints from other guests. Barbados is a special place in the Carribean where fine weather complimented with wonderful Bajans creates an atmosphere that keeps you coming back.

My husband and I stayed at the Crane at the end of January and loved it. The grounds were immaculate and the staff was very friendly and helpful. We didn't experience any of the noise as mentioned on the other posts.

We stayed on the second floor overlooking the garden and it was very peaceful. I was at first disappointed that we didn't get an ocean view room but after being at the beach all day, I found the garden room to be much more relaxing. The wind is pretty strong, as is the current, so you need to proceed with caution when swimming. At one point a wave slammed me down so hard I almost lost my bikini tumbling out of the wave! Tip: walk to the end of the beach and cross over the rock formation. You'll find a completely secluded cove. Bring your towel & pack a picnic because you'll not want to return.

Our only negative was the choice of restaurants. The Japanese restaurant is closed on Tuesdays so you only have the main restaurant (which is best for the view), a run-of-the-mill Italian restaurant or the poolside grill to choose from. The main restaurant is great but the menu isn't varied enough to eat every meal there. Wish there had been more of a variety.

We are definitely looking forward to going back someday. Booking tip: If you subscribe to Sniqueaway.com - I recently saw rates as low at $199/nite. Having paid full price, I was kicking myself for not paying closer attention when we booked.

We stayed again at the Crane the last week of January, 2012 in Building 3 and had a wonderful vacation. Our one bedroom unit was on the fifth floor with a ocean view. The one bedroom units are very spacious at aproximately 1000 square feet with a full size kitchen, a washer dryer unit, and a large balcony with two lounge chairs. The unit was recently renovated with refinished floors and furniture and a large Sony flat screen TV. They also have free WiFi on the property.

We did not have to use the AC due to the constant breeze and slept with the balcony doors open at night and fell asleep listening to the waves. I have noted that the AC has been a problem in the past, however during our stay they were in the process of repairing all the AC units and were told that it would be operational in time for the warmer seasons this year.

The L'Azure restaurant was reopen and was beautiful. The menu was expanded with a new chef and I found the food to be very good but a bit expensive. We cooked about half our meals
as a result. A new beach grill was being built at the time of our stay and I understand it will offer
a less expensive option for lunch. We were disappointed with Italian Restaurant menu as it seemed to be more focused on pizza and kids menu rather than a less expensive dining option as we enjoy good Italian food.

We are always very active wtih exercise during vacation. They have a good but modest gym but only have four treadmills which are always busy in the mornings. Adding two more treadmills would be welcomed. Also the weights racks were missing several dumb bell sets 20#,30#, 35# & 40# that could be easily fixed.

The four pools, with many lounge chairs and large soft towels were towels were excellant and we spent half our time between the pool and the beach that was as good as always. The ocean
is swimable and we enjoy the waves which are about 3' to 4' on average. The pools are all free form except for the older main pool are are not suitable for anyone who wants to do serious lap swimming. A lap pool addition on the property would be a nice addition.

Every year the Crane is making improvements which makes our vacations better each year. Next year we were told that they were expanding the General Store with a larger inventory which would be welcomed.

You do not need a car if you are comfortable taking the very good bus system for only $1 US one way. We have gone to Bridgetown and Holetown many times on the bus, just avoid rush hour in the mornings and evenings. You can also rent a car for a day at the Crane but we just use the Taxi.

We found the staff to be pleasant and helpful. Special recognition goes to Jackie Ince, Jason at the Carriage House, Lisa at L'Azure, and Cryilla at housekeeping for making our vacation pleasant and enjoyable.

We will certainly be returning again.

Doug & Lynne

An excellent resort, with truely friendly staff. From the gardners to the beach guys, to the cleaners and the waiters they all are genuine in their aim to make your stay welcome. Restaurants are very good quality with excellent menus and selections and good value for money. However alcoholic drinks are significantly over priced and vary greatly between each restaurant this was the only down aspect to what was a lovely stay.