Crystal Cove Hotel All Inclusive - Barbados

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An outstanding place to stay. Visited: November 2002 Posted by gglassford We have just returned from Crystal Cove, and it was great. We were here for 10 days. The swim area was a little small, but still an excellent place to go for a holiday. Our room was amazing, the view was out of this world. We found this to be a very nice place and would go back in a heartbeat! Also, the staff was friendly - as well as the other guests. Watch out for the Rum Punch as it does have a punch. The food was good, although the dinner menu was a little limited and the portions were a little on the small side. But we were never hungry after dinner. The only thing you have to watch out for is if you decide to go for a walk, there are no sidewalks. It iis a little scary walking on the road with the cars buzzing by. You can get to the supermarket by walking down the beach then crossing the road, which is what we did. 0 users found this review helpful. 1 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? A superb relaxing holiday. Visited: November 2002 Posted by anne_fairless My husband and I have just returned from a week at Crystal Cove. It was the best holiday we have ever had! The hotel was bright and the grounds were lush. The rooms were bright and extremely clean with clean towels and linen every day. The staff was very friendly and helpful (as we found all Bajans to be). The beach was a bit small, but very pleasant, and being able to just dip in whenever you needed cooling down was great. Reflections restaurant and Drifters bar served delicious food and great rum punch! We would definitely recommend this hotel to anyone and will most certainly return. What a fantastic holiday. 0 users found this review helpful. 1 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? A fantastic hotel. Visited: October 2002 Posted by neil1 I stayed at the Crystal Cove resort with my girlfriend during Oct 02. The view from the reception over the resort and out to the sea was a very welcome sight after 8 hours on a plane, and it just got better an better. The staff was curteous and always had a smile and a word for the guests. The food was superb, as good as you'd find in most restaurants in London. There was plenty of variaty and selection. The room was clean, and the towels were changed daily. The beach was in good condition and although, yes as some reviews have mentioned, it was not the biggest 'swimming area' around, how far do you want to swim anyway!? Night-time entertaiment on the whole was good, and the resort looked fantastic when it was lit up of an evening. All in all, a fabulous place to a holiday, and I'd recommend this resort to everyone. 2 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Comfy - yes, enjoyable - yes, elegant - no. Visited: August 2002 Posted by grif1229 After the initial disappointment of not getting the upgrade and the closing of two other affiliates, we enjoyed the rest of the stay. The staff and the cuisine was what made our vacation great. Their attitudes and attention out-weighed the fact that the room was a bit warm (with AC and ceiling fan) and a bit worn. The water sports were safe and great for first-timers. We plan on returning in the near future for another relaxing vacation. We liked so many of the staff members that we truly hated to depart. Overall, we had no complaints - just pleasant memories. 0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? I consider myself a hard to please guest, and I was happy. Visited: July 2002 Posted by tracym My husband and I spent 10 days at Crystal Cove. Our five-year-old daughter also accompanied us. The rooms were very clean and spacious. We had a one bedroom ocean suite. The view was better than we expected. The food was good to very good, depending on the type of food prepared (local dishes were their specialty), although we did tire of eating at the same restaurant three times a day for 10 days. But on the other hand, I really liked the fact that we could come up from the beach, order a cold drink, and not have to sign a tab every time. So all in all, I liked being on an all-inclusive program. My only complaint was that the service at the main restaurant was very slow, particularly in the evenings. Be prepared to wait for long periods for your server to come around to check on you. Although many other reviewers complained about the beach area, I found it adequate. I really liked the fresh water pools - they were very natural looking with the surrounding landscaping. The fresh water pools also were a hit with our daughter, as one particular pool was less than four- feet deep -- perfect for a 5 year old. Although we did not use the Kid's Club extensively, our daughter really enjoyed the two or three brief visits she made. They didn't have a great diversity of activities for the kids, but the caregivers were friendly. We also liked the fact that the Kid's Club was open late, so our daughter could attend in the early evening while we relaxed before dinner. There seemed to be an equal mix of families and couples here during our stay. All in all, I was very satisfied. I consider myself a very critical reviewer, and I could not find much to complain about at Crystal Cove. 0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Crystal Cove was a quiet, sophisticated hotel. Visited: June 2002 Posted by jwinkw We stayed at Crystal Cove in June 2002. Our room was oceanfront and nicely decorated, with a balcony overlooking the sea. However, the air conditioning was weak and there was no tea or coffee maker in room. Room service was first class and bang on time! Service was generally fast and friendly, with the exception of one of the front desk staff who frankly, could not be bothered. The beach was a little disappointing. There was only a small swimming area. However, the sports facilities were excellent. I would recommend this hotel as a quiet, relaxing hotel for couples. They offered good food and there were not many children! 0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Crystal Cove had everything we needed. Visited: May 2002 Posted by debbiet We just got back from a very relaxing break at Crystal Cove. It had everything we needed - a great sea view (as we had requested), excellent food (five-course lunches and four-course dinners!), a bright, clean room, lovely beach and crystal clear blue seas. Most of the staff was very attentive and we were well looked after. The bathing area on the beach was a little small. However, it was still very pleasant (I would imagine, as long as the hotel does not get too busy). It was mostly quite rocky just off the beach, though. The three-tiered pool arrangement was also very attractive, although the pools themselves could maybe have benefitted from being a little larger. We found this to be a very romantic location - perfect for couples. And while we were here, there were not too many noisy children around - which to us is always a bonus on holiday! If you go, look out for Minstrel - he was a lovely little black and white cat who lived down by the beach bar. He never hassled guests and did not go near the hotel restaurant - however he always appreciated a little milk, chicken or fish if you had any to spare! 0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? A very good experience. Visited: April 2002 Posted by keatingcarol My husband and I, and our two children (ages 14 and 11) just got back from a wonderful and relaxing seven-day stay at Crystal Cove. The food was great, the rooms were clean, and the staff was very friendly and helpful. The swimming area at beach was a little small and the food at the beach restaurant could have been better. In all, we felt fortunate to have found Crystal Cove and the wonderful people we met while on vacation here. We would definitely make a return visit to this great Barbados destination! 1 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? We have booked for a third year. Visited: March 2002 Posted by celast My wife and I have been to the Caribbean eight years on the run. Crystal Cove has been our destination for the last two years and we have booked for a third next year. We could not fault it for value. The staff is fantastic, the food is awesome and if you miss a meal, there is always room service (included in the price). Everyone seems so friendly here and they seem to keep coming back. Well done to all the staff for making such wonderful holidays for us. 0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? It was excellent - a very nice resort. Visited: March 2002 Posted by dbgarden My husband and I just returned from Crystal Cove after switching our hotel from Mango Bay. We were extremely pleased with the everything at that the resort. The food was excellent. The selections were extremely varied at dinner, that we didn't feel the need to try the sister hotels in the Elegant chain for variety. We had a choice of dining outside more casually (in our bathing suits) for lunch at tables with little thatch roofs right on the water. Although the portions for dinner were small, it was more than sufficient, since breakfast and lunch was buffet style and all you can eat. We were gladly given seconds of dessert when we requested. We enjoyed their coconut ice cream in a rum basket. Their were so many scrumptious choices. The musicians who performed in the hotel were excellent. My husband and I enjoyed listening to them on our balcony in the hammocks by candlelight. The resort was nicely lit at night with torches. All in all, we were very happy with our stay at Crystal Cove. However, the front desk staff, although pleasant, could have been a little more on the ball by explaining certain things to us. For example, we didn't know we needed to book the courtesy room when we were leaving if we wanted to remain at the hotel and change and shower prior to departing. I would highly suggest staying at Crystal Cove and we would definitely return. 1 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Excellent choice Visited: February 2002 Posted by rvermylen We just returned from a week at Crystal Cove and had a great time. The reviews immediately below with the exception of the one titled 'disappointing' were all very accurate. We had two children with us (3 and 5) who had a great time. Kids' Club, although indoors, provided a great one or two hour break each day for the parents. It's not a place to leave the kids all day. Only major disappointment was lunch at the beach bar. Other than an interesting local dish on one or two days, it was close to cafeteria food. Better choice was to put kids in the Club, get cleaned up and have lunch in the nicer main dining area. An excellent choice. 0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? This is the perfect family hotel in Caribbean. Visited: December 2001 Posted by peter_barrett We stayed over Christmas and New Year in 2001 and had the best holiday in the Caribbean. The hotel is very cozy and the staff is generally very helpful and eager to please. The accommodation on the beach is some of the best you'll find. Our two girls, Jessica(8) and Rosie(6), were able to enjoy themselves without restriction. The food was the most surprising to me, as for an all-inclusive, it was of a very high standard. The only point to pick up on was the quality of evening entertainment, which was poor. We look forward to returning again very soon! 0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Vibrant hotel with great staff. Visited: December 2001 Posted by slarkins1 We have a 10-month-old daughter and wanted to get away from it all at Christmas. The Crystal Cove is in a beautiful setting and the restaurant staff was exceptionally friendly and attentive, but unfortunately there were things that made our holiday less than completely relaxing. The minus points were that the hotel was very crowded at Christmas and unless you wanted to join the "put a towel on a sunbed at 5am brigade" there was often no sunbeds left much after 9am. The Pool deck at the Crystal Cove is small and the beach rather compact and crowded. The other minus point that applies to parents of small babies who sleep during the evenings was the entertainment (band) noise. We requested a quiet room before arriving, but that still suffered from deafening entertainment noise during the evenings. Great if you want to party (back to our pre-baby days!), but less good if your baby is screaming all night! The ability to move between resorts was great and a real plus point. A trip to the Tarmarind for the better beach and bigger pool decks became a necessity. However, the Tarmarind has much poorer restaurant service than the Crystal Cove, so be aware of that. The Kids’ Club is wonderful at Crystal Cove and Trudi who runs it made a real effort with Sophie. The babysitting service was also excellent and the team of people who run it were trustworthy and well trained. The rooms were nice and there was cable TV with CNN, HBO and Cartoon Network for the kids. The gym at Crystal Cove is excellent and well equipped for a hotel of this size. It has modern exercise equipment/well maintained. So all in all, this is a very memorable hotel, but if you intend to stay there avoid the busy high occupancy times if you want to have some space to yourself and a sunbed. It can look a little like Benidorm (crowded Spanish resort) on the beach at peak occupancy times. 0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Gorgeous and enchanting surroundings. Visited: October 2001 Posted by jodibradbury My stay at the Crystal Cove Resort will be one I always remember with fondness, partly because I was married just down the road from the Crystal Cove and partly because of the gorgeous property. My husband and I, and ten guests spent the week in Barbados at the Crystal Cove. All of my guests were thrilled with the immaculate accomodations, breathtaking beauty and the delicious food. The children's club was a life saver when my husband and I wanted a little R & R. They offered wonderful arts and crafts and a selection of games, but for the most part the children were as enchanted as the adults were with the beautiful pools, lush landscape and island sounds. The food was top notch with something for everyone, inluding the little ones. The nightly entertainment set the mood and ambience for a night of romance and fun under the amazing stars. If I had to change anything at the hotel, I would ask for the pools to be open later than 10 p.m. and a friendlier front desk staff. The other staff (waiters and housekeeping) was pleasant, but the front desk could be a bit snooty, especially when asked for something above and beyond. I would wholeheartedly recommend this elegant, yet relaxed property. 0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? We enjoyed excellent food, had no-hassle vendors! Visited: October 2001 Posted by dziegler17 My wife and I stayed for eight days shortly after 9/11, so American travellers were few and far between (we were one of only three other couples from the states). This was fine with us - it was a great opportunity to meet others from around the world. The food was, by far, the best feature of this resort. They offered a good quantity and quality for lunch and breakfast, but dinner was the shining star. Multi-course meals were brought to us in a timely fashion. We knew to expect smaller portions before arriving, but had no idea the quality of food would be so high. From soup to dessert, the food was top notch. Service overall at the resort was friendly. Booking trips through the front desk was the most covenient (and safe) way to take side trips. Avoid booking through the beach vendors. Other vendors on the beach were low-pressure; a simple "no thanks" would keep them from bothering you for the rest of the trip. We really enjoyed the shared dining priveleges at the other Elegant hotels - Coconut Creek was the best for dining, though it still could not beat Crystal Cove. We thought the swimming area was small, you could venture outside the buoy markers (if you keep your eye on the jet skiers to avoid injury). There was fantastic snorkeling just off the jetti rocks, though for a reasable fee, we suggest taking a jetboat trip to other parts of the island to swim with turtles. We would definitely recommend this resort to anyone with high standards for food. 0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Relaxed, hospitable and beautiful! Visited: September 2001 Posted by alison_burns I stayed for a week at Crystal Cove and thoroughly enjoyed the relaxed informality. The food was great and the staff was really friendly. Enjoyed the ability to dine at other Elegant Hotels in the group. It’s definitely somewhere to relax and spoil yourself for a week. 0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Disappointing. Visited: August 2001 Posted by klewotsky My husband and I just returned from the Crystal Cove and found it disappointing. We like all-inclusives because they let us get off the clock and just have whatever services we want, when we want. At Crystal Cove, breakfast was available for only a couple of hours. If we slept in, we went hungry until lunch, which started at 12:30. We had to make dinner reservations every day, and show up at a specific time. We were awakened several days at 8:30 am by weed whackers and leaf blowers. The swimming area was small and rocky. Beach vendors hassled us on the beach day after day. We had holes in our sheets, mildew in our shower, and the beach bathroom smelled of sewage. I would never return to this resort. 0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? A truly relaxing Caribbean retreat. Visited: July 2001 Posted by mark1 I stayed at the Crystal Cove on my honeymoon for a fortnight and came back deeply refreshed after a stressful run up to the wedding. Our oceanview room was beautiful. Watching the sunset from our balcony, lazing in the hammock was a delightful change from the usual plastic chairs. The beach area was clean and of adequate size. It would however have been nicer to have a larger swimming area, as most of the sea was ringed off for the water sports. Similarly, as daytime activities consist mainly of sunbathing, a larger sun lounge area by the pool is needed. The waterfall lagoon pools were in a class of their own, a bit different from your average hotel swimming pool! The food and service were excellent and prompt with a wide choice for even the fussiest of eaters, including my husband (and believe me he is fussy). The portions are ample big enough and if you did want a slight variation to what was on the menu, the friendly staff (Andre in particular) was more than happy to meet your request. Besides, if you're still hungry the room service is always there until 9pm! At the bar there was an excellent choice of local and branded drinks—enough to keep you propped at the bar. I have to admit though that the bar did shut rather early, 11:45pm and that was it until morning. A later bar would have been nice; you are on holiday after all! The provision of a gym was great for keeping fit after all the three course meals and there was also a wide choice of water sports. We had quite a few days of rain whilst we were there and would have preferred more in the way of daytime activities when sunbathing was not an option. This I feel is a major downside to the resort, when it’s raining there's little else to do except go to the bar. All in all, despite the few niggles we had a great honeymoon and found it very relaxing and enjoyable. I would go back again to Crystal Cove, but probably for one week instead of two! 0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Amazing vacation! Visited: July 2001 Posted by samirosenjack My husband and I just returned from a 6-day stay at Crystal Cove. It was not long enough! Everything about the hotel was wonderful. The rooms were standard—nothing too fancy, but they served their purpose. The food was awesome. The service was terrific. We never had an empty glass for long! There was always someone ready to fill up a drink, take away a dirty dish or get you something from the bar. There were only a few downsides to this hotel: The pools closed at 6:30pm. No one was permitted to swim in any of the 3 pools after 6:30pm. The swimming area in the Sea was too small also. The bigger area was left for locals bringing in water ski's, fishing boats etc. There should have been a different place for these water sports. The other problem was the amount of solicitations on the beach by the locals. Sometimes this could get out of hand. All in all, we loved Crystal Cove Hotel and would definitely stay there again! 0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? A truly pretty tropical resort. Visited: May 2001 Posted by WHYDEBBY My husband and I had a great time here. The hotel provided a lot of amenities including a bus shuttle to town and a water taxi service that was great. We also enjoyed the catamaran. The drinks were delicious, of course, and the food was good. If the menu looked boring, we ate over at Coconut Creek Hotel. We also had a lunch credit and ate at Colony Club where the service was no doubt excellent. Entertainment was good, but it seemed a little quiet at night. Men had to wear pants for dinner, although it was just too hot to do so, as the dining room is all open-air. We enjoyed everything and would definitely go back. Colin (waiter) was especially nice. We definitely made a good choice. 0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful?

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