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The Crane Resort in Barbados is a historic, upscale resort located in St. Phillips, Barbados.
In this Crane Resort Review, I’m sharing all about this luxury, Barbados resort with beautiful ocean views, 5 outdoor pools, spacious rooms, and historic charm.
When I first started researching for our Barbados vacation, I came across The Crane Resort and fell in love with the oceanfront accommodation, spacious rooms, and tall palm trees that frame stunning ocean views.
If you love old world charm, the Crane Resort in Barbados is one of the best hotels for you. Let’s get into my detailed Crane Resort Review.
My Crane Resort Review
As you can already tell, I loved the Crane Resort. A little spoiler, this will be a glowing Crane Resort review! There is a reason that the Crane Resort stands as the oldest continually operating hotel in Barbados.
Our stay at the Crane Resort was relaxing, luxurious and so memorable. The excellent experience began at check-in when our bags were kindly taken and we were offered a cocktail or a mocktail (which was delicious). The front desk provided us with a map of the resort and shared an overview of the key aspects of the resort.
From there, we were whizzed to our beautiful, ocean-view suite via golf cart. I was wowed by our suite – the sheer size of it and the stunning ocean views from our balcony.
The Suites at The Crane Resort Barbados
The Crane Resort offers multiple types of suites that cater for all needs and budgets.
We stayed in a 1 bedroom suite with ocean views. Our suite had a bedroom, an incredibly spacious bathroom (with a bath and separate shower), a full kitchen, a living room, a smaller toilet at the entrance to the suite, and a beautiful balcony with lounge chairs.
Lots of the suites are apartment-style rooms and are suitable for longer stays. You can even enjoy your own own private pool in lots of the suites. Our bedroom had a luxurious four poster bed, high ceilings, air conditioning, plush bathrobes and slippers. The balcony had stunning ocean views, swaying palm trees, and views of the outdoor pools.
Wakening up to the blue waters in our four-poster bed was a joy each morning.
All rooms have room amenities such as free wi-fi, iron & ironing board, hair dryer, cable TV, safety deposit box, toiletries and more. Check-in time starts at 4pm and check-out time is at noon.
The Crane Resort is part of Hilton Grand Vacations, which offer some of the best hotels with breathtaking views.
See the best rates and rooms available at the beautiful Crane Resort here.
Crane Resort Barbados Restaurants Review
Breakfast at the Crane Resort Barbados
Breakfast at the Crane Resort is a daily buffet breakfast with everything you could possibly need and more. There are lots of fruit juices, breakfast cereals, pastries, bread, hot options and an omelette station.
Breakfast is served at L’Azure restaurant and offers the most beautiful ocean views and stunning views of Crane Beach. Breakfast at the Crane Resort is a must for the views alone.
We enjoyed gospel brunch on Sunday, which was the usual breakfast buffet with local gospel singers. This was such a fun way to experience the local culture (and some very talented singers!)
Other Restaurants at The Crane Resort Barbados
You’ll have lots of dining options at the Crane Resort. Onofrio’s Trattoria is an Italian restaurant with lots of delicious options. L’Azure restaurant also serves lunch and dinner. The lunch is a buffet lunch and the dinner is served A La Carte.
We enjoyed dinner at Zen, which offers Japanese and Thai dishes in a beautiful setting on Barbados’ southeast coast. Book before sunset to enjoy spectacular views of Crane Beach. We enjoyed one of the private booths, which was very cozy.
The Carriage House was under construction when we visited. It was once the official stable of the historic “Crane Beach Hotel” over 100 years ago. It has recently been transformed into a modern poolside bar and grill. You can order a variety of light grilled items and tropical cocktails in or out of the shade. The Carriage House is right by the pools and has the most spectacular views.
If you want a treat, stop by The Village Cafe. You’ll find ice cream, specialty coffees, homemade pastries, milkshakes and smoothies at this spot. There is also a general store for any snacks or essentials.
See the best rates and rooms available at the beautiful Crane Resort here
Pools at The Crane Barbados Resort
The pools at the Crane Barbados Resort were one of my favorite things about the Barbados resort. There are so many outdoor pools to choose from with the most perfectly manicured surroundings. Palm trees sway, the restorative sound of the Atlantic ocean can be heard, and there are plenty of comfortable lounge chairs for all.
The Crane Resort has a 1.5 acre cascading pool complex that has a children’s wading pool, a waterfall pool, and an alfresco Jacuzzi spa pool. The Atlantic Ocean sparkles in the sun and is visible from the beautiful, clean pools.
If you fancy relaxing in quietness, there is an adult-only historic pool that was built in the 1970’s. The pool is framed by a row of classic Doric columns, and built right on the cliff’s edge. This pool has my favorite view of Crane Beach, 50 feet below.
In case you need even more pools, you can enjoy your own private pool with a choice of: corner tower plunge pools; ground-floor pools of up to 28′ in length, many with an infinity edge and breathtaking ocean views; or 12′ pools in penthouse suites with rooftop garden decks.
We stayed at the Crane Resort as soon as we landed in Barbados as I wanted to enjoy the pools & relaxation before we moved to the west side of the island for the busier/more adventurous portion of our trip. The Crane Resort is the perfect place to unwind with a good book.
Crane Resort Barbados Location
The Crane Resort is located 8km from Bridgetown Grantley Adams Intl airport. We took a taxi from the airport to the Crane Resort and it cost $20 USD / $40 BBD. There are registered taxis outside the airport that will whizz you to the resort.
The Crane Resort is located on the south-east coast side of Barbados. It is located right by Crane Beach, which is one of the best beaches in the world with blue waters, breathtaking views and pink sand. There will be fewer crowds on the beach due to it’s remote location compared to busier, more central beaches e.g. Carlisle Bay nearer Bridgetown.
There are limited shops and restaurants right by the Crane Resort so you’ll need a car, taxi or bus for most off-site activities. I really loved the Crane Resort when I learnt about it so we decided to split our ten day trip into two so we could stay at this beautiful resort for a few days and then move to the west coast of the island (closer to some of the other activities that we wanted to do).
Crane Village onsite includes The General Store offering groceries and travel necessities, Cave Shepherd for souvenirs, Colombian Emeralds for fine jewelry and Sophia’s for stylish resort-wear. There is also a duty-free shop. We had everything we needed at the Crane Resort for a few days.
Book your stay at the beautiful Crane Resort here.
Crane Resort Barbados Spa
The Crane Resort also has a spa called Serenity Spa. The spa is located within the resort and provides a wide range of Caribbean influenced treatments including a variety of massages, facials, body treatments, manicures and pedicures. Our stay was short so I skipped the spa experience this time!
Fitness and Activities at the Crane Resort Barbados
There is a fitness center and tennis courts at the Crane Resort Barbados, which are free for resort guests to use. There is also an activity schedule that changes daily. Options are subject to change and include yoga, a morning walk, aqua aerobics, beach cricket, beach football and more. There were also some options listed with a small fee including sip & paint, rum tasting, palm weaving, and a pottery painting class. We stayed over the weekend, so there were limited activities taking place during our stay. The schedule seemed to run Monday to Friday during our stay.
There is also a kids club for little ones with lots of activities.
Whether you want to sit by the pool and read a book, take a morning yoga class or go for a stroll on the famous Crane Beach, you will leave the Crane Resort feeling relaxed and rejuvenated.
Restaurants Near the Crane Resort Barbados Hotel
Before finishing my Crane Resort Review, I wanted to share one restaurant near The Crane Resort that I recommend for dining outside the resort. The dining options within walking distance on the east coast and the south east coast are limited.
We took a short walk to Le Shack and it was amazing! The decor was beautiful and quaint. The food was tasty and filling. The service was top!
Crane Resort Barbados Review: My Final Thoughts
As you can see, this is a glowing Crane Resort Barbados Review. I loved our beautiful suite, the stunning ocean views from our balcony, the ample breakfast spread, walks on the famous Crane Beach, and more.
Although the size of the resort appears quite large at first, it’s all within walking distance. There will be plenty of sun loungers and spectacular views of Crane Beach to enjoy! You can be in the center of Bridgetown in 30 minutes by car or taxi if you fancy a change of scenery. I highly recommend staying at the Crane Resort in Barbados.
I hope you enjoy your stay at the Crane Resort in Barbados. We had a wonderful time and always enjoy Hilton Grand Vacation hotels.
Book your stay at the beautiful Crane Resort here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Crane Resort Barbados all-inclusive?
No, the Crane Barbados Resort is not an all-inclusive resort, but they offer packages that include breakfast. I highly recommend the buffet breakfast. It was delicious and set us up for the day. The views from the breakfast room are unbelievable!
How far is Crane Resort Barbados from the airport?
The Crane Resort Barbados is 8km from the airport.
We got a taxi from Grantley Adams International Airport to the hotel. The taxi prices in Barbados are fixed. A taxi from the airport to The Crane Resort Barbados costs $20USD. Lots of things will be priced in Barbados dollars. The exchange rate is fixed at $2BBD to $1USD. It’s easy to half the price of everything to get the USD equivalent.
How old is the Crane Resort in Barbados?
The Crane Resort is a historical and luxury hotel that dates back to 1887! It is the oldest operating hotel in Barbados.
Is it safe to swim at Crane Beach Barbados?
Yes, you can swim at Crane Beach, weather permitting. The water is rougher on the island’s east side compared to beaches near Bridgetown. There were lots of people swimming in the water when we were there. If you find it too rough, there are 5 stunning pools at The Crane Resort that you can enjoy.
Does the Crane in Barbados have air conditioning?
Yes, the Crane Resort in Barbados has air conditioning in the rooms. The rooms are fabulous and so luxurious!
If you have any more questions about my Crane Resort Barbados review, travel recommendations, or all things travel, please reach out via Instagram or my contact page. I would love to help you out!
