Travel Agent - March 17, 2008 - Barbados Insert - (Page 72) COVER STORY THIS PHOTO: The Green Monkey golf course at Sandy Lane RIGHT: A spacious interior bedroom at Sandy Lane features a grand balcony reminiscent of a Greco-Roman palace CONTINUED FROM PAGE 70 The Next Big Wedding Destination? For one of the best eco-friendly tours money can buy, recommend St. Nicholas Abbey (www.stnicholasabbey.com). This is Barbados’ second-oldest sugar plantation and was built between 1650 and 1660. It was recently sold to a local named Larry Warren in 2006 and the renovations he made to the property have made it a popular tourist attraction. A tour of this facility is about 20 minutes long and then guests are welcomed to self guide themselves for as long as they want. The tour, which allows guests to go through the St. Nicholas Abbey House and grounds, consists of the main residence, the immediate gardens and lawns, the terrace and outbuilding adjacent to a large tree and courtyard, as well as the viewing of a movie. In fact, the property is so beautiful that we expect it to become a booming location for weddings. We were told that the property has already hosted about three small weddings but that nuptials there will be limited. However, once enough American romantics catch wind of this destination, we anticipate that to change. After all, it would be tough for Warren, or any businessman for that matter, to turn down what could be a very lucrative opportunity. Warren also added a separate room next to the original house where guests can sample 10-year-old rum and a variety of sugars all made at the plantation. The rum can be purchased for $60. It comes in a beautiful glass bottle with a choice of about 50 slogans sandblasted onto it. Sugar and molasses can be bought for about $12. We recommend tour guide Heather Stoute. Book a tour for clients by calling 246-422-8725. “Moving around the island is recommended for clients anywhere between 21 and 45. This is the age that will move around on the island,” says Tzell’s King, who at one time sent about 500 clients to Barbados in one year. “I put clients over 45 on the west coast where limited movement is fine.” Where to Eat We ate at Champers Restaurant (www.champersbarbados.com) and recommend it to clients looking for a romantic dinner with stunning views of the Accra Beach. The dimly lit establishment mostly offers seafood. We had the coconut shrimp and the peanut-crusted barracuda, both of which were delicious. For seafood fans, it doesn’t get much better than this. Be sure to recommend clients wash this down with a glass of Pinot Grigio. The food is expensive (the barracuda was about $35), but well worth it and reservations are required. Like most upscale restaurants on the island, Caribbean casual attire, which includes khakis and a buttoned-down, collared shirt, is required. Call 246-434-3463. If you want the chance of dining with some celebrities, Daphnes (www.daphnesbarbados.com), an Italian restaurant in Paynes Bay, St. James, is the way to go. This is Barbados’ number-one restaurant. It is somewhat pricey, though—appetizers alone run anywhere from $35 to $60 and main courses range from $55 to $120. Call 246-432-2731. As far as resort restaurants go, Sandy Lane offers an array of upscale dining with views of the ocean. They vary from L’Acajou, an intimate restaurant best for romantic dinners, to Bajan Blue, a more casual dining venue offering pizza and sushi. Almond Beach Village’s Italian restaurant, La Smarrita, is also highly recommended. We thought this was the best eatery on the property. Agents should reserve this restaurant for clients ahead of their trip, since we were told it could take as long as three days to get a table. This is also the only restaurant that has a dress code. I Getting Around Town Travel Agent’s biggest surprise when visiting Barbados was how big it felt. For a small island, a guest here can do quite a bit of driving. We don’t recommend rentals here unless your client is a seasoned Caribbean driver, as the roads can be quite winding and poorly lit at night. For clients looking to tour the island, we recommend hooking them up with the Barbados Tourism Authority’s personal driver, Winston Holder. Holder also operates his own tour operator business called Winhold Tours, Inc. (winholdtourinc@yahoo.com, 246-433-9858). 72 | TravelAgent March 17, 2008 CONNECTING YOU For information on flights, tour operators and packages to Barbados, visit www.travelagentcentral.com/morebarbados http://www.stnicholasabbey.com http://www.champersbarbados.com http://www.daphnesbarbados.com http://www.travelagentcentral.com/morebarbados
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