Finding the fun

DESTINATIONS — CARIBBEAN
N
IO
CA
N
EA
B
RIB
I
SPE CIAL ED
T
Finding
the fun
W
hat’s the best way for an operator
to create a buzz around the launch
of a new dedicated Barbados brochure?
Why, invite four small groups of agents
and Travel Weekly out to sample the
merchandise, of course.
And so it was that back in June I found
myself Barbados-bound on the last of four
Funway Holidays fams to the island. Our base
was the Accra Beach Hotel on the south coast;
our mission, to complete a bunch of hotel site
inspections along the south and west coasts,
interspersed with high jinks and hosted meals.
It’s worth noting that Funway has relaunched
its MoneyCard incentive scheme and will select
only participating agents for future fams – so if
you’d like to go along in future, make sure you
sign up at yourmoneycard.co.uk.
Barbados bounces to its
Bajan beat, discovers Karl
Cushing on a Funway fam
▲
l out and about
For me, one of the island’s best selling points
is that all the beaches are public. It really
encourages mixing with the locals, partying
and dining around. The food is a real highlight
and there’s no shortage of great restaurants to
check out, even if your budget won’t stretch to
high-end eateries such as The Cliff.
I developed an appreciation for the monster
portions served up at Daddy’s on Dover Beach
and Oistins, where a wodge of grilled fish with
sides such as macaroni cheese, coleslaw and
rice and beans, accompanied by a cold beer,
can be had for 30 Bajan dollars (about £9).
Oistins’ famous Friday Fish Fry proved a riot
of music, dancing, bars and smoking grills.
Heavy rain dampened the night but not our
enthusiasm and a few nightcaps and dance
moves ensued at nearby bars, including Lexie’s.
The lively Lawrence Gap strip drew us in
most nights. Staples such as Old Jamm
FAST
Inn got the party started with some
FAC
S a nd
quality live music, before some hot
a ge n a l s i s of T
stepping ensued at McBrides one
f
t
w i n s t he ch e r i n g
night and Sugar another.
an
on
Another highlight was the
I n c l u e o f 2 5 L c e to
uxur
de d
Silver Moon west coast
dou b
y
l e e n s t ay s ,
catamaran cruise. With some
B a r b t r i e s fo r w i t h
9am
cocktails kicking off
ad
S
s e l l i o s b o ok a nd a l s
proceedings, the sunbathing
ings
ng s a
was broken only by lunch and
n
co.u d a l s .
snorkelling
stops, the first involving
k
some very obliging green turtles.
25 September 2014 — travelweekly.co.uk • 69
DESTINATIONS — CARIBBEAN
Turtle Beach
ASK THE AGENTS
Gemma Matthews, Newell’s Travel, Kingsbridge
I really enjoyed Barbados and, having seen
it for myself, I have more confidence in
selling the destination. Travelling business
class was a wonderful way to start and end the trip. I
enjoyed swimming with turtles and just looking around
the island was interesting, as was soaking up the
atmosphere at Oistins. I was also surprised at the range
of accommodation to suit any budget. The west coast offered more
of a relaxing holiday, I felt, with a bit more happening in the south.
While you can easily get taxis, for certain clients the ‘West is Best’
slogan may not always be the case.
Meanwhile an island drive,
broken by scenic stops at Cherry
Tree Hill Reserve and popular
surfing spot Bathsheba, served
to show how the rugged east
coastline, home to well-appointed
properties such as The Crane,
contrasts markedly with the
calmer west and lively south.
Another high point was our
trip to the capital Bridgetown,
which coincided with a colourful
parade celebrating the end of the
sugar cane harvest, part of the
annual Cropover festival.
Mandy Jones, Travel House, Ammanford
I really fell in love with Barbados. The
island is small enough so you can see it all
but it’s packed with beaches, museums
and charm. My favourite part was swimming with
turtles on the catamaran cruise. Barbados is very safe
and there are lots of places to go shopping, eating out
and clubbing. Night owls need look no further than
St Lawrence Gap. There are many bars and nightclubs along the
strip, from reggae lounges to Irish bars and Sugar, where Rihanna
likes to hang out. I will definitely be recommending Barbados for
everyone. The Bajan people are really friendly and there’s a wide
range of accommodation options, from budget self-catering to luxury
all-inclusives catering to adults-only and families. Car hire is highly
recommended. The fam trip gave me just a taste of what Barbados
has to offer and I can’t wait to go back and experience its full flavour.
▲
l GET A ROOM
Our itinerary covered the majority
of hotels in Funway’s brochure,
from lead-in Butterfly Beach – an
affordable, basic but very homely
three-star with breaks offered
for under £900 – to the refined
Colony Club with its tasteful,
well-equipped rooms and
exquisitely manicured grounds.
Elegant Resorts was much
represented, and I was impressed
by the all-inclusive Turtle Beach,
with its light, airy feel and spacious
rooms. With a kids’ club for ages
three to 11 running from 9am-9pm,
and a great spot on Dover Beach,
it’s a strong choice for families.
Next door, the new Sandals, also
featured in Funway’s brochure, is
slated to open on January 28 with
highlights for couples that include
a wedding garden, fire pits, a
beachfront whirlpool and Sandals’
first-ever Indian restaurant.
Refurbished last summer,
the four-star Sea Breeze Beach
– formerly a Virgin Holidays
property – is a reliable all-inclusive
option. Of the 78 rooms, the
Jennifer Gibbons, Regal Travel, Maesteg
I was really surprised how close together
hotels and attractions were and how easy
it is to get around. I felt 100% safe and
especially loved the nightlife in St Lawrence Gap. My
highlight was flying Club World with British Airways.
The on-board service was excellent. And Oistins is
a must! My advice to other agents would be to not
be afraid to sell Barbados to anyone. The west coast would be best
for families – the waters are calmer and the beaches are beautiful.
Personally, I would opt for a twin centre with a few nights’ selfcatering on the south coast and then a bit of luxury on the west
coast in a stunning all-inclusive. Going on this fam has increased my
knowledge 110%. Without doubt, I will return. I loved it!
The Crane hotel
70 • travelweekly.co.uk — 25 September 2014
DESTINATIONS — CARIBBEAN
TO
L o ok P T I P
o
y e a r u t fo r n e
’s T
xt
Fe st
ival op G ear
i
i n M n B a rb a
t o p g ay o r Ju n d o s
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b a r b a r f e s t iv
al
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.com
Colony Club
Ocean Two
72 • travelweekly.co.uk —25 September 2014
Superior
Oceanfronts
stood out,
while the
spread-out
buildings
helped create
an intimate
and cosy feel. Our
group also liked the
modern stylings of the rooms at
sister property Ocean Two, with
its rooftop chill-out area and
plunge pool.
Our home for the trip, Accra
Beach, with its 224 rooms across
11 categories, was a mixed bag.
On the plus side the staff were
wonderful, it sits on a great stretch
of beach, the pool area is ample
and it has recently been trialling
all-inclusive plans. However, we
all commented that it could
benefit from more in the way of
entertainment and livelier bars
– the lobby bar and swim-up bar
both closed around 10pm.
The conclusion? I’ll leave that
to Funway Holidays managing
director Stephen Rhodes, who said:
“Barbados was a new destination
for us and the four trips we did
have had fantastic feedback.
“Having small groups of agents
really helps them to experience
the destination, and what their
customers will get. Nothing can
beat actually being there.” TW
SAMPLE
PRODUct
Funway offers seven nights’
room-only at Accra Beach Hotel
& Spa from £869 including
Thomas Cook Airlines flights
from Manchester on November
27. Seven nights’ all-inclusive
at the new Sandals Barbados
start from £1,835 including
BA flights from Gatwick.
funway4agents.com