The Informed Traveler
The Informed Traveler
Pet Friendly Hotels and All About Barbados
According to the group Roch Dog some hotels who call themselves Pet Friendly aren't necessarily so for the money they charge. So on this week's podcast Travel Expert Onanta Forbes will join me to discuss Pet Friendly Hotels. Then the rest of the podcast is all about Barbados, first we'll chat with the Marketing Director for Barbados Tourism, Eusi Skeete to share why Barbados is a great choice for a vacation destination. Then the GM of the Hilton Barbados will join us to talk about some of the amenities they offer at the Hilton Barbados.
Well, hello and welcome to the Informed Traveler podcast, a weekly travel podcast where our goal is to help you become a more informed traveler. And I'm your host, Randy Sharman. According to the group Rock Dog, some hotels who call themselves pet friendly aren't necessarily so for the money they charge. So in a few moments, travel expert Onanta Forbes will join me to discuss pet friendly hotels. Then the rest of the podcast is all about Barbados. First, we'll chat with the marketing director for Barbados Tourism, UC Skeet, to share why Barbados is a great choice for a vacation destination. And then the general manager of the Hilton Barbados will join us to talk about some of the amenities they offer families staying at the Hilton Barbados. But first, let's kick things off chatting with travel expert Onanta Forbes, who joins us each week to discuss some of the travel news and travel trends. You can follow her adventures on Instagram, Facebook, and X at Onanta Forbes. Onantaforbes.com is her website. Hi, Onanta.
SPEAKER_03:Hi, Randy. How are you?
SPEAKER_01:I'm good, thank you. We're going to talk about pet-friendly hotels. A group called Rock Dog, I hope I'm pronouncing that correctly anyways, it's R-O-C-H Dog, has a website where they rank hotels in accordance to how friendly they are to pets. And according to a study that they've done, the hotels aren't that pet-friendly that say they are.
SPEAKER_03:No, you really have to make sure that you need the fine print, for the lack of a better term, because some hotels, they say they're pet-friendly, but they require an extra fee for dogs with charges ranging from$50 a night as high as$250 per stay. So despite these fees, nearly one-third of these hotels provide no more than two core dog amenities, like dog beds or water bowls or treats. And in many cases, hotels charge steep, pet fees while offering nothing at all beyond the permission to enter the building. So is it dog friendly or is it dog tolerant?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, that's the word this article says, quoting the founder of Rock Dog. They're more dog tolerant than they are dog friendly. But, you know, like when they talk about bringing in like dog beds and water bowls and treats, I'm assuming that if you're a dog owner and you're traveling with your dog, you have those things anyway, right?
SPEAKER_03:So
SPEAKER_01:I wouldn't even call those as extra amenities.
SPEAKER_03:Right, yeah. And I think... you know, you, you want to make sure that is it, what, what are you getting for your money? So there's, there's a lot of things to consider. You know, some hotels offer more than just allowing pens. So they may offer, provide welcome gifts or dog beds, as you say, food, food bowls, but even dog walking services. So I heard that. I think that's kind of fun to allow your dog to go with somebody else. If they allow it, it's like the dog allows it,
SPEAKER_02:you know, it's to them too, right? Yes.
SPEAKER_03:Some establishments even go further offering amenities like leash-free play areas, doggy pickup bags, and pet sitting services. I don't know if you need that. Does Stella just sleep when you're gone?
SPEAKER_01:Well, yeah, Stella is my dog, by the way. That's a good question. I think she does. But most of the time she looks out the front window and kind of watches over the neighborhood and just kind of relaxes in her own little space. But that's the thing, right? Like, I'm not one that would bring Stella or my pet along on a trip. Like, it depends on the trip, I suppose, if you're visiting friends and family for a while, and it's a road trip in a car. But to fly to, I don't know, an exotic destination with your dog for a whole week, I think I would just leave Stella back home because, you know, there are some really good places that look after your pets. You can have a pet sitter come right into your home if you wanted to, or you have friends and family that look after them. And I think they're just way more comfortable staying home. But, you know, each to their own and everybody knows their pet. But I think if they are providing services like walking your dog or pet sitting, that would be great because, you know, it's one thing to travel with your pet. But, you know, they're not allowed into restaurants and those types of things. So you've got to leave them behind at some point, right?
SPEAKER_03:Right. There's a lot of restrictions about going into establishments. You have to be a service agent. And be able to show that visibly. So you do have to consider that. And you also have to consider the stress that the dog may encounter, whether you're flying or just being left alone in a hotel room. Because even at home, sometimes dogs, depending on how elderly they are as well, might just randomly bark or bark. express themselves in different
SPEAKER_02:ways
SPEAKER_03:that, you know, might cause you cleanup fees as well. So you have to consider that with regards. I think one good thing is to check online reviews from other pet owners to get a sense of the hotel's actual level of pet friendliness. And also, you know, don't hesitate to contact the hotel directly and ask about their pet policies and amenities with regards to pet you know, what they offer. Potential pitfalls too is that some hotels may only have a limited number of pet friendly rooms
SPEAKER_02:and
SPEAKER_03:some hotels may be overly strict, have overly strict rules that don't allow, as you say, pets in certain areas or during specific times. So be aware that the hotels may market themselves as pet friendly, but may not be as accommodating as they advertised.
SPEAKER_01:Well, yeah, and that's what the group Rock Dog does. RockDog.com is their website. It's R-O-C-H-Dog.com. And they rank the friendliest hotels for dogs and pets, right? So if you are taking your dog or your pet along with you, you can check on their website and they'll tell you whatever the destination is, which are the best pet-friendly hotels. So at least that's a good starting point.
SPEAKER_03:Right. And, you know, I've heard people take their animals to Fairmont hotels because Fairmont also have dogs that are ambassadors. I know in Banff, I think his name is Bear. I could be wrong. And it's kind of fun when you enter. I went to the Victoria one, and there's a lovely lab that comes and greets you. You just kind of fall in love right then and there, right? But different hotels of Palliser have different costs. For example, the one in Banff welcomes two pets of any size, but they do have an additional fee of$50 per night. They offer pet beds, bowls, and treats and a designated grassy area for relief. Again, cost is cost. You just have to be aware of what's going on. I know this isn't a hotel. But Canard Cruise Lines, they are really dedicated to taking care of your animals, especially on Transatlantic Crossing on the Queen Mary II. They have dedicated kennels for cats and dogs, and they provide walking areas, play areas. The kennels are actually air-conditioned. So, and it can accommodate up to 24 pets. So that could sell out very quickly. They have dedicated crew members that take care of the pets and the food is provided on board, but owners can even request certain brands or bring their own food. And just keep in mind that some breeds are not allowed because of size. And that's anywhere, right? Because there's some big dogs out there. But what's kind of fun about Canard, they get a gift pack with a Frisbee, a name tag, and a food dish. A Frisbee. I don't get a Frisbee. That's
SPEAKER_02:amazing. That's
SPEAKER_03:good. And then the owners can visit their pets during designated times on board. And keep in mind that other guests, even though you might be pet lovers, you can't just go down there and share the love. It's only owners. So there's no dog or cat napping involved.
SPEAKER_01:Well, that's yeah, that's an important thing, too. Like you don't want strangers visiting your pets, per se. And it's funny you mentioned about the Vamp Springs Hotel the last time I was up there, which is around Christmas time. There were a lot of dogs with their dogs up there. It was quite funny to see. And it's quite nice to see, right, people with their pets. Again, personally, I don't think I would do that. But, you know, each to their own.
SPEAKER_03:Well, some people are very attached to their pets. And, you know, if you are going to take your pet on an airline, you be sure that you check out the rules. Because we were going on a transatlantic to London. And this lady was distraught because there was an issue with her dog going with her. So the dog, I don't know if it was a question of going or not going, but that lady was not going to go without her dog. So don't put yourself in that position. Make sure you check all the different requirements, weight, size restrictions, kennel. And sometimes, I don't know if you sedate your dog when you go on these long journeys, but that's invasive too, in a sense.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah. Exactly. So, yeah, do your homework. If you're going to travel with your pet, make sure you know what you're doing. And you'll find a really good pet-friendly hotel that gives you the services that you're paying for. Put it that way.
SPEAKER_03:Absolutely. Yes.
SPEAKER_01:Onanda Forbes is a travel expert. You can follow her on Facebook, Instagram, and X at Onanda Forbes. OnandaForbes.com is her website. Good chatting, Onanda. Thank you.
SPEAKER_03:Thank you. Have a good week.
SPEAKER_01:This is the Informed Traveller podcast. I'm Randy Sharman. Just want to remind you of our website, theinformedtraveller.org. That's where you can find our contact page if you have any questions or comments about the podcast or podcast segment ideas. You can also email me too with any questions you might have. My email address is randy at theinformedtraveller.org. And if you want to get up-to-date travel info through the week or just see a few amusing travel stories and links, you can like us on Facebook at facebook.com slash informedtraveller. on Instagram at informedtraveller or on X at informedtraveller. Plus, you can now sign up for our monthly newsletter. It's released at the beginning of every month. Our May issue is available now. Just go to our website, theinformedtraveller.org, click on the newsletter button, and it'll take you right there. Or better yet, you can subscribe to it and have it arrive in your inbox each month. So let's talk about Barbados now. They're seeing record numbers of Canadians visiting them in recent years. So joining us now to share why Barbados is a great choice for a vacation destination is Yussi Skeet. He's the marketing director for Barbados Tourism. Visitbarbados.org is the website. Hi, Yussi. Hi, how are you doing, Randy? I'm doing very well. I'm excited to learn all about Barbados. It's been a while since I've been there. So looking at some of the numbers, obviously Barbados is very popular with Canadians in the last And looking into this year, how are things been so far? Things have been going
SPEAKER_04:great. And I must say, you said it's been a while since you've been there. So I'm extending the official invitation for you to make sure you come back and visit us on the island very soon.
SPEAKER_01:I'm going to write that down. I do appreciate it. But Barbados is truly a beautiful place to visit. I can see why it's a popular place to visit.
SPEAKER_04:Yes, and it's been very popular amongst Canadians. We've seen in the last year a 13% growth in Canadians coming down to Barbados, but the history between Barbados and Canadians goes a lot further. We have been welcoming Canadians to Barbados for more than 75 years, and they've had a really strong level of fear with Barbados. We've seen that Canadians have come to Barbados on a consistent basis. They've been coming for many, many years. For most of them, it's the most revisited island that they come to in the Caribbean. And now we're even saying that lots of Canadians are choosing to make Barbados their home away from home. So I believe that the ability to come to the island and have all these incredible immersive experiences, the fact that it's such a safe destination, And, you know, that energy from the people, I think, really makes it a special place for Canadians. And that's one of the reasons we keep seeing them coming back. And we continue to look forward to welcoming them to our shores.
SPEAKER_01:Well, it's got a lot going for it, I'll say that. You know, the culture is very similar. There's not usually a language issue. And the weather. You got that going for you, that's for sure. Yeah.
SPEAKER_04:It doesn't get any better than the weather, I'm telling you that. And with some of the cold days that we've still been having in April and now May, Barbados seems like the perfect place to be right about now.
SPEAKER_01:It certainly does. Okay, let's talk about some of the sites and activities visitors typically enjoy the most. I'm sure there's a long list, but what are some of the highlights that you always recommend visitors to see?
SPEAKER_04:Okay, so if they're into more like aqua adventure, I definitely would recommend taking a catamaran cruise along the western coast of Barbados, which is considered the platinum coast. It is a really amazing experience. You get to swim with the turtles. You get to snorkel wrecks. It includes food, full open bar. And of course, you have to add the dancing component to it. So I feel like that's always a great options for persons who enjoy the ocean and want to be on the water. There's also for those, maybe persons in Vancouver and on the West Coast who are looking for surfing opportunities. Barbados is a big surfing destination. We host multiple international surfing championships on the island. So if you're a surfer and you want to come experience surfing Barbados or you want to learn to surf, Barbados is the perfect place to do it. You can't come to Barbados and not have a taste of history. We're home to the world's oldest rum. So I always tell persons coming down to the island, you have to visit one of the four distilleries on the island. Mount Gay is the world's oldest rum. It's been distilled since 1703. So you can do the Mount Gay Visitor Center or you can go to the distillery and have a more intimate experience. and a close experience at the Mountgate Distillery to the north of the island. But we have four operating distilleries, so lots of great options for persons to choose from if they want to get a taste of history. If you're looking for some adventure, Barbados is great for hiking. The Harsens Cave is one of the most popular attractions on the island, so I highly would recommend doing that. You have the option to drive into the caves on the tram. There's a round tasting experience as well. You can do zip lining. There's an obstacle course. There's a bird aviary if you just want to relax by the pool. So it really could be a great option for families or persons who want to do multiple things all in one place. I think Harsin's Cave is certainly a great option for that. If you want a little adrenaline rush, you're an F1 fan, then we have a premier car racing circuit on the island called Bushy Park. That's also a great option. There's go karting as well. That's perfect for kids. So it really is an island that offers lots of diverse options of things for persons to do. The island safari is one of my favorite things to do when I'm on the island, which really takes you into places on the island off the beaten path.
SPEAKER_02:You
SPEAKER_04:can stop at some of our local round shops. You're really engaged with the people. So those would be some of the key standouts. But I think depending on what your interests are, we absolutely have something that meets the need of every traveler, whether it's solo travelers, couples, families, or friends just getting away for the time of their lives.
SPEAKER_01:Well, I would think, you know, well, you had me at rum, so that would be one that I would do. But some of the... tours, a tour of the island. It's not a very big island, right? So you can see a lot in one day to get a kind of a feel for it and then maybe go back a couple days later to something more specific. Is that a good way to explore?
SPEAKER_04:It's definitely a good way to explore. I see the people rent a car, get lost and find your way back. I mean, it's such an easy island to move around. It's just 166 square miles. So it's definitely a easy for persons to navigate the infrastructure is good so driving on the island is quite easy for persons so i think that's the best way to do it as you suggested you know you traverse the island and then the things that you really are interested in and passionate about you can go back and really kind of zone in on those particular activities but the one thing that you must understand about Barbados is that it's not your typical Caribbean island. And I know when people think of going away on a holiday and sometimes it's automatic, they think they need to be at an all-inclusive resort where, you know, you're kind of stuck behind the walls of these resorts. But in Barbados, it's really about leaving the resort, leaving your hotel or your villa and really getting out and immersing yourself in to the culture and into the experience that the island offers.
SPEAKER_01:Well, I'm glad you brought up the different accommodation options to get out and explore. There are many things, so no matter how big of a group you're with, you can fill those needs, right?
SPEAKER_04:Absolutely, and that's another unique thing. For such a small island, for persons who are looking for that ultra-luxury accommodation, we certainly have options that can meet your needs. If you're looking for luxury accommodation, plus more laid-back luxury, one of the things that I would highly recommend, and persons don't typically think of this when they're going on holiday, but the ability to have, especially if you're doing multi-generational travel or you're traveling with a group of friends, is I would definitely say look at villa accommodations. It is probably the best-kept secret on the island. You can get some really exclusive villas that come fully staffed. You can still have the amenities that you would have if you were at a resort. And I would highly recommend that as a great option, especially if you're traveling off-peak. So between April and December 15th, I would say it's absolutely the way to go. You can live the life of luxury at a very affordable price. And there's so many villa options available. If you're looking for more boutique bespoke properties, we have that as well. So for persons who want the intimacy of where people know you by name, where you will probably meet the owner of the hotel. We have these special value properties, which are the intimate hotels of Barbados. There's some great options in that collection that you can choose from. Very, very affordable. And then, of course, we do have all-inclusive properties, because I know there are those people who just like to be in an all-inclusive. So we also have some all-inclusive options as well. So really, whether you're looking for ultra luxury or you're looking for more special value properties, budget-friendly accommodations. We have all that and so much more in between.
SPEAKER_01:What are some of the events? You mentioned that April to December is a good time to visit. It's sort of off-season. Are there events that are happening during that time? Or what are some of the bigger events that people might want to take note of?
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, so great question. And I think typically, yes, persons come down to the island when it's cold here in Canada. But if you're looking for emerging into culture and action-packed festivals and events, every single month of the year, there's a festival or event happening in Barbados. The big ones I think you don't want to miss would definitely be our Krapowa Festival, which is the sweetest summer festival in the Caribbean. And I definitely recommend that. It encompasses food, arts, culture, and culminates the first Monday in August with our Grand Kaduma Parade. So that's definitely something that I would want to highlight. The Food and Rum Festival this year is November 6th through 9th. And Barbados is the culinary capital of the Caribbean. So if you are a person that likes great food, of course, if you like rum, I definitely would say the Food and Rum Festival is the place to be. Top local award-winning chefs, as well as some international talent, they come together and have these really amazing experiences for the full duration of the festival. So I definitely recommend that as well. If you're into more fitness or running, the Run Barbados weekend is another great opportunity. I say come for the run and stay for the run. But it's a great opportunity to participate in different series of races and the Run Barbados series. So that's another weekend that I would highly recommend. That's always the first weekend in December. We have a gospel festival. We have the Barbados Reggae Festival. This year, we're actually having a unique festival called Cary Festa, which will allow persons to come and experience a full immersion into different cultures of the Caribbean right in Barbados. And for the entire year, we're celebrating regathering, which is really about coming and experiencing Barbados the way locals do. And we're doing it by parish. So every single month, There's a different parish that's having celebrations in that parish that really commemorates and celebrates the uniqueness of that parish, the people of the parish, and lots of great offerings as well. So there's always something to do in Barbados. And I would highly recommend that when persons are coming down, you can visit our website, which is visitbarbados.org, which will tell you all the events that are happening. And you can then plan your vacation around these different events and experiences.
SPEAKER_01:Well, I wrote down November 6th to 9th, the Rum and Food Festival that you mentioned. That one popped in my head really quick. I'm sure it did. So now if we were meeting for lunch somewhere and you were going to recommend some foods that I try, what would you recommend?
SPEAKER_04:Okay, so if we're meeting for lunch, I would definitely say we're meeting at Champer's. And I'm going to do this the other way around. I'm going to start at dessert. You must have their bread pudding. It is absolutely amazing. I always try to make sure when I go to the end that I get some of the bread pudding for dessert from Champer's. The fish is freshly caught, so it's very fresh fish. If persons are into pork, they make the most amazing pork chop you will ever have. That's one of my go-tos on the menu as well. The local soup, of the day is always a great option. But then I would also recommend a place like Cocktail Kitchen. You'll want to try breadfruit. And they do an amazing roasted breadfruit. And then it comes with a lobster topping on top of it. They use a lot of local delicacies and turn them into an elevated culinary experience. You can get bakes. You can get baked with like a pulled pork. That's something that I would say if you want to try our macaroni pie, you have to go to Oisin's Fish Fry. Macaroni pie is a big thing on the island as well. Our national dish is cuckoo and flying fish. When you think of cuckoo, you can almost think of the ingredients like in a polenta. But it's our national dish. It's an incredible option for persons who want to really have that local flavor. taste and then I would say putting themselves which is a big thing for Barbadians on Saturdays is something that that's my go-to when I land in Barbados and it's a Saturday my first stop before I even get to my hotel is always to stop and get some putting itself so that's another thing that I would highly
SPEAKER_01:recommend all washed down with some rum I'm sure
SPEAKER_04:Well, nothing beats a Bajor rum punch.
SPEAKER_01:Well, it all sounds amazing. People can plan their visit to Barbados at visitbarbados.org, like Yussi mentioned. Anything you want to add that I might have missed?
SPEAKER_04:I think one thing that I want to, I would say, reinforce is that you deserve a vacation. You deserve to treat yourself. to an experience that is second to none. And I think sometimes, you know, we work so hard, we're so confident in the day-to-day components of life. But I want to remind your listeners that you truly deserve to do something that's special. You deserve to go to a place that when you speak about it, people want to listen, that they're intrigued by the experiences that you have, as opposed to getting that, oh, been there, done that kind of a situation, I think. You really want to go to a place where you can elevate your escape. And Barbados is waiting for you to have that experience. So don't feel as though that you can't have an experience that is second to none in Barbados if you have a specific budget, because there's something that's there for everyone. Our people are our best asset. It's very accessible to get to the island. You have daily non-stops out of Toronto. You also have seasonal service with the nonstop out of Montreal. And interestingly enough, Vancouver has become the third largest market out of Canada to Barbados. So we're finding a lot of persons out of British Columbia who are coming down to the destination as well. So regardless of where you are in the country and you're listening, I will let you know that it is seamless connections to the destination area. and you certainly will have the time of your life.
SPEAKER_01:Sold. And people can visit the website again, visitbarbados.org. UC Skeet is the director for Barbados Tourism for Canada. I appreciate your time, UC. Thank you so much. It's great being here with you.
UNKNOWN:Thank you.
SPEAKER_01:Continuing now with our special feature on Barbados, a great place to stay while in Barbados is the Hilton Barbados Resort, especially if you're traveling with your family. So here now to tell us more about what the Hilton Barbados Resort has to offer is Jacques Montil. He's the general manager of the Hilton Barbados Resort. Hello Jacques. How are you Randy? I'm very well. I think you're better than I am, though, just going by the image of the Hilton Barbados Resort. When you say beachfront, you literally are surrounded by beachfront. So you got a lot of choices, it looks like.
SPEAKER_00:Yes, sir. Absolutely. We are surrounded by three beautiful white sand beaches. One is our Savannah Beach, which is a great surf spot. for the locals and tourists. We don't have a lot of people that come with their own surfboard here. Then we have Nidhans Beach, which is right in front of the hotel. And then Pebbles, which is a very, very local beach, but also has phenomenal experiences. I will tell you later about the swimming with the horses when we get to that part. And there's an area that is very calm in the St. Pebbles, surrounded by a levee that I call Baby Beach because the water doesn't even move. It's just plain turquoise white sand beach water. Wow.
SPEAKER_01:Well, you don't have to go very far to find beach, that is for sure. Your front door, basically. But your website also does mention that it's on a historic site. So maybe you can tell us a bit about that, and then we'll get into the nuts and bolts of the resort.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, absolutely. Now, we are, so far, for all my research, we are the only hotel left in the world that owns a historic fort. And then there is the Charles Ford. It's a 7th century Ford. We have been restoring a lot of the part because it's a UNESCO heritage location. So it is extremely amazing what that Ford does, what the history has been. It has never been defeated. It has seen multiple battles through several decades. And recently about Three years ago, we unburied the rest of the cannons and we restored them. So all the cannons around the fort are originally from 1500 to 1600 to 1700, depends on when they were built. But they are cannons that have served something on the fort. So we're very proud of it.
SPEAKER_01:Wow, that's amazing.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, it's incredible to do that. And we're still... Working on that, recently we unburied the original flagpole, which was about 250 years old. And we just lifted a Barbados flag in there about six months ago with a Barbados defense fort. So it was pretty emotional for a lot of people. I mean, that fort obviously has been seen generations and generations in the islands.
SPEAKER_01:Very nice. So let's talk about how many rooms, amenities offered. I understand that we're going to talk about, too, a new playground. So it's great for families, it sounds like.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. So we are, you know, as a Hilton, we're a family resort. We also have a lot of meeting space. So we also do conventions and meetings. So it's a melting pot of what we can offer. The greatest thing is the meeting space and convention centers are separated. to the left of the resort. So if we have conventions, they don't really interact with the infinity pool or the white sand beaches or the playground. So the families can completely be separated. They don't have to interact with groups or things going on at the hotel. So we're very flexible. 342 rooms. We have 14 suites. Three of those categories are very family friendly. We have two residence suites, which have two separate rooms with separate bathrooms and full kitchens. So they're one of our favorites during the summer. People just rent them for long term. But all of our other 11 suites as well, they have two completely separate rooms with complete separate bathrooms. with the king beds in the main room in the corners and queen sofa beds on the secondary room. So very family-oriented. They have microwave, refrigerators, a lot of amenities. The family love it. And so, yeah, so that part, the playground, like I said, we have infinity pool and a two-tier pool. One is an infinity pool and the other one is more like it has a bridge that goes over the jacuzzi. and activities. As far as dining, we have great positioning. We have our main water restaurant is our Water's Edge right by the beach. So you have that place goes from 10 a.m. in the morning until 9 o'clock at night nonstop. We also have the Lighthouse restaurant, which is our full breakfast daily. But we turn it into an Italian restaurant at night. So not very Bajan, but it is, you know, another offer that we give families here. We do have two restaurants that are also our pride and joy. And they are the grill is a Bajan inspired. So it is more like a specialty restaurant, steak and seafood restaurant. But with the Bajan characteristics of the food, you know, we use brown sugar from Port Vale meals here on the island. We use locally sourced vegetables and meats, very, very inspired by the Bajan cuisine. And our bar, which is our Carina's Rum Stop, which only serves Barbados rum. We can talk about the Barbados rum. Rum is pretty much was born in Barbados. So everything that is Barbados rum is in that Carinish rum stop and we have entertainment seven days a week.
SPEAKER_01:As soon as you said rum, I started to smile.
SPEAKER_00:You know, we have a debacle on the rum because, you know, we already know history attributes that rum was, you know, invented and you know, born in Barbados. However, there's a lot of great rums around the Caribbean. So, but we do pay a tribute to the rum around the world because there is the founding island of the rum with the molasses, the brown sugar, the kill devil used to be the first distilled part of the rum. And you don't want to try that one. Definitely.
SPEAKER_01:Well, you're right. There is a lot of competition for rum, but Barbados is right up there as a leader. So no shortage of rum, no shortage of things to do, it seems. I wanted to ask, is it an all-inclusive?
SPEAKER_00:No, we are not all-inclusive. We're one of the few hotels in Barbados that is a European plan. We have some packages that we can design and we have designed for some leisure travelers that come in big groups of families that we give them a wristband or a card and we do some kind of package. But we prefer to stay with the European plan.
SPEAKER_01:Now, you did mention something to the effect of swimming with horses, that sort of thing. Tell me about that and tell me about some of the other activities that people like to do. It seems to me like I don't know why you'd want to venture from the resort because it's absolutely gorgeous. But you need to, right? You need to explore Barbados.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. Listen, Barbados is a small and large island at the same time. You know, the infrastructure of the roads is very well maintained. It's an extremely safe island. So I definitely recommend people to see The Magic because it's completely unique than anything I have seen in the Caribbean before, you know, and I've been in quite a bit of It just has its own personality. When I say swimming with the horses, right in front of the hotel, one of the beaches that I mentioned is Pebbles. So horse track racing is really big in Barbados because of the English influence. So about less than about a mile away, we have the Garrison Savannah. It's the turf club, the horse track. And these are million-dollar stallions. So every morning, the caretakers bring them down to Pebbles Beach to swim, to refresh. And it has become a massive attraction because you see 15 to 30 horses coming down. They bring them on the road and they swim and they go all the way out in the beach, pretty much right next to the hotel. And the caretakers take them out and these horses go half a mile into the ocean and come
SPEAKER_02:back.
SPEAKER_00:And then they come in and they are like, like, A crazy little puppy on the sand. They play and people come in and pet them. And the horses are just in paradise. So it has become like a very unique experience. experience. It's something that I have never seen anywhere else. When we talk about families, memories, and creating these, when you have a historic fort, people go and take pictures at sunset, at sunrise, then they go and walk and see the horses. You just have a vacation that I see these families living back and I say, we can't wait to come back. We're just completely disconnected from from the mundane world, right? And that is just right here, like you said, without leaving the premises. There is a lot of other great things that I recommend in Barbados to do. I will say the Harrison Caves are incredible. I mean, some people say, so I have seen a cave. But Barbados is founded on, you know, on coral. It's a coral island. It's a very unique formation. So there's a Harrison Cave and they... They have a little motorized vehicle that takes you all the way down into the caves, and it's an incredible experience. I also recommend, one of my favorites is the San Nicolas Abbey. It's a historic estate where they used to do rum. They still do very specific rum, more like a state, and very unique. And they have the train that, you know, they want to... Reminder of the trailway, how they used to move the sugar cane in
SPEAKER_02:Barbados.
SPEAKER_00:So great little things in there. But then you have like the beauty of the island, the rugged east coast where there's Batshiba and Subol. That is a major surf spot, but not for the beginning. Those are big, big waves and very, very rough oceans. But that is, you know, there's a lot of competitions in there. And obviously you have the South Coast, which gives you the flair of Oistins, where all the fishermen and the, you know, the typical Bajan crab cakes and fish cakes come from. And then the West Coast, which is more like a, you know, more like fancy, calm waters. So you won't get bored in Barbados. You can be here a whole week and you won't get bored.
SPEAKER_01:You probably want to stay longer than a week, it sounds like.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, actually, I say, you know, you can come for a week. Most people from the United States are traveling from the U.S.A. here about six to seven days. The European traveler from Germany and the U.K. tend to stay longer, 10 to 12 days. But that is, you know, different markets, and we are very... We're a melting pot. Half of our market comes from the U.S., about half from the U.K. and Europe. And then we do have some contingency from the Caribbean and South America. So it's a great melting pot.
SPEAKER_01:It seems like the weather is beautiful all the time. Is there a good time to go, a best time to go, or it's just nice 365 days of the year?
SPEAKER_00:You know, you said it. I mean, it doesn't change. It gets a little bit more... During what we call can be summer, right? During December and in those months, but on the overall, there's, there's no issue, you know, there is, there's no, there's no bad day to come to Barbados.
SPEAKER_01:Well, you're living in paradise. It sounds like anything you want to add that I might've missed.
SPEAKER_00:No, you know, that's one of the things that we tell people in Barbados, you know, well, first of all, from the hotel, Like you said, we have all of our rooms are ocean view rooms. You know, we're surrounded by white sand beach. You can see it in the pictures. We have a historical Charles Ford, you know, UNESCO World Heritage. Our hospitality of the Bajan people is unique, is very friendly. And then obviously the folklore and the culture and the heritage that this island has. I mean, I can tell you we... We match the hotel when people come and say, what can I do in Barbados? You know, there's the calypso, the music of calypso in the steel pan. The crop over is the festival in July, which is more like some people call it carnival. In Barbados, we don't call it carnival. We call it a crop over because it's when the sugar cane crop is over and they have cut it and they are just letting it settle. Everybody parties. That was in the good times, where it was all an island of just sugarcane producing. The diving underwater here is incredible. The food sampler to the Caribbean is amazing. You have the, like I say, Harrison, you have the horse track racing. You have the rugged coast, and you have the rums. You have the rum history, so wonderful. There's so much cultural heritage, blending history to come here and see and do that. I mean, it's just a great destination to be.
SPEAKER_01:Well, you had me at rum and beaches. So it absolutely looks gorgeous. Jacques Montiel is the general manager of the Hilton Barbados Resort. You can see all the images on the Hilton website. Real fun chatting with you, Jacques. I really appreciate it.
SPEAKER_00:Randy, you're welcome to come anytime.
SPEAKER_01:Thanks for listening. Travel safe and be an informed traveler.