Almond Casuarina Beach Resort All-Inclusive Christ Church

(Photos only)

We were booked to stay here at Easter. We had a big wedding planned with 32 people staying at all surrounding hotels. I was amazed when family in America tried to book it and were not able due to building work. I had no idea building work was going on!!! It really caused huge problems due to family & friends staying around the hotel on the south coast to be told 3 weeks before leaving we had been moved to the Village. After lots of problems they moved our entire party to the village which was the only way out of the situation. The problem was we booked the south coast as we wanted to be near the Gap and nightlife.

I was basically lied to for months when i was checking the building progress, for approx 9 months. I was always told it was going great. I suggest if you are booked in this hotel, change immediatly!!!!!! I am also really annoyed that is still on offer for sale. You can book this hotel with First Choice still for next month!!! Very unfair, i have complained and said it needs to be taken off, although is still there!

It's beautiful, surrounded by trees almost like a jungle. You can see all sorts of birds from your balcony and occasionally the green monkeys which live opposite the hotel! I loved the pool and the beach being so close! The beach was great, good for body boarding. The food was good, cocktails even better and I can't forget to mention the weekly manager's rum punch party, free drinks always good! 5 min walk to the retaurants- good choice. I remember people enjoying it so much they booked another 3 weeks holiday later in the year before they left to go home! Also, there are hotels either side which you can use their pool and take advantage of the happy hour cocktails. Also lots for the kids to do!

Friends had booked a trip to the Bougainvilla Resort in Barbardos and last minute we decided to join them. Since there were no rooms left at Bougainvilla, a travel agent we spoke with found the Casuarina next to the Bougainvilla, (a perfectly safe short walk along the beach), and we got a better deal than we would have at the Bougainvilla. The Casuarina turned out to be an awesome vacation. Yes, it was a simple place, but we could not find fault with anything. There were families, singles and couples, Americans and Europeans, many of the guests were repeaters. Our room was pleasant, actually had a small kitchen, (didn't use, I'm on vacation thank you), with a veranda and somewhat of a view of the beach. It was quiet, a real relaxing atmosphere. We only ate breakfast there since it was included (Best of Barbados package), we had a choice of buffet or menu, both were good and plentiful. The best part was conversing with the workers and getting to know them. I especially liked the Aquatic Aerobic classes at the pool in the mornings. This hotel had a "recycle and reuse" theme, the owner, a single older woman was big on nature and environment, which explains the lush vegetation all over the grounds, unlike the Bougainvilla, known for it's happy hour and party-like atmosphere. We had the best of both worlds since we utilized both hotels with our friends. Actually, the Casuarina suited my husband best since he is a big nature entusiast. We went to Barbados for the water activities, but we also found the island to be very interesting. One morning my husband went on a nature walk arranged for the guests with the owner. The day we were scheduled to leave, a bicycle tour (transportation, bikes and breakfast all complimentary), was planned. My husband really wanted to do this, and the owner accomodated him by arranging separate transportation back to our hotel so we would leave for the airport ontime. It was one of the highlights of his trip, he said the breakfast was in a four star hotel with amazing views. Who could ask for a better sendoff. Me, I just enjoyed the sun and the beach. We really like Barbados, especially the Fish Fry night, (forgot the name and place), where you really get to see and experience the locals. Some people go to the Carribbean Islands expecting to be treated like Kings and Queens. You are guests in another country, it is their home, not yours! The Bajans are gracious and kind. As others have said, be nice, friendly and smile. It goes a long way in the islands. Stop being the "ugly" American! With that said, I'm very dissapointed to see that the original Casuarina is gone. I don't think the Almond will not have the same mindset and ambiance. I will get back to Barbados sometime, but I'm not sure I'll find another Casuarina as the original.

What a disappointment,

We booked for this hotel for May 17th 2007 as it was due to open in March ; we have now been informed that this hotel will not open until July 2007 at the earliest and all that Virgin holidays will do is offer us Almond beach village , no other alternatives.

What a disgrace.

Almond need to get their refurbishment act together as I recall Almond Morgan Bay in St Lucia refurbishment also overunning and not meeting its scheduled opening time for all work to complete , should have been Nov 2005 but completed fully March 2006 , have they not learned a lesson , for a big company that is unacceptable.

Keef , Herts.

The Almond Casuarina Beach is not open until end March, it has been known as the Casuarina Beach, a self catering complex until the end of last year when the Almond Group bought it and are currently refurbishing it. It reopens as a 4* Almond resort hotel, with 3 pools. Thats all i know so far, it is on the almond resorts website. I am booked to stay there 21 July, and I am a travel agent, so expect an honest reply when I come back!!

(Photos only)

I went here with my wife a few years ago and just went to TripAdvisor to see if it was the same, because we were thinking about going back. I was surprised nobody had written about it!

We often go to 4 and 5 star places, but I am sick of paying the prices without getting the experience - it is amazing how many have mediocre food and service! In the last three years I have been to Beaches Turks & Cacoes (stinks, stay away unless you think TGI Fridays is great cuisine), Westin St. John (quite nice, 1 excellent restaurant, but not 5 star though probably 4), Half Moon Bay Jamaica (pretty good, rooms need updating and food is mostly average, definitely 3 star quality) and a place on the eastern end of Guadaloupe which was 4.5 star, but whose name I forget (sorry).

Because I was having trouble finding a place I wanted, I thought about going back to the Casuarina. What I like about it is you don't eat there (though you can), you walk down the street where there are lots of restaurants, many of them very good and not expensive. The place itself was clean with nice rooms, very nice grounds with great flowers, and a nice beach. I don't remember much about the pool because we did not use it, though we sat by it, but I remember it as simple and clean.

In short, nothing about it is first class but it is in every way nice, and a very good value.

The only real downside is Barbados itself, which can have a lot of begging and attitude and is not as beautiful as St. John, for example.

Just returned from 5 days in Barbados from US. Stayed at Casuarina. Rooms were basic but clean. A/C, kitchenette, cable TV. Grounds are like living in the middle of a tropical jungle. Beautiful! The lobby area of the hotel is very pretty and all the staff were friendly and helpful (all you had to do is ask). I can't say enough about the beach! Probably the best of anything I saw on the island. Hotel is a comfortable walk to St. Lawrence Gap where we went every night for drinks, dinner and entertainment. Food is not cheap in Barbados, but you should know that going in. We loved Bean & Bagel for breakfast (2 can split 1 breakfast), McBride's Pub was great. We did Pisces on our last night and was not disappointed. Beach Grill at hotel was excellent. Be sure to book a katamaran cruise on Cool Runnings II. That was an all day snorkel / lunch cruise and was the highlight of our trip. FANTASTIC! We hired a cab to take us to the east coast (2-1/ hrs., $60 US) We did that instead of an "Island Tour". Worked out very well. You must see the east coast while you're on the Island. This was a mother/daughter trip (56 & 30) and we both had a blast! Would definitely return and would definitely recommend. I would not stay directly in St. Lawrence Gap though. Too noisey, no privecy. And I would not do all inclusive. Too many neat places to choose from in the gap. Make sure you pack lots of suncreen, your swimming suit and your charge card - that's really all you need!!

My wife and I had such a wonderful trip to Barbados in April 2003, I had to write it up here. (I also used TripAdvisor.com in researching for this trip, and a review I read here was one of the reasons we chose Barbados.) If you are thinking of vacationing on Barbados, and you want a natural island paradise-type hotel setting close to things to do, you will love the Casuarina Beach Club. It is reasonably priced and located near (15 min. walk) to the restaurant/bar/nightlife center of Barbados called the St. Lawerence Gap. You may even see Barbados' African green monkeys foraging outside your hotel room (as we did!)Take our advice if going to Barbados: if you want a friendly, naturally pristine hotel on a beautiful island you can not do better than the Casuarina Beach Club, on the island of Barbados, West Indies.Did I mention that Barbados has the highest standard of living in the Caribbean, with what seemed like the friendliest people in the world and Casuarina Beach Club has a 60% repeat client rate?Wonderful vacation.Eric & Emmanuelle Brooks