Where is Gibbs Lodge Located?
Gibbs Lodge is located on Barbados west coast, set back only 190 meters from the Caribbean sea. The west coast offers the best swimming and snorkeling conditions on the island with calm, warm tropical waters.
The villa is located at the end of a private street and is set on almost half an acre of lush tropically landscaped gardens. It has complete privacy from every side.
The property is 5 minutes south of Speightstown and 10 minutes north of Holetown which is the second largest town on the island. You'll find shopping, 2 large grocery stores, a huge abundance of restaurants, nightlife, a mall, movie theatre and anything else you are likely to want within 10 minutes of the villa.
What is the general area like? Is it safe?
One of the best parts of visiting Barbados is that because it's so safe you can get out and see everything the island has to offer. Most people feel as comfortable in Barbados as they do in their home town.
Gibbs Lodge is located down a private road with only 2 other residences. It's a very quiet and secluded area of upscale homes. Mixed in with this are many friendly locals who live in the area. You'll find that when walking to the beach people will wish you a good morning or a good afternoon as you walk by. The people of Barbados in general are very courteous and polite, and are proud of their home.
Barbados is a safe country. As with life anywhere, if you go out of your way to avoid common sense you can run into trouble. For example, we don't recommend walking alone down the beach at night in a secluded area. However, if you have to be told this then it means you are not exercising common sense as this advice would hold true almost anywhere.
Violent crimes are rare in Barbados. One of the biggest advantages of travelling to Barbados is you can go all over the island as comfortably as you can drive around your home town. You are not (and shouldn't) be restricted to resort grounds. Getting out, meeting locals folks and seeing the sights is one of the best aspects of an adventure in Barbados.
The most common crimes in Barbados are crimes of opportunity, such as leaving the door open with a purse or wallet sitting close to the door and in plain view. These convenient crimes can't happen at Gibbs Lodge because it's located down a private road, set back on it's own grounds, with a fence, a gate, and also security system just for extra measure. It is an extremely safe and stress free place to relax. When travelling throughout the island use common sense and be as vigilant as you would be at home. This will ensure you have a safe and enjoyable stay.
How far is Gibbs Lodge from the beach?
Gibbs Lodge is only 190 meters from Gibbs beach, which is less than 3 minutes at a relaxed walking pace. It is a one minute walk down the private lane to the main coast road, and from there a one minute walk to reach the beach entrance along the main road.
This is one of our most commonly asked questions, so we posted a Youtube video that shows the actual walk to the beach.
What is Gibbs beach like?
Gibbs is one of the most secluded, unspoilt and beautiful stretches of beach in Barbados. It looks exactly like the pictures and is absolutely pristine, with excellent swimming and snorkeling. It is not a busy beach, and is an extremely desirable destination. One of the reasons it's not busy is that there is not a lot of easy local parking, so it keeps this beach a bit quieter, although you will often see a catamaran moored for some snorkelling in the bay.
What is Mullins beach like?
In addition to Gibbs beach, the property is also very close to Mullins beach, which is 500 meters and has a walking time of about 7 minutes. Mullins is a significantly more popular beach, and for many years was the site of the popular Mullins Beach bar. The facilities have been upgraded and are now the site of the Royal Westmoreland Beach Club. You are able to go there for drinks, dinner, or to use the loungers (there is a day rate to use the beach club facilities). Another beach bar has recently opened beside the Westmoreland beach club giving beachgoers even more options to consider. You will find watersports rentals on Mullins beach, as well as some coral to snorkel. In terms of swimming Mullins is beautiful beach, but a bit smaller and closer to the road than Gibbs beach, which is less popular but the better of the two beaches for water activities.
Is the beach busy?
There are too many beaches in Barbados for any one beach to ever become too busy. Gibbs is a very quiet and secluded beach with some of the most beautiful swimming to be found anywhere in the world. Mullins is a livlier beach with 2 beach bars, watersports and loungers. Mullins is livelier but it is never too crowded.
Are there lifeguards on the beach?
There are no lifeguards on the beach.
The west coast beaches of Barbados are located along the Caribbean sea which offer ideal swimming and snorkeling conditions. The placid and calm conditions mean that currents are extremely rare. It’s some of the best swimming to be found anywhere in the world. Alleynes is in the heart of the west coast and is one of the best beaches to swim and snorkel on the island.
A few days per year surfers will get excited because the ocean swell will come from the west (the swell normally comes from the east which is why the best surfing spots are normally on the east coast of the island). This is rare and you’ll recognize these conditions because the normally calm water will be wavy and exciting. You might see surfers out riding the breaking waves. If the conditions are offering strong waves you should only enter the water if you are a strong swimmer. These conditions will be obvious, and it’s quite rare as it only happens about 20 days per year.
Always use common sense and do not go beyond your ability level. If you are not a strong swimmer do not ever swim alone, and always exercise caution in the water.
How many people can Gibbs Lodge accommodate?
There are 3 bedrooms in total. The master suite is furnished with a king bed. One guest bedroom has a queen bed and the other has two twin beds. The villa can comfortably accommodate a family or 3 couples (6 adult guests) in total. Gibbs Lodge is not well suited to young children because of the pool and nature of the pool and many decorations to be found on the property.
Is there air conditioning?
All of the bedrooms are equipped with both ceiling fans and high efficiency air conditioners. In addition, the entire back of the home opens and the entire structure is designed to allow a constant comfortable breeze to pass through the home.
It's worth noting that homes in Barbados are constructed of concrete and coral. These construction methods mean that most homes in Barbados are not insulated. The home is air conditioned but there is no point in running air conditioners when the rooms are not occupied as the cool air dissipates quickly. High efficiency units are installed in each of the rooms so that each room can be cooled down in less than 3 minutes once the air conditioner is turned on. We ask that air conditioners are turned off when the rooms are not occupied as electricity is expensive in Barbados, and there is no point to running the air conditioner when no one is in the room.
Are linens and towels provided?
Yes, the home is fully outfitted with everything you will need for your stay. Towels, beach towels, pillows and linens are provided.
Is there high speed internet?
Yes there is high speed internet and WIFI throughout the home. In fact, Gibbs Lodge is connected to the new fiber optic network that is being deployed across the island. The internet is extremely fast and generally quite stable. Streaming video or using VOIP to stay in touch with family at home will be no problem.
Is there a TV?
There is a high end AV center with Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and games on the Playstation 4.
Is Housekeeping Included?
Yes, housekeeping is included.
The housekeeper will clean the home twice per week, and will wash dirty linens and towels. They can optionally wash and fold your laundry for a surcharge. They are also able to cook you a traditional Bajan meal if that interests you. Adavance grocery shopping is also available for an additional charge.
Can you help me to plan or organize my stay?
We are happy to assist in the planning or reservation of activities on the island such as car rental, airport pickup or drop off, as well as activities such as a catamaran tour or the island safari. These concierge services are included at no additional charge, and you will pay the respective service operator directy on your arrival.
Can you accomodate special requests?
We can certainly try! Reach out to us and tell us what you are looking for.
What is Holetown like?
Despite having a suspect name, Holetown is the prettiest and most upscale town on the island.
For history’s sake, because of it’s location on the placid west coast of Barbados, Holetown was the first safe landing spot for ships where the first settlers could load and land onto the island. In fact, up until 1629 Holetown was the only town on the island. In those days it operated as a port and became known as “the Hole”, and years later became known as “Holetown”. Hundreds of years and generations later this is no longer the case. Holetown is now the prettiest town on the island with some of the best restaurants, shopping and entertainment in all of Barbados.
What is Speightstown like?
Speightstown is a small Barbados town on the West coast in St. Peter. It's a beautiful town that has a grocery store, hardware store, restaurants, and shopping, and most importantly it has not lost it's classic Caribbean feel.
Do I need a rental car to get around?
One of the general advantages of travelling to Barbados is that because it is quite safe you are free to enjoy the entire island and are not restricted to a resort. With that having been said, you certainly do not need drive all over the island to enjoy your stay. The property is located 10 minutes north of Holetown, and 5 minutes south of SpeightstownBoth are easily accessible by buses that come every few minutes along the main coastal road (a 3 minute walk from the villa). The bus is very affordable costing $1 USD.
If you do like exploring and would like to rent a car we recommend GL Rentals Barbados. We send GL Rentals a fair amount of business so our guests are able to get a discounted rate. If you'd like a rental vehicle for your stay (or a portion of your stay) let us know and we can arrange to have the vehicle delivered to Gibbs Lodge for you. We can also arrange to have it available at the airport for pickup upon your arrival.
Are there restaurants nearby?
Yes, there are many restaurants nearby. Within close walking distance you'll find the Westmoreland beach club and the new beach bar next door to it. Holetown and Speightstown both are minutes away with dozens of restaurants and other nightlife. Many of the restaurants can be found on Tripadvisor if you want to plan some restaurants you'd like to visit.
What type of currency do I need in Barbados?
The currency of Barbados is the Barbados Dollar. It is tied at a 2:1 ratio to the US dollar. $2 BDS = $1 USD.
US dollars are accepted everywhere on the island. If you are travelling to Barbados we suggest bringing US dollars as there is no need to exchange into Barbados dollars prior to your arrival. Credit cards are also accepted almost everywhere.
How much are groceries in Barbados?
The answer to this question depends on what you are purchasing. The first thing to point out is that anything you want is available. Barbados is a small Caribbean country but it has a very good infrastructure.
Fresh fish, chicken and local vegetables are very affordable. The cost is equivalent to that of a typical North American grocery store. However, if you choose to buy Alaskan cod or another food that must be imported from a distant location it will be expensive.
When we stay in Barbados we get to enjoy many foods that are not easily available at home in Canada. For example, Mahi Mahi, Kingfish or Marlin. However, when we are in Barbados it’s not the best time to get a craving for a 20oz grain fed steak from Alberta. It’s available, but you'll pay extra for it.
And for the record, rum isn’t actually cheaper than water in Barbados... but it’s close!
Is water safe to drink in Barbados?
Water is completely safe to drink in Barbods. It's a coral island and the drinking water is naturally filtered. You can drink from the tap without any more concern than when drinking from the tap at home. The only interesting difference is that you could run the tap all day but the water would never get cold. It's warm in the Caribbean and that means the ground water table is warm too! The fridge has a built in water dispenser for cold water.
Is banking easy to do in Barbados?
Banks and bank machines are located all over the island. Canadian banks are predominant in Barbados with RBC, Scotiabank and CIBC all having a presence in the country. There are a number of other banks such as Republic bank as well. Credit cards are accepted almost everywhere.
What is Barbados like?
That is a very broad question. Hot, sunny, beautiful. Friendly people and an intangible but very real "island vibe".
It’s a beautiful country. It’s one of the safest countries to travel to in the Caribbean. In some ways it feels like home, and in other ways it’s an obviously exotic destination. It offers world class beaches, watersports, snorkeling, scuba diving and deep sea fishing. Back on land you’ll find multiple golf courses, both high end and affordable restaurants, and nightlife for people looking to go out and enjoy a drink at night.
More than anything, if you want to relax and get away from the rush back home you’ll find Barbados a good fit for what you are looking for.
Toll Free: 888-689-5084 (Works in North America)
Direct: +1 905-333-6890 (We're in Grimsby, Ontario, Canada)
info@gibbslodge.com
