Just returned from Crystal Cove, the past few reviews seem to have it about right on most counts. Its a nice place, rooms are very clean and tidy as is the resort. The hotel seems a little pushed for space. There is no pool as such and on the evenings you basically have one choice sit on the patio in the dark and listen to the entertainment which is pretty average at best. You can only hear so many vocalists doing Nora Jones to a backing tape. There are about 20 loungers on the main terrace thats your lot other than a fair few on the public beach infront of the hotel. Thats where you will be unless you are one of the 6am towel merchants who you can guarantee will be English and won't trouble themselves with actually using them untill mid morning at best. Food isn't bad but it ain't great either. As most things these points are subjective and others will disagree. There are some sublime places to eat in Barbados and the downside to all inclusive is that you really are paying twice if you want to use them. We will go back and may well stay at Crystal cove but on a b and b basis. For what its worth I would suggest hiring a car with AC, not a fibreglass death trap which will shake your fillings out as the roads are pretty shot up. Others have mentioned many of these restaurants such as the Cliff, beautiful food and a setting that will take some beating ANYWHERE in the world. We loved the Lone Star and ate there a couple of times. Again you are right on the beach and their Kobe beef and lobster Kebab was outrageously good. Loose a few pounds before you go, your tan is not the only thing that will get topped up.

My husband to be and my 2 teenage children stayed ay Crystal Cove for a week in january. We booked last October before i was ofay with computers and Trip Advisor! When i then read the traveller reviews i was concerned about the negativity! Especially as we had booked our wedding there. I needent have wasted a moment worrying. When we arrived we were delighted to find wed been upgraded to a fab room with a terrace on the beach! All we could wish for on 2 levels. The staff were ALL very helpful and very good at their job especially Sandra the wedding co ordinator who was delightful and efficient. the wedding was a dream come true.My teenagers loved every minute of their week there. The water sport lads were very friendly and also good at their job teaching my son to scubadive in their beautiful carribbean waters. All in all a fab holiday a fab wedding and fab weather. would go back to Crystal Cove at the drop of a hat or when money allows.I wont be taking note of negative traveller revievs from now on!!! Joanne and Nigel Eves

Spent our Christmas/New Year holidays here, it's the only time we stay in a hotel when visiting the island and that's because we like the festive party atmosphere you don't get when renting.

I have to say that I'm surprised at the lack of reviews that have appeared here for that period, considering the hotel was full to capacity. Anyway, I think a good time was had by all, the other inmates were a friendly bunch and I didn't hear any grumblings. There were a lot of families staying and I would say it is a good family orientated hotel.

Good points:
Friendly, efficient and well motivated staff throughout the hotel, without exception. Not going to name names, think thats a bit naff!
Clean beach towels left in your room each day, no nonsense about paying a deposit, standing in a queue or handing your used ones back, just chuck them in the skip on the beach.
A goody basket of fruit, snacks and sweeties in the room when we arrived. (Boxing Day)
Cold water, fruit and ice lollies brought to your sunbed.
Free room service.
Free water taxi to Tamarind Cove and Colony Club. We used it a lot. You get a credit towards lunch in either hotel, I think it was about $20bds, you buy your own drinks. We filled water bottles at the dispensers in C Cove and took them with us. Cheapskates). The sunbeds at both TC and C Club have 6" thick mattresses, divine, the food is similar to C Cove, not really worth the extra but good for a change of scenery. Staff at C Club a bit over gushy. From T Cove you can walk up to Sandy Lane.
Good gym for a hotel, I made it 5 mornings out of 11- not bad.
Nice walk, turn left up the beach, you can walk as far as Escape at Prospect Bay, if you walk early morning or around sunset (low tide) you don't get wet, there is a paddly bit past some rocks, or you can miss that bit out and walk on the road (no pavements). We saw a sea snake on New Years Day Morning - does that have some significance? On the way you pass IL Tempio, an Italian restaurant, reputedly favoured by Pavarotti when on the island. We often stopped for a glass of wine on the way back, in their beach bar. They are friendly towards barefoot wanderers and we were often offered a lift back to the hotel. We declined and walked home in the dark by the light of the moon and the villas along the way. Right across the road from here is a large supermarket called Jordons in case you need any supermarket type things. Anyway one night we went for a meal there and it was good, not great, but Ok for a change. Not that the food in the hotel was poor, we just like trying new places.
Back to the hotel, the subject of food, most important.
We liked the food, it was a mixture of A la Carte and buffets. Well cooked, well presented and in Reflections, where we mostly ate not too big portions. Both Reflections and Drifters restaurants were open, you need to decide where you want to eat dinner and book a table each day. The quality of food and service were very good both at lunchtime and in the evening. I love white wine and found the house wine OK for AI. You can, if you wish, buy fine wine and champagne which are reasonably priced. Nice breakfasts too.
Good watersports, everyone commented on how patient and friendly the watersport lads were with their children.
Great Old Years Night Party. The staff thoughtfully seated couples on their own next to other couples and we sank lots of chamagne and had a ball.
Now for the negatives:
Rooms a little tired (but spotlessly clean)
Small balconies, although the ones with terraces looked bigger.
Bit of a sunbed shortage while hotel full to capacity but the watersport boys always managed to find you one no matter what time you emerged.
Sea was a bit choppy while we were there, more like the S coast but probably just due to a weather system.
There are no more.

Other restaurants we visited:
Fish Pot - booked while there by the hotel concierge. Fantastic and very reasonable.
Tides - booked in advance, great food, bit pricey (£190 for 2) but had champagne. Saw some gorgeous Miu Miu shoes clack past our table. I think the food - dare I say this - is better than The Cliff. Tides, however, although set by the sea, just doesn't have the wow factor of the Cliff. Incidentaly, The Cliff is just up the beach from C Cove.
Whispers - very good, lovely setting and quite reasonably priced.

Also went on Caramaran trip Good Times, again booked by hotel concierge and excellent.

Blimey, didn't mean to write so much!

Well, yet another fantastic stay at the Crystal Cove Hotel. This was our 3rd visit here and the staff not only remembered us amongst the thousands of visitors that must come and stay with them, but they could not have been more helpful to us during our stay.
The food is excellent, the rooms very comfortable and the entertainment very good.
We visited this year as a group of 8 adults celebrating a 60th birthday. The staff were very accommodating and made our friend feel very special on the day.
I would undoubtedly recommend this to all couples with older children, as although there is a kiddies club, I do not think that it would suit couples with very young children.