My husband and I just returned from a 5 day stay at the Crane. We booked our vacation two days before departure and wanted just a relaxing vacation - and that is exactly what the Crane offered.

Room: we stayed in the garden view junior suite which was beautifully furnished and had a jacuzzi, terrace, and mini kitchen with pots, and other kitchen utensils. the room was exceptional.

Beach: beautiful beach with very fine white pinkish sand. The water however is a bit rough and we only went in up to our knees but didn't dare go any further.

Grounds: Beatufiul grounds with spectacular views of the beach. The resort is set on a cliff and offers the best view I have ever seen - have traveled to Mexico and a few other Carribean Islands.

Food: Excellent food and excellent service. Since we didn't want to spend money on breakfast, we brought food from home and had cereal and other things on our terrace. Lunch and dinner at the resort were excellent. You do however wait for about 30 minutes for your food, but that gives you some time to take in the fascinating scenery since the restaurant is set on a cliff overlooking the beautiful crane beach.

Pools: there are numerous pools including an infinity pool and hot tub. There were plenty of very very comfortable chairs by the pools, as well as by the beach.

Overall, this is a wonderful, and as I like to say luxurious, resort. It is far away from everything else on the island, so I wouldn't recommend it for people who are looking for bars and clubs, although you can take a taxi for $25 - US dollars one way to other attractions.

I highly recommend this resort for a peaceful and relaxing vacation.

We stayed a week at the Crane during our honeymoon in one of the newer one-bedroom suits overlooking the ocean/pool.

The accommodations and views were wonderful! We were on the 4th floor, and although it would get a little warm in the afternoon we never felt we needed to turn on the air conditioning because there was always a delighful breeze circulating through the appartiment when we left our windows open.

Everything was clean, and we never lacked for anything we needed. The concierge service was really exceptional!

Although we were there during peak season, the hotel pool and grounds never seemed crowded - the beach sometimes got crowded during the afternoon, but hotel staff on the beach always made sure we had chairs and towles.

The only thing I could really see anyone having trouble with is the noise during the day (8-6) from the construction that's being done to create the Crane Towncenter. If your room is right near the construction, it would be kind of noisy if you left your windows open. However, when that construction is complete in November 2008 the resort will truely be incredible!

Overall Pros:
Views, grounds, staff, restaurants (including Cutter's which is off the resort within walking distance), accommodations, proximity to some of the most picturesque beaches in Barbados (i.e. Bottom Bay), surf.

Potential Cons:
Need to rent a car if you'd like to see other island sites since many are on the south or west coasts. Some construction on the grounds - a con if your room is very close.

Owing to the building work going on my wife and I were offered a suite at a very reasonable rate. This accommodation was quite superb. Although it was possible to hear the noise from the building site, in our block, (5) it was minimal.
The friendly attitude of the staff and their politeness was particularly impressive. Also despite the extensive buiding activities going on in the middle of the site the gardeners still managed to ensure the flower and shrub beds looked beautifully manicured.
The Crane beach and particularly the quality of the sand is magnificent and although the main beach never seemed to get really crowded there is another completely deserted one just a little way along. Wave action though is strong which is fine for good swimmers and surfers but intimidating for those who are not.
With regard to beaches on the island in general both of us were impressed to see that even on remote ones, like Bath, there was a life guard, carpark, showering facilities and toilets.
The whole holiday was delightful.

I can't believe what I am reading when I read the negative reviews. My husband and I stayed for 3 nights in a garden view suite after finding a good hotel/flight deal on travelocity - we didn't want to leave. The suite was very large, roomy, clean, and beautiful. We especially loved the bathroom which was very large and came with a jacuzzi.
The best part of the hotel is the views because it is built on a cliff overlooking the ocean. They were just spectacular. There are several beautiful pools and the beach is just wonderful. We did not see or hear any construction from our room or from the pools or beach. We loved Zen restaurant - just make sure to make reservations in advance (but they said they were booked and we showed up anyway and they gave us a table).
I just can't explain how happy I am that we stayed at the Crane. I was very skeptical after reading so many negative reviews, but I honestly don't understand them. Maybe it depends on the room. If I could have rated it a six, I would have.