A great experience. First time for myself and my daughter and with me being 50+ Tremayne could not... read more
A great experience. First time for myself and my daughter and with me being 50+ Tremayne could not... read more
We came to Paddle Barbados hoping to do the stand up paddleboard but Jason advised that the... read more
Top Notch. Well looked after with great equipment and a professional but chilled vibe. Beach itself is stunning. Had a great time thanks. Also for the non boarders there are sun loungers and umbrellas on the beach and the Barbados Cruising Club next door providing great food with a view.
Sarah and Jason, Adrian and Adrian - world class boarders, run a brilliant business - safe but chilled - vigilant and complete with jet ski if needed -
Great tuition for us first timers - we were up and off on the warm clear water straight away - (falling in is great) - lovely people - we’d come again - and again - Shelagh, Jonny and Louis UK
I don't like to write bad reviews but tourists need to be warned.
When I arrived, Jason asked me if I was an experienced kayaker. I told him I kayak in the lake and river near my house, would that be considered experienced? I consider myself an amateur. He said, "I'd say so" very sarcastically. Then I asked was there a perimeter to kayak within? He gave me another sarcastic answer as if I was a total idiot, saying, yeah, don't kayak to South America. Well, where I live, the current can be strong so they tell kayakers what areas to avoid and they set up perimeters!!! It's really not a dumb question because people come from different countries and different experiences. Then he pointed to the kayak against the fence and said "you can use that one". He didn't help me pull it to the water or help me get in. I have never rented a kayak and not had someone pull it over to the water and hold it down so you can get in.
When I got back to my hotel and told them about my experience, they said he was absolutely 100% wrong with his obnoxious "don't kayak to South America" comment because there ARE rocks in Barbados we don't have in the U-S. They said his actions were unsafe!!! The workers are kayak instructors and were furious to hear about my experience.
I was so disgusted with his attitude I never went back. On top of the fact they never answer the phone. Why do you run a business and give contact information and no one answers?!?
I would NEVER recommend this company or Jason to anyone if they treat tourists this way.
Hi Blondieny3,
Sorry to hear that your experience at Paddle Barbados was as bad as you say. We truly value our customers and their feed back. Typically this feed back is positive and is reflected in our TA reviews. Unfortunately, reading your review it upsets me to hear that your experience was not typical.
Although we meet many people from around the world every day, remarkably I am able to remember your specific visit to our shop. As an experienced and responsible water sports operator my first course of action is to assess my customers’ ability to independently operate the equipment so that I know what level of assistance will be necessary. We do not have a rigid format for this but we do make the assessment through casual conversation and observation. I do remember replying awkwardly to your ‘amateur’ self assessment as you did not appear to be dressed appropriately for the activity. I do not mean this to be offensive but it put up a red flag. I also remember that I watched you keenly as you set off because you had a struggle to put on the standard life jacket that was supplied. I thought that you were nervous but I never thought that you were offended. I am sorry for not recognizing that and it was probably due to my obligations to other customers at a busy time.
‘Don’t kayak to South America’ is something that I say to many of my customers and is intended as an ice breaker. It is followed by specific instruction and until now, always appreciated as humor and not sarcasm.
We will take kayaks to the water and we will help you into them if specifically requested but for amateur paddlers we simply make sure the kayak is empty of water, provide a paddle and rest the kayak on the sand, 50 feet from the water. From a safety perspective if the renter is unable to get the equipment into the water and climb into it unassisted in the shallows then they should not adventure away from shore. Getting into your kayak unassisted is a requirement if you fall out. It is “unsafe” to neglect this fact. I do remember being relieved when I saw that you returned safely to the beach.
I appreciate the hotel’s watersports staff being supportive of you and angry about your complaint as I would be if I had independently heard this.
The message on our phone explains that we are sometimes in the water and will get back to you if you leave your details and we did less than two hours after you called via email. Please recheck your correspondence to confirm this. Not immediate but certainly not neglect.
Once again I am sorry that you felt this way and I hope that we did not ruin your vacation.
For anyone interested in booking with us despite this negative review please be open to a skills assessment as part of the rental experience.
Truly,
Jason
My wife and I made arrangements with Paddle Barbados to join a local group of people led by Paddle Barbados in a 9k trip from Miami Beach to their shop. The locals paddle and we were in kayaks. As our morning was not the best weather, I believe that the locals all bailed on the trip. However, Jason was there to meet us as scheduled and he provided a private tour for us. We paddled thru rain, sun, wind, swells etc. While we are not Olympic speed kayakers, Jason was extremely patient with us and did not make us feel rushed in any way. He voluntarily took our underwater camera and took photos and video throughout. We had a wonderful time and a great experience in Barbados. It was nice for us to travel half way around the world and meet such nice and genuine people. To Sarah and Jason - thanks so much.
Thanks to Sarah and Jason from Paddle Barbados for inviting me to join today's downwinder from Miami Beach to Carlisle Bay. A great mornings SUP downwinding, not for the feint hearted or inexperienced. The trip involves open water downwinding on a SUP and past experience is a must, however, with warm seas and the prevailing wind and swell to help a fine workout, thank you.
Rented a couple of boards with a friend on a recent trip to Barbados. I've done quite a lot of paddling but this was my mate's first time on the water. After a brief land lesson he was able to get up and really enjoyed it. The location's ideal - nice and flat with a small surf for a gentle ride and larger waves available at the other end of the beach if you wanted to be more adventurous. $20 each for 2 hours seemed like decent value to me.