Do you need a car staying at the Crane?

I am second guessing myself, but do I need a car staying at the Crane or are taxi's readly available. The car rental is $ 450.00.

Thanks

donna

It's been a few years since I have been in Barbados, but I would say, yes, you want a car. The Crane is on the east coast and not near much of anything. Georgetown in on the southwest coast and The Gap on the south coast. The major resorts are on the west coast so that should give you an idea. However, I'm sure you could call a cab to pick you up, but it would not give you the convenience of your own vehicle. We always found rental cars to be quite pricey in B'dos.

Definitely

Absolutely, the Crane is rather isolated. There is little nearby.

If you are happy to go only to the Crane's beach (a very nice one! One of the top 10 beaches in the world), eat at the Crane's restaurants (all very good, but rather pricey), and buy food at the Crane's store (very pricey), and do occasional trips out by (expensive) taxi, then you don't need a car...

Barbados isn't a very interesting island, compared to say St. Lucia or Guadeloupe, so last December when we were there we had a car but really mostly used it to go shopping at the big grocery store in Six Corners. (Had to do a lot of shopping as there were 7 of us - we two and our three kids and two partners.)

So if this is your first time (which sounds like it is) then yes, get the car so you can travel to Georgetown and the west coast, but once is enough. You could rent a car by the day from the Crane when you are there.

Hello DMS

I actually just got back last Saturday!
Funny to see this question cause its very relevant to what we just went through.
We went to the Crane March 2009 and rented a car for the week. Its an easy drive from the airport and fast. We ate off property most nights but got so sick of the 20 to 30 minute drives there and back, by the end of the week I'd had enough.
This past week at the Crane we deceided not to rent a car for the whole week, possibly just a couple days. It was a good call for us. Seeing as the cab from the airport was only $25us I figured that saves 2 days of car rental. You can't do too much driving on your travel days, right? Got him to stop at the store too for supplies.
With the new village you now have the option of the Italian restaurant which was nice. Yes its pricey but they offer 75% off smaller portions of pasta dishes which was great for me. I didn't find the prices much different than off resort.
The best deal was at LAzure you can get the fixed price menu. We went for the 3 course with a glass of wine for 96BDS ($50). You can't get that anywhere on the island!! Entrees alone are $35-40 each. They also have a cheaper version for just 3 course or 2.
We bought breakfast goods at the store each morning ($15us for 4 of us).
Cutters Deli has people come down to the beach and take your lunch order or the towel guy will call them.
Oh also there was a further discount for 3 day car rental. It therefore would make economical scence for you to deceide when you're there how long you want a car for.
So, then we finally rent a car to see the east coast. Last year we got so lost trying to do that we just came back!! This time It was a struggle too. No road signs and out of date maps. Got lost, took wrong turns maybe 20 times but made it up to the wildlife sanctuary and back down.
Rented the car right from the Crane. The company they use offers one day for 96us and 2 for $150. Best deal. We ended up returning the car after only one day!!! Didn't see the value of paying another 50 just to go out for dinner the next day cause we'd had enough drivin around.
So there you go. Just another experience and personal view.

dms1709 said:

I am second guessing myself, but do I need a car staying at the Crane or are taxi's readly available. The car rental is $ 450.00.

Thanks

donna

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I would say you would need a car. There are taxis readily available if you want to go to Emerald City (close by) for groceries, a good Chinese Restaurant, or even Oistins for their Fish Fry, but anything beyond that would be expensive. The Crane might have a shuttle into Bridgetown (the Capital City of Barbados) which would be about 20 - 30 min. away.
The price you quoted was that US $ and for how long. We have been coming here for many years, in fact I'm here now, and we've found that M.A.H. Car Rentals to be an excellent company with lower prices than most. Their e-mail address is: mahcarrentals@sunbeach.net or (246) 427-1952.

Restaurant Prices

Interesting comments LobsterLover. As far as restaurant pricing, I'd have to disagree with your comment. Although yes there are many upscale and expensive restaurants, there are also many with reasonable pricing. But to pay those reasonable prices one definitely has to rent a car. On the South Coast, there is an excellent restaurant called Tapas, that besides having regular entrees, one can order small tapas dishes that are on the average of $14 BDS each. There is also a restaurant called Shakers in Brown's Gap, up the main road from the corner where Bubba's is situated. Excellent food and prices.
Also since we do have a car, we drove to Bathsheba on the East Coast and had the Sunday Buffet lunch at the newly renovated Atlantis Hotel. Beautiful venue, and their buffet is $79. BDS. Also at the Pomarine Hotel, their Muscovado Restaurant (which is part of their culinary school) one can have their Friday Night special dinners - 7 courses including a glass of wine for $75.BDS per person. The 7 courses are small but by the time one is finished it is more than adequate.
There is also a new atlas available, based on google satellite photos, that gives excellent road information. This can be purchased at Pages bookstores.

Great info!!

I may just reconsider the car for our next vist in June!! Although you may save on food, you're spending on a car but I am dyeing to try the tapas restaurant!! I read a lot about it.
Maybe my kids are just wearing me out but it was nice not to have that drive for dinner last time. Maybe I'll be rested up enough next time LOL.
I will save you reccomendations, thank you!!!