A new addition to the wealth of accommodation choices for holiday rentals in Barbados. Sapphire Beach Condominiums or Condos in Barbados for short was opened in December 2009 and select luxury self-catering apartments have been rented since then.
The property is a well laid-out 54-apartment complex with excellent Facilities spread over three separate ocean facing buildings and was designed by renowned architect Ian Morrison. It benefits from over 370 feet of beachfront which extends and expands onto the popular Dover Beach with its white sand and crystal clear turquoise waters. ALL apartments are beachfront and have direct ocean and beach views.
The location of the property very near St Lawrence Gap or The Gap on the south coast provides a level of convenience few other properties offer as many shopping, dining, entertainment and activity options are within easy walking distance. As a result, guests at Sapphire Beach in Barbados do not require a vehicle to access much of what visitors require such as banking and dining to grocery facilities and more.
The international airport in Barbados, Grantley Adams International Airport (airport code BGI), is a short 15 minute drive to the east and the island’s main city and shopping centre, Bridgetown is a similar short drive to the west.
Among the facilities available at Sapphire Beach in Barbados are two large beachfront pools, private off-road parking and a fully equipped gym. Common amenities to all apartments include air-conditioning, fully equipped Italian kitchens, telephone, cable TV and wireless internet.
Sapphire Beach extends onto Dover Beach which is one of the longer and wider white sand beaches found on the island and has mostly calm waters and is safe for swimming year-round. For the safety of locals and visitors alike there is a daily lifeguard presence as can be identified by the yellow lifeguard hut found there and on many of the other popular swimming beaches. Because of its beauty and popularity, Dover Beach hosts a wide range of both water sport and other beach rental service providers such as SunFish and catamaran sailing, boogey board, snorkel, beach lounges and umbrella rentals to name a few.
The property is located a short 15-minute drive from the airport in the south east and also from the main city Bridgetown in the south west. Barbados is a mostly flat coral island of only 21 by 14 miles (166 square miles) so getting anywhere is a short drive by comparison to most other travel destinations. As a mature holiday destination, the islands infrastructure such as road and road signage are also well developed.
Barbados is well-known for being safe and for the friendliness of its people so getting around and seeing the sights is recommended and locals will be happy to offer directions should you lose your way. Aside from renting a car, visitors can utilize the available public transportation of Government operated Mercedes coaches or the smaller privately owned busses and vans which can take you anywhere for no more than US$1.00 per trip. Bus stops are located along almost every road and in the case of Sapphire Beach are no more than five minutes’ walk away.
Through its history Barbados has been a British colony from 1628 to 1966 when it gained its independence as a independent island. As such the language spoken is English with a Caribbean flare or dialect referred to as Bajan. Islanders are referred to as Barbadians or Bajans. It functions as a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy, modeled on the British Westminster system, with Elizabeth II, Queen of England, as head of state. The island has had a history of stability both in its governance and its economic management and low crime making it an ideal location for investment. Unlike many of the other Caribbean islands, it has its own currency which is the Barbados dollar and is pegged to the US dollar with an exchange rate of 2 to 1 i.e. BDS$ 2 = 1 $US.