# Hurricane at The Crane



## pianodinosaur (Nov 10, 2010)

We took American Airlines from Bush Intercontinental in Houston to Miami International.  Several hours later we flew into Bridgetown, Barbados.  It was raining fairly heavily upon our landing and we had to disembark outdoors and run to the great indoors.  We then took a taxi to the Hilton Barbados on Needham's point on October 29, 2010.  We were given a HHonors Gold upgrade to the executive floor and it was really quite nice.  The rain was still present but we could hear and see the waves.  The rain became much worse that night.  By the morning of October 30, 2010, rain was coming in through our closed windows to flood the floor of our room. We went downstairs for breakfast and got a good look at the wind and rain of Hurricane Thomas through the open lobby of the Hilton Barbados.  Breakfast was pretty good.  

We tried to contact The Crane via telephone and e-mail but the communication lines to The Crane were down.  Given that our reservation was for October 30 through November 6, we took a taxi cab to The Crane at about 14:45.  The ride took a while due to adverse driving conditions. The rain and wind became much worse after we arrived.  We could not enter our room because the previous guests were unable to leave as their flight had been canceled.  There was no electricity. However, The Crane provided complimentary meals to all the guests at D'Onofrio's.  The food was pretty good.  Later that evening we had to walk through a moat guided by Crane staff using a flashlight in the rain, wind and dark in order for our party to be split up in two different buildings in small rooms due to the previous guests being stuck in Hurricane Thomas as well. The elevators were not working so we had to climb up the stairs in the dark. We were given candles for light as there were no lights or air conditioning present. 

The wind had died down substantially bye the morning of October 31, 2010.  However, there was still no electricity.  The Crane once again provided complimentary meals to all the guests. The swimming pools were all closed due to storm damage. However, the view from the Cliff adjacent to The Crane Beach was fantastic. We were able to enter our two bedroom unit in building 4 later that afternoon.  There was still no electricity but by opening the doors we were able to get a nice breeze.  Our view and patio were incredible.  The plunge pool was not usable for the duration of our visit. We could see numerous Crane staff working very hard to remove debris from the swimming pools, and repairing damage to the roofs and resort grounds.  We also found out that the Prime Minister had just died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 48.  The Crane provided complimentary lunch and dinner to the guests.  Power suddenly returned that evening. We had the ceiling fans, the refrigerator, hot water, and television. 

On November 1, 2010, The Crane Beach was in full service.  The elevator to the beach was working and the Atlantic Ocean looked just like new.  Immediately upon our arrival on the beach Crane staff would get us lounges and dig a hole for individual parasols.  It was glorious.  However, we could see substantial damage to L'Azure and Zen.  The famous pool on the cliff was not yet opened as they were draining all the pools, cleaning the debris and then refilling the pools. However, the ballroom suffered little damage and became usable for buffet service. More of our party arrived later that evening.

On November 2, 2010, the infinity pool by The Carriage House was open and The Crane Pool by the Cliff was open. These are really very nice pools. The staff was doing everything they could under very adverse circumstances to make us as comfortable as possible.  The repairs on the buildings were still mostly cleaning up the mess but there were also significant window and roof repairs being initiated. Most of the tourist attractions on Barbados were shut down either for the death of the Prime Minister or to repair hurricane damage.  The food and beverages at The Carriage House were delightful. Dinner that night at D'Onofrio's was one of the best Italian dinners we ever had.  It was also election day.  We had all voted early and watched the results on television that night.

On November 3, 2010 breakfast was available in the ballroom.  The view from the ballroom overlooks the Atlantic Ocean and the Crane Beach.  This is a spectacular way to dine in the morning.  The shops in The Crane Village were open and running well.  The concierge arranged for us to have dinner at The Black Pearl on Sandy Beach.  This is a delightful Greek restaurant right on Sandy Beach with its own little boardwalk.  There had been some roof damage from Hurricane Thomas but it was under repair and we had a comfortable night dining under the stars. We could also see the airplanes as they came in and out of Grantley International.  The lights from the planes would reflect off the ocean causing a very interesting display.  

On November 4, 2010 we had breakfast in the ballroom once again.  Repair work was taking place on the buildings, the yard, and the main swimming pools.  The beach was glorious. We had dinner at Zen that evening.  Zen is an absolutely gourmet quality Japanese and Thai restaurant overlooking The Crane Beach.  Unfortunately, the power went out in the entire resort just as we were completing dinner. We walked back to our room in building 4 using my cell phone as a flash light. We did not need TV for entertainment as the stars were so readily visible from our balcony.  We were up all night looking at the stars and relaxing in the breeze. 

The Crane provide complimentary breakfast in the ballroom on November 5, 2010 as the power was still out.  However, power was restored later that day. We spent most of the day enjoying The Crane Beach.  There was live entertainment in Bar 1887 that evening. 

We checked out on November 6, 2010 after one last breakfast looking at the Atlantic Ocean and The Crane Beach.  We did not get to enjoy The Crane in all its glory due to circumstances beyond the control of the staff.   However, the bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchen, and living areas were among the finest we have ever seen. We never got to use the plunge pool or the main pools but were told that they would be ready about two days after we were gone.  The staff was amazing in how hard they worked to make us as comfortable as possible while their own homes may have been without a roof or may have been flooded.  The resort grounds were beautiful even after having been hit by a hurricane.  The dining facilities in The Crane Village are also among the best we have ever enjoyed. There were at least two beautiful weddings at The Crane during our stay as well.  Barbados had not had a hurricane in the previous 55 years while we have had numerous hurricanes on the Texas Gulf Coast.  We would love to return and hope to do so again in the near future. The Residences at The Crane are definitely among the finest resorts you will ever visit.


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## Pat H (Nov 10, 2010)

Thanks for a great log of your trip. Sounds like you had a great time despite adverse conditions. The Crane is on my wish list.


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## Larry (Nov 10, 2010)

Pat H said:


> Thanks for a great log of your trip. Sounds like you had a great time despite adverse conditions. The Crane is on my wish list.



Me too!!!!!!!


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## pianodinosaur (Nov 10, 2010)

Photos will be coming soon as will a formal review in the TUG Resort Database.


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## dms1709 (Nov 10, 2010)

Sounds like you made the best of a difficult situation, what an adventure.   

Donna


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## lobsterlover (Nov 11, 2010)

Its so nice to hear a true review of the Crane from someone who obviously enjoyed it so much, instead of the whiney nit pickers you often hear from. The fact that you did enjoy it so much, even in a hurricane, shows you really know how to make the most of a bad situation and look on the brighter side of things.
Here's to optimists!!


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## Weimaraner (Nov 11, 2010)

lobsterlover said:


> Its so nice to hear a true review of the Crane from someone who obviously enjoyed it so much, instead of the whiney nit pickers you often hear from. The fact that you did enjoy it so much, even in a hurricane, shows you really know how to make the most of a bad situation and look on the brighter side of things.
> Here's to optimists!!



I agree. I've been noticing a lot of negative reviews lately on TripAdvisor bashing good Caribbean resorts for power outages, lack of air conditioning and other inconveniences due to hurricane season. Some things are beyond our control.


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## Beaglemom3 (Nov 11, 2010)

As an owner (old bldg. ) and unashamed Crane lover, I appreciate what you have focused on ......the quality of the Crane staff and the loveliness of  the Crane itself.


Glad you're okay.

Thanks !!!


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## pianodinosaur (Nov 19, 2010)

Beaglemom3 said:


> As an owner (old bldg. ) and unashamed Crane lover, I appreciate what you have focused on ......the quality of the Crane staff and the loveliness of  the Crane itself.
> 
> 
> Glad you're okay.
> ...



The Crane is beautiful despite the hurricane damage.  This the view from our balcony in building 4.


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## shagnut (Nov 20, 2010)

Now, that trip was what we call a "shaggy" Wow, what an adventure. You are very resilient and can go with the flow. I bet some of the guests were not so happy. Can't wait to see the pics.  shaggy


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