The Crane Resort

The Crane sits on a cliff on the south-east coast of Barbados, in the parish of St Philip, above Crane Beach, a pink-sand bay protected by a coral reef. It first opened as a hotel in the late nineteenth century and is the oldest hotel in the Caribbean still trading without a break.

The original villa has grown into a 40-acre resort of roomy suites of one to three bedrooms, many with a private plunge or rooftop pool. There are five outdoor pools, four restaurants, a spa, floodlit tennis courts and a kids' club. A glass-fronted lift carries guests down the cliff to the beach.

Ceremonies are usually outdoors, with eight settings to mix depending on numbers. Crane Beach itself suits up to 20 guests, while the Cliff Pool Wedding Garden, ringed by four infinity-edge pools, and the Historic Wedding Garden beside the original villa each take up to 150. For receptions, three linked banquet rooms with coral stone walls overlook the cobbled Crane Village, The Carriage House sits in the restored old stables above the pools, and an open-air cottage takes 60 for cocktails. An event coordinator builds the day from a package. Ask the team about numbers for the main dinner.

Every room here is a suite, so families and friends get real space, often with a private pool. Ask the team how many suites can be held for your group. Restaurants include L'Azure above the beach, Zen for Thai and Japanese food and The Carriage House. Wedding packages include transport to the Ministry of Home Affairs, where couples apply in person for the marriage licence. An appointment is needed, so ask the team to help book it. Ask the team about transfer times from Grantley Adams International Airport.