Canvas and Cave

2 years ago

Just wow! This stay exceeded our expectations! This beautiful country property is far enough from the tourist district for a truly peaceful stay yet close enough to have a great view of the ocean. It was a 10 minute drive to the beach, shops and restaurants. The property along with its stunning views has a large salt water pool which was heavenly. The unit we stayed in was very clean and up to date and had a kitchen that gave us the option to eat in. Loxy was an amazing host and was happy to provide us with great recommendations etc. We will definitely be back!!

2 months ago

PROS: The accommodation is beautiful. The kitchen has enough space for cooking, sufficient trash bags and a water filter in the fridge. The terrace is perfect for watching the sunrises and the pool is also great. The location is quiet and away from tourist hotspots and since the property is far from water, there were also no mosquitoes. CONS: - The kitchen equipment is quite outdated (broken can opener, damaged knives, only two large plates, ...) - Communication and organization from Loxy were unfortunately lacking at times: She initially assumed we had booked via Airbnb and we had also received a checkout message two days too early, which caused unnecessary stress as we thought we had made a mistake with our booking. - Although the place is advertised as peaceful, there was construction work around the pool almost every day (sawing, drilling, hammering). None of these points were real dealbreakers for us - we tried to rise above it all and still enjoy our stay. Unfortunately, the real disappointment came after checkout. I proactively asked how the deposit would be returned. Loxy used a payment method not available in Europe, so I suggested PayPal, which she agreed to. I then had to remind her to ask for my email address. A professional host should know that an email address is required to process a PayPal refund if they genuinely intend to return the deposit, which made the situation feel odd from the start. Two days later, after returning back home, we received a message claiming our bed sheets were stained because we supposedly used sunscreen "with P20.” This is actually a brand, not an ingredient - Loxy did not seem to be aware of that. Using it was against the house rules. However, we did not use such a product and even provided proof with a photo of our sunscreen. What also felt very strange was the “evidence” photo: the supposedly dirty bed sheets had been dried and carefully put back onto the mattress before taking the picture. If the goal was simply to show stains, it would have been much more logical to photograph them coming out of the washing machine directly. That made us wonder if it was really our bedding in the photo. Interestingly, after we sent our proof photo, the stains were gone magically after another wash. We were also accused of stealing a salt shaker worth $3 USD - which is quite absurd considering we paid around $1100 USD for this accommodation. And yes, we also have salt in Europe. After a lengthy and somewhat unprofessional WhatsApp exchange, during which the owner even mocked me, we were charged $15 for a broken wine glass (which was already broken when we checked in) and the salt shaker. In addition, the host was apparently not aware that PayPal charges transaction fees, which resulted in us receiving $4 less than expected from the deposit refund. Instead, it was argued that replacing a wine glass was a major issue because it was “end of season” and supposedly not possible to buy one anywhere on Barbados. We have been to St. Lucia and Dominica, where the retail infrastructure is even less developed and even there there were plenty of places to buy glassware. Come on! For us, it’s really not about the $4 - it’s about the way guests should be treated. And I wonder if it adds up to a nice sum when you can charge guests here and there for supposedly missing items or dirty linens. Especially since the security deposit has to be paid in cash (with no oversight from Airbnb, Expedia or other platforms) and the guest is no longer on the island to drop by. It is not acceptable to skip a proper inspection at checkout and then come up with alleged damages afterwards. Unfortunately Loxy was not able to see things from our perspective. We sincerely hope that this honest review - highlighting both the positives and the negatives - will encourage some reflection and improvement going forward. We had actually planned to return, but after this experience, we will refrain from doing so. There are many other great places in Barbados where guests are sure to be treated better.

a year ago

Where do I start. The dump had 3 star pricing with a 1 star experience. It wasn't ready and I hope the host has improved it but don't be mislead. While you can see the ocean it's about 6kms away. The roads are horrible to get in. It took us about 30 minutes. We booked a boat tour and they wouldn't come to get us. You can't drive it at night unless you are a local as there are no lights and cliffs on the way in. The host can't change this. Very disappointed and the host wouldn't refund our money. We left after one horrible night. She has thousands of social media friends, I'm sure many will give great ratings so all I suggest is google the location, look at google maps to see the truth. If you want to get high all week and stay there it might work but don't think of going in and out to see the beautiful Island, you will lose your mind. Also call a few tour companies and see if they will pick you up. Hope this review gives you some second thoughts about staying there. Please look at the pictures, they don't lie like the host. Also look at the location, you can't make that up. Luckily for her she has many friends that will post bs reviews.

a year ago

This place is unique. Quiet. The view is mesmerizing. Having morning tea on the terrace while listening to sugar cane rustling was the best time of our days. The pool has exceeded our expectations. Loxy is friendly and accommodating host. The place is 7 (seven) minutes driving from the highway.

3 years ago

We had a wonderful 2-night stay at Canvas and Cave. The property is stunning with great views over the cane fields to the Caribbean sea. The rooms are spacious and take advantage of the breeze so well that we didn't even need to use the A/C units and the pool is so lovely that it was hard to pull ourselves away. Finally, the owner, Loxy, is kind and welcoming which made our stay most enjoyable.