We started looking for a cheap hotel in Barbados and ended up in the most fabulous guesthouse called

Sea-U Guesthouse on the east coast of the island in Tent Bay, St Joseph, Bathsheba.

If you haven't heard of Bathsheba then it is your loss, because this is half way up the unspoiled eastern coast of Barbados, and well off the tourist hotspots in the south and west of Barbados.

If you choose the Sea-U Guesthouse for your Barbados Accommodation what will it be like?

A good description would be a Tropical Gem with beautiful tropical gardens and an amazing view of the Atlantic Ocean. A wonderful peaceful Caribbean Inn is another description. The most apt comment by a leaving guest is to describe the whole experience at the Sea U Guesthouse, as a little piece of paradise.

The rooms whilst simple and clean have great views and a couple of them even have their own hammock, with at least six hammocks between the palm trees in the garden. One of the great joys is no TV, clocks, radio, or Internet, so you can relax in a hammock, listen to the waves crashing on the rocks, and enjoy the novel you have been meaning to read all year. Note the windows have no glass which does mean you can be lulled to sleep secure in your mosquito net, but aware sometimes of other guests chatting on the porch outside.

Apart from the rooms which are part of the main house there are three small chalet style apartments in the garden, each with a kitchenette.

The beach at Bathsheba is easily accessible, Bathsheba is beautiful, and almost tourist free, and you can walk for miles on the beach, which of course faces the Atlantic, there are a lot of rocks, fearsome breaking waves, so not very suitable for swimming. The scenery here is best described as ruggedly beautiful, but if you want to see the island, and visit the more touristy beaches, then a four wheel drive would be sensible, although some folks got around very well in a sort of mini moke beach buggy type large golf cart. Sea U Guesthouse is actually a great base for exploring barbados

This is an Inn that leans heavily on the charm and helpfulness of the owner Uschi and his staff, who make your stay like being part of a large international family, with very high quality service. One of the charms of the Sea U Guesthouse is it attracts people from all corners of the world. They all tend to be like minded people, who don't want a plastic sanitized Barbados, but want to feel part of the community. You will hear many languages spoken, and there are strong friendships made.

A Bajan Breakfast and a three courseDinner are served from the Garden Restaurant, and are both well priced, and absolutely delicious, and the real taste of Barbados, served in a relaxed and convivial atmosphere overlooking the Ocean. Booking are required for dinner, because the evening meal only happens if there are sufficient bookings. The slight drawback is the lack of restaurants in the immediate area, but to be fair the south and west coast centres are less than an hour's drive.

The Sea U Guest House is a real Bajan style home from home, which offers a superb alternative to what can sometimes be a less than satisfactory cheap hotel in Barbados. This is the genuine article, absolutely loved by its guests, a quiet retreat, the perfect genuine Barbados accommodation.