Bridgetown - Post Report Question and Answers
What is your housing like? What are typical housing sizes, locations, and commute times for expatriates?
Housing is incredible! There’s a big variance in housing at this post, from large condos with ocean views, to duplexes in a gated community, to single family homes near the beach. Housing is definitely a highlight of this post. Most colleagues’ commutes are between 10-25 minutes and traffic isn’t an issue. - Aug 2019
Our house is great! We have a lovely green yard which is completely fenced so our child can run around with no concerns. Our house has three rooms, two bathrooms, parking for one car, a giant living room, and a nice patio. When school is in session, the morning commute takes about 15-20 minutes, but it can take MUCH longer if there is an accident because the cars can’t be moved until the police complete their investigation. Many of the embassy folks live in a gated community with a pool, playground, and a variety of housing types to include, single family houses, townhouses, and condos. The community is further away and traffic slows their commute. - May 2018
Housing here is small. Let me repeat: HOUSING. IS. SMALL. There are NO houses on the beach. There are NO apartments on the beach. Do not expect a large house, or a large apartment, and do not expect to see the ocean from anywhere on your property. That being said, housing is perfectly adequate.
There are two main housing areas, one is in the center of the island and is a gated community with a community gym and pool - lots of families there, very nice. The other is on the southern side of the island and is closer to the beach (CLOSE but not ON and you do not have ocean views) but the apartments are very small - about 1000 square feet and without storage. Don't come to Barbados for the housing...come for the beaches themselves! - Jul 2016
Housing is mixed: townhouses for entry-level people on the west and south coast, and houses spread around the island for the rest. Most commutes are 20-25 minutes. - Mar 2013
decent homes, close and far from work, traffic is terrible. 3 miles to work and it takes 45 minutes. if there is a wreck, it might take you 2 hours. The rules is that no cars can leave the scene of the accident. Idiotic!!!! - Nov 2011
Most people live in single-family houses or townhouses. Usually takes about 30 minutes to get to work. Traffic can really slow during peak hours. - Jun 2011
Housing is widely varied with mixed condo and stand alone homes. Locations are spread between west and south coasts, all in good locations, but with a wide variety of quality.(One common location is the Millenium Heights compound.)Housing traditionally has been a serious morale issue here - most are put into TDY housing upon arrival, with lengthy periods required before settling in. It will be several months before you get set up with internet, tv and your shipments. Even once you get settled, issues with build quality and generally poor service on island means you need to embrace things not working quite right and be okay with having embassy, utility and landlord service requests sitting for months without action. You have to do without at times, but it remains fairly easy to keep in good spirits when you are only minutes from a beautiful beach, no matter where you are. - Dec 2010
Most embassy employees live in single family homes, though some singles and couples w/o kids lives in townhouses. Housing is generally nice, but sometimes layouts are awkward. There is very very little storage in houses. - Feb 2010
Housing is a nightmare and post doesn’t do anything to support the staff, the answer to everything is the landlord doesn’t want to fix it and we have no money. Worst management post ever, this goes from top to bottom, no wonder so many people curtail out of what could be a paradise place. Don’t bid here thinking you are coming to a great place. - Jan 2009
