The best hotels in Barbados
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Barbados may have its own laid-back Caribbean island charm, where languorous afternoons stretch out along white-sand beaches that slope into surreal turquoise bays, but there’s more to this coral island than sand and sea. UNESCO World Heritage-listed Bridgetown thrums with independent stores, markets showing off Bajan fruit and art and buildings steeped in history (and invariably, rum) such as St Nicolas Abbey. Community roadside rum shacks are as prolific here as tropical gardens – the Andromeda Botanic Gardens near Bathsheba village are particularly lovely – and festivals such as The Food and Rum Festival and Crop Over Festival peer into the Bajan. For several weeks, performers take to the streets in flamboyant costumes, and the warming smell of spiced sweet potatoes, chicken curry, and fried flying fish hangs in the air.
Only 21 miles from tip to tip, Barbados offers up this blend of beach and culture to all locations – surfers tend to cling to the underrated east coast for its Atlantic waves and the sun-worshippers stay west for the calm, bath-warm waters of the Caribbean Sea. Although parts of the island have succumbed to all-inclusive culture, Barbados’ shores play host to a clutch of stylish hotels, many that evoke a bygone era of pre-lunch gin and tonics over backgammon, a few channelling the island’s no-frills spirit with creative Creole menus and whitewashed rooms.
From family-owned pillared legends with country club rhythms and back garden patches of flawless beach to pared-down boutiques filled with Calypso music and plates of just-caught seafood, here are the best hotels in Barbados. For more, see our pick of the best all-inclusive Barbados resorts.
Cobblers Cove
This family-owned boutique hotel’s trump card, besides the photogenic striped pink scalloped umbrellas, is its quarter mile of powder-soft beach in a sleepy cove. Pastel-hued suites are dotted around tropical gardens festooned with palms and banana leaves and a terracotta pool terrace, which feels suspended over views of the bay like a theatre seat. Tastefully dressed in subdued fabric of hand-printed corals, whitewashed rattan and bamboo, rooms spill onto terraces framed by bougainvillaea, inhaling the salty breeze. Camelot and Colleton are the hot-ticket turreted rooms of the coral-washed Great House, with their rooftop terraces and romantic bay views. The main spaces read like a British country pile, with a drawing room and cavernous hall, just with exotic pinks and greens and plantation shutters – a blend that reflects the island's rich (and often chequered) history.
Mornings at Cobblers Cove recall country clubs of yore, where a genteel breakfast din is occasionally interrupted by the pop of tennis serve or Champagne cork. Sedate afternoons typically slump between sunlounger and the balmy sea, where guests can paddle out in search of turtles or gently part the calm, glassy on a paddle board. When not leaning into the hotel’s afternoon tea tradition or its phenomenal spa, sailing and water skiing sessions take place every day, and guests can now join local fisherman Barker on his ‘catch of the day’ adventures. Bajan chef Jason Joseph ensures Camelot preserves its status as one of the island’s top restaurants (an elegant white table cloth affair), while weekly buffets and barbecues show off local dishes in a more buttoned-down setting. Rosalyn Wikeley
Address: Road View, Speightstown BB26025, Barbados
Price: Doubles from £307
Coral Reef Club
It’s easy to imagine 20th-century writers penning chapters of sell-out novels on The Coral Reef Club’s pretty verandas. The hotel is imbued with Old World charm, from its mahogany wicker sofas softened with cream cushions to the elaborate tea trays and heated games of doubles before breakfast. Suites seize on this unapologetically traditional yet laid-back theme with gold framed illustrations you’d expect in an English country home, mahogany cabinets displaying coral and those formal, structured sofas where cushions are as plump as they are stiff. Occupying a fairly narrow stretch of beach on the west coast, guests can wander along the boardwalk to pretty Holetown (the first town to be built on the island around 1695), but the form here tends to be poolside with several rounds of rum cocktails.
The hotel is owned by the O’Hara family, who also own a sister property, the Sandpiper and whose presence in Barbados dates back to the 1950s. As such, a home-from-home feel pervades, despite the layout where two large pools, a watersports area and a spa seem to absorb most of the coiffed crowds. The spa is a real draw – cleverly sewn into acres of resplendent tropical gardens as a vast open-air building. Guests float from first-class treatments to the thermal gardens or steam room and yogis head to the relaxation room for bi-weekly yoga classes. One restaurant serving elaborate plates avoids the agony of indecision and politely requests a shirt and good manners. Rosalyn Wikeley
Address: Porters Folkstone St. James, BB24017, Barbados
Price: Doubles from £472
Kirk WatkinsLittle Good Harbour
Here is a cool, carefree alternative on the quiet northwest coast, well away from the jet set and dress code barbecue buffets. Divided between the inland side of the Coastal Road and the beachside, Little Good Harbour’s white-washed rooms are pared down, with gentle Bajan accents via the local art and occasional pops of colour. Private kitchens and large marble bathrooms suggest more private cottages than hotel rooms. Some feature mahogany four-poster beds draped, quite romantically, in mosquito nets while others have large balconies where sunsets are best viewed from smart sofas and armchairs. The common thread seems to be laid back and lovely.
The main coral stone building blinks onto a charming and slightly dishevelled beach through green louvred shutters. The Fish Pot enjoys the same view from its lime-green veranda – the restaurant has worked hard to win the hearts (and stomachs) of locals and epicureans with a splendidly simple menu of fresh fish, pasta and curries. It’s now considered one of Barbados’ best restaurants and without frills and steep prices. The poolside scene is refreshingly unpretentious here – guests sink into green cushioned loungers under the shade of giant palms, nodding off to the trickle of water from a Balinese sculpture, or (in the second, smaller pool) amid every shade of tropical green. A pocket-sized spa punches above its weight with all sorts of massages and scrubs. And, though cabin fever here is unlikely, buzzing Speightstown’s independent boutiques, bars and cafes are a five-minute drive away. Rosalyn Wikeley
Address: Shermans, St Lucy, Barbados
Price: Doubles from £250
Leslie St.JohnSandy Lane Beach
One of Barbados’ most glamorous hotels, Sandy Lane’s polished marble floors, old-fashioned sofas framed by pot plants and heart-tugging sea views framed by stone arches and pillars set an opulent tone. It backs onto a pretty stretch of blonde beach on the west coast, not far from colourful Holetown. Despite the impeccable service, the Neo-palladian stone bedrooms and the multitude of diamonds flickering under candlelight at supper, the atmosphere here is seriously easygoing.
In British or American country club style, guests zip off in golf buggies after a lazy buffet breakfast to one of Sandy Lane’s three golf courses, or commit to a full day in the palatial spa – easily done with its sauna, steam room and hydrotherapy pool assault course, along with an impressive raft of delicious treatments, from Bajan sugar cane scrubs to Cryotherapy energy facials. A gelato bar, watersports and a truly superb Treehouse Club for smalls play to the country club idyll, buying deserving parents some time on the beach. Along with the romanesque pillared L’Acajou restaurant and the more relaxed Bajan Blue, an enormous layered pool with its own waterfall serves as a focal point in the hotel, where sunbathers can observe the comings and goings of tennis whites, or kaftans floating back from the bar with fresh Piña Coladas. Rosalyn Wikeley
Address: Sandy Lane Hotel Sandy Lane St. James, BB24024, Barbados
Price: Doubles from £737
Iana IanakievaThe Sandpiper
A little smaller than its sister hotel, The Coral Reef Club (tucked just North along the west coast), The Sandpiper shares its easy-going elegance despite its position on the lively outskirts of tourist-heavy Holetown. The patch of golden sand and turquoise sea it backs onto is rarely empty, which makes for first-rate people watching and charting the progress of sailing boats and water skiers. While compact, the hotel is ensconced in tropical gardens, with bougainvillaea, palms and ferns springing from every angle. Rooms oscillate between a traditional, wicker-and-mahogany aesthetic and a more contemporary one, though all spring to life with bright colours and prints.
A large sun deck, suspended above the sand, makes the most of ethereal beach views, particularly as the sun burns the horizon a deep crimson at sunset. Rum cocktails in hand and deck shoes flicked off, guests relish the Sandpiper’s informal spirit. Even the refined open-air restaurant, ring-fenced by torch-lit tropical gardens and koi ponds, demands little more than a linen shirt for tasty plates of Bajan flying fish, Caribbean shrimp and lobster salads. And while afternoons are easily whiled away alongside the large pool or magazine-ready lap pool lined with inviting creamy parasols, the Coral Club’s palatial spa is but a concierge call away. Rosalyn Wikeley
Address: 59Q6+CWP, Holetown, Barbados
Price: Doubles from £395
Kristopher StreekColony Club by Elegant Hotels
From its swim-up pool rooms to the Rum Vault, where you’ll find 150 varieties of rum and private dining experiences, the offering at Colony Club is all about top-notch sophistication. Originally a private member’s club dating back to the 1930s, it has since shrugged off its outdated colonial associations and replaced them with a cool approach to hospitality.
There are a ton of activities on offer – from paddle-boarding clinics to the ‘Corks and Canvas’ workshop, where you can unleash your inner creative soul while sipping on a rum punch. Feeling jet lagged? Then head to the petite but perfectly formed spa, which offers an exacting list of treatments. The Sun Salutation Ritual harnesses a cocktail of tropical goodies – think papaya and sea salt in a scrub and a body wrap made from cooling aloe – guaranteed to put the zing back in your step.
The 96 bedrooms are chic with contemporary four-poster beds, whitewashed walls and bronze accessories. Adding further charm is a series of lagoon pools, with waterfalls and tropical plants, that meander through the property. Dining brings a touch of pizzazz – with lobster and jazz nights and beach BBQs with steel pan bands. The hotel is also a 10-minute walk from Holetown if you want to dip into the local nightlife. Angelina Villa-Clarke
Address: Colony Club by Elegant Hotels, Porters Road, St. James, BB24033, Barbados
Price: Doubles from £376
Alejandro Ariel RodríguezThe House by Elegant Hotels
Bringing a different dimension to Barbados’ West Coast – more typically the location of larger and swankier hotels – The House is a petite and intimate hotel catering to adults only. With just 34 bedrooms, the vibe here is hands-on and personal. Check-in and kick off your shoes, for you may as well be staying at a friend’s chic beach house. Attentive hotel staff – who are called ‘ambassadors’ – are on hand to deliver home-made ice pops on the beach or to offer a complimentary tour of Hunt’s Gardens, a botanical oasis created in the 1950s, located in the centre of the island.
Bedrooms are pared-back and elegant – from the cool terracotta floors to the oversized padded headboards. Bathrooms continue the refined aesthetic with creamy marble vanities, rainfall showers and full-sized, natural Elemental Herbology products.
Feeling deliciously under the radar, it’s the little thoughtful touches that are The House’s strong point. There is a complimentary jet lag massage, for instance, and a daily choice of wellness activities, including Pilates and meditation sessions. When it comes to dining, the hotel is all-inclusive, but forget unimaginative buffets; the offering is more fine-dining than ‘fill-your-boots’ fare. Champagne breakfasts, Caribbean afternoon tea, and a crowd-pleasing coastal Italian menu at Positano are seriously grown-up, while nightcaps at the 1703 Mount Gay Rum Bar are a fun-fuelled way to end the day Bajan-style. The morning after, you can soothe any sore heads by floating in the tranquil waters of Paynes Bay Beach – known as the best place on the island to bathe. Angelina Villa-Clarke
Address: The House by Elegant Hotels, Paynes Bay, St. James, BB24023, Barbados
Price: Doubles from £807
Fairmont Royal Pavilion
Arriving via the grand palm-tree-lined avenue sets the tone for what is one of the most historic properties in Barbados. The Fairmont Royal Pavilion was formerly The Miramar Hotel, built in the 1940s and the first hotel to be constructed on the West Coast of Barbados. These days, its 12 rooms have since been expanded to 75 showstoppers – all with unspoilt ocean views and featuring handcrafted woodwork, local artworks and smart navy-blue accents.
Stay in one of the ground-floor rooms, and you can pad across the sand every morning for a dip in the sea. Meanwhile, upper-level rooms have their own advantages – breezy terraces with curvy rattan daybeds and endless views over the arc of Alleyne’s Bay. The hotel has heritage sewn into its shell-pink walls, so you can expect traditional afternoon teas and refined Bajan cuisine conjured up by chef Tim Palmer (the crab cake with coconut curry emulsion is the star of the show).
The glorious gardens, originally designed by renowned South American landscape architect, Fernando Tabora, are a joy. Atriums and shady paths are lined with mango, breadfruit, cherry and banana trees; frangipani cascades over courtyards and ponds are pretty with red and white lilies which bloom at night. Book a botanical tour every Wednesday morning to find out more about some of the rare plants and discover that there’s more to this coastline than just the beach. Angelina Villa-Clarke
Address: Fairmont Royal Pavilion, Highway 1, Holetown BB24051, Barbados
Price: Doubles from £967
Tamarind
Tamarind is the most family-friendly hotel in Elegant Hotels’ Barbados portfolio and is perfect for toddlers and teens alike. Set on Paynes Bay, swimming is safe for tiny tots in the crystal waters, while kayaking, sailing, and snorkelling will keep older kids amused for hours. Children can also join a dedicated island experience, during which they learn local phrases, cook typical dishes and take home a Bajan ‘passport’.
Styling is bright and breezy with pops of colour from modern artwork, rugs and printed textiles across the 101 bedrooms. For dining, search out the Bajan specialities, such as flying fish, roti and macaroni pie, or take advantage of the ‘Dine Around’ program at the other Elegant Resorts properties for a change of scenery.
Days at Tamarind start at the Sugar Cane Room, where you can enjoy fresh papaya juice, traditional ‘bakes’ and the fluffiest herb omelettes. Head to the beach for snorkelling – you may spot sea turtles and manta rays – or to one of the three pools, where fruit kebabs and ice lollies are served to cool you down. Angelina Villa-Clarke
Address: Tamarind by Elegant Hotels, Paynes Bay, BB24023, Barbados
Price: Doubles from £520