Barbados has always been on my bucket list. At the dawn of this year, I had been lucky enough to go to the Caribbean once before, and despite my experience being limited, had declared every rumour to be true. The turquoise, palm tree-lined ocean sparkles from dawn ‘til dusk, locals have a warm and impossibly contagious energy, and every sunset is a spectacle.
With Jamaica ticked off the “must-visit” list during a pre-pandemic jaunt, Barbados was next up, and while I was fairly sure I wasn’t going to need convincing of its powers of relaxation, I was a little confined to the opinion of it being a destination for sickeningly-smitten couples and no-one else.
I was, wonderfully, so wrong. Look beyond the Caribbean's appeal with honeymooners – and those after nothing more than a “fly-and-flop” get-away – and you’ll realise there’s *so* much more on offer than you ever imagined.
Barbados is, in fact, up there as one of the most appealing destinations I’ve been to for both a slightly-splash-out girls’ holiday (the flight is direct, time difference minimal and the rum punch almost too readily available) or a safe and grounding solo trip. Particularly under the hospitality of one of the island’s seven luxurious Elegant Hotels, among the best hotels in Barbados. Perhaps this recounting of my holiday will act as proof.
Genuine essentials, not “nice-to-haves."
Two of the hotels owned and operated by Marriott International's Elegant Hotels acted as two contrasting yet equally divine homes for the duration of my stay: The House – an intimate and boutique property with on-site spa and complimentary water sports – and Colony Club, a 96-room resort with swim-up bars and all manner of foodie experiences on offer.
First stop: The House, said small and intimate adults-only hotel which – despite being owned by Marriott – feels very much family-owned, chic and personal.
It’d be easy to assume that my arrival at the hotel along a lily-pad-lined walkway, at sunset – when the property’s beachfront bar had become a striking silhouette against a vibrant pink and orange sky – was what cemented my adoration for the hotel. And while it certainly helped, it was actually everything that followed which sealed the deal.
The Champagne breakfast offering, the eggs-to-order every morning, the spacious rooms, insanely comfortable beds and the beachfront location. The hotel backs onto Paynes Bay, which serves up the chance to walk almost the entire St. James coastline without stepping away from the sand. Oh, and the staff's can-do attitude. They didn't even twitch when I locked myself out of my room at midnight.
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It's also worth noting the plethora of pampering perks at The House. Every guest to check in receives a complimentary Jet Lag massage, so naturally – after a severely delayed flight and unpleasant experience with turbulence – I ran to the on-site spa.
It’s a little tricky to find, hidden away in a quiet corner of the property, but that only makes it more special. My therapist had me complete a short questionnaire on arrival to decipher which massage I'd receive: Water, Air, Fire or Earth – a concept that made the whole thing feel really tailored to my needs.
No surprises that Air was my massage-of-choice, where lavender essential oils and a featherlight pressure promised to act as the ultimate antidote to a naturally anxious personality. It worked – but my only tripe was that the complimentary thirty minutes went by far too quickly. Spend a little money extending your time slot, if you can.
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Once sufficiently relaxed, food lovers can enjoy an abundance of culinary delights during their stay at The House. In fact, the food I ate made my stay, falling second only to the sunsets – and on-par with the service.
We began our first evening with pre-dinner cocktails and canapés on the beach during a seriously special sunset picnic served up by an attentive group of The House staff. This was a must-experience, in my books: there's nothing quite like toasting to the end of a long, hard day on a sun lounger to the backdrop of the sparkling ocean and golden sky.
New to the West Coast's dining scene is the brand's latest dining outlet, Positano: the location for our next, post-massage culinary experience on the island. Designed to immerse guests in an authentic Italian experience, the seafront restaurant – which sits a stones throw away from your bedroom – serves handmade pasta, wood-fired pizzas and epic cocktails. I beg you not to leave with trying the fantastically indulgent tiramisu.
And where to visit on those evenings when you feel an urge to leave the resort for the evening? The House's sister hotel, Treasure Beach, of course. You can take a five minute walk along the beach to reach it (or a humorously short shuttle bus ride along the road), and the winding resort paths will lead you to the star of the resort's show: Tapestry Restaurant. Treasure Beach’s Head Chef, Nicholas Frederick, is on-hand to serve up a feast of modern Bajan gastronomy in the Wine Cellar, which feels wonderfully private and set-back from the (sometimes rather loud) evening entertainment outside.
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Leaving The House would've been almost impossible had it not been for a second – and my favourite – Elegant Hotels property softening the blow. Just a short drive up the West Coast of Barbados sits Colony Club (which could be visited during the day as a guest of The House without staying overnight). It's well set back from the main road, but just a ten minute walk to the bars, restaurants and shops of Holetown. It can also be reached – along with the other Elegant Hotels on the same coastline – by free water taxi.
The vibe is entirely different to The House. Sure, neither of them are flashy – both incredibly civilised with beachfront locations on safe-for-swimming waters – but this place is much bigger. The grounds are spacious, tropical, inhabited by monkeys and with plenty to explore: countless lagoon-style swimming pools, swim-up bars, waterfalls and herb gardens.
My room was tucked away near to said gardens, and despite being on the ground floor, felt perfectly private. A small terrace, complete with day bed, dining set and my very own yoga mat, backed onto one many curvaceous lagoon pools, making it the perfect spot from which to relax when you fancied avoiding the beach.
When I was at the beach, a few small touches made my experience a total treat. Sun cream is supplied for free, waiter service is available to all of the iconic red sun beds, and refreshments like ice cream, watermelon, pesto toast and cold flannels are delivered to your bedside at regular intervals throughout the day.
I suppose this is a good place to nod to the food, once again. Just as good here as it is at The House – if not better, to be honest – culinary experiences include said breakfast, an organic garden tour, “Garden to Plate” cooking demonstrations (where passionate Barbadian chefs use herbs and vegetables grown in their very own garden to serve up the freshest fish lunch you'll tuck into) and dinner at the Rum Vault.
Here lies one of the highlights of my trip. Just when you thought there weren't enough Colony Club highlights to persuade you back year-after-year, the hotel opened a first-of-its-kind Rum Vault. A vault which boasts 150 rums from all over the world: Barbados, obviously, as well as South America, Japan, Fiji and Mauritius.
The friendly, knowledgeable and impossibly funny on-site Rum Ambassador (*what* a title), Corey Sobers, entertains guests night-after-night with impressive mixology skills and dinner pairings. And trust me when I tell you that you don't need to be a rum connoisseur – or even lover – to enjoy it.
Despite my rambling, it's not just food-themed experiences that'll make your Barbadian holiday a delight. The Colony Club serves up water sports galore (snorkelling, paddle boarding, kayaking, waterskiing and banana boating are all on-tap) as well as two tennis courts – and BTMI excursions are easy to come by.
A day spent on the water was one of my highlights of the trip – not least for the hearty chicken pasta lunch. Book with Calabaza Sailing Cruises (in partnership with BTMI) for a 9am start, countless opportunities to snorkel, rum punch on tap and a bit of a boat party. I also loved taking part in a BTMI-operated walking tour of Bridgetown, where a friendly guide showed us not only the historical and cultural talking points of bustling and colourful capital, but the most popular food vendors in the city, too. Don't fill yourself up too much before reaching the traditional Bajan bakery: the lentil pastries are to die for.
Check availability at Colony Club via Expedia, Booking.com and Marriott here. You can check availability for The House via Expedia, Booking.com and the Marriott site, too.
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