Famous around the world for its pinkish-white, sugar-soft beaches and blissful tropical climate softened by the Atlantic trade winds, Barbados has something for everyone, including those who want a dose of full-on indulgence. Some of the world’s finest luxury hotels are located here, and there is some fantastic high-end dining to be had, plus some great activities to try out. We’ve shared some of our top recommendations for luxury holidays in Barbados.
Hotels
Sandy Lane: this most famous of Barbados resorts, which celebrated its 60th birthday in 2021, truly lives up to the hype. It has a heavenly spa (don’t miss the state-of-the-art ‘haute couture’ facials and Bajan sugar cane wraps) and other breathtaking facilities including three golf courses with a combined 45 holes and nine floodlit tennis courts and professional tennis tuition. Set on an ancient waterfront mahogany grove on the island’s Platinum Coast, Sandy Lane is both a glamorous celebrity magnet and an oasis of laidback Caribbean charm.
Fairmont Royal Pavilion: this is another long-standing and deeply elegant resort in a wonderful setting on Alleynes Bay, with landscaped grounds filled with palm, mango, breadfruit, cherry, banana, and frangipani trees. Fairly intimate, it has a brilliant water sports team who will take you swimming from the beach to see turtles, as well as offering kayaking, sailing and stand up paddle boarding. Other activities range from tennis and sociable catamaran cruises to blissed-out yoga on the beach.
Cobblers Cove: named for the frigate birds that fly around the bay, this is another institution dating back more than half a century, and one of very few prestigious Relais & Châteaux properties in the Caribbean. A family-owned, all-suite boutique hotel in a 1940s-built coral stone building in a quiet cove, it feels like an English country house transported to the tropics. It has a reputation for its fine food and wines, with complimentary daily afternoon tea for all guests.
Restaurants
The local dishes in ‘the land of the flying fish’ are colourful and delicious: don’t miss the flying fish with coucou (cornmeal and okra), pudding and souse (pickled pork with spiced sweet potatoes) or delicious street food at the weekly Oistins Fish Fry party. But Barbados is also a place for fine dining, in the above resorts and in other luxury hotels. One of our top recommendations is the Lone Star, a restaurant within a boutique hotel that attracts island residents, celebrities, and foodie travellers with its local produce in dishes blending European flavours with Caribbean influences. It’s also the only restaurant where you can dine directly on the beach.
Things to do in Barbados
Among our favourite things to do in Barbados is a luxury catamaran ride with Cool Runnings, whose friendly crew will cater to your every whim as you bask in the sunshine and stop in sheltered bays to snorkel over shipwrecks and swim near hawksbill, leatherback, and green turtles. Included in your leisurely excursion is a buffet lunch and drinks throughout the day. You can also opt for a sunset cruise or a private charter.
Another top recommendation is taking a tour of the Flower Forest Botanical Gardens on a former sugar plantation, with a lovely trail of colourful plants and trees, plus a café serving flying-fish sandwiches and homemade rum punch.
To book your luxury holiday in Barbados, call your Travel Counsellor today.
Aruba beckons with its serene beauty, making it an irresistible choice for those seeking a luxurious tropical getaway. Aruba boasts award-winning, uncrowded, white-sand beaches that promise a slice of paradise where you can unwind to your heart's content. With guaranteed sunshine, crystal-clear waters, and stunning architecture, Aruba is a gem waiting to be discovered.
The personal experiences of our Travel Counsellors, together with their combined insider knowledge of hotels, resorts, and destinations, ensure that they can hand-pick the very best holidays for your needs.
Continuing the pioneering spirit of the innovative, award-winning Virgin Voyages cruises, Brilliant Lady is set to cross the United States in her highly anticipated 2025 debut season. Highlights among the once-in-a-lifetime five- to 16-night journeys will include a voyage through the Panama Canal and a trip through the glaciers and fjords of Alaska.
