Winter sun in Barbados

Sarah Graham on 20 November 2015
Barbados remains one of my most favourite places to visit and this trip was just as wonderful as all my previous stays.

I am lucky enough to have some great friends out there and this time I stayed with one of them who is in a lovely spot in Dover on the south of the island.

The main purpose of my trip was to visit some more of the island's hotels as I will always match my clients to the right hotel and I believe nothing beats first-hand knowledge of a hotel!

My first stop was the newly opened Sandals Resort which was a mere five minutes stroll from my friend's cottage.

Aimed at couples in love, Sandals Barbados is an ultra-all-inclusive resort based in Dover close to St Lawrence Gap and opened in January 2015. The hotel is situated on a lovely beach with a range of complimentary water sports available. You can also dive for free twice a day if you are certified - or can get certified whilst you are there for an additional fee.

Whilst here I was given a guided tour of the resort including the different rooms and was really impressed! I loved the ocean front rooms and the swim up one bedroom suites were divine. There's so much to do here! The signature Red Lane Spa was a haven of tranquillity and there are 11 choices of places to dine. Speciality coffee and pastries at Café de Paris was lovely for sitting and watching the world go by. Other dining options included a Caribbean seafood restaurant, regional Italian, 'Soy' Japanese, Butch's Chophouse (a New York-style steakhouse) and Bombay Club - Sandals' first ever Indian restaurant.

What I liked about this resort is that there was a spot for everyone. The pool area closest to the beach was the most lively area, but if you want a quieter spot there were cabanas and pool loungers in the pool behind there or the quieter lagoon area for complete peace and quiet.

If you're looking for a luxury adult-only resort, this should tick most of your boxes and if you would like more information or photos, please drop me a line.

Next stop was the newly refurbished Sandpiper up on the West Coast. This re-opened at the beginning of November and was already full when we visited. The rooms are stunning and this is a fabulous place for those looking for some rest and relaxation in luxurious surroundings. We even got to meet Harold from the famous Harold's Bar. The newest addition is the beach villa that was due to open the week after we visited and offers the ultimate space for larger families with the most amazing sea views!

We then wandered up the beach to the sister hotel - Coral Reef. This is a larger resort with spacious accommodation spread out throughout the resort. Lunch in the restaurant looking out to sea was spectacular. The Coral Reef Spa looked amazing and would highly recommend this as a place to go and relax.

Another hotel we visited was The Fairmount Royal Pavilion. Situated on a gorgeous beach in St James, this is a smaller resort with just 72 rooms. I especially loved the ground floor Beachfront Junior Suites with an extended terrace area and direct access to the beach.

Each hotel had something different and I am positive that Barbados has a hotel for everyone and I am certain I can find the right one for you!

The rest of my time was spent checking out some of the other things that Barbados has to offer. I loved the walk along the fabulous promenade from Rockley to Hastings. The views are amazing and there are lots of places to stop off and get a drink. I ended up at the great Farmers Market in Hastings which has lots of stalls selling local produce and found myself chatting to another Manchester lass - Helen Morgan - who now lives there and sells the most gorgeous hand painted wooden signs.

Barbados has so many things to do no matter how energetic or laid back you want to be. Lime Grove is great for a spot of duty-free retail therapy, the east coast is great for surfing and kite-surfing and the centre of the island is great for nature lovers and there is even a drive in cinema where you can catch the latest Hollywood Blockbuster. There are so many great restaurants to choose from and I would be happy to recommend the perfect one’s for you.

Please get in touch if you want to chat about a trip to Barbados.