Luxury Barbados holidays

Best luxury destinations in Barbados

You won’t have to look far to find luxury destinations in Barbados as the island is brimming with breathtaking scenery, an abundance of activities and plenty of sightseeing.

To experience postcard-perfect Barbados at its best, the west coast, nicknamed the Platinum Coast, for its pure white sands is certainly worth a visit. The Platinum Coast boasts a wealth of impressive accommodation and some reasonably priced ones too. You will also find a selection of upmarket restaurants to choose from in the St. James parish. Visit Paynes Bay in the parish of St James for its idyllic beach, and perfect sunbathing spots.

For a more cultural experience, the charming colonial capital Bridgetown is renowned for its excellent shopping on Broad Street and Swan Street. Check out the home of Barbados cricket at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown. Take a trip to the Barbados Polo Club in St James to catch a game of polo and soak up the lively atmosphere with a glass of traditional rum punch in hand.

The parish of St. Peter is a slightly quieter region of Barbados, but what it lacks in activities, it makes up for in beaches. Head to Mullins to try your hand at some of the watersports on offer or relax in the sunshine at the calmer Gibbs Beach, boasting beautiful golden sands and stunning sunset views.

Best beaches in Barbados

The west coast has earned its name as the Platinum Coast, thanks to its silky white sands and exclusive clientele. Arguably the most well-known, beautiful beach on the west coast is Sandy Lane. It has calm, warm, turquoise waters and palm trees lined up along the sand. The west coast is known for its stunning stretches of warm, crystal clear sea and blissful vibe.

Head to Carlisle Bay with two gorgeous beaches to choose from, Pebbles Beach and Brownes Beach. Here you can go diving and discover one of its many shipwrecks. If you’re after a more activity-based beach with stronger waves and an impressive array of watersports, then head over to the south coast. Hastings Beach is a notable spot with an abundance of sea life such as eels and turtles.

Just north of Bridgetown lies the idyllic Paradise beach, which can be described as an oasis of calm. This is a great place for swimming and maxin’ relaxin’. For a more active beach, check out Paynes Bay in the Platinum (west) Coast, where you can hire jet skis and hop on a boat tour with snorkel equipment included. Jump off the boat into the big blue sea to spot some hawksbill and leatherback turtles.

Fine dining in Barbados

• The Cliff – Poster boy of Bajan fine dining, The Cliff’s setting is as good as it sounds and the food even better. Book as soon as you’ve secured your package because tables here are hotter than hotcakes.
• The Tides – Awesome seafood, Asian flavours, Atlantic views. Come multiple times, so you can dine in the Tree House, Centre Lanai and chic Gazebo areas.
• Fusion Rooftop – Feng shui vibes and fine sushi in a Holetown penthouse – come at night when the retracting roof reveals the stars…
• Bajan Blue – Long lunches, divine dinners and the famous Royal afternoon tea. Bang on the beachfront.
• Cin Cin by the Sea – raise your glasses, toast to west coast sunsets, then devour your pick of the Mediterranean-meets-Caribbean menu.
• L’Acajou – flavours from France and the Med, served with stonking good wines right on the beach.
• Daphne’s – fresh seafood Italian style, to be scoffed while staring over Payne’s Bay – a celebrity favourite.
• L’Azure – you’ll be daydreaming about your dinner here weeks after. Azure’s Caribbean seafood can’t be beaten - and if that doesn’t get you drooling, the views over Crane Bay will.
• Champers – exotic seafood sates your taste buds, and after an après-dinner stroll around the art gallery upstairs, you’ll have been spoiled culinarily and culturally.

Best luxury & 5-star hotels in Barbados

Attracting a fleet of celebrity clientele, Barbados certainly has no shortage of 5-star hotels. Boasting some of the best luxurious resorts in the world; we’ve chosen our top four five-star hotels in Barbados:

Sandals Royal Barbados (adult only) in St Lawrence Gap is all-inclusive with everything you could possibly want at your fingertips. Elegantly designed and exclusively catered for couples.

Sandy Lane in St James is often considered as the crème de la crème of a five-star hotel in Barbados. With an abundance of facilities from a luxury spa to a renowned golf course, and second to none service, this is one for the bucket list.

Cobblers Cove in Speightstown boasts an enviable beachfront location and offers a fantastic range of water activities. The family-owned hotel caters for families with children over 12 years old.

The Sandpiper in St James is a stylish luxury ideal for couples and families with a host of watersports on offer at the beach right at the doorstep and first-class restaurants, as well as polo grounds and golf course.