37 Best Hotels in Barbados

This upscale resort, with pristine coral-stone cottages scattered over 12 acres of flower-filled gardens, offers elegance in a welcoming informal atmosphere. The public areas meander past the cottages, through the gardens, and along the waterfront. Spend days at the beach or around the pool, taking time out for afternoon tea. Garden rooms suit one or two guests and have a small patio or balcony; junior suites have sitting areas and larger patios or balconies. Luxury cottage suites have a plunge pool, bedroom, and separate living room with a sofa bed—great for families. Kids under 5 are not welcome in the dining room after 7:30 pm, but children's room service dinner is available. Five Plantation suites have spacious living rooms, private sundecks and plunge pools, and stereos—and are the only accommodations that come with TVs (though you can request one at no charge). Mingle at the bar before dining in the alfresco terrace restaurant. Pamper yourself with a massage at the on-site spa, one of the island's best.

An intimate vibe and (practically) private beach keep guests coming back to this family-oriented hideaway, with accommodations spread throughout 7 acres of gardens. One- and two-bedroom suites each have a separate living room and full kitchen, and all rooms have a toaster to ensure warm, freshly made toast with your room-service breakfast. Two modern Beach House suites, steps from the sand, have a moveable wall that opens onto a large sundeck with an amazing view of the ocean. Three Tree Top suites are luxuriously spacious, with wraparound terraces with a wet bar and plunge pool and bathrooms as big as some Manhattan apartments. Only the Beach House and Tree Top suites have TV; otherwise, guests may rent one by the week. Water sports, including water-skiing, are complimentary. Scuba diving, children's programs, massage, and other personal services are available nearby at its sister hotel, Coral Reef Club.

Few places in the Caribbean compare to Sandy Lane's luxurious facilities and ultrapampering service—or to its astronomical prices. But for the few who can afford to stay here, it's an unparalleled experience. The main building is a coral-stone, Palladian-style mansion facing a sweeping stretch of beach shaded by mature trees. Guest accommodations, sumptuous in every detail, range from just over 700 to more than 7,000 square feet! Even the smallest units include several TVs and other electronics, full in-room wet bar, a personal butler, and remote-controlled everything—including the draperies. The amazing and enormous (47,000 square feet) spa, housed in a magnificent Romanesque building, is a vacation in itself. Add elegant dining, the Caribbean's best golf courses, a tennis center, a full complement of water sports, a special lounge for teenagers, incomparable style—even an airport welcome and round-trip transfers via luxury car.

Flanked by tropical gardens on one side and the sea on the other, this English country–style resort has 10 two-story cottages, each with 4 elegant suites that include a bedroom, a comfy sitting room with sofa bed, a small library, and a wall of louvered shutters that open wide to a patio. For all-out luxury, the sublime (and enormous) Colleton and Camelot penthouse suites, on the top floor of the main building, each have a richly decorated sitting room, king-size four-poster bed, dressing room, whirlpool bath, private sundeck, and large plunge pool. Socializing occurs in the library, which doubles as a TV lounge, and at the alfresco Camelot Restaurant, which receives well-deserved raves.

The signature hotel of seven Elegant Hotel properties on Barbados is certainly elegant, but with a quiet, friendly, understated style primarily targeted to adults. A lagoon pool meanders through 7 acres of gardens, and 20 rooms have private access to the lagoon directly from their patios. Relax on the beach, soak in one of four pools, and enjoy an exquisite meal in the open-air Laguna Restaurant. Motorized and nonmotorized water sports, an in-pool scuba-diving lesson, and tennis are all included. A free water taxi provides transportation to three sister hotels located along the West Coast.

Hugging a seaside bluff on the Southeast Coast, The Crane incorporates the island's oldest hotel in continuous operation; the original coral-stone hotel building (1887) is the centerpiece of a luxurious 40-acre villa complex that includes private residences, numerous pools, restaurants, bars, and even a little village. The 18 historic hotel rooms and suites are decorated with original antiques; corner suites have walls of windows and wraparound patios or balconies with panoramic views of the sea. The upscale private residences—in a half-dozen modern high-rise buildings and three lower-profile buildings in a park setting—are spacious individually owned condos with hardwood floors, hand-carved four-poster beds, multiple bathrooms with spa showers, fully equipped kitchens, and private plunge pools; some have rooftop terraces. The huge pool complex closer to the villas includes a spa pool, built in a cliff-top ruin with a 360-degree view, and four connecting pools and other water features. Reef-protected Crane Beach is 98 steps (or a glass-walled elevator ride) down the cliff. You'll need to rent a car if you expect to spend much time away from the resort grounds.

This sustainable boutique hotel is inspired by its natural surroundings—a cliff overlooking the sea that's thick with palm trees and other tropical foliage. Each guest room faces the ocean and benefits from the sea breezes. The main house has four guest rooms on the ground floor, each with a kitchenette (no stove for cooking), patio, and ceiling fan. Two suites on the top floor, one with a full kitchen, can be combined as a two-bedroom apartment. A cottage next door has two air-conditioned studios, also with kitchenettes, that can be connected to become a large suite. All rooms are furnished in a "modern Bohemian" style that includes antiques, local arts and crafts, Bajan artwork, and pops of color. The property has a sauna, a babbling brook, and beautiful views of the East Coast. The ECO restaurant is one of the best on the island, with an authentic, farm-to-table, primarily plant-based and organic menu created by a Cordon Bleu--trained chef. Rugged terrain, stone paths, and rooms on varying levels make this property less than ideal for people with disabilities. In addition, no children under 12 years of age are allowed.

Privacy, luxury, and service are hallmarks of this intimate adults-only sanctuary adjacent to sister resort, Tamarind. The 34 junior and one-bedroom suites wrap around a central courtyard filled with tropical trees, plants, and water features. Guest rooms are elegantly decorated; beds and pillows are big, soft, and fitted with luxurious Egyptian cotton linens. Personalized attention creates a welcoming feel, as does 24-hour "ambassador" service and a complimentary jet-lag revival massage upon arrival—in your room, on the seaside yoga pavilion, or in the spa. Dine beachfront in a private cabana or at The Deck. You can also enjoy the restaurants, pools, and water-sports opportunities—including complimentary windsurfing, bodyboarding, kayaking, water-skiing, tube rides, banana boats, and sailing on a Hobie Cat—at Tamarind. Champagne breakfast, afternoon tea, and canapés at sundown make The House a home.

Perched on a ridge about a mile from downtown Bridgetown, this restored plantation house (circa 1900) was once the residence of the Dutch ambassador and is now a delightful bed-and-breakfast. The main living and dining rooms, guest rooms, and carriage-house suite are individually furnished with antiques and art. Each morning, the chef prepares a fabulous four-course breakfast—fresh-squeezed juices, tasty egg dishes, local fruit, and home-baked treats—and high tea is served daily in the large formal dining room. Lunch or dinner is available upon request. Tropical trees and plants surround a small natural-rock swimming pool tucked into the broad lawn. Sweetfield Manor is a great choice for solo travelers and couples—for a night or two or a week or two.

A full-service resort in the middle of the busy South Coast, Accra is large, modern, and competitively priced—with a great beach. Most rooms overlook the large cloverleaf pool or the beach, and some of the oceanfront suites have hot tubs on the balconies; six duplex penthouse suites—the priciest accommodations—face the sea. The budget-minded can opt for the less expensive "island view" rooms, which face the street. It's not unusual to witness a local couple getting married here, and the hotel is a popular meeting venue for local businesspeople. That shouldn't interrupt your day lazing on the beach, mingling at the poolside swim-up bar, being pampered at the spa, or dining by the sea at Accra Deck Restaurant or on Asian cuisine at Pacifika Kitchen.

Renowned for its spectacular oceanfront location, this hotel has been a fixture on the rugged East Coast for more than a century. All units are luxuriously furnished with antiques as well as the latest technology; for example, guests can stream films directly to their room TV from the hotel's movie library. Oceanfront rooms have large windows that open to brisk sea breezes and amazing views of pounding surf, just a stone's throw away. Quieter rooms and suites in the back have views of the coast. Large bathrooms are splendid and modern. With its deck overlooking the ocean, the restaurant is a favorite, particularly for the West Indian buffet lunch on Wednesday and Sunday.

Designed with families in mind, this four-story all-inclusive hotel (with elevators) sits on a beautiful stretch of South Coast beach, and for the price of your room, you can enjoy activities ranging from beach volleyball or miniature golf to nature walks. If you like real golf, special packages are offered in conjunction with the nearby Barbados Golf Club. So grab a bodyboard or kayak and hit the water—or take a scuba-diving lesson in the pool. Join the aerobics class in the pool or in the gym, or sit by the pool (there's a separate one for kids) and socialize while working on your tan. Meals in the Poolside Restaurant are leisurely and informal, with theme menus that feature Chinese, Italian, barbecue, and Caribbean dishes. The Reef View Restaurant is a little more formal.

Attractive seaside town houses, each with a separate entrance, wrap around the pool or face the beachfront; the suites, decorated in appealing Caribbean pastels, are huge compared with hotel suites elsewhere in this price range and have full kitchens. Each also has a sitting area with a pull-out sofa—great for families with small kids. All suites have balconies or terraces that overlook either a pool and gardens or the sea; four units have a private plunge pool. Guests may have groceries delivered to their room or prestocked before arrival. You can even arrange for a private cook, who will prepare Bajan specialties. There are two on-site restaurants and weekly live entertainment—including a Caribbean-style floor show. A kids' club and games room keep children occupied when they're not at the beach. The minimum stay in high season is seven nights.

This is one of the island's few adults-only (age 16 and up) all-inclusive resorts and the only one on the West Coast; only spa and salon services and room service cost extra. Several rooms and suites face the sea, although most units in this horseshoe-shape property overlook the pools and gardens. The balcony view from oceanfront rooms, however, is exceptional. Guests enjoy a lavish breakfast buffet, four-course lunch, afternoon tea, and intimate dinner service, all presented in the oceanfront Sunset Restaurant; or you can enjoy classic West Indian cuisine at Enid's, the colorful Bajan restaurant that is open for dinner and special events. There's nightly entertainment and an air-conditioned piano bar; Rum Shop Bar and Beach Bar are casual meeting spots during the day.

This family-run, modest but recently renovated hotel is popular among families, who love the activities room for kids, the kitchenettes, and the convenient beachfront location. Nearly all rooms stretch right along the powdery white sand, and the views and ocean breezes from the private balconies—all day and into the evening—are nothing short of spectacular. (A few units in a small annex across the street have no ocean views.) Accommodations are designated either rooms or studios—the main difference being that the rooms have a refrigerator, microwave, toaster, and electric kettle, whereas the studios have a full kitchenette with all the accoutrements found in the rooms plus an oven and stove. A minimum five-night stay is required in high season.

Comfortable, contemporary, and convenient, this hotel is pleasant and the rooms are well appointed. The informal Centro restaurant serves breakfast, plus light lunches and dinners; vending machines dispense snacks. There's a lap pool on the second-floor terrace, a fitness center, a guest laundry, a business center, and meeting space.

This seaside colony of attached duplex cottages, whitewashed and trimmed in perky pastels, appeals to both couples and families. Each room is bright and spacious with a balcony or patio, most have hammocks and a water view, and some are literally inches from the beach. Winding garden paths connect the units, which spill down a hillside to the beach, where you can swim, sail, snorkel, water-ski, windsurf, or kayak to your heart's content—or play tennis, dip in the pool, or luxuriate at the spa. Guests enjoy buffets and snacks at Drifters Beach Bar and a table-d'hôte menu at Reflections Restaurant. Each night there's entertainment in the form of a steel band or other live music. For a change of scene, a free water taxi travels all day long (weather permitting) between sister properties on the West Coast.

This all-suites resort is situated on 20 acres of lawn and gardens bisected by action-packed St. Lawrence Gap. The property south of The Gap wraps around a stunning half mile of Dover Beach, where 16 beach villas provide an intimate setting steps from the sand. The bulk of the suites, however, are north of The Gap in a large three-story building offering garden and pool views. All suites have separate bedrooms, sofa beds in the sitting room, and full kitchens. There's a minimart for snacks and items to whip up for lunch or dinner—or dine at pureocean, the beachside restaurant. There's a full-service spa, and guests can play tennis, basketball, and miniature golf. And it's all within walking distance of shops, restaurants, and nightspots.

Every unit in this luxurious resort has immediate access to 11 acres of tropical gardens and an uninterrupted sea view from a broad balcony or patio. From ground-floor patios, you can step directly onto the sand. In the style of a Barbadian plantation house, the rooms have rich mahogany furniture, local artwork and sisal rugs on tile floors. The resort's traditional personalized service continues on the beach, where beach butlers cater to your every seaside whim. There is also an on-site kids' club. Breakfast and lunch are served alfresco at Taboras Restaurant overlooking the beach; afternoon tea and dinner take place in the exquisite Palm Terrace Restaurant.

Beautifully situated on the sandy Needham's Point peninsula, all 350 units in this high-rise resort hotel have private balconies overlooking either the ocean or Carlisle Bay; 77 rooms on executive floors offer a private lounge and concierge services. Butler service is also available for an additional charge, regardless of room type. As it is just minutes from Bridgetown and the property has the largest hotel meeting space in Barbados, meetings are big business here. Yet the broad white-sand beach, the sprawling bi-level pool complex, and a host of activities on land and sea—both on-site and nearby—make this a hit with vacationing families, as well. Children under 18 stay free in a room with adults. Babysitting can also be arranged for a fee.

Constructed in 1804 as a rum storage facility for the British Regiment, this charming, all-inclusive boutique hotel—less than a mile from Bridgetown and steps away from beautiful Pebbles Beach on Carlisle Bay—appeals to singles, couples, and families. Modern, attractively decorated rooms (just 24 of them) form a horseshoe around the pool and gardens. The bathrooms are large and, well, stunning. Guests love the walk-in closets, too. The dining room serves three meals a day, both local and international cuisine, and the chef will prepare a picnic for you to take to the beach or on a day's outing. There's also entertainment on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday evenings, as well as a rum tasting on Wednesday. A scuba-diving lesson in the pool is included. And for a change of pace, try your luck at the slot machines in the arcades next door and across the street.

Just east of the fishing village of Oistins, this classy boutique hotel has a distinctly Mediterranean atmosphere and a perfect vantage point overlooking the sea. Beautifully appointed rooms are decorated with Italian fabrics, local pottery, and terrazzo flooring. Bathrooms have showers only and locally made earthenware sinks. The pool is on the roof, alongside the open-air Cafe Luna restaurant. Two suites each have a kitchen and a large oceanfront patio with a private hot tub. Guests who book a 10-day stay are entitled to a choice of a complimentary round of golf at the Barbados Golf Club, an in-room Champagne breakfast and massage at the minispa, or a fully catered day sail. Leave the kids at home, as Little Arches offers pure romance—and only accepts kids ages 16 and up.

A cluster of spacious self-catering cottages, built in updated chattel-house style with gingerbread balconies, overlooks a narrow strip of beach north of Speightstown just beyond the fishing community of Six Men's Bay. This little enclave of one-, two-, and three-bedroom (mostly) duplex suites is a perfect choice for self-sufficient travelers who don't need the hand-holding that resorts provide and who relish the chance to experience a delightful slice of Bajan village life. Two large suites are directly on Shermans Bay beach, sharing a building—an old stone fort with louvered shutters on the windows—with the excellent hotel restaurant, The Fish Pot. You can arrange for a personal cook from the restaurant and stocked groceries upon arrival. Although you're mostly on your own in terms of recreation, the hotel will arrange activities and tours. There are two pools on-site, and snorkeling equipment is available to use at the beach. For total relaxation, there's an inviting little spa. 

A 1940s-era service station just north of Holetown was transformed into a sleek beachfront boutique hotel that—fortunately or unfortunately—has since been discovered by celebrities. The hotel's six large, architecturally fascinating suites—two penthouse suites, two oceanfront, and two in a separate beach house—are elegantly decorated in neutral colors and furnished with enormous Bajan mahogany beds and chic Italian-designed upholstered chairs, sofas, and settees. The bathrooms are stunning. Each suite—appropriately dubbed Buick, Cadillac, Studebaker, Lincoln, Shelby, and Corvette—has its own communications and entertainment center. A shady terrace overlooks the beach; golf, tennis, fishing, snorkeling, scuba diving, and horseback riding are available nearby. The beachfront restaurant has a great atmosphere.

This beachfront resort in the heart of Holetown is within walking distance of shops, restaurants, nightspots, historic sights, and the public bus to Bridgetown and Speightstown. All-inclusive rates include accommodations, meals, brand-name beverages, and a host of water sports (including water-skiing), as well as off-property sightseeing experiences such as a glass-bottom boat trip, a shopping excursion to Bridgetown, and a catamaran day sail along the coast. A partially enclosed dining room provides both alfresco and air-conditioned dining options; dinner cuisine is superb.

A luxury residential marina development near historic Speightstown, Port St. Charles is a great choice for boating enthusiasts who either arrive on their own yacht or plan to charter one during their stay. Each villa is an intimate private home, decorated by the individual owners, with its own megayacht berth. Port St. Charles also serves as a customs and immigration port of entry for boaters. Villas have from one to six bedrooms that surround the protected lagoon or face the beach. Many units have private plunge pools. Complimentary water taxis ferry guests around the property during the day—including to the pool and pool bar at Sunset Island in the middle of the lagoon.

Rooms in this high-rise hotel overlooking pretty Carlisle Bay, just south of Bridgetown, are modern and sleek with espresso-color furniture, sparkling white linens, and each with a desk with ergonomic chair, comfortable sitting chair and ottoman, 42-inch flat-screen TV, a mini-refrigerator, and the latest in-room technology. Vacationers love the magnificent white-sand beach—and its crystal-clear water and gentle waves—that stretches completely around the bay, as well as its proximity to The Garrison Historic Area, local restaurants, and other activities. At the same time, businesspeople find the location (and meeting space) convenient to Bridgetown. A breakfast buffet and other meals are served at the Aquatic Club restaurant, which is located on a long pier that extends into the sea; Neptune's Grill, on the beach, serves breakfast, lunch, and all-day snacks.

It's hard to tell which is more appealing: the view of the rugged coastline or the magnificent historic (1832) manse strategically perched on the cliff to take advantage of the view. Guest rooms are tastefully decorated in subdued colors and attractively furnished. Each room has a great view of the ocean, and some rooms look out onto the pretty courtyard. Room 3 opens to a large sundeck with a small plunge pool. Although few activities are offered on the property itself, snorkeling, diving, horseback riding, hiking, and surfing at nearby Bathsheba's Soup Bowl can be arranged.

Romance is definitely in the air at this truly magnificent (couples-only) Sandals property, which surrounds an 8-acre garden and lagoon—the longest and largest in Barbados. Crystal Lagoon Village offers spacious suites, each with a separate sitting room and stocked bar, an oversize spa-style bathroom with an enormous soaking tub for two, swim-up suites on the first floor, and upper-floor suites with a second soaking tub (also for two) on the balcony. Rooms in Ocean Village offer panoramic views of Turtle Beach and the sea beyond. Caribbean Village is convenient to the pool and cabanas. Choose among 11 dining venues (including Indian, Japanese, seafood, English pub, regional Italian, pizza, French patisserie, and New York–style steak house) and endless activities, all included. As a special indulgence (at extra cost), a personal butler will provide attentive service—including drawing a bubble bath complete with Champagne and snacks, making dinner reservations, reserving a particular pool chaise, setting up tours, and more.

Located along the busy Worthing Main Road along the South Coast, this beachfront all-inclusive resort offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner at two restaurants (dress code in effect). It is located along a turtle nesting area and offers mostly sea views. There are different categories of rooms, including a penthouse that can accommodate up to four people, with a mixture of modern decor and contemporary finishes.