The luxury villas in Barbados that people often talk about, falls into 3 different types. You have the beachfront houses with the sand on your doorstep, the houses with beach access across the road where you get more space for the money and then there are the hillside estates, where you value privacy over the beach. Worth noting that highway 1 runs behind many beachfront houses and traffic can feel more noticeable on busier mornings. The swimming tends to get calmer the further north you go. If you are planning on visiting Barbados in the high season then expect to pay around US$15,000 (approx £11,200) for a week in a beachfront apartment with 2/3 beds. If you are looking for something more exclusive like an estate, you will be looking of upwards of US$100,000 (approx £75,000). This is not including any tax or service charges, these are charged on top of this fee.
Paynes Bay & Fitts Village
This is a great location for those wanting to be on the sand and walk to dinner, Coral Cove at Paynes Bay comes to mind. The apartments sit on a wide, shelving beach where the water is calm enough for a morning swim and in some cases turtles can be spotted offshore. With Daphne’s just a gentle stroll along the sand and The Cliff just a few minutes drive. Perfect for couples and young families wanting something more sociable over something a little more secluded.
Sandy Lane & Holetown
If you have never been to Barbados, I guarantee you have still heard of Sandy Lane. The most exclusive area on the island. Staying in Sandy Lane estate brings you golf, tennis and access to the estate’s very own beach club. Sandy Lane Beach Club is exclusive to guests staying in the estate villas. With a variety of options to choose from such as Bluff House, which gives you a beach-side option with a private path down to Sandy Lane beach. The estate villas higher up on the hill will have more privacy and a better view. Holetown’s restaurants are just 5 minutes by car.
Porters & Heron Bay
Known on the island to be a bit more quieter and more residential, it contains some of Barbados’s most histroic houses. Such as Heron Bay House, built in coral stone in 1947. Perfect for larger families or people wanting to celebrate in a group. Away from the beach but Holetown is just a short taxi ride away.
The Garden, Gibbs & Mullins
Cove Spring House sits on the coral cliffs at The Garden just a small drive from Gibbs. It has a sheltered cove protected by reef and is only reachable from the house so it is one of the few private beaches on the island and Cove Spring House sleeps up to 20 guests. Carrying on up the hill you have Mullins Mill which is build around a 17th century sugar mill with 8 acres of gardens. Perfect for families wanting character and space. Not to mention that you have Mullins Beach and the SeaShed just 5 minutes drive down the hill with Speightstown a little further.
It is harder to separate the top villas through the photographs as marble and infinity pools are everywhere nowadays. So you have to look into it further, such as:
What we check for doesn’t show in a photograph such as listening out for when the road gets busier, testing the hot water in each bathroom, timing the walk to the beach. Just simply ask the staff how long they have been there to get a better insight into what is around, when is best to visit places and so forth.
If you are looking to do a lot of swimming then you will find the West Coast is gentler than the Atlantic side with Gibbs being arguably the most beautiful beach in Barbados. It is truly breathtaking, with its pale sand and clear waters and the best part, typically there are only a few people on the beach. Going as a family you may find though that Mullins and Paynes Bay are the more reliable choices.
Planning on coming during Christmas & New Year, then the best houses for the festive period are often booked by early autumn so bare that in mind. You will also find that most have a minimum stay of 10-14 nights during this time so if you want to visit in December, we recommend planning a year ahead.
Many UK guests often prefer visiting around January to March due to the school-holiday rush passing and the weather is more dry and settled around this time.
Once you have all those answers, the island rental choices in Barbados become smaller and easier to decide. You can browse our Barbados collection, or talk to us about what you are after and we can tell you which house suits you best.
