St James Photo: Sandy Lane Sandy Lane
The island's grandest hotel, with three golf courses and a large spa.
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barbados
Barbados is one of the easiest islands in the Caribbean to reach, with direct flights from the UK and plenty of British influence, from cricket to afternoon tea.
The calm west coast is lined with classic hotels and beach restaurants, while the wild Atlantic east coast feels like another island altogether. In between are rum distilleries, gardens, plantation houses and Bridgetown, a UNESCO World Heritage city.
where to go
Calm, clear water and the island's best hotels, from Paynes Bay to Speightstown.
Restaurants, boutiques and the site of the first English settlement in 1627.
A quieter fishing town at the north end of the platinum coast.
The UNESCO-listed old town and its historic military district.
The rugged east coast, known for its rock formations and surf.
The south coast fishing town famous for its Friday night fish fry.
when to go
Barbados is warm all year, with the driest weather from December to May.
December to April
Sunny, dry and breezy. Peak season, with the polo and Holetown Festival.
May to July
Hotter and quieter, with better value. Crop Over builds to Kadooment Day in early August.
August to October
The wettest months and the highest risk of storms. Quiet and good value, though some hotels close for a few weeks.
where to stay
St James Photo: Sandy Lane The island's grandest hotel, with three golf courses and a large spa.
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Speightstown Photo: Cobblers Cove A small Relais & Châteaux hotel with a relaxed, English country-house feel.
Ask us about this hotelPaynes Bay
Adults-only and calm, with its own ambassadors to look after you.
Ask us about this hotelSt James
Every room faces the sea, with a quiet stretch of west coast beach.
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St Philip Photo: The Crane Looking for something different? We know many more hotels and villas in Barbados, and we'll happily suggest the right one for you.
experiences
A private catamaran along the west coast, with snorkelling and lunch on board.
Grilled fish, music and dancing with locals and visitors alike.
A Jacobean plantation house with its own rum and heritage railway.
Learn how Barbados rum is made at one of the island's oldest distilleries.
Watch a match between January and May, with tea afterwards.
One of the Caribbean's best-known restaurants, set above the sea.
December to May is the driest time. Summer is hotter but quieter and better value.
Yes. There are direct flights from several UK airports, taking around 8 to 9 hours.
The west coast for calm water and the classic hotels; the south coast for a livelier feel; the east coast for drama and walking.
Very. Hotels are welcoming to children, the sea is calm on the west coast, and there is plenty to do.
pair it with
Seven hundred islands and cays, with pink-sand beaches and some of the clearest water in the world.
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Grace Bay's powder-soft sand and calm, shallow water. Wonderful for families and for doing very little.
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Seven Mile Beach, superb diving and excellent restaurants, all very easy and well organised.
Exploreget in touch
Tell us your dates and we'll plan a Barbados holiday around the things you love.
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