The Best Hotels in Bridgetown, Barbados

Business travellers don’t need to be stuck at their desk all the time at this contemporary hotel in the centre of Bridgetown, only 8.6 miles (13.8km) from Grantley Adams International Airport. When duty calls, there are pre-bookable meeting rooms and ergonomic workstations at the onsite business centre, but it’s easy to switch off with the hotel’s gym and pool. There’s also a restaurant serving breakfast and dinner in the lobby, while shops and a lovely sandy beach are within walking distance for some proper downtime.

Think all-inclusive means queues at the breakfast buffet and a shortage of sun loungers? Not at the Island Inn Hotel, a charming 24-room property on the south coast of Barbados, steps away from Pebbles Beach. The hotel, within the Garrison Historic Area, was built in 1804 as a military rum storage facility but has now swapped the barrels for a 24-hour lounge, a pool with a soothing fountain backdrop, a bar and a restaurant. The all-inclusive package includes three daily meals, traditional afternoon tea and live entertainment. The staff will even pack you a picnic if you’re spending the day at the beach.

There’s no need to hunt down a decent beach when you stay at the three-star Radisson Aquatica, right in the centre of Bridgetown. The hotel is located right on one of the best stretches of the seafront on the island, so you can torture friends stuck at home with photos of vanilla sand lapped by bath-clear water. If you can drag yourself away, there’s also a sea-facing pool, a snack bar, a restaurant and a fantastic cocktail bar with a daily happy hour.

Prefer the personal touch? The Coconut Court has been owned and managed by the Blades family since 1975 and is still known for its welcoming hospitality, with many guests returning year after year. The spacious rooms overlook palm trees and the Caribbean Sea from a private balcony and come with a refrigerator, microwave kettle and toaster for a homely feel. There are apartments, too, if you prefer fully self-catered accommodation. Otherwise, head out, and enjoy the freshwater swimming pool, weekly entertainment and nearby South Coast Boardwalk, which is lined with shops, bars and restaurants.

There’s hardly any need to leave this fantastic resort, which offers just about everything you could need for a holiday to remember. Built on the 17th-century ruins of the Unesco World Heritage Site Charles Fort, every room has a sea view, and the hotel has direct access to two dreamy white-sand beaches, tennis courts, outdoor pools, a spa and even free water sports to keep you busy. Exhausted just thinking about it? The hotel has a top kids’ club, too, so you’re guaranteed at least some time to relax while your little ones are having fun.

If a holiday isn’t complete for you without total indulgence, book your room at Sandals. This couples-only all-inclusive paradise promises to spoil you rotten, with luxurious rooms, three pools, premium wines and spirits, free land and water sports and unlimited fine dining at 11 restaurants, including a French patisserie, a New York-style steakhouse and an Indian restaurant. Want something even more special? Plump for a swim-up room by the largest river pool in the Caribbean or a suite with a soaking tub on the balcony.

Come back from holiday feeling even more refreshed than usual when you stay at Waves, the very first all-inclusive mind and wellness boutique hotel on the island. Unlimited food and drinks are available, but it’s the thoughtful complimentary extras that really set this resort apart, including motorised water sports and lessons, island tours, yoga and fitness classes, water taxis and even spa treatments. And, did we mention it’s on one of the best beaches in the Caribbean?

Forget about the final bill, and get on with relaxing at the Savannah Beach Hotel, an intimate all-inclusive hotel, where you won’t be sharing space with hundreds of others. There are less than 100 simply elegant rooms at this four-star property, set within a 19th-century plantation house on the island’s south coast. You’ll also find three restaurants, two swimming pools, a full-service spa, a gym, a kids’ club and even a teen den here to keep everyone happy.

Think a holiday in the Caribbean will take a lifetime of savings? Not at the budget-friendly Rostrevor, where you can enjoy all of the perks of a Barbados break without the eye-watering bill. You won’t even need to splash out on restaurants, as all the self-contained rooms have kitchenettes for whipping up meals. There are two reasonably priced restaurants on site as well though, with not one but two daily happy hours. The bars, shops and convenience stores of St Lawrence Gap are right outside, too.

Families will love this all-suite resort right in St Lawrence Gap, where there’s zero chance of holiday boredom setting in. Spend days lounging at three freshwater swimming pools plus a child-friendly wading pool, or spend time at the playground, tennis court, nine-hole mini-golf course, basketball court or spa. If that’s not enough, energetic families can rent everything from bicycles to jet skis or join in poolside activities before some well-earned time on the sun lounger.

Relax completely at the Sugar Bay resort knowing a final bill won’t ruin your holiday glow at the end of it all. Within walking distance of the South Coast Boardwalk in Bridgetown, the all-inclusive hotel is close to nightlife, shopping and attractions, including the Garrison Historic Area. Although, with a tranquil spa, kids’ and teen clubs, four restaurants and even its very own pub, it’s sorely tempting to never leave the hotel itself.

History buffs will be in heaven at the Sweetfield Manor, a colonial building built at the start of the 20th century for a local merchant family. It has since been sympathetically renovated, so guests can glimpse at the past while enjoying the relaxing spa, yoga classes, lagoon-style pool and alfresco fine-dining restaurant. Keep your eyes peeled to spot one of the hotel’s 15 peacocks, who wander freely around the grounds, too.

There’s no need to go far to sample the best of Barbados when you check into the Yellow Bird. This 22-room boutique property in St Lawrence Gap offers guests a more intimate take on island life, with recently renovated rooms and a poolside restaurant serving local Bajan dishes such as the hearty macaroni pie. Head out to the bay in front of the hotel to swim with turtles during the day before partying with locals at nearby bars once the sun goes down.