Spa and Beach Vacation Guru

On the West Coast

Cobblers Cove Hotel $$$$

“English Country" best describes the style of this pretty-in-pink resort, which is favored by wealthy British sophisticates who return year after year. The resort is flanked by tropical gardens on one side and the sea on the other. This former mansion on a white-sand beach is built in a mock-medieval style on the site of a former British fort. A member of Relais & Châteaux, the hotel is a favorite honeymoon retreat.

Elegant suites are housed in 10 Iberian-style villas, situated throughout lush gardens. Each unit has a spacious living room, a private balcony or patio, and a wet bar. Each year nine bedrooms are completely redecorated, so the property is always in top-notch condition. The spacious bathrooms come with combination tub/showers. Two of the most exclusive accommodations on the entire island are the Camelot and Colleton suites, on the rooftop of the original mansion; they're beautifully decorated and offer panoramic views of both the beach and the garden.

Each have richly decorated sitting rooms, king-size four-poster beds, enormous dressing rooms, whirlpool baths, private sundecks, and plunge pools for all-out luxury.

The Terrace Restaurant is generally lighter and more refined than the heavier French food offered at some of its competitors along the Gold Coast. The open-air dining room overlooks the sea
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Address: Road View, Speightstown, St. Peter, Barbados
Phone: 246/422-2291
Fax: 246/422-1460

Sandy Lane Hotel & Golf Club $$$$

Few places on earth can compare to Sandy Lane's luxurious facilities and ultra-pampering service -- or to its astronomical prices. Taking "upscale" to an entirely new level, Sandy Lane is by far the priciest and most exclusive resort in Barbados and is among the most expensive in the world, but for the few who can afford to stay here -- royals, celebrities, and business moguls among them -- it's an unparalleled experience.

Tiger Woods rented the whole place out for his 2004 wedding, and other celeb guests include Beyoncé and Jay-Z, Jerry Seinfeld, and Cindy Crawford. Ronald Tree, an heir to the Marshall Field's department store fortune, constructed Sandy Lane in the 1960s. After falling into neglect, it was rescued in 1997 by Irish investors, who poured US$350 million into its reconstruction. Fortunately, its pristine beach set against a backdrop of swaying palms needed no such rehabilitation.
The Palladian-style Sandy Lane is practically identical to its first incarnation, with the addition of a mammoth spa, better restaurants, and a trio of golf courses. You'll feel like royalty when checking in -- especially when your valet unpacks your suitcase. On request, guests can be picked up at the airport in the hotel's Bentley.

The rooms are furnished grandly, with lots of extras not found at any of its competitors -- such as a motion-sensor alarm to alert maids you're in the room, and a marble shower with seven adjustable nozzles. Accommodations are decorated mostly with redwood furnishings, each with a king-size bed or two twins. The bathrooms are the most luxurious on the island, and in addition to the shower, also contain oversize tubs and a bidet.

Four on-site restaurants offer the finest hotel dining on Barbados and serve mostly a French or Mediterranean cuisine. There's also the Spa Cafe for the weight conscious. The world-class 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…you get the picture. Sandy Lane is extraordinary.

Address: Hwy. 1, Paynes Bay, St. James, Barbados
Phone: 246/444-2000
Fax: 246/444-2222

The House $$$$

The House is a sanctuary of tranquillity and privacy, with the most personal service in Barbados. This exclusive retreat doesn't even call itself a hotel but "a concept." On your arrival, an "ambassador," clad in white linen, appears to serve you during your stay. The approach to the complex sets the tone, as you go over a wooden bridge across a lake studded with water lilies, passing along blossoming bougainvillea. Each unit is a luxuriously furnished suite containing many thoughtful extras such as Evian water and fresh fruit. All the bedrooms contain tubs and showers, and the most desirable accommodations overlook the golden sands at Paynes Bay, a 30-minute drive north of the airport. Two suites even have their own indoor pools.

Next door is Daphne's, the ultimate in island dining with an eclectic Italian menu inspired by its famous London counterpart. What's the food like? Ever had a delectable dish like marinated white anchovies with roast beets and linguine with spicy crab?

Coral Reef Club $$$$

Owned and operated by the O'Hara family since the 1950s, this luxury hotel is one of the best and most respected establishments on the island, set on elegantly landscaped grounds beside a white-sand beach that's ideal for swimming. Individually designed and beautifully decorated suites are in pristine coral-stone manses and cottages scattered over 12½ acres of flower-filled gardens; the public areas ramble along the beach. Garden rooms suit one or two guests and have a small patio or balcony, while junior suites with sitting areas and larger patios or balconies are perfect for families.

Luxury cottage suites have plunge pools and separate bedrooms. The five pricey Plantation suites and two villas have spacious living rooms, private sun decks and plunge pools, and stereos -- and are the only accommodations here that come with TVs (other guests can watch TV in the lounge or request one in-room for an added charge).

You can lunch in an open-air area, take afternoon tea, and then enjoy a first-rate dinner in a room with three sides open to ocean views. There's a folklore show and barbecue every Thursday, plus a Monday Bajan buffet featuring an array of food (including whole baked fish) and local entertainment.

Address: Hwy. 1, Holetown, St. James, Barbados
Phone: 246/422-2372
Fax: 246/422-1776

South Coast

Little Arches Hotel

Off the beaten track just east of the picturesque fishing village of Oistins and a real discovery, this family-owned boutique hotel overlooks white-sand Enterprise Beach on the south coast. It's a little charmer for those who seek out personalized hotels. Opened in 2002, the hotel has a distinctly Mediterranean ambience; beautifully appointed rooms are decorated with Italian fabrics, local pottery, and terrazzo flooring. The oceanview bedrooms are individually styled with four-poster king-size beds, along with such extras as private Jacuzzi sun decks. Italian fabrics and well-chosen furnishings grace the bedrooms. The colorful rooms look like an arranged set waiting for the House & Garden photographers. The extras make this place really thrive: a roof-deck swimming pool, a holistic massage therapist, an alfresco restaurant run by an international chef, and free use of mountain bikes.

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, or a fully catered daysail aboard the hotel's 42-foot monohull yacht, Soul Venture, or 44-foot catamaran Silver Moon. We recommend you leave the kids home if you're staying here, as Little Arches offers nothing less than pure romance.

The location is a short walk from the village of Oistins at a point 6.5km (4 miles) from St. Lawrence Gap and 13km (8 miles) from the airport. Children under 16 are not welcome.

Address: Enterprise Beach Rd., Enterprise, Christ Church, Barbados
Phone: 246/420-4689

Turtle Beach Resort $$$$

Opening onto 450m (1,476 ft.) of white-sand beach, this posh south-coast resort opened in 1998 and was named after the turtles that sometimes nest on the nearby sands. It's an all-inclusive property, drawing families, couples, and honeymooners. An open-air lobby opens onto the beach. All midsize rooms have ocean views, wicker furniture, ceiling fans, and voice mail. Beds have fine linens, and each one-bedroom suite offers both a queen-size bed and a sofa bed. If needed, free rollaway beds are provided. Bathrooms are luxurious, with tubs and showers.

Because it offers offers large, bright suites and enough activities for everyone to enjoy -- all the time, and all included, families flock to Turtle Beach. The Tommy Turtle Kids Club keeps children busy with treasure hunts, supervised swims, games, and activities from 9 AM to 9 PM each day. That gives parents a chance to play tennis, learn to windsurf or sail, relax at the beach, or enjoy an elegant dinner for two at Asagio's Restaurant on the ground level of the lobby atrium, which opens to a clear view of the sea. Families also have good times together -- cooling off in the three pools, riding the waves on boogie boards, searching for baby turtles hatching on the beach, or having a casual meal at the beachfront restaurant.

The open-air restaurant, Chelonia, serves international, nouvelle dishes that are -- especially for Barbados -- rather artfully experimental. The casually elegant Waterfront offers informal food such as design-your-own pizzas. Casual Asiago serves pleasant Italian fare. For diversity, Turtle Beach offers a dine-around program with its other tony properties, including Crystal Cove and Coconut Creek. There's also nightly entertainment -- calypso, jazz, cabaret, and more.

Address: St. Lawrence Gap, Dover, Christ Church, Barbados
Phone: 246/428-7131
Fax: 246/428-6089

On the East Coast

Villa Nova

For a truly luxurious Barbadian escape, Villa Nova is uniquely situated in the middle of nowhere -- well, actually it's located amidst beautiful gardens in the hilly woodlands of St. John. This is one of the last of the island's great houses. Once it was a sightseeing attraction open to the public. Built in 1834 as a sugar plantation, it's furnished with period antiques and Barbadian mahogany and surrounded by 6 walled hectares (15 acres) of tropical forest and lush gardens. Its most famous association was with Sir Anthony Eden, former prime minister of Great Britain, who purchased the estate from the government in 1965. In 1966, Eden, the earl of Avon, and his wife, the countess, entertained Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip at Villa Nova. Sir Winston Churchill also holidayed here.

Today, in the midst of sugar, banana, and mango plantations, it's been turned into an exclusive hotel, following a multimillion-dollar refurbishment. The pampering begins with a complimentary unpacking service and a free steaming of the outfit you plan to wear on the first evening and extends to the plush facilities and accommodations. Exquisitely decorated with antiques and works of art, suites have king-size beds, comfortable sitting areas, and bathrooms with claw-foot tubs; a butler will serve breakfast on your wraparound terrace. Rooms are beautifully furnished and spacious, each with its own private terrace. Decorator Nina Campbell designed each of the suites individually. Relax in the lounge, on the veranda, or poolside with a book from the extensive library, or explore the neighborhood on horseback (stables are nearby) before enjoying a superb meal in the Plantation Room. Although the hotel has a very large swimming pool and terraces, you'll have to drive about 20 minutes to dip your toes into the surf. Its food is among the finest of all the hotels, using regional organic produce whenever possible. Nearby are the golf courses of Sandy Lane and Royal Westmoreland.

Address: Villa Nova, St. John, Barbados
Phone: 246/433-1505; 246/433-1524 reservations
Fax: 246/433-6363