Barbados
RELAXATION: Tropical white sand beach
Of all the Caribbean islands, Barbados is perhaps the best known for its exclusive hotels and chic restaurants. Yet the original charm and friendliness of the Bajan people is still very much the way of life.
It is a small island and the most easterly of the Caribbean Islands with the Atlantic surf on the east coast and the sparkling Caribbean waters on the west coast. The landscape pleasantly rolls with fields of sugar cane, brightly coloured villages and hills in the eastern areas that rise to a peak at Mount Hillaby.
Captain Powell landed on Barbados in 1625 and claimed the island for England. Today, Barbados still has an endearingly British atmosphere and cricket is the national sport. But despite the British influence, West Indian culture is very much evident in the food, music and local people.
Barbados offers an unbeatable range of hotels from elegant and stylish resorts to personal boutique properties. Service and cuisine standards are amongst the highest in the Caribbean and accommodation choice varies from luxury suites with private pools to simple yet comfortable and colourful rooms with excellent sea views.
British Airways flies from London Gatwick to Grantley Adams International Airport daily with two flights on Wednesday, Thursdays and Saturdays during the winter months. Virgin Atlantic also flies the same route daily. British Midland flies directly from Manchester three times a week, while Virgin Atlantic also has a weekly direct flight.
Flights & Facts:
Fly to: Barbados
Flying time: 8 hours 30 minutes
Time difference: GMT - 4 hours
Visas: Not required for UK passport holders
Health requirements: No mandatory vaccinations
Best time to travel: Nov - May
Weather:
The best time to travel to Barbados is during our winter and spring months of November to May, though the average temperature is 86 degrees all year round making it an ideal holiday destination at any time. Tropical rains sometimes occur from June to October.
A&K Recommends
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Caribbean | Barbados | Speightstown
40 rooms
Cobblers Cove is like a home from home and it is this reassuring quality that regular guests extol in the hotel’s visitors book. One of the best-loved hotels in the ...
SPECIAL OFFER: Complimentary nights
SPECIAL OFFER: Honeymooners or Anniversaries
SPECIAL OFFER: Complimentary Spa Treatment
SPECIAL OFFER: Children's Free Daily Dinner
SPECIAL OFFER: Free drinks for children in the summer holidays
5mins From Beach | Family Friendly | Sporting Activities
from £117 per person per night
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Caribbean | Barbados | Holetown
88 rooms
For nearly 50 years, the O’Hara family has been instrumental in ensuring that the Coral Reef Club is at the pinnacle of Barbados hospitality and style. Set amidst 12 acres ...
SPECIAL OFFER: Honeymooners
5mins From Beach | Family Friendly | Sporting Activities
from £105 per person per night
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Caribbean | Barbados | Sandy Lane
112 rooms
Framed by 400 acres of tropical gardens that lead down to one of the best beaches in Barbados, Sandy Lane is an exclusive retreat for the world’s most discerning clientele. ...
5mins From Beach | Family Friendly | Sporting Activities
from £141 per person per night
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Caribbean | Barbados | Porters
72 rooms
One of the earliest hotels on Barbados, The Fairmont Royal Pavilion helped spark the stately cruise-ship rush to the Caribbean in the 1940s but although it retains its elegant colonial ...
SPECIAL OFFER: Honeymooners
SPECIAL OFFER: Complimentary nights
5mins From Beach | Family Friendly | Sporting Activities
from £127 per person per night
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Caribbean | Barbados | Holetown
47 rooms
The Sandpiper, a member of ‘Small Luxury Hotels of the World’, is a small, sumptuous hotel with an elegant yet informal atmosphere. Dotted amid beautiful tropical gardens overflowing with hibiscus, ...
SPECIAL OFFER: Honeymooners
5mins From Beach | Family Friendly | Sporting Activities
from £103 per person per night
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Caribbean | Barbados | Paynes Bay
35 rooms
While Treasure Beach represents one of the island’s more modest hotels, it excels in comfort and friendliness and many guests return year after year. Well appointed, Caribbean style rooms and ...
SPECIAL OFFER: Hemingway, Hibiscus & Hummingbird Suite offer
SPECIAL OFFER: Complimentary Nights:
SPECIAL OFFER: Meal Credit:
5mins From Beach | Family Friendly
from £71 per person per night