Summer is a great time to visit the classic Caribbean destination of Barbados, an island famed for its welcoming people and lively events, with lots of brilliant deals to be had in this season and great attractions to visit beyond the sugar-sand beaches.
These attractions include Harrison’s Cave with its crystallised formations viewable from an electric tram, Flower Forest Botanical Garden with its lovely trail of colourful plants and trees and its café serving flying-fish sandwiches and home-made punch, submarine tours to see a shipwreck, and catamaran cruises including snorkelling, swimming near hawksbill, leatherback and green turtles, and scuba diving. Meanwhile, Friday nights see the laidback weekly Oistin’s Fish Fry, one of the best places in Barbados to try local cuisine – seafood cooked at stalls in front of you – to a soundtrack of Bob Marley, Jimmy Cliff, Jamaican ska and calypso.
We’ve looked at some of our favourite family-friendly resorts in Barbados, both part of the iconic, long-standing Elegant Hotels group.
A kids’ club for ages 3–12 years, including fun games on the white-sand beach, and a family lounge including air hockey, pool and other entertainment bring families back time and again to this fresh, fairly intimate all-inclusive property with its array of complimentary water sports including snorkelling, sailing, boogie boarding, kayaking, water-skiing and banana boating.
Set on the revered Platinum (west) coast just a 35-minute transfer from the airport, the hotel can also set you up with tours and activities tailor-made to your tastes, including horse-riding on the beach. That said, there’s plenty of relaxation to be had too, around three freshwater pools (one adult-only), on the beach with its smiling waiter service, and in the sleek spa.
The delicious meals, snacks and drinks that come as part of your package include all-day beachfront dining at 246 Bar & Restaurant, breakfast buffets including Bajan dishes in the open-air Sugar Cane Room, and a Dine Around program with select Elegant Hotels, to which there’s a complimentary west coast water-taxi service.
The 104 rooms and suites, blending Mediterranean design with Caribbean charm, all have a sleeper chair or sofabed, and some interconnect for large families or multigenerational groups.
This all-suite all-inclusive resort has direct access to a half-kilometre of stunning white-sand beach – one where you might be lucky enough to see sea turtles nesting their eggs, and where you can also enjoy boogie boarding, kayaking and Hobie cats as part of your package. There’s another kids’ club for ages 3–12 years, with outdoor fun on the sand, plus all sorts of fun experiences for all ages, including beach cricket, pastry-making demonstrations, dominoes contests, Calypso dance lessons and island tours.
Turtle Beach is in a plum position on the island’s lively south coast, less than a 10-minute walk from lively St Lawrence Gap and just 20 minutes from Bridgetown, the fascinating Bajan capital. Rooms here – some on the beachfront – are fresh, airy and bright; all have sofa-beds, and some have one bedroom for additional space. As at the Tamarind, you have the option of dining around at select sister hotels, or there’s the open-air Chelonia serving global cuisine at breakfast, lunch and dinner, The Waterfront Café for light snacks, lunch and dinner, and, with older kids aged 12 and up, the authentic Italian-style Asiagos in the evenings.
To book your summer family holiday in Barbados, call your Travel Counsellor today
There are so many great reasons to experience certain destinations in the shoulder seasons – that sweet spot between a region’s peak season and off-season. Think fewer crowds and queues for major attractions, better-value flights and other travel, and a more authentic experience of the destination. We’ve put our heads together to share a few of our favourite places that can be just as good or even better outside of high season.
Nestled on the sun-kissed shores of Crete, the Amirandes Grecotel Boutique Resort offers an idyllic retreat for families seeking both relaxation and adventure. Tapping into the rich tapestry of Cretan history, the resort's architecture is reminiscent of the grandeur of ancient Minoan palaces and the elegance of Venetian nobility, providing a backdrop that fascinates both adults and children alike.
Discover a slice of paradise that’s perfect for everyone at Anantara Vilamoura Algarve Resort. Nestled on Portugal's serene Algarve coast, this resort offers the ultimate combination of luxury and entertainment, ensuring both kids and adults have an unforgettable stay. With spacious accommodation overlooking picturesque scenes and separate zones catering to privacy, relaxation, and family fun, Anantara Vilamoura is the epitome of a luxury haven.
