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It's 11am on a Tuesday, and I'm closely observing as a ginormous sand crab digs a hole under my partner's sun lounger. While he listens to a podcast, I watch with fascination as the crab uses her (she's a single mom who works two jobs) hefty pincer to shuffle the sand along. I film the crab's efforts and post the video on Instagram, resisting the urge to caption it, “I've had worse Tuesdays…”
I'm approximately 4360 miles away from where I usually spend my weekday mornings (hunched over a laptop and funnelling caffeine into my stomach), and I'm not sure I ever want to go back. At the tail-end of 2024, my partner and I managed to escape the city for a week, going on our first proper holiday together. And we couldn't have chosen a more incredible destination than Barbados.
We stayed in three hotels over the week, gradually increasing in luxury and proximity to the ocean. Here's what happened on our romantic tour of Barbados…
Where to stay for a romantic getaway in Barbados
We started our adventure at The Rockley, a new four-star hotel on the South Coast overlooking the Caribbean Sea. It didn't take long for us to fall in love with the Bajan vibe – from the rum punch on arrival to the colourful decor (featuring two black-bellied sheep dressed up as reindeer).
While the beach is less than 200 steps away from the hotel – although you need to cross the road to get there – we spent each morning lounging by the sparkling turquoise pool. What? It's good to have options.
Is there a better feeling than enjoying pre-dinner drinks on a balcony in full view of the ocean? In our top-floor penthouse suite, this was easily our favourite part of each day – that and sprawling on the kingsize bed, splashing about in the free-standing bath, and making breakfast together in the sleek kitchen and dining space. I enjoyed having the option to start my day with toast and tea in the hotel room, but before long, the breakfast buffet was calling my name. I'm talking pumpkin fritters, fresh blood orange juice, pancakes, and sweet chilli tofu. Oh, and the Bajan hot sauce; I can't believe I've lived this long without it.
On our first full day in Barbados, we signed up for an off-road adventure safari with Island Safari Barbados. We were picked up by a 4x4 Jeep outside the Rockley by Dwayne, our tour guide for the day. With our seatbelts tightly buckled, Dwayne guided us through the most naturally stunning areas of Barbados, from the seven-foot white stone lion monument (originally created as a symbol of the British empire, now considered a representation of the nation's tenacity and ability to overcome) at Gun Hill to the unique rock formations at Bathsheba beach along the rugged East Coast. There were plenty of stops along the way for rum, which we certainly needed after the rollercoaster-style off-roading part of the trip. (Wear. Your. Seatbelt.) During the on-road segments, I loved looking out for green monkeys and listening to Dwayne's encyclopaedic commentary on the island's history and culture.
That evening, we went to Champers, one of the most hyped restaurants on Barbados's south coast, run by restauranteur Chiryl Newman, to enjoy a fine dining experience overlooking waves crashing against the rocks below. Erskine, our brilliant waiter, looked after us and talked us through the sublime menu, taking particular care to highlight the locally grown produce and Barbados-caught fish, as well as keeping our drinks topped up all evening. I ordered a salty crab crepe, followed by the creamiest pan-fried chicken and Alfredo linguine I've ever tasted, while my partner – not for the last time on this holiday – opted for a rib-eye streak, followed by double chocolate cheesecake with almonds, chocolate ice cream, and strawberries. Suffice to say, we rolled back to The Rockley.
Enjoy seven nights in Barbados with Virgin Atlantic Holidays, including scheduled Virgin Atlantic flights from London Heathrow to Barbados, with accommodation at The Rockley by Ocean Hotels from £1,160 per person, staying in a Junior Suite.
Price is per person based on two adults travelling and sharing a room, including continental breakfast, applicable taxes and fuel surcharges which are subject to change. Price is based on a departure of 31st May 2025.
Virgin Atlantic Holidays is a member of ABTA and is ATOL-protected. To book: https://www.virginholidays.co.uk/ or call: 0344 557 3859. Price is correct as of 16th December 2024.
Next, we jumped in a taxi for an eight-minute drive along the South Coast of Barbados to the Sea Breeze Beach House, which more than lived up to its reputation for “barefoot luxury”. The all-inclusive hotel's exterior is sleek, and the bright white and cyan blue decor effortlessly blends in with the white sands and ocean – mere seconds away from the hotel reception. It's not hard to see why this is a highly sought-after wedding venue. Plus, if your partner needs a helping hand to pop the big question, Sea Breeze has a Proposal Concierge Service, which even includes arranging a hidden photographer for the big moment.
We headed to our room, a Luxury Oceanfront Junior Suite, with a private balcony to enjoy the panoramic view of the sprawling beach – not to mention the small matter of the Atlantic Ocean – below. Add in the spacious bathroom with a rainfall shower, the flatscreen TV (with Netflix!) and the blissful air conditioning, and it's no surprise that my partner and I took turns muttering, “This is so surreal.” With a fully stocked mini-fridge, a choice of spirits, and a basket full of Caribbean snacks (plantain chips, you have my whole heart), we were merry in no time at all. In fact, we were just in time for dinner.
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Daydreaming about mealtimes while not doing an awful lot else became a regular feature of our holiday. Sea Breeze has two a la carte restaurants, Aqua Terra or Cerulean, to choose from for your evening meals. During the day, we grabbed snacks and lunch from The Rum Shop, The Flying Fish, and Tipsy. And for times when only a buffet will do (not to mention lashings of Bajan hot sauce), the Mahogony Lounge is open for lunch and dinner.
On our first night at Sea Breeze Beach House, we made a dinner reservation at the Cerulean Restaurant and Bar – an alfresco, fine dining experience. Our conversation was dotted with pauses as we took in our surroundings, particularly the view of the sea gently rolling into the shoreline just metres away. But when our starters were served – seared scallops for him, octopus carpaccio for me – our attention was firmly on the magical freshness of our food. For our starters, my partner opted for a rosemary-crusted lamb rack served with sweet potato mash and mint jus, while I went all out and chose the lobster. And honestly? I don't know if I'll ever taste anything fresher.
Enjoy seven nights in Barbados with Virgin Atlantic Holidays, including scheduled Virgin Atlantic flights from London Heathrow to Barbados, with accommodation at Sea Breeze Beach House by Ocean Hotels from £1,842 per person, staying in a Classic Standard room.
Price is per person based on two adults travelling and sharing a room, including applicable taxes and fuel surcharges which are subject to change. Price is based on a departure of 24th June 2025.
Virgin Atlantic Holidays is a member of ABTA and is ATOL-protected. To book: https://www.virginholidays.co.uk/ or call: 0344 557 3859. Price is correct as of 16th December 2024.
Have you ever swam directly from your hotel room to the bar? It's one of many luxurious novelties available at the 02 Beach Club & Spa, Barbados' newest fully-inclusive hotel offering. And boy, did we make the most of it.
While my partner spent our first morning watching The Grinch – don't ask – in bed, I got to grips with the hotel's “wellness through water” philosophy.
I started by opening the sliding doors of our Oceanfront Swim-up Junior Suite and demurely nipping into the swimming pool. After a lazy meander, I grabbed a beach towel and headed to the beach to experience the real thing. The best part about being the first person on the beach is the crabs – oh my god, the crabs. I've never seen so many of them all at once, from the sand crabs scuttling towards the sea to the jumping crabs having a party on the rocks. I spent the next hour or so alternating between swimming in the sea and checking on my crab friends. I concluded my water wellness extravaganza with a rainfall shower in the suite.
For those who need even more luxe in their wellness routines, you can venture out to the hotel's award-winning Acqua Spa, which features floor-to-ceiling windows for a panoramic view of the Caribbean Sea as well as "marine-focused” treatments such as the OSEA ‘Sea of Life’ facial and a ‘Bajan Body Blast’ – an “invigorating body treatment featuring Bajan lime,” FYI.
We made it our mission to try out each of the five restaurants in the 02 Beach Club & Spa.
Bluefin was our regular lunch spot, where we enjoyed watermelon coolers, traditional Bajan fishcakes, jerk pork skewers and rum and raisin pound cakes while gazing out at the beach. If you want to get even closer to the ocean, I recommend booking a table at Brisa, the al-fresco Tapas bar. We opted for the assorted Iberian sausages, bolinhos (Portuguese salt fish cakes), and brocheta de chorizo con camaron y almejas (salami, shrimp and scallop skewers). The food was served promptly and devoured in approximately 0.2 seconds.
While you can rely on good food from any of the restaurants and bars at the 02, the culinary highlight is undoubtedly Oro Restaurant. We realised our lives had peaked when we walked into the luxurious dining room and spotted a grand piano. Happily, the food lived up to our expectations (and then some). The menu, described as “European-meets-Caribbean fusion,” is pure opulence, from the Caribbean lobster tail to the aged Porterhouse steak with truffle fries. I'd highly recommend the lobster bisque as an appetiser.
After we left each resort, the staff said something along the lines of, “We'll see you again next year.” Indeed, earlier this month, Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc (BTMI) hosted a Loyal Visitors Reception at Haymans Market in the heart of St. Peter. The event recognises tourists who have visited the island 25 times or more – and, more importantly, the incredible Bajan hospitality professionals, from hotel managers to safari tour guides, who make Barbados such a life-changing destination. Of course, it's now my mission to visit Barbados 25 times – at the very least.
With thanks to Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc.
Enjoy seven nights in Barbados with Virgin Atlantic Holidays, including scheduled Virgin Atlantic flights from London Heathrow to Barbados, with accommodation at O2 Beach Club & Spa by Ocean Hotels from £2,515 per person, staying in a Luxury Pool View Junior Suite.
Price is per person based on two adults travelling and sharing a room, including applicable taxes and fuel surcharges which are subject to change. Price is based on a departure of 30th April 2025.
Virgin Atlantic Holidays is a member of ABTA and is ATOL-protected. To book: https://www.virginholidays.co.uk/ or call: 0344 557 3859. Price is correct as of 16th December 2024.
Virgin Atlantic flies daily direct between London Heathrow and Barbados with return fares from £571 per person, including complimentary food, drink, and inflight entertainment. For further information, visit www.virginatlantic.com or call 0344 8747 747. This fare is available for selected departures. Prices given are correct as of 16th December 2024 and are subject to change.
Booking your summer 2025 holiday? This should be top of your list.
