Coral Reef Club

Hotel description

Time was, when people said “Little Britain” they were referring to Barbados, the easternmost of the major Caribbean islands, and the one with the most pronounced British Colonial flavor — here the Queen still rules, at least nominally, and cricket is the national sport.

Fitting, then, that one of its most remarkable hotels should be one that’s been owned and operated by a British family for fifty years. The Coral Reef Club is no mere guest house — with 88 rooms it’s quite decidedly a mid-sized boutique — but guests here can count on the kind of polite hospitality and genial atmosphere one would expect from a proper British home.

Rooms and suites are divided between a central building and an assortment of cottages and villas spread over the twelve-acre property. Many rooms have balconies or verandas, and all are elegant and cosmopolitan in style, the refined colonial look striking a contrast with the overly casual Caribbean norm. Most have views of the pools or the gardens, while the decadent Plantation Suites look directly out to sea.

Leisure options include two swimming pools and a sublime white sand beach, as well as tennis courts and access to a golf course nearby, and scuba and sailing outings. The Coral Reef Club’s restaurant is a fine one, serving Bajan cuisine in an open-air dining room — and this being Little Britain, the afternoon tea is not to be missed.

Hotel policy

No children allowed January 15 to March 15.