Fairmont Royal Pavilion

We chose this hotel for a 5 night stay following a Caribbean cruise. We were not disappointed. Well appointed and equipped rooms right on the beach. Two good restaurants and lovely staff with a great service ethic. My only disappointment was a lack of spa which would seriously improve the offer and experience.

This was our first visit to Barbados and we were very happy with our choice of hotel. The Royal Pavilion, which was the first hotel to be built in the west coast in 1940's, clearly snaffled the best location in this lovely bay. The rooms are very close to the ocean's edge and an evening/early morning highlight was listening to the waves gently rolling in, so wish we'd made a recording! The rooms are divided into two accommodation blocks, each with three floors. The ground floor rooms have a larger outside terrace and easy access to the beach and ocean. The upper floor rooms also have big outside terraces with a day bed, table and chairs. We chose a top floor room and would recommend these as having the best uninterrupted views out across the bay. The large rooms have fairly recently been renovated and look exactly like the pictures on the hotel website with all the amenities you will need. The bathroom has two sinks, a bath and a large walk in shower. The top floor rooms come with a butler service which I'm not sure worked - refreshing/customising the (chargeable) mini bar was a bit complicated as you always needed to ring up and it was easier to arrange car hire with the concierge. Also the daily canopies only arrived on 3 of the 7 nights. Food? The buffet breakfasts were fantastic and served in what is also the evening fine dining restaurant with stunning views out across the open sided terrace. There was a huge selection of all that you might expect with the quantity of fresh fruit a highlight and a 'made to order' omelette and eggs station. There are a lot of birds flitting in and out which we loved but may not be to everyone's fancy. The Taboras bistro was a little disappointing, not so much the food but the atmosphere/decor due probably to some pretty awful interior lighting. There was live music most evenings but this can prove a bit hit and miss depending on your taste. The afternoon tea was average (Sandy Lane is the place to go for lovers of afternoon tea) and we didn't try the in-house fine dining, preferring to sample the LoneStar and the Cliff. We found the staff very friendly from the management team, the concierges, the waiting staff and the beach/pool attendants. Everyone would give you the time if you wanted a chat or some help. The once a week garden tour is recommended to discover a bit more about the lovely gardens. The beach has plenty of beds/shades and has the better view because the pool is round the back of the property but the latter has a bit more shade from the trees if needed. Be aware that the beach allows some public access from one end and there were a few regular 'sellers of wares' but all very friendly and polite. It was a daily treat to be able to take a lengthy walk along the bay and back Overall, a real treat in a fantastic location.

This hotel, run by Accor group, is set on a spectacular beach and if you like swimming must rank as one of the best in Barbados. All room face the sea and those on the cond and third floors have magnificent views from well furnished balconeys. Rooms are of very high quality. Food is the only variable. Breakfast excellent but the dining is varied in the evening. The main restaurant has fine dinning of good quality but the Taboras restaurant can be hit and mis when not offering a 'speciaty' night. Service is again excellent and staff friendliness and willingness to assist very high. Would certainly recommend.