Checking In: Fairmont Royal Pavilion
Pretty in pink on the white sands of Alleynes Bay.
A golden rule in hospitality ordains that the guest experience is shaped by the first 20 minutes. At the Fairmont Royal Pavilion in St. James, Barbados, this time is spent restfully reclined, rum punch or champagne in hand. After being whisked through customs, care of a complimentary airport concierge, guests are led to a tropical lobby, handed a drink and cold towel, and checked in from the comfort of a wicker chair.
On the garden path to your room, a sign reads “Please do not feed the monkeys.” Wake up early and you may spot some from your balcony scampering down the beach (all rooms offer sunset-facing ocean views). About the balcony: With its plush round daybed, ceiling fan, curtains and table for two, the temptation to cancel all plans and order room service is inescapable. Some guests even sleep under the stars instead of on their pillowtop king bed.
When you do escape, Holetown’s chattel house shops and beachfront restaurants are a short jaunt away. Another short drive has you surfing the waves of Bathsheba Beach or picnicking in Hunte’s Gardens, which bills itself as “the most enchanting place on Earth,” and does not disappoint.
- Number of rooms: 75
- Splurge on: The Crystal Cave Affair, Fairmont’s latest Beyond Limits experience, takes diners on a subterranean tram ride 160 feet below the coral island’s surface. Dinner is served in the largest grotto of Harrison’s Cave amid glowing stalactites, stalagmites and deep emerald pools.
- What we loved: Kids under five eat free at Palm Terrace Restaurant, where Winnipeg-born executive chef Tim Palmer serves up Bajan flavours with the occasional taste of home.
- Bonus: Reserve water sports gear – from snorkels to kayaks, paddleboards and Hobie Wave sailboats – free of charge.
- Culture fix: Works from local artists like Sheena Rose add pops of Caribbean colour to every room.