Visitors to Barbados often immerse themselves in one of two areas on the island: the chic, busy southern coast or the shimmering west coast. Barbados luxury hotels are everywhere though, even on the less visited areas. The island has no concern for price – it's assumed if you are entering the island, you have plenty of money to throw around. Though the most expensive hotels in Barbados are along the west, you're never going to be far from the action, no matter where you stay.
The list of Barbados villas is almost as long as the one for the hotels. Better for those who are looking for an extended stay on the island – they are also popular with the many surfers and families that vacation here. Barbados villas are mostly located on the southern coast, in the Hastings-Worthing area, or even a little further north, towards the capital of Bridgetown. The west coast is mostly made up of giant Barbados luxury hotels or an ever-increasing number of time-shares. Hence, what villas you will find for rent are likely to be a short jaunt away from the beach.
The southern coast is where the young and trendy go to hang out. Equipped with enough bars to empty a rum distillery, the St. Lawrence Gap is also a great place to find slightly less expensive hotels (it is also home to most of the island's hostels, though even those are pricey, relatively speaking). The Casuarina Beach Club is an apartment hotel that it is all peace and quiet during the day and just a short walk to the restaurants, shopping and nightlife that make the area such a draw for tourists. Here you will find a number of resorts, both regular and all-inclusive, amongst the hotels in Barbados.
The Hastings-Worthing area is just as exciting, with the Accra Beach Hotel and the Savannah at your disposal. These are geared a little more towards independent travelers, as they are just as close to the beaches and nightlife as they are historic areas, museums and other entertainment. All along Accra beach and the neighboring Sandy Beach, you will find many of the most competitively priced hotels in Barbados.
The west coast, particularly around Holetown, has more of the traditional Barbados luxury hotels and resorts. If the title has “Almond Beach” in it, you know you are set for a decadent vacation on one of the premier beaches on the island. But pretty much anything along Paynes Bay will be of the same high quality – including the Mediterranean-influenced Tamarind Cove Hotel, or the enigmatic beach sanctuary known only as “The House.”
The east coast is the best for Barbados surf hotels. The rougher Atlantic waters are perfect for those who want to catch a wave while on vacation. Luckily for them, the east coast is less crowded, at least during the summer. Because the majority of visitors here are more interested in how the water is than what's in their hotel room, there are a number of deals to be found here, mainly on simple Barbados villas that do little more than give you a bed and a place to store your surfboard.
