Barbados’ South Coast, with its white sand beaches lapped by warm Caribbean waves and palm trees rustled by cooling trade winds, is an idyllic location. The O2 Beach Club and Spa has redefined and refined that tropical paradise: on St Lawrence Gap’s shoulder, the O2 is just a short walk away from the pulsating epicentre of Barbados’ nightlife where the reggae beat is as its most hypnotic.
Hotel
‘Your stay, your way’ is the O2’s mantra as staff ensure that guests can individually tailor their experience to create their own preferred version of paradise. Taking its name from the chemical symbol for oxygen, the very essence of life, Barbados’ coolest beach club provides a scintillating holiday experience.
From the moment guests arrive to a cool drink and chilled towel welcome, the O2 sets itself apart from other five-star all-inclusives. A hotel ambassador takes guests on a tour of the site so that they will never miss out on a bar, a restaurant or a swimming pool. Then, after their first night’s restorative sleep and breakfast, guests are invited to another welcome briefing to bring them up to speed on exactly what’s on offer – onsite and offsite.
Room
Appropriately, O2 Beach Club and Spa consists of sunrise and sunset towers. The 116 suites are all decorated with chic and vibrant colours – creatively the eye is led to a hibiscus shaped flower mat that dominates our suite. Throughout the O2 there are bright flashes of deep ocean blue, hibiscus, sunset and tangerine.
Bajan owned, part of the Ocean Hotels group alongside The Rockley and Sea Breeze Beach House, there is a distinctly local vibe to the O2’s artwork and décor. A colourful portrait of an octopus, dressed in vivid shades of cerise, dominates like a maritime Mona Lisa on one of our suite’s walls.
From the bellman who delivers our luggage, ‘Mr Unstoppable here’ through to the giant geometric tropical foliage headboard, the O2 exudes character.
Relaxation in our suite or out on the sea-view balcony is helped by the mini-bar. Included are small starter bottles of gin and rum with beers and mixers topped up daily. In our sunrise building suite, the spacious marble-effect bathroom offers a choice between a rainfall shower or a free-standing large bath.
Food and drink
At the Elements Restaurant, breakfast is a pan-continental buffet through Caribbean specialities, reminders of the Little England heritage with egg and bacon, plus pancakes and waffles too. Though the star of the breakfast show is a giant juicer that squeezes oranges at the press of a button. Throughout the day, guests drop into the air-conditioned Oasis for coffee, drinks or to grab pastries and sandwiches.
Poolside and beachside the Blue Fin has many faces. Always a swim-up bar for premium spirits and cocktails, the tiki hut is a venue for a casual lunch with gourmet sourcing and classy cooking. The menu provides a high-end take on light lunches such as bul jol bowls, burgers, cutters, salads and steak sandwiches. Late afternoon the Blue Fin transitions into a pizzeria. Or an Indian. Or an Italian. Or hosts a luxurious land / seafood buffet, depending on the day.
Raising the elevation to the top floor of the sunrise building, Brisa offers a tapas style menu. Alongside a rooftop pool it is the place to be for drinks with views out over the island’s south coast. As well as the usual cocktail classics, O2 has an impressive menu of alcohol-free mocktails, too.
At the same altitude in the sunset tower, with sky high coastal views, Oro is the O2’s sophisticated fine dining destination, sometimes to a discreet soundtrack of live music. Every evening there’s live music playing somewhere on site. Immaculately sourced lobster and steaks frequently appear on Oro’s menu, but if any dish can epitomise Oro and Barbados it is the Mount Gay rum crème brûlée. Literally the spirit of Barbados.
To do
The O2 Beach Club and Spa has a 1,000 feet beach front for swimming, water sports and the occasional organised game of beach cricket or beach football. Some parts of the activities programme are less athletic and more cultural, for example, guests can take art lessons or learn how to blow a conch shell.
High in the sunrise building, the Acqua Spa is Barbados’ highest and alongside is the island’s only hammam. Be sure to book a spa treatment and drift into serenity whilst looking out through the floor-to-ceiling windows.
Larger than many a hotel fitness facility and better equipped too, the gym is on the second floor of the sunrise tower, close to a teenagers’ lounge with giant screen, lounging sofas and plenty of games. O2 is a beach club for all the family and there is enough space and activities to keep everyone happy.
Of course, there’s so much to do throughout Barbados. Use local specialist knowledge at the concierge desk to effortlessly arrange excursions on a small island packed with adventure and opportunity. Beyond the beaches there is catamaran-sailing, deep-sea fishing, diving and swimming with turtles.
In a nutshell
Expect high-end living at one of the Caribbean’s most luxurious all-inclusive hotels. A stylish beachfront location for dipping in and out of the O2 Beach Club and Spa’s many activities activities or simply indulging in sun-lounger living, there is a colourful and opulent vibe to O2’s Caribbean chic.
Factbox
A luxury ocean view junior suite begins from £6,115 for seven nights all-inclusive.
Address: O2 Beach Club and Spa, Dover Road, Christ Church, BB15020 Barbados
Phone: +1 246-418-1800
E-mail: stay@o2beachclubbarbados.com
Website: o2beachclubbarbados.com
Photography courtesy of O2 Beach Club and Spa.
