The Rockley, the hotel formerly known as South Beach, was reborn and reopened in late March 2024. Still part of Bajan-owned Ocean Hotels, the 49-room boutique Rockley has undergone a radical makeover for a spiritual reincarnation. Now it is billed as a spot for ‘South Coast Breezin’, for picking up the local Bajan vibes.
Taking the bright-red circular ‘Out of City’ bus-stop sign as its logo, The Rockley sends a signal that it’s a place for free-spirited travellers who want to ‘Take Ah Peek’, to discover an authentic Barbados. Immediately, guests are welcomed with a rum cocktail and chilled flannel.
Hotel
On Barbados’ South Coast, The Rockley is a mere 267 steps from Rockley’s lively beach, and a few more steps takes you across the soft white sand into the azures, aquamarines and turquoises of the Caribbean. The Rockley has a phalanx of sun-loungers waiting for guests on the beach. Then there is a boardwalk that heads along the coastline towards Hastings, perfect territory for a morning jog or sunset walk.
Guests arrive in style across a wooden bridge, which crosses over a 75-foot swimming pool leading into The Rockley’s reception, which pays arty homage to Barbados’ Caribbean culture.
A central pillar immediately announces that The Rockley gives a unique intro to the island. Echoing the Out of City bus stops for buses leaving Bridgetown, the top of the pillar lists bus destinations from Bathsheba through Cattlewash to Rendezvous. Symbols of Barbados cover the pillar, ranging from goats through lobsters to sunshades, all helping to create a distinctive Bajan ambience.
The reception also hosts a gallery of local artists’ work: plenty of seascapes and chattel house villages on display. Sometimes one or two of those artists are present at the weekly cocktails and canapés party where guests can commission art works. No surprise, that the soundtrack for those parties originates from steel pans.
On the ground floor, The Rockley has a small fitness room and a lounge packed with books, board games and a pool table, just in case it rains.
Room
Beginning with a balcony looking down on the pool and sunshine-stripped umbrellas, our one bedroom suite works through a light-infused lounge area with a dining table seating four, into a well-equipped kitchen. After the large bathroom, featuring a rainfall shower, comes the bedroom, with a huge king-size bed, cooled by both air-con and fan.
Soft furnishings pick up the local theme. Cushions introduce us to words from the local lingo: ‘bashment’ is a party and to suffer from ‘brek-up’ is to feel really tired. Splashes of sunshine and deep ocean blues, amongst the local art and customised rugs, contribute to the vibrant décor.
Food and drink
At the eastern end of the blue ribbon of a swimming pool sits the Rockley’s bar and restaurant. In the mornings, guests help themselves from the buffet of fruit and hot items too. They can enjoy an al fresco breakfast overlooking the pool.
The restaurant offers light lunches, accompanied by the first of the day’s Happy Hours. Bajan fish cakes and fish cutters (sandwiches) are typical of the lunch menu. The second Happy Hour is scheduled for late afternoon.
Come evening, guests are encouraged to explore the local culinary scene. A ‘Dine and Sign’ partnership with local restaurants Cocktail Kitchen, Naru and Tapas encourages guests to sample local flavours. Also, the glamorous Champers, one of the South Coast’s finest restaurants is a mere five minutes’ walk away. Sunset cocktails on the decking jutting out from the cliffs is the way to start an indulgent evening meal at Champers.
For a wide-ranging local culinary experience, take a 10-minute stroll to the Worthing Square food trucks. Some trucks offer international dishes, but most visitors tuck into local favourites such as bul jol bowls, fish cutters, macaroni pie or rice and peas.
To do
Taking one of Troy’s five-hour tours, departing from The Rockley, gives a sense of what the historic 14 by 21 mile-island has to offer. He calls in on the historic Garrison area in Bridgetown, introduces the West Coast, presents views of the Atlantic coast from Cherry Tree Hill, stops at the Morgan Lewis windmill, taking in wild surf at Bathsheba and St John’s church. Troy’s tour gives guests a good taste for Barbados’ sights.
With buses stopping right outside The Rockley and a taxi rank opposite, the hotel is strategically placed for further exploration of Barbados’ south coast and beyond. Guests are well placed for catamaran trips, Harrison Cave, scuba-diving and shopping in Bridgetown. The boardwalk from Rockley Beach to Hastings makes for a scenic morning jog, though some prefer to take a sunset walk with Troy acting as their guide to the local flora and fauna.
In a nutshell
The easy-going Rockley is at the heart of Barbados’ buzzing south coast. A stylish hotel with authentic Bajan vibes for those who want to ‘lime’, that is to chill out in the local lingo; a place to forget the guidebook and discover the culture, food, language and music of Barbados for themselves.
Factbox
Seven nights, including breakfast, in a junior suite, starts from £1,225.
Address: Rockley at Accra Beach, Christchurch, Barbados
Telephone: 020 3868 9916
Website: therockleybarbados.com
Hotel photography courtesy of The Rockley.
