Ideally set, the hotel is on the island’s west coast close to the Limegrove Lifestyle Shopping Centre and just over half an hour from the airport.
With just 101 rooms there’s a real feeling of space, with guests able to find their own spot in the sun on the white crescent beach or beside one of the three freshwater swimming pools – one of which is for adults only.
Complimentary watersports, a kids club and teens lounge mean there’s plenty to appease younger visitors too, with children under five-years-old staying free all year round.
And the all-inclusive package at Tamarind offers great value. With all meals, snacks and drinks (including wine, beer, bubbles and cocktails by the glass) featured in the hotel’s two restaurants and two bars.
Tamarind by Elegant Hotels is a superb choice for an all-inclusive Caribbean holiday… with or without the kids.Gallery
Stay
Choose between pool and garden views. Or for an extra-special vista an ocean view room.
As standard expect a cable TV, air con, a hair dryer, mini-fridge and free WiFi.
Accessible rooms are available, and for parents Travel Seen recommends the Family Connecting Junior Suites which sleep up to 5 adults and 3 children. Smaller families or parents with younger children can opt for a One Bedroom Suite, which has a separate living area with a pull-out bed.
Eat
Start the day at the Sugar Cane Room with its egg and waffle stations, Bajan sweet ‘tings and freshly brewed coffee. Open again at lunch and dinner, the restaurant features must-try island dishes like flying fish, corn fritters and plantain.
One of the island’s best dining spots is at the hotel’s 246 Bar & Restaurant, set right on the beach and serving food from 11.30am until 9.30pm. Try local and international favourites at lunch time, or head there for dinner where the themed menu changes regularly.
Rilaks Deck is the place to go for a cocktail by the pool, or if you can’t bear to leave your balcony there’s room service at an additional charge.
Not-to-be-missed are the weekly Manager’s Cocktail Party and the Taste Of Elegance Dine Around Programme; sample other Elegant Hotels’ restaurants on the west coast via the complimentary water taxi.
Explore
Bridgetown, the Bajan capital, is 20 minutes from the hotel and well worth a few hours of exploring to see its UNESCO World Heritage-listed Garrison.
Ten minutes from the hotel you’ll find the popular Limegrove Lifestyle Shopping Centre with its cinema, high-end stores and bars. Or head into nearby Holetown for nightlife and tasty street food.
Weather permitting there’s a water taxi to transport guests between Elegant Hotels on the west coast. And the Tamarind all-inclusive package offers selected tours and activities.
Why here?
Take a dip – dotted around the hotel grounds are three freshwater pools, one of which has been designated for adults only and is handily next to the spa. There is also 750m of beach, where an ambassador service sees to guests’ every whim and delivers chilled treats on sunny afternoons.
Chill out – the full service spa has a menu of treatments for both beauty and relaxation; such as manicures and Swedish massage. Packages are available for couples, as well as for kids, with carefully tailored treatments for younger skin.
Work up a sweat – the complimentary fitness centre has a schedule of exercise classes.
Wet and wild – included with every stay is use of the hotel’s watersports facility; snorkelling, kayaking, sailing, Hobie Cat, waterskiing, banana boating, boogie boarding and a water trampoline.
Little VIPs – there’s lots for kids at the hotel, including: the free Flying Fish Kids Club for three to 12-year-olds; a babysitting service (at an additional charge); the Club Tamarind teen lounge with its pool table and computer stations.
Holiday shop – a hotel store is on site for any items you may have forgotten, as well as a boutique and jewellery store for treats.Our take
- The hotel is set on Paynes Bay Beach, one of Barbados’ most-loved and well-known stretches of sand. This area of the island is known as the Platinum Coast for its impossibly white sands.
- Chattel Village is super close to Tamarind, just outside Holetown. Here there are traditional, colourful wooden buildings set amongst tropical gardens and home to shops and laidback food stores. Perfect for picking up souvenirs and for a taste of traditional island fare.
