Settlers Beach Villa Hotel

well i am about 8 months late writing this review which maybe isn't so bad as people will be looking for maybe 4 months ahead lol. the best thing about settlers beach was the staff, extremely helpful and cheerful throughout. the rooms were fine for us and it was a great location to see the island from. the rooms were large and fairly airy and had a feeling of their own space - it was ideal for us having the two bedrooms in the one appartment with a 16yo girl with us. the bar was adequate and the food is improving. we felt it was a fantastic position to eat and steps were being taken to improve the bar and food. the secluded pool and grounds were fantastic, the beach was small(ish) but perfectly adequate and you could happily wander further along in front of other hotels in any case. food in holetown was great, tides was fantastic (with rays gliding past as you eat) and next door the buffet at sandpipers was worth a go. the nearby supermarket was more than adequate and self catering enabled us to go round the island and explore. i tried several agents and got the price much cheaper by trying a few, although i'd consider booking direct in future as taxis are easy enough to pick up. nightlife is quieter than i'd like although the karaoke down the side streets on a sunday night was fun. say hello to handy andy from andy in maidstone if you buy something off him on the beach! we will likely return sometime but this year looks like kenya. a belated many thanks to the fantastic staff. andy Close

We stayed at Settlers Beach for a few nights having previously stayed at Silver Point. Settlers Beach has a really good location with lots of amenities near by. The staff are also very friendly and attentative. However we were disappointed on two accounts. Firstly the beach was very small at probably less then 15-30m wide depending on the tide. It wasn't particularly nice either and there are much nicer beaches elsewhere on the island. We couldn't get on the beach to sunbathe let alone get on sun loungers. The accommodation was nice and pleasant, ideally suited to families. However there was only air conditioning in the bedrooms which meant the lounge and kitchen were no go areas for us. It was just too hot. Overall I'd only recommend Settlers Beach if you can tolerate the heat to make the most of the cottages and the beach is not important to you. Close

I have stayed in Barbados for 4 times now, the last 2 occasions (2005 and 2007) at Settlers Beach. I cannot fault it! Beautifully maintained, exceptionally friendly, lovely location, excellent villas and bungalows (I have stayed in both single and 2 storey properties). The kitchens are well appointed, clean and spacious. Being a lover of tropical plants, the gardens are beautiful and well maintained. The pool is also clean and well located near the bar. Surrounded by planting, there is also privacy from the properties. All the staff I have met are extremely helpful and when they say they will do something for you and get back to you - they do! My family (2 adults, 2 children - aged 14 and 8) all love Settlers Beach and I have no intention of staying anywhere else on the island. Having stayed in other self catering properties on the island, I can say with absolute certainty that Settlers Beach is the best place I have stayed. Great people, great place - what more could you ask for? Close

We decided to return to Barbados after 18 years and visit the island with our children where we got engaged. I selected Settlers because it has villa's with kitchens and 2BRs. Much to my surprise each bedroom has its own bathroom and there is also a washer and dryer in each villa. We asked for two villas and we got our first selection. I wanted the "bungalow" because it did not have stairs and allowed for a larger villa with the middle sun patio. Celia was very friendly when we arrived as was everyone. The only mistake I made was renting a car. Everything was within walking distance and the show we went to gave us a free ride there and back. The pool was nice and right near our bungalow. We took the shotcut out the back to the beach. The beach is not a long beach but it is plenty big enough and there is a larger section to the south where we stayed. There are enough chairs for everyone and a nice platform in the roped off area. The large roped off area was very important as it kept all the boaters/jetskiers away you can snorkel all day and enjoy the beach without being bothered. The Managers party was nice. The villa was perfect. I did read about the mosquito and bought some stuff at the grocery store...we never used it. We left bananas out to see the Monkey's but they were more interested in our neighbors bikini :-) I cant think of anything I would change or improve with the hotel.....one note look at the safe after you lock it it will tell u the code...just in case you type it wrong....i had that problem. ...as far as the area....the grocery store has everything you need just like in the US. The shops south of the grocery store has wonderful items. Tides was incredible. The service was unbelievable and the food was as wonderful to look at and eat. It's a must. The stone grill/elbow room was very cool....you cook your own steak...how you cook it is not stand in front of a hot grill but they bring out a hot stone and you cook the steak right on the stone....this would be a great idea in a US city. Definitely a great trip and the hotel was the prefect choice and a better choice than the hotel we stayed at before down the road. Close

Having just returned today from Settlers Beach resort after a 10 day stay, we actually felt compelled for the first time in a long time to take the time to write a review of our experiences on the basis that others can benefit too! We have been to Barbados a couple of times before but have always stayed in St Lawrence Gap, on the basis that there would be more variety there in terms of "eateries" and bars. This time we wanted to share the Caribbean with my parents so thought the West Coast would be more suitable and after research decided on Settlers Beach as it appeared to offer the location and facilities we wanted. The research paid off! Settlers offers great value for money, the location is great! Only five minutes walk brings you to 1st/2nd Street in Holetown with a respectable selection of bars to suit all ages. The Sunday night karaoke is an experience you must try out, and Friday night was busy at Mews (mojitos to die for) & Lexys the piano bar offers good later night entertainment, in-fact the nightlife was as good as the Gap but with a more relaxed vibe - perfect!!! There are some great restaurants such as Cocomos, Tides and The Beach House all within five/ten minutes walk. Super Center (mall with a supermarket) is only a five minute walk from the resort and the food selection is great! The resort itself is made up of one and two-storey villa accommodation which were nicely done, comfortable and clean and with wonderful landscaping that really makes you believe you are in your own resort, privacy was never an issue! The staff are wonderful, always smiling with a keen sense of humour and more than happy to help with any requests you may have. Yes the beach is not so wide at the front of the resort, but still plenty of room for sun-beds that were never crowded and if one was not available all you had to do was ask! However there are so many beautiful beaches within easy walking & driving distance it didn't impact our holiday at all. We stayed in Villa 2, which was lovely not only did we have a beautiful sea view, but were five steps away from the pool, which was never overcrowded and at times felt like your own! Spago, the resort restaurant, is a new addition and I have to say the three times we ate there evening and night the food was wonderful and service was on Barbados time, i.e. take your time and enjoy the wonderful beach side setting! Vanessa the new General Manager is really passionate about getting Settlers to be the "home from home" and I think she is on the way to realising this 100% very soon. A special mention to Celia on reception who is so friendly, and finally a fond farewell to the green monkey who loved my lime green bikini so much he decided to steal it from my balcony! All in all a great experience for all ages, families and couples - my only question is - how quickly can we return. Ian & Cara Woods, Biggin Hill, UK Close