Excellent Barbados Hotel
May 8, 2022 coladakitty Concord, New Hampshire
Our family of 4 (2 adults and 2 teens) loved our stay at Bouganvillea at the end of April. From the moment we arrived after a short cab ride from the airport, we were in love with the place. Although our room wasn't quite ready, they stored our bags for us while we got some lunch and hung out by the pool
We had 2 1-bedroom suites with…
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Our family of 4 (2 adults and 2 teens) loved our stay at Bouganvillea at the end of April. From the moment we arrived after a short cab ride from the airport, we were in love with the place. Although our room wasn't quite ready, they stored our bags for us while we got some lunch and hung out by the pool
We had 2 1-bedroom suites with kitchenettes and living areas, both of which were well outfitted and newly decorated and refreshed. We didn't actually need all of the space we had, and a family of 4 would be comfortable in one suite if the kids could share a pull-out bed, or could down-size to the smaller room and still have plenty of space. Be aware that there are no elevators, so if mobility is an issue, request a ground floor room. Rooms include lovely toiletries and robes and plenty of storage space.
The kitchen has basic necessities, including a kettle and coffee maker.
The beach is soft sand and pleasant for walking without shoes. I found the waves a bit rough but am admittedly not a strong ocean swimmer. The kids were in the water much more. Pools are clean, pretty, and the perfect temperature to refresh but not freeze. There is a swim-up bar and a wading pool for the little ones. There are kayaks, SUPs and a catamaran available through the watersports desk.
We had continental breakfast included, and most days just ate that, though there are eggs and hot options available for a small additional fee. Breakfast changed daily and included fruit, pastries, cereals, yogurt and ham or smoked salmon (depending on the day) and cheese, as well as coffee, tea or hot cocoa. Reservations were required but were not a problem to get (this might be a Covid thing). We had dinner at the hotel twice, once for Thai night, and once with their regular menu, and both were wonderful.
I recommend going next door to Deia Beach Bar for a nice lunch and cocktails. There is another pool over there that is connected to Bouganvillea that is more geared to swimming laps than the lagoon pool.
If you walk down the beach past Sandals toward the Dover Beach Hotel, you'll find the footpath to go to the Dover Market, where you can pick up basic food, snacks, juices and of course rum/Banks beer. This is about a 15 minute stroll or an easy cab ride. You can also walk this way to St. Lawrence Gap restaurants for lunch. While it is probably safe at night, we opted for the inexpensive cab ride into the Gap for dinners out (lots of choices at different price points - do have the hotel make reservations for you).
The staff really make a difference here -- from the front desk to the restaurant, bar, watersports, housekeeping and landscapers, everyone we encountered was friendly, helpful and nice. We loved the afternoon happy hour at the pool bar for rum punches/juices, and our every need was met with ease. We never had trouble finding sunbeds at the pool or beach no matter the time of day.
This hotel is quiet and beautiful, and not a spot for late-night partying. There were families with kids of all ages, and our teenagers loved it. We've already booked our return trip in December!
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