Tamarind by Elegant Hotels

Barbados, Caribbean

Virgin rating

The hotel

Situated on an idyllic 750ft crescent of beach on the Platinum West Coast of Barbados, Elegant Hotels proudly re-introduce Tamarind. A fusion of Mediterranean warmth and Caribbean spirit coupled with serene outdoor spaces give it a distinctive personality. It is a perfect holiday destination for couples, honeymooners and families seeking a stylish retreat. There’s an array of complimentary water sports and activities for all ages, kids' club, family lounge, fitness centre, an intimate spa and relaxation pool (adults only) and access to acclaimed golfing nearby. Culinary experiences include the 'Taste of Asia', 246 Fridays and Caribbean buffet nights, and a series of chef-inspired à la carte menu options with live entertainment five days a week.

Amenities

  • Kids Club
  • Wheelchair access
  • Families
  • Honeymoon
  • Wedding
  • Bar
  • Fitness Centre/Gym
  • Internet Access
  • Restaurant
  • Room Service
  • Safety Deposit Box
  • Spa

Where is it

At Paynes Bay, St James. 20-minutes to Bridgetown. Transfer time from airport: 35 minutes.

Hotel information

104 rooms on 3 floors with no lifts. All with balcony or patio, air-conditioning, flat-screen cable TV, tea/coffee-making facilities, radio with iPod docking station, fridge, complimentary WiFi access, safe, iron and ironing board, bathrobe, and hairdryer. 

Pool/Garden View Rooms have 1 king-size bed and a sleeper chair, sleeping maximum 2 adults and 1 child. All rooms are non-smoking.


All Inclusive of: breakfast, lunch, all-day dining options, afternoon tea and dinner. All beverages and cocktails (excluding champagne and fine wines). Room service is also available at a supplementary delivery charge. Complimentary motorised and non-motorised water sports, and fitness classes. Guests can enjoy access to the amenities and facilities at the hotel's sister properties (subject to availability, exclusions may apply).

Oceanfront Rooms have sea views and 1 king-size bed. This room type is not available as a twin, and sleeps maximum 2 adults. 

Oceanfront Rooms with Sleeper Chair, featuring 1 king-size bed and pull out sleeper chair. This room type is not available as a twin, and sleeps maximum 2 adults and 1 child.

Junior Suite Pool/Garden View featuring a living area with sofa bed, and either 1 king-size bed or twin beds, sleeping maximum 3 adults, or 2 adults and 2 children.

Junior Suite Ocean View featuring a living area with sofa bed, and either 1 king-size bed or twin beds, sleeping maximum 3 adults or 2 adults and 2 children. Wheelchair accessible Room with roll-in shower.

1-Bedroom Suite Pool/Garden View featuring a separate living room with sofa bed, and 1 king-size bed, sleeping maximum 3 adults or 2 adults and 2 children.

1-Bedroom Suite Oceanfront featuring a separate living room with sofa bed, and 1 king-size bed, sleeping maximum 3 adults or 2 adults and 2 children.

Family Connected Oceanview Junior Suites are available and consist of 2 Junior Suite Oceanview Rooms, sleeping maximum 6 adults or 4 adults and 4 children. 

Sugar Cane Room — open-air restaurant serving full breakfast buffet, traditional breakfast choices as well as local Bajan delights. Rilaks Deck & Bar — South Beach Miami-inspired outdoor lounge serving light snacks and cocktails with music including R&B, jazz, Caribbean, and soul. The 246 Deck — oceanfront restaurant serving local and international dishes for lunch and dinner. Room service*. Taste of Elegance Dine Around Programme* at select sister properties (drink and meal supplements may apply, exclusions may apply).

Live entertainment 5 days a week, including live bands, solo artists, and steel pannists. Saturday special BBQ buffet nights.

3 freshwater pools including an adults-only relaxation pool. Boutique spa*. Fitness centre. Yoga, aqua aerobics, and fitness classes. Complimentary motorised and non-motorised water sports including water-skiing, tubing, banana boat rides, stand up paddle boarding, snorkelling, hobie cat sailing, and kayaking. Water trampoline. Flying Fish Kids Club. Tamarind Teens Den with outdoor activities, water sports and local educational activities.

Boutique. Jewellery store. Gift shop. Complimentary WiFi in rooms and throughout the property. Daytime water taxi service (subject to availability and weather conditions) stops at select West Coast Elegant Hotels. Beach and Pool Ambassador service.

A Tourism Fee will be charged per bedroom, per night and will be collected at check out. The rate is subject to change by the Government, and varies by hotel room. Fees currently range from 8.75 Barbadian dollar (approximately £3.90) to 35 Barbadian dollar (approximately £16.00) per bedroom, per night. 

Wheelchair adapted rooms with partially accessible amenities or facilities available on request. Please note that these rooms are subject to availability and may be restricted to specific room categories and bedding arrangements. Rooms and facilities vary between hotels so please check at the time of booking. To discover all the special assistance services we offer please see additional information below.

1 night between 5 Jan-21 Dec and 5 Jan-31 Oct.

7 nights between 22 Dec-2 Jan.

* Denotes local charge.

Special assistance

Please note: child ages from 2-12 years.

Dress code: elegantly casual in the evenings.

Please note: over Christmas and New Year, a dinner credit of $90 per adult and $45 per child will be given towards the cost of the gala dinners.

Please note: the Dine Around Programme is only available at select properties and may be subject to an additional cost. A complimentary water taxi to select west coast Elegant properties is available during daytime only and subject to availability and weather conditions.

Rating summary

  • Location Image of the Tripadvisor rating
  • Sleep Quality Image of the Tripadvisor rating
  • Rooms Image of the Tripadvisor rating
  • Service Image of the Tripadvisor rating
  • Value Image of the Tripadvisor rating
  • Cleanliness Image of the Tripadvisor rating

Traveller rating

  • Excellent (987)
  • Very good (434)
  • Average (139)
  • Poor (34)
  • Terrible (50)
Image of the Tripadvisor rating Beware upgrades.

Nov 26, 2023 JOHN G

Booked a Garden/Pool view room. On arrival was given complimentary upgrade ocean view . On return home noticed BBD 700 (£288.09.) was taken from my bank account ! So much for complimentary ! Have tried contacting hotel via four different e-mail addresses, all not accepted. Beware, if they offer you upgrade and you accept, check your bank balance.
Image of the Tripadvisor rating Perfect week in paradise

Nov 21, 2023 debefc77 Wallasey, United Kingdom

We have just returned from a fantastic week long break at Tamarind. After reading mixed reviews we really didn’t know what to expect but from the moment we arrived we were not disappointed. The receptionist Astro was possibly the nicest receptionist we have ever had the pleasure to deal with, she looked after us and was always on hand to answer… Read more
We have just returned from a fantastic week long break at Tamarind. After reading mixed reviews we really didn’t know what to expect but from the moment we arrived we were not disappointed. The receptionist Astro was possibly the nicest receptionist we have ever had the pleasure to deal with, she looked after us and was always on hand to answer any questions we may have. Our room 233 overlooked the absolutely perfect beach and stunning turquoise sea. Free water sports was a great draw for us and we made use of these facilities every day along with the complimentary water taxi which happily ferried us to the other Elegant hotels which were also inclusive on our package. The hotel has recently been taken over by Marriot and will be closed for refurbishment from April 2024. Some areas will benefit from this but we honestly could not find fault with this hotel at all. All the staff were so warm and welcoming, special mention to barman Ray who looked after us all week and was so friendly. Food, both buffet and Al a carte was wonderful and staff were only too happy to help. Pool areas were clean and the beach, wow, the beach will remain in my heart forever. There’s a bus stop right outside the hotel and you can take the bus to holetown, speightstown and further afield, these buses are safe and a real experience. We will definitely return to Tamarind following its refurbishment which we hope won’t change it too much as it’s simply wonderful just the way it is. Thank you for an unforgettable week. Read less
Image of the Tripadvisor rating Lovely stay but hotel needs work

Nov 21, 2023 Chris A Rugby, United Kingdom

All in all we had a brilliant stay in Barbados. However, the hotel lacked in several areas. I'm aware it's due for renovation next year, which is much needed. We had a persistent leak right above our toilet which made going to the loo rather annoying. We reported this on day 1, day 2, day 3, day 4 and finally on day 5 they came to fix it. Walking… Read more
All in all we had a brilliant stay in Barbados. However, the hotel lacked in several areas. I'm aware it's due for renovation next year, which is much needed. We had a persistent leak right above our toilet which made going to the loo rather annoying. We reported this on day 1, day 2, day 3, day 4 and finally on day 5 they came to fix it. Walking through puddles of water and subsequently being rained on while using the facilities had gotten a little tiring by then. The food is excellent. We particularly enjoyed the theme nights and the wide variety of foods, both healthy and not so! A great choice. The staff were generally friendly, some wonderful and others who didn't want to speak - it was ok, just a little odd at times in how much it varied from staff member to staff member. The gym was in a very poor state, which wasn't as advertised. We would love to visit after the renovation. A great location and a great trip, it just needs bringing up to speed. Read less
Image of the Tripadvisor rating Great all-inclusive break, including watersports and trips to other hotels in the group

Nov 14, 2023 ColinC978 London, United Kingdom

The location is brilliant. The west coast has golden beaches and calm seas. The hotel had a really good ‘family’ feel about it. The watersports stood out . Free hobbiecats, paddle board, waterski/wakeboarding. Another bonus, is the free water taxi that takes you to the other three hotels in the group: colony, waves, crystal. And everybody was… Read more
The location is brilliant. The west coast has golden beaches and calm seas. The hotel had a really good ‘family’ feel about it. The watersports stood out . Free hobbiecats, paddle board, waterski/wakeboarding. Another bonus, is the free water taxi that takes you to the other three hotels in the group: colony, waves, crystal. And everybody was super friendly. A wonderful break. Read less
Image of the Tripadvisor rating A very relaxed stay

Nov 14, 2023 58louiseg Maidenhead, United Kingdom

A charming hotel and although it is a little tired I wouldn’t let that put you off. We had such a lovely time and were very looked after by all the friendly staff. The inclusive water sports were a real bonus for us as the sea is perfect. We also loved being able to visit the 3 other hotels by the free water taxi. We will definitely be back… Read more
A charming hotel and although it is a little tired I wouldn’t let that put you off. We had such a lovely time and were very looked after by all the friendly staff. The inclusive water sports were a real bonus for us as the sea is perfect. We also loved being able to visit the 3 other hotels by the free water taxi. We will definitely be back especially as it’s closing soon for a refurb. Just hope they keep up the charm of this place. Read less