When staying at Coral Reef Club Barbados, guests experience a wonderful, tropical tranquillity. Their classical Bajan buildings standing amongst profuse lush gardens, with the beautiful colours of bougainvillea, and the rich green fan of a traveller's palm. Days are spent relaxing to the quiet background sounds of the ground doves and hiss of Casuarina pines, and then, as evening draws in, the gardens “peep” to the sound of the tree frogs.
Coral Reef is family owned, the O'Hara family have been part of the West Coast of Barbados for almost fifty years the O'Hara brothers, Patrick and Mark, run the hotel. With the younger generation making some changes to encourage the faithful guests as well as a younger, trendier crowd.
The hotel is laid out in twelve acres that run down to the shore, approach along a drive, beneath the massive trees. To your right is a small block and then rooms are set in cottages around the lawn. Then you arrive reception, where there are more blocks of rooms, festooned in tropical greenery, and overlook the waterfront behind it.
Each building has a low-pitched shingle roof and cream-coloured coral stone or render, with stepped keystones at the corners, arched windows, pediments and white wooden balustrades. Since Coral Reef Club first opened in the 60s, every building in the hotel has been completely rebuilt.
There most recent development was in 2003, the new rooms are leaner and much larger than before. The new bathrooms are nearly the size of the original rooms. The Luxury Cottages and the five Plantation Suites are spectacular and they each have their own plunge pools.
The real pleasure of Coral Reef and the reasons why many guests chose to come back resides in its effortlessly elegant atmosphere. The staff, some of whom have worked there for decades, welcome guests like friends, and the O'Hara brothers, Patrick and Mark make themselves available when ever possible to greet every arriving guest. All this, encouraged by the informality of the hotel the guests also come to know one another, the atmosphere is understated and extremely low key. A true place of tranquillity in the tropics.
Accommodation
There are 88 air-conditioned rooms, cottages and suites all of which continue with the classical Bajan theme inside the rooms - pickled pine woodwork giving a pleasant and light effect. Each has an area of outdoor space, with either a private patio or balcony, CD player/clock radios, wall safes, overhead fans, fridges, toasters and hair dryers. Chose from King or twin beds (indicate which you prefer when making your reservation)
Bathrooms are large and have combination shower and baths also following the theme in white and cream-coloured coral rock, with dressing gowns and Moulton Brown shampoos provided.
The
garden rooms and garden cottages to the rear of the main house are set in magnificent tropical greenery, and of which there are four single garden rooms.
The
superior junior suites in the gardens and luxury junior suites are closer to the sea with a sitting area.
The newest rooms are
luxury cottages (and the luxury suites above them) in the cottages around the lawn. These have a dressing area, living room with sofa bed, a wraparound veranda and a private plunge pool. The luxury rooms are in the front half of the property leading towards the sea.
The best sea view of all is from the five
plantation suites, which sit on the top floor of the blocks. They are fully air-conditioned with a large covered terrace and open sundeck area with a plunge pool which is 12'x9'. The living room has a fax machine, television, DVD player with a selection of DVDs, CD player and a selection of CDs plus a complimentary starter bar. Three of the suites have king size beds and two can convert from king to twin beds, if required; all have a dressing room and large, ornate bathroom.
For interconnecting rooms or
two bedroom accommodation, combinations available are two Garden Rooms/Cottages, one Superior Junior Suite and one Garden Room, two Luxury Junior Suites or two Luxury Cottages/Suites.
For a luxury villa experience within the hotel resort Coral Reef Club offer :
Tamarind Villa (2 doubles, 2 singles and 2 bathrooms) is in the gardens next to a shared swimming pool (with Ixora Villa) has a kitchen, living room, large terrace and dining area leading to a private lawned area.
Ixora Villa (3 doubles, 1 single, 3 bathrooms and 1 shower room) shares a pool with Tamarind and has a kitchen, living room with television, DVD, CD player and features a luxurious Master Suite, private patio and large air-conditioned bathroom with separate bath and shower. It also has two double bedrooms with en suite bathrooms and a single room with en suite shower room. Outdoor areas as for Tamarind.
ServicesTwo swimming pools – Gymnasium – Boutique - beauty and masseuse clinic - Hairdressing salon. Bar – Restaurant - 2 floodlit hard tennis courts.
Other Services
Exchange dining with other luxury West Coast hotels for guests on half-board (subject to availability). Facilities for wheelchairs available on request.
NEW SPA UPDATE
The Coral Reef Club have introduced a state of the art Spa, offering the highest standards in luxurious facilities. The interior design has been created by British designer Helen Green, whose style has a timeless elegance. It is based on classical Caribbean design with a modern, streamlined look. A colonial inspired two storey building has been built to house the spa’s facilities which include: a luxuriously appointed indoor relaxation room, four private, individual treatment rooms with private gardens, a couples’ outdoor treatment pavilion, a spa garden with cloistered
relaxation, a hydro-pool with shaded cabanas for post treatment relaxation and a thermal suite.
| Room details |
| Room | Room Type | Aircon | Ceiling
Fan | Ensuite |
|
| 1 | Garden Room/Cottage Twin/Double | Yes | Yes | Shower over Bath |
|
| 3 | Superior Junior Suite Twin/Double | Yes | Yes | Shower over Bath |
|
| 4 | Luxury Junior Suite Twin/Double | Yes | Yes | Shower over Bath |
|
| 5 | Luxury Cottage/Suite Twin/Double | Yes | Yes | Shower over Bath |
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