Some say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but everyone knows that Barbados has it all. Powdered sandy beaches, turquoise blue seas and pink skies at sunset make for a place as close to paradise as you’ll ever get.

The West Coast of the island has, over the years, become a hub of glamorous vacations and luxury homes, and for the past 25 years, the proud home of the Royal Westmoreland resort.

Royal Westmoreland is the only gated resort on the island, encompassing 250 beautiful homes, alongside world class amenities – a fitness centre aptly known as ‘The Sanctuary’, a world class par-72, 7,045 yard golf course, designed by acclaimed course designer Robert Trent Jones Jr. and complete with beautiful club house; tennis court (the only clay court in Barbados) and saltwater pool.

When it comes to deciding where to stay at Royal Westmoreland, you’re spoilt for choice. Holidaymakers like us can choose between the unique Royal Apartments; lavish Townhouses; Golf Cottages adjacent to the award-winning course, and exclusive Villas which are individually styled, privately enclosed, and complete with pool and sun terrace.

As well as being an incomparable holiday destination, the lucky ones amongst us consider Royal Westmoreland their home. In celebration of its silver anniversary, Royal Westmoreland launched some of its most impressive homes to date across four new exclusive developments offering something unique and special to each owner’s bespoke wants and style.

From the finest in luxury design on Lancaster Drive, to the contemporary, clean style of Mahogany Heights and the secluded, private serenity of Jasmine Grove, the resort provides the perfect luxury investment for anybody looking to purchase their own paradise home. Royal Westmoreland’s existing villas range from £1.1million to £4.9million, or you can even stretch the budget further with a bespoke architecturally designed property.

During our stay, we were given the opportunity to visit 20 Lancaster Drive, one of the specially commissioned villas which was built in 2019 to mark the 25th anniversary. Located on the most desirable ridge of the resort, 20 Lancaster Drive – boasting both a main house and guest cottage – was designed with the island’s natural elements in mind. Arranged over two floors, this beautiful reversed living, fully furnished home features four bedrooms and four and a half bathrooms in the main house – all accessed by floor to ceiling sliding glass doors. The private verandas spill onto the large pool deck boasting panoramic sea and fairway views – dreamy!

For those looking to test the waters of owning their own property, the Fractional Ownership model has been proving its success at Royal Westmoreland for several years. Many owners at Royal Westmoreland first dipped their toes in the tranquil, blue seas as holidaymakers before falling in love with the island, the perfect year-round weather and the world class amenities of the resort. Fractional Ownership presents an opportunity for those visitors to purchase part of a luxury villa on the resort for a set number of weeks, giving the comfort and reassurance of your own beautiful home to visit year on year, without the additional responsibility that comes with full ownership.

If that wasn’t attractive enough, Fractional Ownership includes Club Membership to allow you and your guests to enjoy the world class amenities while securing the long-term benefits of owning a villa. One-week ownership of a gorgeous Royal Apartment starts at £9,000, with a two-week ownership for one of the fantastically located Golf Cottages starting from £28,000, and a two-week ownership of a Royal Palm Villa costing from £81,000.

There are no restrictions on renting your villa or sending friends and family to enjoy it, and what’s more, owners can access the highly flexible Par Points internal exchange system, allowing them to spend the value of their ownership like money on any of Royal Westmoreland’s rental properties at any time of year, if their allotted time of year doesn’t suit them in any given year. After we heard about the fractional ownership model, the only thing we were left wondering was where we could sign up!

The properties alone leave plenty to marvel at Royal Westmoreland but of course, there is much more to the resort and to the beautiful island of Barbados than stunning houses and golf course. The nearby Mullins Beach in the parish of St Peter has, quite deservedly, earned the reputation as ‘the place to see, and to be seen’. The Royal Westmoreland Beach Club sits pride of place on Mullins Beach in a private area which is reserved exclusively for guests and residents to experience the beach in its true relaxing atmosphere, and of course with an expert mixologist on hand to make sure you never get thirsty. Better yet, there’s a dedicated transport service to take you from the resort to the Beach Club, so no need to worry about over-refreshing on the rum.

Where to eat

Royal Westmoreland Beach Club:

Head to the Royal Westmoreland Beach Club, set on the famous Mullins Beach. to enjoy a beach-side meal overlooking the Barbados sea. Perfect for a light lunch, divine three-course dinner or even to enjoy watching the beautiful sun go down, the resorts award-winning chef and his team are sure to cook up a feast to make your Caribbean adventure even more wonderful. Enjoy anything from the famous chicken roti, to catch of the day cooked to your liking, wonderful pasta dishes, risottos and delicious salads.

The Club House:

The resort’s Club House is a bar and restaurant with a menu of some of the best Bajan lunch dishes and international flavours. The outside terrace is the piéce de resistance, overlooking the golf course and the Caribbean Sea beyond, making it the perfect place for drinks, whatever time of day. From January 2020, the Club House will be offering up a quintessential British classic in the form of a very elegant Afternoon Tea (on Thursdays) for anyone who wants to enjoy a slice of home.

The Rum Shak:

Barbados is 19 miles long and 6 miles wide – that’s pretty small right? Mind-blowingly, the island has over 1500 rum shacks dotted around – so you’re never too far from a drink. In fact, there’s one right in the resort!

The Rum Shak is Royal Westmoreland’s answer to relaxed food and drink where you can, quite literally, drink rum by the bottle. Local rums are the go-to here for most guests, with a side of coke and a bucket of ice. The Rum Shak is also the one-stop-shop for casual Bajan dining, with a menu of Bajan fishcakes, flying cutters and Caribbean chicken roti. This is also one of the best places on the island to catch a hearty breakfast before the surf.

In your villa:

If your holiday mode is at 100 and you have no desire to venture out, there’s an option the resort will arrange for the ultimate fine dining experience, with your own private chef cooking for you in the comfort of your luxury villa. While you sip champagne and watch the sun go down on your balcony, your chef will whip up whatever your heart desires, be it a selection from Royal Westmoreland’s set menu, or a suggestion of your own choice. They will even source and provide the ingredients for you and your chef without you having to lift a finger!

What to do

Animal Flower Cave (21KM from resort):

The Caribbean is, without a doubt, picture perfect, but few spots demand such attention as the Animal Flower Cave. Located at the northernmost point of the island, in the parish of St Lucy, the cave is a hotspot for some of the best views (and the coolest geology!) around. The name of the site comes from the walls, which are brightly coloured from oxidation and form unusual animal shapes. The cave opens up to breathtaking views over the Atlantic Ocean – perfect for that all-important Instagram shot.

Mount Gay Rum Distillery (10KM from resort):

Rum is the fuel that ignites the very passion of Barbados. Mount Gay is known internationally as one of the best rums in the world – and their home is right here on the island. Tours are guided through the original distillery where it all began over 300 years ago, right up until the present day with the fully operational rum making empire.

Silver Moon Catamaran Cruises (13KM from resort):

Silver Moon sets sail at 9am every day for five hours of luxurious catamaran cruising. Swim with sea turtles, or dive deep into a 19th Century shipwreck to explore the marine life of the coral reef. For a more laid-back approach to the day, you’re also quite welcome to sit on the deck with a cocktail and work on your tan. Silver Moon limit their cruises to just twelve people, so making friends is encouraged unless you already have enough to fill the whole boat. This is a must for unmissable exclusivity and privacy.

Bathsheba Beach (23KM from resort):

Bathsheba is a town on the rugged East Coast of Barbados. Its name comes from an old bible legend which said that Bathsheba, the wife of King David, used to bathe in milk to keep her skin beautiful and soft. The name was given to the area for its white waters and golden sands, which are said to resemble Bathsheba’s bath by giving good health to anyone who visits.

For further information please visit www.royalwestmoreland.com or call the team directly on 01524 917316.

Author

Northern girl Laura is the epitome of a true entrepreneur. Laura’s spirit for adventure and passion for people blaze through House of Coco. She founded House of Coco in 2014 and has grown it in to an internationally recognised brand whilst having a lot of fun along the way. Travel is in her DNA and she is a true visionary and a global citizen.

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