Barbados is innately Caribbean in nature. Think cyan-turquoise waters, lush greenery, and brilliant white-sand beaches. The picture-postcard escape is the Caribbean’s westernmost island and overlooks the North Atlantic Ocean. Barbados has long been mesmerizing travelers since the 19th century, and it’s no different today. While all kinds of travelers throng to it, it’s particularly popular with families. Today, there is a bevy of traditional and contemporary family hotels in Barbados that offer excellent all-inclusive deals. That said, the island also does beautifully with eco-lodges and chic, boutique hotels too. When it comes to families, Barbados has the whole package that includes activities to suit all ages. All-in-all, if you’re headed to Barbados with your families, you’ll be spoilt for choice for choosing a temporary base in this unspoiled spot of paradise. To that end, here are the 11 best family hotels you can stay in Barbados.
Where to Stay in Barbados?
The tear-shaped Barbados sits at the eastern edge of the Caribbean. From teens to toddlers, every kid loves a good beach. And Barbados has plenty of lovely white sand beaches to suit every kind of activity. The south coast beaches like Accra and Maxwell beaches are perfect for those who like water sports. So, if you and your kids are going to be doing kitesurfing, kayaking, and more, then areas like Silver Sands and Rockley are perfect. If you and your family are looking for a tranquil beach holiday, then the western coast of Barbados has excellent upscale hotels that are perfect for you. These include areas like Speightstown, Paynes Bay, and Holetown.
There’s no place better to dive into the island’s culture and history than the capital city of Bridgetown in southwestern Barbados. The historic area of Garrison in the UNESCO World Heritage City is the perfect place to soak up its history and architecture. Finally, Barbados’ eastern coast is perfect if your children are a bit grown up and you all want to enjoy a bucolic holiday. The east coast is a ruggedly beautiful landscape perfect for beach walks, hiking, and more.
Bougainvillea Barbados
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If you’re looking for a good-value four-star hotel for families in southern Barbados, then the Bougainvillea Barbados is perfect. What makes this hotel so family-friendly is that children below 16 years stay for free! The hotel is smart and well-designed and has palm-dotted gardens and lovely swimming pools. Besides the Maxwell beach in the background, it has the eponymous bougainvillea everywhere.
It’s hard for children to not fall in love with the resort’s flourishes. The hotel has a well-equipped games room with pool tables, table tennis, and more. Younger children can be left safely in the supervised kids’ club, while the children’s playground ensures that they get some outside activity as well. If that wasn’t enough, the resort has three swimming pools as well as an “ocean-o-clock” with complimentary kayaks and snorkels. That’ll keep them sun-kissed and enjoying to their heart’s content in a natural environment. All-in-all, you can safely find some “me” time as your kids are sure to stay engaged all day long.
It isn’t as if adults are left to their devices. Aside from a quieter pool off the main area, the two freeform swimming pools have waterfalls and even a swim-up bar. A session at the spa and sauna is sure to wash all your stress away. A hearty breakfast with an array of treats will have you and your kids squealing with joy. What’s more, the accommodations here are impressive to boot. All rooms are massive with lots of space, lavish bathrooms, and kitchenettes or kitchens. If that wasn’t enough, some rooms even have their own plunge pools ensconced in lush greenery.
Saint Peter’s Bay
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Families make up a huge chunk of the clientele at Saint Peter’s Bay, one of the best hotels for families in Barbados. The luxurious “aparthotel” is one of the best choices on the west coast of Barbados, thanks to snorkeling trips, water sports, and an inviting lagoon. The resort lies just south of the delightful little Speightstown and is an excellent base for exploring the Top 9 Things To Do In Barbados.
This gated, luxury apart-hotel is a group of salmon-pink apartment blocks. They overlook coral-rock paths, towering palm trees, and lovely manicured lawns. With an exclusive, low-key atmosphere, this place is perfect for families who want to avoid crowded resorts. Moreover, there are a host of reasons why this place is perfect to stay with your children. Firstly, there’s a kids’ club for children between the ages of 4 and 12 years, along with a daily roster of supervised activities. During Christmas and Spring Break, the resort arranges for special activities for families. In addition, you and your children might be lucky to observe baby turtles hatching on the beach in autumn. If that wasn’t enough, the resort runs a water taxi to its sister property in the marina complex of Port Ferdinand. Here, you have access to the indoor kids’ club and an outdoor kids’ park.
You won’t have a problem with the food at the apart-hotel either. A casual ambiance and a wide range of international food is a huge hit with families. The rooms, if you can call them that, are sprawling spaces with sitting rooms and state-of-the-art mod-cons. It’s topped by fabulous patios/terraces with whirlpool tubs for your kids to enjoy.
Turtle Beach
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If you’re looking for a white-sand, blue-sky, and tropical-garden setting, then Turtle Beach by Elegant Hotels has the best of it, and then some. This upscale, all-inclusive resort in Oistins in south Barbados is one of the liveliest family-friendly hotels in Barbados. Apart from the fabulous Dover Beach right out front, it lies within walking distance of Barbados’ nightlife hub of St Lawrence Gap. The best part? It’s the perfect place for your kids to let their hair down.
The well-designed resort is a low-rise, wedge-shaped property. It lies around a freeform pool area peppered with tropical foliage, which is its beating heart. What’s more, your kids are bound to have the time of their lives here. To begin with, there’s an all-day, supervised kids’ club for children between the ages of 3 and 12 years. It offers a bevy of activities, a games section, and even post-supper movie screenings if you want to have a quiet Italian dinner at the romantic restaurant. That said, adults can have their share of fun too. With your kids busy, you can simply lounge by the beach or the pool. Moreover, you’re pampered with the ‘Beach Ambassador’ service, which regularly brings you ice lollies, fruit plates, and drinks. You also have a choice between water sports, dance lessons, mixology hour, and spa sessions.
Since all accommodations at the resort are suites, you and the children have lots of space to lounge around and play. The spacious terraces and balconies with amazing sea views are the cherry on top.
Crystal Cove
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Another excellent hotel for families from the Elegant Group is Crystal Cove, which sits above a beach on Barbados’ west coast. Featuring some of the best all-inclusive luxuries in the Caribbean, the hotel is a real hidden gem for families with children.
The setting of the resort couldn’t be better. Sitting in the background is a tranquil, soft-sand beach peppered with casuarinas and palm trees. Is it family-friendly? Very! Kids will literally be spoilt for choice here with the wide range of activities offered, both in water and on terra firma. Apart from three multi-tiered swimming pools, kids have the choice of going to the beach or the nearby horseriding center. There’s even the fantastic Flying Fish Club for children between 3 and 12 years old. Finally, water sports rule at the Aqua School, which is the best way to introduce your kids to them.
On the other hand, the best thing for you to do is lounge by the pool or beach as you’re regularly fed ice lollies, fruit plates, and drinks. If you want to indulge in an offbeat culinary experience, the Cave Bar at the property can be accessed by swimming through a waterfall! What’s more, rooms at the resort are designed for the family too; think interconnected rooms and huge sofa beds. Since the resort is fabulously all-inclusive, all meals including afternoon tea, all water sports, and water taxis to other Elegant properties are complimentary. All-in-all, you and your family can enjoy a full-blown Caribbean vacation!
Sea Breeze Beach House
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Kids stay free at the Sea Breeze Beach House, an exclusive and secluded paradise on Barbados’ sumptuous southern coast! Apart from fabulous views of the North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, you also have access to both Maxwell and Welches beaches. What’s even better is that the resort is perfect for getting out and exploring the island with your family.
What’s excellent about the resort is that it sensibly lays out and separates the adult and family zones. So, three pools are divided as adults-only, a lap pool, and a third which is a family pool. Aside from the “kids stay free” offer, the place even has two fabulous outdoor and indoor kids’ clubs. A casual fish n chips and pizza restaurant is enough to make your kids go crazy. If that wasn’t enough, there’s even a fully-staffed babysitting service, although that might be more exciting for you than for the children! As adults, you have the option to lounge under the pretty parasols on the beach or sip drinks by the pool. Besides in-room treatments, you can also indulge in many water sports if you’re the intrepid kind.
The vibrant rooms with colorful artworks are a reflection of the resort’s sunny disposition. You and your family will love the “Luxury Collection” suites with huge TVs and ocean-view terraces.
Tamarind
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Whether you’re a family with younger or older kids, you’ll love the contemporary Tamarind on Barbados’ west coast. One of the most informal all-inclusive hotels for families on the island, Tamarind sits on Paynes Bay, one of the finest beaches on the island. The fabulous beach is perhaps the best facet of staying here, as it’s a prime spot for snorkeling in Barbados. Moreover, it’s also safe for swimming and offers a plethora of water sports for children.
The stylish beachfront property spares no detail when it comes to style. It’s a cluster of soft-yellow structures with green lawns, towering palms, and wooden and wicker seating sprinkled all over. What’s more, children are also offered five-star treatment here. Firstly, it has a kids’ club that offers activities for children between the ages of 3 and 12-year-olds. Older kids will find the games room with air hockey, table football, table tennis, and more very appealing indeed. Ultimately, the winning aspect is the exclusive children’s menus at the resort’s restaurants, which are more varied and flexible than at most Barbados hotels. While your kids are busy, you can enjoy complimentary ice lollies and fruit kebabs by the adults-only pool. Post-that, you can either indulge in a series of watersports at the beach or enjoy a soothing massage at the spa.
When it comes to the rooms, your family will have the most fun in the oceanfront suites with terraces and balconies. They’re a mere hop, skip and jump from the beach.
Colony Club
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The Colony Club is, without doubt, the best looking of all Elegant properties on Barbados. The beachside hotel overlooks the gorgeous Colony Club beach and Heron Bay on Barbados’ west coast. While the stretch of beach right out front is narrow, it’s pristine and perfect for swimming. It’s what makes this place so perfect for families.
The faux-colonial property is sprawled across lush, tropical grounds with mahogany trees and soaring palms. It’s nestled around four gorgeous freeform swimming pools with waterfalls and a sinful-looking swim-up bar. Apart from swimming pools, there are also watersports galore with banana boat rides, waterskiing, kayaking, and snorkeling. So, your kids are sure to have a gala time both at the resort and at the beach. You can even take some time out and head to the neat little spa, while the children can enjoy a round of board games. Moreover, the resort even organizes one-of-a-kind hunter-gathering trips to ‘bait to plate’ fishing ones. From all-you-can-eat breakfasts to local dinners, you’ll be more than pleased with the food. In the end, the resort revives flagging spirits and gives you all a taste of the good ol’ days.
The best rooms at the Colony Club are the ocean-view suites on the beach with terraces and the ground-floor swim-up poolside rooms with terraces lead directly into the swimming pools.
Sugar Bay Barbados
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There’s something always going on at the Sugar Bay Barbados, a cheery, all-inclusive beachfront hotel close to Barbados’ capital of Bridgetown. The snazzy beach resort radiates a boho-chic beach vibe with white furnishings and vibrant pops of color. The beach is the star here, complete with hammocks, loungers, and parasols dotted along the shore. The hotel’s heavenly pool is the star attraction, complete with a decadent swim-up bar and a restaurant. The Karma Spa dishes out some of the best massages on the island, while the water sports on the offer at the beach are thrilling, to say the least.
Not for nothing is Sugar Bay one of the best hotels in Barbados. For one, it’s one of the best all-inclusive family-friendly hotels in south Barbados. In fact, there are a bunch of supervised activities and care included for children between the ages of 4 months and 12 years. For infants and toddlers, there’s a creche. Tweens can let their hair down at the kids’ club. On the other hand, teenagers will love the activities designed for them as well as video game consoles.
Accommodations are designed keeping in mind families as well. In case the suites aren’t available, you can choose rooms with interconnecting doors too. Notwithstanding that, all rooms have a slew of mod-cons and terraces with views of the gardens or pool.
Hilton Barbados Resort
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You simply have to stay at what is Barbados’ most exclusive hotel, the Hilton Barbados Resort. The sprawling resort on the southwestern coast of Barbados is all about endless pampering and outstanding luxury. It backs on to not one but two pristine golden-sand beaches which are amongst the largest on the island.
What’s more, it might be ostentatious, it might be expensive, but, there’s no doubt that it’s the best hotel for families on all of Barbados! And for good measure. Its kids’ club, the Kidz Paradise Club, is the best hotel children’s club on the island. It entertains children of the ages 3 years and above with tons of exciting and creative indoor and outdoor activities. These include everything from beach and pool games to masquerade, movies, and storytelling. Moreover, it even has the Barbados Blue facility with water sports and scuba-diving packages!
When their children are busy, adults will love the coral rock and gleaming marble ambiance of the resort. The massive pool complex has a flag-up service, and you’ll be plied with drinks, sorbets, and even wet towels. Do take time to visit the amazing spa with a plethora of massage and body wrap services. Finally, your family will particularly love all the space in the rooms with sprawling balconies and sweeping ocean views.
The Crane
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In the southeastern corner of the island of Barbados sits one of its best family hotels, The Crane. The massive, all-inclusive gated hotel complex sits right on the postcard-perfect Crane beach. With a gorgeous property, a fabulous kids club, and sprawling, luxurious apartment-like rooms, your family will want for very little while staying here. The resort is not without history – it’s the oldest continually-operating hotel in the Caribbean!
The resort is akin to a charming village with its neo-classical structures, winding lanes, lush greenery, and stunning views over the beach. It’s almost as if you’re cut off from the commercialized part of Barbados, which is a blessing. The facilities are amongst the best of any Barbados resort. These include the clifftop, tiered, and landscaped swimming pool complex. If that wasn’t enough, there’s even an adults-only pool for you to chill when you want a little break. Plus, there’s also a small spa, art gallery, and a deli. What’s more, it even has a delightful kids’ club for children between the ages of 4 and 12 years. It has everything from swings to a jungle gym and even a playground. Additionally, the pool complex has a kids’ area, and there’s a kids’ menu on the offer in the restaurant as well.
“Rooms” might be the wrong word for accommodations here. In reality, they’re sprawling suites with four-poster beds, huge marble bathrooms, and vast terraces and balconies. All of them have full kitchens, while the best ones even have plunge pools. In short, they’re dream digs for your family.
Divi Southwinds Beach Resort
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We’ve saved the best for the last, and rightly so. The all-suites Divi Southwinds Resort on Barbados’ southern coast redefines “space”. The massive, 20-acre property sits right on Dover Beach. What’s more, it’s an excellent choice if you have small children. For, there’s not just lots of space for children to run around, but there are tons of activities for them to do sans their parents too!
To begin with, the resort features a well-designed complimentary children’s club that caters to children above the age of 3 years. Plus, it offers a range of age-appropriate activities and adventures, right from swings and rock-climbing walls to miniature golf. And of course, there’s the pools and the beach and pools. As an adult, you have your own share of fun to indulge in, or not indulge in. There are three pools to lounge around, or you can even enjoy a laidback evening under the parasols at the beach. Furthermore, a massage at the spa is perfect to soak away life’s stresses. The restaurant and the seaside bar don’t disappoint either you or your kids. Finally, Divi Southwinds also arranges for all sorts of water sports from windsurfing to scuba diving to snorkeling.
When it comes to accommodations, children under the age of 12 years stay for free! Moreover, all suites have pool/garden views, sitting rooms, and full kitchens. If you really want to splurge, we’d suggest the fantastic beach villas.
Recommended Restaurants / Bars / Food Tours in Barbados:
- Taste the Caribbean: Eat like a local on this lip-smacking food tour. It takes you to some of the best street food stalls on the island.
- The Fish Pot: This seafood restaurant sits inside an 18th-century fort. It serves delectable seafood and spectacular views of the Caribbean.
Recommended Activities In Barbados:
- Barbados 5-Hour Island Tour: Take in the history, culture, and daily life of Barbados on this full-day tour. What’s more, drinks and lunch are included.
- Barbados 2-Hour Snorkeling Tour: This 2-hour tour takes you snorkeling to 5 different shipwrecks off the coast of Barbados. Swim alongside the stunning Caribbean marine life.
