"Arriving via the grand palm tree-lined avenue sets the tone for what is one of the most historic properties in Barbados. The Fairmont Royal Pavilion was formerly The Miramar Hotel, built in the 1940s and the first hotel to be constructed on the west coast of Barbados. These days, its 12 rooms have since been expanded to 75 showstoppers—all with unspoiled ocean views and featuring handcrafted woodwork, local artworks, and navy-blue accents. Stay in one of the ground floor rooms and you can pad across the sand every morning for a dip in the sea. Upper-level rooms have their own advantages—breezy terraces with curvy rattan daybeds and endless views over the arc of Alleynes Bay. The hotel has heritage sewn into its shell-pink walls, so you can expect traditional afternoon teas and refined Bajan cuisine conjured up by chef Tim Palmer (the crab cake with coconut curry emulsion is the star of the show). The glorious gardens, originally designed by renowned South American landscape architect, Fernando Tabora, are a joy. Atriums and shady paths are lined with mango, breadfruit, cherry, and banana trees; frangipani cascades over courtyards and ponds are pretty with red and white lilies which bloom at night. Book a botanical tour every Wednesday morning to find out more about some of the rare plants and discover that there’s more to this coastline than just the beach. —Angelina Villa-Clarke" - Angelina Villa-Clarke, Rosalyn Wikeley
