An all-inclusive Barbados escape with excellent food and sea-view spa treatments
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Score 8/10Split across two buildings (called Sunrise and Sunset) there are 116 modern rooms in the O2 Beach Club & Spa. Sunrise was built in 2010 and houses club rooms as well as spacious family-friendly one and two-bedroom suites. They feel like apartments with kitchen areas, complimentary mini bars filled with soft drinks, wine and cocktail ingredients, living spaces and balconies, plus housekeeping. Spacious taupe bathrooms have rainfall showers, while two-bedroom bay-view suites have tubs too. They are painted in neutral, muted tones with pops of hot pink or turquoise on artwork, cushions and rugs, and red striped throws on beds.
Adults-only Sunset was built in 2020 and rooms feel more contemporary with feature walls, funky silver headboards and black rattan light shades, plus freestanding baths as well as walk-in showers in slick marble bathrooms in oceanfront and swim-up Luxury Junior suites.
Score 8/10Start your evening with cocktails at the chic rooftop tapas bar Brisa, which shows off striking views over the sea and a small pool to pose by. Equally excellent views can be enjoyed from the hotel's ninth-floor fine-dining restaurant, Oro, which serves à la carte Caribbean/European fusion dishes — from porterhouse steak and cauliflower cutlets to Caribbean lobster tail.
The main restaurant, Elements, has a buffet breakfast — where you can fill your plate with the likes of pancakes, fruit, yoghurt, pastries and cereal on a self-service buffet, and eggs or omelettes made to order — as well as a buffet lunch and à la carte dinner with a weekly rotating menus. Poolside Bluefin is a laid-back option for pizzas, salads or burgers at lunch, while being watched over by grey kingbirds, and barbecues or buffets on selected evenings sitting under its bamboo roof. Still hungry? Nautical-themed Oasis, in the Sunrise building, serves coffee, cakes and snacks throughout the day. Staff are friendly and chatty but not always the most efficient.
• Best things to do in Barbados• Best hotels in Barbados
Score 8/10On a white-sand beach on the south coast of the island, the hotel enjoys an enviable location — but the water here is exposed to the Atlantic swell so isn't always safe for swimming. Non-motorised water sports are included in the all-inclusive package — think kayaking, boogie boards and snorkelling — and there's a beach team on hand to help. There are regular activities on the sand too, including beach cricket, volleyball and football.
Three pools surrounded by plants and flowers are lovely spots to laze, with two out of three having swim-up bars, while the adults-only pool also has a river section. Daily 'how to' classes are on offer for guests, teaching everything from dominoes to hula hooping, plus there's a small gym and games room with board games, a pool table and table football. Its eighth-floor spa has treatments such as the Bajan Body Blast, which starts with a body scrub followed by a hammam session and rich body butter — with sea views.
Score 8/10Around a ten-minute walk from St Lawrence Gap with its buzzy bars and restaurants. The island's capital, Bridgetown, is around a 20-minute drive away, while Grantley Adams International Airport is around a 15-minute drive away. There are regular local minibuses from St Lawrence Gap to Bridgetown and Accra beach, where there's a one-mile boardwalk to stroll on and bars along the way from where to watch the sun set over the sea.
Price All-inclusive doubles from £560Restaurant n/aFamily-friendly Y Accessible N
Cathy Toogood was a guest of O2 Beach Club & Spa (o2beachclubbarbados.com)
• Best all-inclusive hotels in Barbados• Best luxury villas in Barbados
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The Independent
3 hours ago
- The Independent
I've worked on over 100 cruises. This is the popular destination I think is overrated
It's one of the most popular cruise destinations on the planet, but for one former cruise ship worker, it all looks a bit "samey." That's the verdict on the Caribbean by Alley Kerr, who has worked on more than 100 cruises as a singer and dancer. The 28-year-old is now urging novice cruise passengers-in-waiting to look beyond the region, famed for its palm-fringed sands. Alley, whose bright, breezy and insightful videos have earned her 307,000 subscribers for her Wanderlust Alley YouTube channel, explained over a Zoom chat with The Independent: "Don't limit your cruise experience to just the Caribbean. When you do, everything kind of looks the same. It's just a bunch of beaches. Which all look the same after a while. "And if that's your cup of tea, perfect. But cruising to me is having access to unique adventures." So what's her destination tip? She said: "My first cruise experience as a passenger was in the Mediterranean and I feel like I was absolutely spoiled. It was incredible. I went to so many different countries along the Mediterranean coast, such as France, Spain, Croatia, Montenegro, Israel, Greece… it was such a crazy experience. "And every place that you go is so different. The culture is so different, the offerings are so different — there's some beach, there's some city, there's some history. It's so eclectic and immersive. "Plus, there's the potential for the Caribbean to be a bit sketchy, but I never felt unsafe in the Mediterranean." Alley also recommended cruising in Asia - having had an "amazing" time on sailings around Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. She acknowledged that some people find globetrotting to far-flung shores nerve-wracking, but pointed out that cruising offers a less daunting way to explore new horizons. The travel guru explained: "If the destination is not in someone's comfort zone, then having that little taste and access with a nice big ship to go back to is super helpful. "It makes sense to me why older demographics enjoy cruises so much. Because they don't have to worry about anything. They get to see a little bit of the world, but without the stress of lugging a backpack around." Alley's cruise ship career was cut short by a back injury. But one thing she doesn't miss is the food. She revealed that: "Sometimes you just get slop — not great quality food. Which can be quite difficult. "On some of the more luxurious ships, the crew members eat better. But the quality of the vegetables is not great. For example, you get the runt of the melon and you're like, 'Does it really make me want to eat fruit? Not really.' "So, everything gets a bit meh and repetitive. But even when there is some good food, the energy of the mess is not super exciting. People don't look forward to it." Alley certainly enjoyed her compensation, though, and the fact that "there's nothing you actually have to pay for", except logging on. "You don't have to pay for rent, your food is free, you have free health insurance,' Alley said. 'You don't have to pay for anything, really, except internet stuff." The lowest earners make around $500 a month, but performers like Alley would start on around $2,000, and could earn a lot more. 'It depends on whether you're a specialty act or a lead, or how long you've been in the company — you get little bumps over time — but I know some people who made over $10,000 a month,' she added. "I think most dancers got hired at around $2,500 per month and most singers somewhere from $3,000 to $3,500. And then in musicals, that bump goes up. "On my first ship, I was a dancer, and then a dancer/vocalist on my second. So, my pay got bumped up to $3,500 from $2,900. "I then became a manager and dance captain and I was in an aerial show. You get paid extra for the different roles. "So, I ended up getting all these extra things tacked on top of my salary and making around $6,000 a month. That's a lot."
Times
9 hours ago
- Times
An all-inclusive Barbados escape with excellent food and sea-view spa treatments
There's everything you need for a relaxed escape from reality in this upmarket all-inclusive hotel on the south coast of Barbados. Three pools to lounge by, two swim-up bars, a spa with sea views, fine dining, daily activities from beach cricket and yoga to painting classes plus a chic rooftop lounge. While you could happily spend your whole break bobbing between activities and meals, O2 Beach Club & Spa's location near lively St Lawrence Gap — a stretch of road known for its bars, clubs and restaurants — means it's a great spot to explore the island from, too. The hotel is primarily aimed at adults — there is an adults-only building — but families are welcome in its enormous apartment-style suites. This article contains affiliate links that will earn us revenue Score 8/10Split across two buildings (called Sunrise and Sunset) there are 116 modern rooms in the O2 Beach Club & Spa. Sunrise was built in 2010 and houses club rooms as well as spacious family-friendly one and two-bedroom suites. They feel like apartments with kitchen areas, complimentary mini bars filled with soft drinks, wine and cocktail ingredients, living spaces and balconies, plus housekeeping. Spacious taupe bathrooms have rainfall showers, while two-bedroom bay-view suites have tubs too. They are painted in neutral, muted tones with pops of hot pink or turquoise on artwork, cushions and rugs, and red striped throws on beds. Adults-only Sunset was built in 2020 and rooms feel more contemporary with feature walls, funky silver headboards and black rattan light shades, plus freestanding baths as well as walk-in showers in slick marble bathrooms in oceanfront and swim-up Luxury Junior suites. Score 8/10Start your evening with cocktails at the chic rooftop tapas bar Brisa, which shows off striking views over the sea and a small pool to pose by. Equally excellent views can be enjoyed from the hotel's ninth-floor fine-dining restaurant, Oro, which serves à la carte Caribbean/European fusion dishes — from porterhouse steak and cauliflower cutlets to Caribbean lobster tail. The main restaurant, Elements, has a buffet breakfast — where you can fill your plate with the likes of pancakes, fruit, yoghurt, pastries and cereal on a self-service buffet, and eggs or omelettes made to order — as well as a buffet lunch and à la carte dinner with a weekly rotating menus. Poolside Bluefin is a laid-back option for pizzas, salads or burgers at lunch, while being watched over by grey kingbirds, and barbecues or buffets on selected evenings sitting under its bamboo roof. Still hungry? Nautical-themed Oasis, in the Sunrise building, serves coffee, cakes and snacks throughout the day. Staff are friendly and chatty but not always the most efficient. • Best things to do in Barbados• Best hotels in Barbados Score 8/10On a white-sand beach on the south coast of the island, the hotel enjoys an enviable location — but the water here is exposed to the Atlantic swell so isn't always safe for swimming. Non-motorised water sports are included in the all-inclusive package — think kayaking, boogie boards and snorkelling — and there's a beach team on hand to help. There are regular activities on the sand too, including beach cricket, volleyball and football. Three pools surrounded by plants and flowers are lovely spots to laze, with two out of three having swim-up bars, while the adults-only pool also has a river section. Daily 'how to' classes are on offer for guests, teaching everything from dominoes to hula hooping, plus there's a small gym and games room with board games, a pool table and table football. Its eighth-floor spa has treatments such as the Bajan Body Blast, which starts with a body scrub followed by a hammam session and rich body butter — with sea views. Score 8/10Around a ten-minute walk from St Lawrence Gap with its buzzy bars and restaurants. The island's capital, Bridgetown, is around a 20-minute drive away, while Grantley Adams International Airport is around a 15-minute drive away. There are regular local minibuses from St Lawrence Gap to Bridgetown and Accra beach, where there's a one-mile boardwalk to stroll on and bars along the way from where to watch the sun set over the sea. Price All-inclusive doubles from £560Restaurant n/aFamily-friendly Y Accessible N Cathy Toogood was a guest of O2 Beach Club & Spa ( • Best all-inclusive hotels in Barbados• Best luxury villas in Barbados
Times
15 hours ago
- Times
This trendy hotel is home to Madrid's coolest rooftop pool
White is the new black at this Madrid hotspot, where the cool fashion crowd rub shoulders with well-booted travellers at the flashy infinity pool or in the basement club. The Edition brand's dazzling white signature spiral staircase leads from street level to the bright white lobby, where the chalky palette is offset by colourful statement pieces: the cobalt blue pool table, the backlit green bottles that line the lobby bar, the mellow pink lighting in the vaulted hallway. The brainchild of Studio 54 creator Ian Schrager, Edition hotels are known for their personalised service and one-of-a-kind food, drinks and entertainment. The Madrid outpost is no exception, with four bars and restaurants and a vibey nightclub, not to mention the Spanish capital's hottest rooftop scene. This article contains affiliate links that will earn us revenue Score 9/10If you didn't think white on white could be a colour scheme, you haven't stayed at an Edition hotel. Each of the Madrid Edition's 177 guest rooms, 21 suites and two penthouse suites (including connecting rooms ideal for families) follows the same all-white, ultra-minimalist vibe. There is nothing sterile about it — instead the whiteness feels clean, calming and sexy. The smallest 29 sq m Superior rooms have king beds and views of the interior courtyard. Studio Terrace rooms come with a private outdoor terrace with views of the historic neighbourhood. At the very top end, there's the Madrid Penthouse Suite, a 162 sq m two-storey affair with a huge, fully furnished terrace space, including a private pool. All the rooms feature baroque-inspired headboards and grey furry throws. Timeless bathrooms in stone and rose gold are deliciously infused with the addictive scent of Edition's signature Le Labo bath amenities. Score 9/10Edition hotels are like urban resorts, designed to entice their guests to stay put. They are also vibrant meeting points for the local who's who. The Madrid Edition has this balance down pat. The culinary highlight is Oroya, where the notable chef Diego Muñoz wows with his flavour-packed Peruvian dishes in an exuberantly colourful, plant-filled rooftop space with a large outdoor terrace. Scarpetta serves fresh signature pastas, made daily, alongside the likes of ribeye and Iberian pork chops. The Lobby Bar is loungey, while the Punch Room is dark and sultry. As for the basement Mistica club, it is making a name for itself as one of Madrid's most exclusive nightlife destinations. • More great hotels in Madrid• Discover our full guide to Madrid Score 8/10With its sprawling infinity pool, the roof of the Madrid Edition is the place to see and be seen on scorching summer days. As the temperature cools, bag one of the sunset-facing, bright-white sunbeds and gaze at the sky shifting from pink to deep orange over the terracotta-coloured rooftops of Madrid's old town. The 24-hour gym is large and well-equipped (but sadly windowless), while the spa has five treatment rooms offering experiences like the Edition signature massage using the brand's exclusive Le Labo oil. Don't forget to check out the extensive culture and entertainment programme that features everything from live music to DJ sessions, guest bartender events and culinary pop-ups. Score 9/10There is no better location if you're looking to explore Madrid on foot. Shopaholics will spend hours at the next-door El Corte Ingles department store, while night owls will want to sample Madrid's favourite late night/early morning snack (the local equivalent of a doner kebab, if you will) of churros and hot chocolate from the 24-hour Chocolateria San Gines that has been serving hungry Madrileños since 1894. As for the major tourist sites, Puerta del Sol, Plaza Mayor, Gran Via, Mercado de San Miguel, the Opera House and the Royal Palace are all less than a ten-minute stroll away. The downside to this ultra-central location is the traffic, which tends to be chaotic, so allow at least an extra 15 minutes if you are trying to leave by taxi. Price room-only doubles from £278Restaurant mains from £20Family-friendly YAccessible N Isabelle Kliger was a guest of the Madrid Edition ( • Best affordable hotels in Madrid• Best things to do in Madrid
