Five-star St James, west coast, Bridgetown
Fairmont Royal Pavilion
Seventy-two rooms and suites on Alleyne's Bay, every one of them facing the sea, on the site of the first hotel built on the west coast of Barbados.
Opens the hotel's own website. We have no arrangement with the hotel.
- Rooms
- 72, all facing the sea, plus a three-bedroom villa
- Grounds
- 11 acres of gardens
- First built
- 1940s, as the Miramar
- From the airport
- About 45 minutes from BGI, our estimate
The hotel
The Miramar, on Alleyne's Bay.
The hotel began in the 1940s as the Miramar, the first hotel on the west coast of Barbados, with twelve rooms. That original building still stands and now holds the Palm Terrace restaurant. The manager's bungalow became Taboras, the beachside restaurant, and over the years the grounds grew into an estate of hotel rooms and private residences, with garden rooms and a three-bedroom villa among them.
In April 1987 a private investor bought the Miramar and began restoring it, and the hotel reopened that December. Fairmont now manages it. The rooms line the beach of Alleyne's Bay, at Porters in St James, about eight miles north of Bridgetown, and the eleven acres of heritage garden behind them hold the villa suites, set back from the water among the tropical planting.
- Every room on the sea The 72 rooms and suites all face the water, the highest floor taken by the Signature Oceanfront rooms.
- On the beach Kayaks, snorkelling gear, Hobie sailboats and paddleboards, all without motors and free to use. Yoga on the sand in the morning.
- Afternoon tea Served daily, and included in the hotel's all-inclusive package along with breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Rooms & suites
The sea in front, the garden behind.
Rooms in blue and white, with separate showers and baths. Suites have private decks and a butler.
- Rooms Luxury and Signature Oceanfront One king or two twins, facing the sea; the Signature rooms are on the highest floor.
- On the sand Beachfront Suite A king bed and a deck onto the beach, with butler service. One suite is adapted for guests with reduced mobility.
- In the gardens Villa Suites Junior, two-bedroom and three-bedroom suites in the villa among the gardens.
Dining
Two restaurants in the old buildings.
Restaurants as listed by the hotel. Shown for information.
- Palm Terrace Breakfast with a view of the sea In the original Miramar building
- Taboras Barbadian The old manager's bungalow, by the beach
- Beach Club Lunch and cocktails On the sand
Recognition
Ratings.
- Forbes Travel Guide Recommended
Good to know
Before you go.
- Spa Treatments are given in your room or suite. The hotel lists no separate spa.
- Families Connecting rooms can be booked together for families.
- Arrival Fast Track through the airport and a private car can be booked with the hotel.
Getting there
Flying to Bridgetown.
Grantley Adams International (BGI) is the only airport on Barbados, on the south-east of the island. The drive up to Porters takes about 45 minutes, our estimate. Private jets use the same airport and its private terminals.
- Saint-Barthélemy 1 h 10
- Miami 3 h 45
- New York 4 h 45
- Toronto 5 h 30
- London 9 h 15 long-range jet
Questions
What guests ask first.
- Do all rooms at Fairmont Royal Pavilion face the sea?
- Yes. All 72 rooms and suites face the water. The three-bedroom villa sits in the gardens behind.
- Does Fairmont Royal Pavilion have a spa?
- Treatments are given in the room or suite. There is a gym, a pool and a heated jacuzzi.
- How far is the hotel from Bridgetown?
- About eight miles north of the capital, on the west coast.
- Can SkyCourtage arrange the flight to Bridgetown?
- Yes. We arrange Business and First Class seats on scheduled airlines and private jet charter to Bridgetown, with one final price, our margin included. The hotel is booked with the hotel or through our booking partner.
Also in Bridgetown
Other hotels worth the trip.
- Sandy Lane A house of coral stone on its own bay, opened in 1961, with its golf courses on the hill behind.
- Coral Reef Club Family owned and run, in gardens that lead down to the water.
- Cobblers Cove An independent house of forty suites, each with a veranda facing the sea.
- Colony Club, a Luxury Collection Resort, Barbados Lagoon pools that wind through the gardens to the beach.
- The House, Barbados, An Autograph Collection All-Inclusive Resort For adults only, on the beach at Paynes Bay.
- The Crane On the cliff above Crane Beach, receiving guests since 1887.
- O2 Beach Club & Spa All-inclusive, with a pool on the roof above the beach.
- Sandals Royal Barbados For couples, all-inclusive, with a pool on the roof.
- Hilton Barbados Resort The closest to the town, on the point at the south end of Carlisle Bay.
- The Sandpiper A sister hotel of Coral Reef Club, run by Wayne and Karen Capaldi, with three suites up in the trees.
Staying at Fairmont Royal Pavilion?
Book the room, then the flight.
Rates and availability come from the hotel itself. For the journey to Bridgetown, a Business or First Class seat or an aircraft of your own: tell us the date and we come back with one final price, our margin included.
Opens the hotel's own website. We have no arrangement with the hotel.