The best of Barbados
“Ah, but those aren’t real islands, with real flavor,” my cab driver replied, when he asked where else I’d visited in the region. “Barbados, this is the real Caribbean.” 
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I arrived in Barbados, other than sunshine and rum punch and a few days by myself. I was surprised by what I found: the remnants of British rule (Barbados will celebrate 50 years of independence tomorrow!) and the reality of a still-thriving British tourist trade (around 75% of guests at my hotel were from England), co-existing with a strong and proud and colorful Barbadian national identity. And, of course, beautiful beaches with crystal-clear water and swimming sea turtles and swaying palm trees. In short, an island that was hard to resist.
As soon I arrived, I felt welcomed: first by the wave of hot humidity and sound of steel drums that greeted me right outside the customs area of the Bridgetown Airport, and the rum punch that was waiting for me on the beach once I made it to The House Hotel. It’s one of those places that just feels like a good time! 
It was a little cloudy when I arrived, but that didn’t stop me from imediately going for a walk on the beach. Seriously, walking on the beach while listening to music has been one of my favorite activities since I was 15. Never gets old!
One of the things that I liked most about The House is that it’s a pretty small property that’s located right on the beach. That means it’s super easy to go between your room and the pool/beach/restaurant/etc. I feel like I’ve stayed at so many places where it’s a bit of an ordeal if you forget something in the room or whatnot or if you have to factor in what seems like 15 minutes to actually go from pool to ocean, so it was nice to have it all be in such close proximity. 
My first sunset in Barbados was an absolute stunner! I watched it from my room’s balcony, and it just seemed to keep getting better and better! I’m still in awe of those colors–I swear no photo can truly do it justice.
One of my best pre-beach trip tips is to buy a long book! I like having something to read for my entire trip, especially when I’m doing nothing but reading all day. I opted for Gone with the Wind this trip, and OMG SO GOOD. It’s such a classic and so good and also very long. Can’t recommend it enough! 
In ways that the British influence shines through: tea time every day from 4-5pm. A tradition I would very much like to adopt, complete with the little tea sandwiches. 
One of the cool parts about The House is that it’s part of the Elegant Hotels group, a collection of properties on the west coast of Barbados. One of the cool parts about staying at one is that there’s a free water taxi (!) that connects all five, which makes it super easy to pop to a different hotel for a meal or activity. I went up to the Colony Club one night for a lobster dinner with live jazz, and another day to go SUP paddleboarding with turtles (!). 
And I went to Waves for lunch one day. As soon as you get off the water taxi, they greet you with a cool towel with their refreshing signature scent of rosemary and mint and then there is a delicious signature cocktail with grapefruit and mint! The lunch is a buffet of healthy Caribbean fare: there was a curry chicken salad that was incredible. 
My two favorite things about the House: complimentary oceanside jet lag massage (!)… …and complimentary champagne breakfast every morning! It really does make it feel like quite the vacation. 
What’s your favorite photo of Barbados? Have you visited before?
Note that The House Hotel kindly offered me a complimentary stay, but all opinions are my own.
