The Sandpiper Hotel – St. James, Barbados

St. James (Holetown), Barbados

The Brits know all about it. The Parisians keep going back year after year. Americans, well, there are no Americans here, or at least very few. While many Americans flock to Puerto Rico, Aruba, and the U.S. Virgin Islands for their vacations, Barbados is the winter playground of the British and European set. If it weren’t for the fact that Barbados is an embarkation port for southern Caribbean cruises, most Americans might never discover this enchanting island.

Map of the Caribbean

I was once invited to visit Barbados many years ago, but had to decline the offer.  I finally made it to the island last December when we spent several days on Barbados prior to our Silversea cruise. The island has many beautiful luxury resorts as well as affordable destinations and the people, the Bajans, are absolutely engaging. I feel like we’ve discovered a well-kept secret that we’re about to share, Barbados and The Sandpiper Hotel.

Luxury shopping and great restaurants are just a short walk from the resort

You can also find casual spots and street foods, featuring freshly caught local fish

Located in the West Indies, in the western Atlantic, Barbados is situated to the northeast of Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago. A vacation spot that is popular with the British and other European countries, you won’t find very many Americans on holiday in Barbados.  Holetown (St. James Parish), where The Sandpiper is located, was the first British settlement on the island in 1627.

Entering St. James Church property, known as “God’s acre”

St. James Parish Church dates back to the 1600s

The Sandpiper Hotel

Entrance to The Sandpiper

The open-air reception and lobby area

There are reasons why guests have been returning for decades to spend their holidays at this stylish and intimate family owned boutique luxury property in St. James, Barbados.  The Sandpiper offers its guests extraordinary service, hospitality, and one of the best dining experiences on the island at The Restaurant.  With its sister property, the Coral Reef Club, located just minutes away, guests of The Sandpiper have access to all of the larger property’s amenities, including the stunning spa, but can return home to a local casual treasure, Harold’s Bar, overlooking the Caribbean Sea.

Harold’s Bar at sunset

Instagraming photos from Harold’s Bar

* Harold Shepherd, the bar’s namesake