Tamarind Cove is a lively Barbados front beach resort that has held pride of position at the heart of the famous West Coast of Barbados for many years. It has quite a formal air as you arrive, to be greeted by bellmen in the marble atrium, but beyond here, there is an informal, upbeat atmosphere. The hotel ranges along the beachfront in a series of canary yellow and coral stone buildings that have a mix of classic Caribbean and Hacienda or Mediterranean styles, with terracotta floor and roof tiles and arches and columns. They embrace a succession of pools and gardens, so there are corners where you can tuck yourself away, or equally you can join the buzz around the main pool and bar. Inside, the bedrooms have a lean and contemporary style, touched with lilac and lime green. Tamarind Cove hotel has quite a broad brief. It is a trusty all-round beach resort that successfully offers something for everyone, including groups for conferences and weddings, as well as a regular beach-based clientele.
KEY FEATURES
Large Barbados beach front resort on a 750ft stretch of golden sand. 2 restaurants and 1 bar plus adjoining Daphne’s restaurant. Dine-around programme. 3 swimming pools and a Jacuzzi. Watersports including waterskiing. Swim-up sea platform. Daytime water taxi between sister properties (West Coast only). Shuttle bus to Bridgetown for shopping. WiFi in public areas, business centre with internet access, meeting facilities including 2 function rooms for 30 and 100 theatre style. Wedding and event planners/co-ordinators. Shops include Gatsby boutique and Diamonds International. Hair and beauty salon, fitness centre, Tommy Turtle Kids Club (seasonal). Preferential tee times at Royal Westmoreland Golf Course & Country Club.
STYLE
Although the atmosphere is informal, the setting has the grandeur of the classic Caribbean (criss-cross balustrades and pillars and arches) touched with the Mediterranean (with its marble floor and balconies and pillars supporting angled terra cotta roofs). A dependable Barbados hotel resort with broad appeal
CLIENT PROFILE
A mix of ages and nationalities, some groups, mainly couples
As you arrive at Tamarind Cove bellmen step forward to help you with your door. You step into an octagonal atrium with a patterned cream and pink marble floor, high roof supported by rounded pillars and arches and an almost church-like feel. Next you enter the main lobby to your right, where the reception stands on your left and the concierge desk on your right. Just beyond here are two shops, Gatsby Boutique, which sells clothes and other beach essentials, and Diamonds International.
From here you emerge back into the tropical sun, on a brick path that leads straight out through the gardens to the sea. You are suddenly in a lively beach hotel. Tamarind Cove is set on a good stretch of Paynes Bay, excellent sand backed by mahogany trees and palms. Hammocks hang among the trees and there are loungers on the beach.
As you look back, you can see that the hotel stretches left and right quite a way. It is set on 250 yards of sand. The rooms stand in several two- and three-storey buildings, all angled differently towards the sea but coloured canary yellow and covered with sprays of flowers including bougainvillea. They have a bright, tropical appearance. The hotel has grown up organically over the years (Tamarind Cove started off as a private villa which has been incorporated into the buildings) but with its rounded arches and columns it has a distinctive style. It is a mix of Mediterranean and hacienda or Spanish colonial style, with runs of arches and hefty beams supporting angled roofs of rolled terracotta tiles. There are strong touches of Caribbean style too in some areas, in section of coral stone walls and pretty the white wooden, criss-cross balustrades. With 110 rooms in all, Tamarind Cove is a large hotel, but because of its layout there are plenty of nooks and crannies in which you can tuck yourself away.
At the southern end of the resort you will find the watersports hut. The hotel has sailboats and kayaks for you to use and can arrange water-skiing out in the calm bay. At the northern end you will find the main pool and bar, the Oasis, which overlooks a lawn. Open-sided, with a sunken granite bar at its centre, the Oasis has quite an elegant feel, with large armchairs and bench seats with striped upholstery among small decorative palms. There is nightly entertainment here over dinner, often a floor show, and there is a dance floor, so it is the lively heart of the resort. The pool is shaped in a figure of eight and around its perimeter you will find blue loungers set under thatched parasols.
Inland from the Oasis is the main dining room, Tangiers Restaurant, a large room with coral stone walls, a marble floor and a back drop of tropical plants in beds. There are bench seats in alcoves and free-standing tables at which stand cane armchairs with tall backs. The dining room is open to the air at the front, but it is screened against birds (which would otherwise flit in to steal the sugar). All three meals are served here.
There are two other swimming pools and a second dining room at Tamarind Cove, which are hidden away in nooks and corners as you head further south through the resort. (It is also worth remembering that Daphne’s Restaurant, one of the best restaurants along the West coast, is just off property to the south of the hotel and that guests have signing rights.) Near the south of the resort you come to a deck surrounded by white wooden balustrades. This is Sasso’s Pool, a very pretty enclave with loungers and parasols coloured a rich royal blue surrounding the small round pool. It takes its name from Sasso’s, the second restaurant, which is right next to it. Tables are set both outside, with a view over the pool, and in a closed dining room which has a formal but sleek feel. Sasso’s serves contemporary Caribbean cuisine and opens in the evenings only on certain days of the week.
The dining room can be used as a meeting room, of which there are a number at Tamarind Cove as the hotel has a speciality in groups and conferences. Close by, you will find the hotel gym, which has Cybex equipment, and as you make your way back towards Reception at the rear of the hotel you will pass through a hidden courtyard with another swimming pool and loungers. Like Sasso’s Pool, this is an ideal place to hide away if you want a little peace and quiet away from the livelier and more social parts of the hotel. You will also find the business centre with internet access in this area so you can log on if you need to.
The rooms stand all around you of course. There are seven different categories in the hotel, depending largely on their location and size. Inside they have a muted colour scheme, with mid-colour walls and olive bedspreads on terracotta tile floors, but then onto this are thrown bold and bright colours. The cushions and curtains are a splash of searing purples and greens. The rooms and suites are very comfortable and they all have some outside space.
Tamarind Cove is one of five hotels in the Elegant Hotels group, four of which are on the West Coast. The company offers free motorboat transport (weather permitting) to the others. Principally this means Colony Club, which is about ten minutes ride north. They offer a dine-around programme with the other hotels. They also own Crystal Cove, which is in the other direction. Just to the south of the hotel, a walkway leads into Daphne’s, one of the leading restaurants on the West Coast. The restaurant is owned by the same company as Tamarind Cove and guests are permitted to sign checks to their bill.
Beach & Swimming Tamarind Cove is set on a very nice 250-yard stretch of sand in Paynes Bay on the West Coast. The water is usually calm and so it makes for lovely swimming. Beach ‘Ambassadors’ will come and serve drinks to you in your lounger. You can also walk quite a way north and south along the beach here, which is particularly nice in the early morning and of course when the sun is going down over the Caribbean Sea.
There are three swimming pools at Tamarind Cove. The main pool – and the liveliest - is next to the Oasis bar and the main dining room Tangiers, in the north of the resort. Sasso’s Pool is set on a raised deck further south. It is partially enclosed by rooms but has a lovely view out to sea. A third pool is hidden away in a courtyard between the accommodation blocks. This is really tucked away and makes a nice retreat from the busier parts of the resort.
Sports & Recreation Tamarind Cove provides equipment for non-motorized watersports free of charge to guests – including windsurfers, small sailing boats and kayaks - and they offer some motorized sports as well. You can take a tube or a banana ride and go water-skiing. They also have snorkelling gear which you can use on the small reef nearby to snorkel. One of the popular gathering points for swimming with turtles is close by too, so you can swim out there if you wish.
There is a beauty salon and spa on property. If you wish to have a massage in your room then that can be arranged.
Off property, there are plenty of opportunities for golf in Barbados. The closest golf courses are at Sandy Lane, just north of here, where there are two courses, but guests of Tamarind Cove have preferential tee times at Royal Westmoreland to the north of Holetown. Horse-riding is easily available too. You can ride along the beach as well as in the countryside in the east of the island.
The Rooms There is a broad range of rooms at Tamarind Cove, 110 in all, in several different buildings, ranging from their pool and garden view rooms up to ocean view one-bedroom suites, which give straight onto the lawn and beach. All rooms have some outside space, a terrace or a balcony, some of which have balustrades made of curled wrought iron, others over-reaching roofs on pickled beams in the Mediterranean style of the resort. The colour scheme of the rooms tends to be muted at base, but it is splashed with strong colours in the fittings, with cushions and curtains in searing lime purple and lime green or blue. Floors are terracotta or marble and many rooms have four poster beds draped with muslin hangings.
All rooms are air-conditioned and they all have a flat screen TV with cable service, a CD player, personal safe and fridge. The bathrooms are pink marble. Most have a double vanity and all have a bath tub as a shower. There are some adjoining rooms for those travelling with a family.
Dining There are two dining rooms at Tamarind Cove (though it is also worth knowing that guests of Tamarind Cove have signing rights at Daphne’s Restaurant right next door, which is among the best on the island).
The main dining room at the hotel is Tangiers Restaurant, a large covered room that looks out over the main pool and Oasis Bar to the trees on the beach. The cuisine is international and the dining room serves all three meals. Breakfast is usually served as a buffet, but lunch is can be either a buffet or a la carte. There is also a nightly changing set menu and three themed buffet evenings.
The second dining room is Sasso’s, which is quieter and tucked away in one of the hidden courtyards at the resort. It has a more formal feel and a sleek design which gives it a more elegant atmosphere. Tables are set both outside overlooking the swimming pool and inside, where there is a blue and cream colour scheme. The a la carte menu offers continental classics and contemporary Caribbean cuisine.
Room Service is available around the clock.
Tamarind Cove offers the possibility of dining around with its sister hotels, Colony Club, Crystal Cove, two hotels on the west coast, and Turtle Beach on the south coast. You can sign your bill to your room at Tamarind Cove.
Weddings Tamarind Cove is happy to stage a wedding for you. They have dedicated co-ordinators who will organise everything, making sure that the day is as free of stress as it can possibly be. They will arrange the licence and the pastor for the ceremony itself and then the reception afterwards at the hotel. There are several locations for a wedding around the grounds including the beach, but equally they can arrange the ceremony in a church or one of Barbados’s excellent gardens. Tamarind Cove offers a number of wedding plans. These include the flowers and decoration for the ceremony, and a cake, a band, photographer and videographer for the reception. The wedding plans can be adapted to suit your particular needs.
Children Children are allowed at Tamarind Cove and you will often see families during the holiday times. At the busiest times of the year, over Easter and Christmas, the hotel stages a programme of events for both teenagers and younger children.
There are adjoining rooms if you are travelling with your family.
Conferences Tamarind Cove also has long experience of organising conferences and events and has dedicated co-ordinators on hand who will put one together for you. They have a number of meeting rooms with all the facilities that you need to hold a meeting or series of lectures. The three main meeting rooms are the Palm Room, which holds 100 in theatre style and 30 as a board room, the Oleander Room (30 and 16) and the Sasso Restaurant (50 in theatre style).
With all the activities in Barbados, they can also arrange an off-site programme for non-participants or for those attending during the down time around the main programme.
Rates From US$200 room, per night on a BP basis during summer 2009. Includes service charge and government tax. BP (breakfast plan) = room and breakfast. Complimentary watersports, fitness centre and day time water taxi to sister hotels on the West Coast. Please see the hotel’s website for availability and current promotional offers for your requested dates.
Turn Down Menu Room Menus For Exclusive Turn Down Service
Chocolates & Champagne
US$150.00 Inclusive
Menu:
Chocolate & Strawberries
A Bottle of Piper Heidsieck on Ice
Cheese & Wine
US$95.00 Inclusive
Menu:
Cheese Display garnished with Grapes
And a Bottle of Wine
Spa Delight
US$325.00 Inclusive
Menu:
Start With a Duo His & Hers Massage
Tempt your taste buds with Canapés compliments Our Chef
Toast the day with *Wine
Candle lit Bath
US$195.00 Inclusive
Menu:
Petals and lit Candles in bathtub
Champagne on Ice
Petit Fours or Exotic Fruit
*Choice of Red/White House Wine
Please note that bookings are required 24 hrs in advance
How to book If you wish to make further enquiries or a reservation at this Barbados hotel resort, please use the WEB LINK or DIRECT EMAIL ENQUIRIES facility at the top of this page to make contact with Tamarind Cove in Barbados, or if you wish to telephone them, please click on TELEPHONE CONTACT to reveal the number.
Locality Tamarind Cove is located in St James, mid way up the west coast of Barbados, at the heart of activity of the West Coast and all its restaurants and bars, some of which are within walking distance. The hotel is about a mile south of Holetown, where the English first landed in 1625 and came back to settle in 1627. There are two shopping centres in the town, the smaller Cave Shepherd Plaza close to Sandy Lane and the larger West Coast Mall in Holetown itself. Here you will find a large supermarket, bank, photo centre, duty free shops, video rental, and various shops and boutiques. Close by is the Chattel House Village, a series of wooden shops in traditional-looking Bajan style, which sell mainly souvenirs, the 24 hour Sandy Crest Medical Centre, and a market stall where you can buy fresh fruit and vegetables. As a local community, Holetown has all you would expect to find in a small town – police station, post office, parish church, bank, pharmacy, clinic, fitness centre, school and so on. If you head inland form Tamarind Cove, a short drive up Holders Hill inland will take you to the Barbados Polo Club.
There is a host of good restaurants within a 10 minute drive in both directions of Tamarind Cove. The famed restaurant Daphne’s is just a few steps away and is sandwiched between Tamarind Cove and its sister property The House – all three are part of the Elegant Hotels Group portfolio, which also includes Colony Club to the north of Holetown, Crystal Cove about five minutes to the south and Turtle Beach on the South Coast. The trendy bistro bar Scarlet is also within easy walking distance, situated just across the road from Daphne’s. A short drive to the south you will find the excellent The Cliff and Calabaza. To the north is the celeb favourite the Lone Star. There are any number of restaurants in Holetown itself, including The Mews, Café Indigo, Olive’s and The Tides. There is also good nightlife in Holetown with lively weekend gatherings in 1st and 2nd Street where the restaurants and bars stand shoulder to shoulder, with some providing live music. Drinkers tend to spill out into the street to mingle, creating an easy-going ‘street party’ type of atmosphere. The current ‘hot spots’ are The Mews, The Elbow Room, Spago’s and Lexy’s.
Meet & Greet If you are travelling independently, taxis are usually available at the airport and will cost around US$22 each way. The ride from the airport is around 35 minutes, depending on the traffic. Alternatively, if you would prefer to be taken care of from the minute you arrive at the airport, with a range of services that can include limousine transfers, a Concierge Service is offered by St James Travel & Tours.
If you are booking through a travel organiser, it is likely that their representative will be at the airport to meet you. This service and your return airport transfers should be included in the cost of your holiday. Please check at the time of booking.
Getting Around Hiring a car to explore the island or to visit different beaches for the day is easily arranged. Book via your tour operator or direct with Stoutes Car Rentals. Ask for them to deliver your vehicle to Tamarind Cove, where they can also issue your local driving licence. Be aware that at the height of the winter season there is often a shortage of cars, so you are advised to book yours in advance. If you want a car for a week or more the rates can also be better. Vehicles can be returned at the airport or be collected from the property at a pre-arranged time on your departure day. Taxis are readily available through reception. It is also easy and quite fun to take buses along the West Coast main road.
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