Bougainvillea Barbados

We were a family of 9 from 13 to 80 years old - 3 rooms - a 2 bed ground floor apartment and 2 studio rooms. All were tastefully furnished but tired. Incredible views of a stunning beach. The rooms appear to have had some modernisation but the finish is average. We had both toilets flood in the apartment, with sewage onto the room. However the hotel attended to it immediately and gave us a free dinner in the calabash restaurant which was appreciated. Cannot fault the staff - the service is with such kindness and warmth - probably the nicest staff we have had the pleasure to meet on our travels - they really to make the place. Service is slow but you learn to adjust to the Barbados way plus we are a big group so are happy to accept that. The pools whilst looking nice in photographs were very unclean. No other way to describe them - the adults one was green and has been for some time - green along the times and coping stones. That basically precluded us from using them. I politely complained and there was some activity, closing the pool for a while but no discernible difference. To be honest this is just not acceptable. A clean pool in a hotel should be a pre requisite. Management really should take better care here. It didn’t spoil our holiday but it might stop us from returning. I can see why the hotel is a firm favourite with many returning guests, but for us it really does need some investment in improving the quality and standards of maintenance. It could be a 5 star rating - we are being generous with 4 as 3 would be unkind. Lovely people good food from the restaurant, incredible beach but attention to detail in hotel maintenance and standards of the property not quite there for us. A shame as these are all pretty simple fixes. We had a great holiday and will have lots of great memories, chief among the the warmth and hospitality afforded to us by the 5 star staff. Read less

Located right on beautiful Maxwell Beach on the south coast in Oistens, the Bougainvillea is a wonderful, relaxing place to spend your time in Barbados. Right off the start, it is the people that make the Bougainvillea great; from the wonderful staff at the Front Desk, to the Housekeepers, Maintenance, Bar and Food Service, Watersports, Guest Services, and Management, you are made to feel welcome and appreciated from the moment you arrive. We stayed in a one bedroom suite that had a lovely view from the balcony over the grounds and to the ocean beyond. After checking in, we were escorted to our room by the Bell Hop who carried our luggage in and showed us where everything was, set up the suitcase table for us, and showed how to operate the A/C units. We found a bottle of wine with a hand written note in the kitchen to welcome us, and staff had also decorated our bedroom with ballons and streamers as they had found out we were celebrating a special occasion during our stay. Rooms are a little dated, but are well appointed and kept very clean by Housekeeping. The bathroom was recently renovated and very nice and quite large with dual sinks. Our only critique inside was that the lighting in all rooms is quite poor. The only place to read after the sun sets, is in the bedroom as there are reading lights on the headboard, but to sit and play cards, write, or read in the living room is very difficult. We had a couple of issues with the A/C unit in the bedroom, both times we called the Front Desk and both times Maintenance was at our door within 10 minutes and solved the issue within an hour. Impressive! Everywhere we went, staff was very friendly with everyone saying hello and willing to engage. I had a couple of great laughs with the maintenance man that was keeping the gardens well trimmed and perfect, and the pathways clean and swept, while my wife and our main Housekeeper, Brendalee, became fast friends, chatting and sharing experiences whenever their paths crossed, and we also had a nice time with Terecia who told us about a couple of Bougainvillea's amenities that we were not fully aware of. Lance, the Food and Beverage Manager was an absolute riot, and he kept me on my toes, and my wife smiling whenever we connected. The Front Desk staff were exemplary in every way, helping us with excursions and tours, reservations and taxis, which we utilized quite a bit. (My apologies; there are too many names for me to remember, but all were fantastic!) It seems there is no one specific concierge, so all the Front Staff act as concierges whenever necessary. We had no issues whatsoever. The Bougainvillea has their own "preferred" taxis, and we were lucky to have had Trevor become our main taxi driver, which seemed to morph into tour guide, and he even suggested one of our favourite excursions. Another taxi driver, Levere, took great care of us a couple of times when Trevor was booked. There are four pools at the Bougainvillea, and are clean, but not huge. There is a children's pool, a regular pool, and an adults only pool with a swim up bar, as well as another pool next door at Deia Beach Restaurant that Bougainvillea patrons have the use of. Over the course of two weeks, we used the pool on only one occasion. Since we were right on the ocean, we made use of that and the beach, but the surf can be a bit much for children and less strong swimmers, so the Bougainvillea will close the beach to swimming on rough water days. This isn't a problem if you want to go into the ocean since there are breakwaters at Sandal's which is maybe 80 or 100 meters down the beach. We walked down several times to swim when our beach was closed. We spent more than a few days on the beach, and there, the Bougainvillea has a Watersports hut that provides towels, umbrellas, tables, and beach toys. The gentleman that wore the Bass Pro Shops hat (apologies for not remembering your name) would bring out an umbrella whenever he saw us setting up our beach loungers. Such excellent service! Watersports sometimes would come by and offer a frozen cloth to cool off with, or even more fun: Jello shots! When we went to the beach, we stayed all day! The pool bar will mix your drinks and serve in plastic cups to take down to the beach and there are recycling bins nearby so there is no need to leave anything but your footprints! Neville, at the pool bar, made the meanest blended strawberry margherita for my wife and a pineapple rum punch at the Monday gathering that was to die for! There is a small gift shop located just off the lobby that is very well stocked with lots of touristy things, including postcards and stamps. You can also get sunscreen and bug repellent, sweets, snacks, wine, and all sorts of miscellaneous items. Breakfast was included in our rate, and that was at the Calabash restaurant on site where Lisbeth greeted us most mornings and got us squared away. Another friendly, warm, and personable woman that we always enjoyed chatting with when she wasn't zipping around making sure everyone was happy. The included breakfast is the breakfast buffet which is slightly different every day, but has cereals, granola, pastries, yogurt, baked beans, potatoes, pancakes or french toast, sausage, toast, juice, coffee or tea, fruit, and an egg station. Calabash is open for breakfast lunch and dinner, and while we never ate lunch there, we had breakfast everyday, and had a couple of meals there over the course of our time at Bougainvillea. The food is good, and the drinks are great! (I highly recommend their version of the Mai Tai!) Our second critique was the stray cats and chickens they keep on the grounds: the cats use the beach near the deck area as their litter box, and the chickens mess everywhere they go. I am not sure why, or if there is a purpose to these animals being kept, but there is a bowl of cat food under a hedgerow so it is an active participation... a minor thing, but a point to be shared, nonetheless. Overall, the Bougainvillea has become our favourite resort that we have stayed at, anywhere. It's people, it's charm, it's atmosphere, it's grounds and amenities, and it's pride of place make it the most relaxing, lightening, and calming place we have ever been! Thank you to all at the Bougainvillea! Read less

Barbados for me has been the best holiday destination. It’s hard to say way without sounding cliched but the down to earth feel, the generosity of spirit, the amazing scenery and so on. Bougainvillea takes all of this and more and makes it the most perfect place. Staff are amazing. So helpful and friendly with a proper human touch and that is everyone from receptionist, gardeners, chefs, waiting staff and security. My mos favourite place on the planet has also become my daughters and we first brought her here when she was one. She’s now eighteen. Read less

We have just returned from our stay at this hotel, and from the moment we arrived, we were greeted with warm hospitality. Upon arrival, we were offered cold towels and a refreshing rum punch, which was much appreciated after our journey. The staff were quick to assist with our luggage and showed us to our room. Our room was spacious and modern, with a separate bedroom and living area, a large bathroom with excellent water pressure in the rain shower, and very comfortable beds with high-quality linen and pillows. The air conditioning and ceiling fans worked perfectly to keep the room cool. The room also featured a safe, dressing gowns, and The White Company toiletries. The blackout curtains ensured we had a peaceful night’s sleep, and the room was cleaned daily to a very high standard, with fresh towels provided each day. We had a well-equipped kitchen with a large fridge freezer, oven, hob, microwave, and plenty of crockery and utensils. The patio doors led out to a large ground-floor terrace with a table, chairs, and a comfy sun lounger. Our terrace gave us direct access to the pool and communal areas, which was very convenient. The pools were refreshing, and just a few steps from the hotel, we were on the absolutely stunning beach. The water was warm, and though the sea was a bit rough some days, it was mostly great for swimming. The neighbouring Sandals resort had a breakwater for calmer waters and snorkelling. We dined at Calabash a few times, and the food was of a good standard. The breakfast buffet was a bit pricey for what you got, but the à la carte options were excellent. The pool bar, staffed mainly by Jose, was a highlight of our stay. Jose made fantastic cocktails, and I highly recommend going with his recommendations. The only minor issue was the limited happy hour cocktail list – it would be nice if more cocktails were included, though I understand that crafting these drinks can be time-consuming. Perhaps with a few extra pair of hands behind the bar, this could be improved. The staff at this hotel really stood out. From the gardeners to the cleaning and maintenance teams, everyone greeted us with a smile and made us feel welcome. There was some light entertainment in the evenings, which, while low-key, was still enjoyable. We loved the steel drums in the afternoon and the reggae music at the bar throughout the day. The hotel also has a games room in the basement with table tennis, foosball, air hockey, and pool, which was a nice escape from the humidity. There’s also a small children’s play area, which was a hit with little ones. The resident family of cats, along with a cockerel and hens, added a charming touch to the experience. While the hotel is walkable to St. Lawrence Gap, we opted for taxis due to the heat. For up to 4 people, taxis cost 30 Bajan dollars, and for our group of 6, it was 45. A note on costs: Barbados has become significantly more expensive since our last visit over a decade ago, and groceries at the supermarket were surprisingly pricey. However, the beauty of the island and the special atmosphere of this hotel made it worth it. Overall, we had an excellent vacation, and this hotel truly exceeded our expectations. Highly recommended! Read less

I’ve just returned from another incredible stay at Bougainvillea, only 7 weeks after my last visit, and my 3rd visit since October 2023. This time, it was to celebrate my mum’s 60th birthday, and the experience was nothing short of magical. Every single staff member went above and beyond to make her special day one we’ll never forget. From the moment we arrived, we were warmly welcomed by the wonderful front desk team. Elisabeth and Natasha greeted us like old friends, and it was such a joy to see them again. Special thanks also to Ziwade, Rachel, and all the ladies at reception who create a real family atmosphere. The hotel management was amazing in helping me arrange a beautiful steel pan performance during lunchtime, which truly added a Caribbean flair to the celebration. My mum’s morning spa treatment was equally fantastic—huge thanks to the spa ladies for making her feel so pampered and relaxed. A massive thank you, once again, to the water sports team: Michael, Zaran, Kai and Antonio. We missed Chris, who was on holiday, but Michael made sure everything ran smoothly. Each morning, our sunloungers and parasols were ready and waiting for us, thanks to his thoughtful care. He truly is wonderful, and his presence adds so much joy to our stay. Michael also recommended some fantastic places for us to visit, sharing his deep knowledge of the island. The restaurant staff were, as always, brilliant. Special thanks to Miss Roxanne, and also to Nicole and Kayla, who made every meal a treat. And of course, a shout-out to Josh for keeping us topped up with mudslides, rum sours, and daiquiris. It was also so lovely to see Miss Rowe back—her warmth and kindness are such a big part of what makes Bougainvillea special. This trip was everything we could have hoped for and more. Bougainvillea truly feels like a second home, and I have already booked to return for another unforgettable stay! Read less