Fairmont Royal Pavilion

Catherine and I just concluded a wonderful week at the Fairmont Royal Pavilion in Holetown, Barbados. We had a wonderful experience, as detailed in this review, and we enthusiastically recommend it! The hotel is located in Holetown, one of four towns on the island, and it is approximately 45 minutes from the airport. The Fairmont provided transportation to and from airport under the terms of our reservation, and we were met as we exited plane by a hotel employee, Duran, who whisked us through immigration, bypassing the large line of tourists waiting to be processed – it was great! It wasn’t the Fairmont’s fault, but waiting an hour for our baggage wasn’t so great. No one was surprised at the lengthy wait, so I guess it was just par for the course, as they say. The Fairmont is not a large resort – it consists of 75 rooms: 72 on the beach in 2 3- story buildings with 12 units per floor, plus a villa, but it is located on 11 beautiful oceanfront acres. There is a very spacious feel – the hotel was 80% occupied, we were told - and it seemed expansive and open. We really enjoyed the openness and lack of a ‘crowd’ feel. We chose a Beachfront King Suite – one of the 24 that are available – which was on the ground level. You exited the sliding glass door to a deck area that was located on a seawall about 5 feet high, with steps down to the beach. Our room (Room 122) had an overhead roof which provided additional sun protection, which we appreciated. Not all the rooms have a roof – it is a design feature of the building. There were two lounge chairs and a small table and 2 chairs on the deck. The room was spacious, with a bathroom with a glass enclosed shower as well as a separate bathtub, and two sinks. The suite was divisible by a curtain, which separated the bed/sleeping area from the sitting area. There was a king sized bed, which was very comfortable, and excellent pillows. A large TV faced the bed, above the desk/makeup station. There was a couch and several chairs and a table in the sitting area. We were provided butler service by a team of three, who worked in tandem, led by their supervisor, Peter Maynard. Peter is a consummate professional, and he enhanced our stay with his knowledge, insights and charm. He is a credit to the Fairmont, and he was one of a number of truly outstanding Fairmont team members we were fortunate to encounter. The butlers serve a concierge function – arranging restaurant reservations, suggesting and booking excursions, offering island insight, and providing an afternoon tea, if requested. They also offer packng and unpacking service, which we did not utilize. We had some interaction with Rolston, who was very helpful in arranging restaurant reservations for us, and is a friendly, gregarious and professional butler. You have the choice to relax on the white sand beach, or sit at the pool. There was lots of room on the beach, and at the pool. There were always chairs available at the pool, which is unusual, but very welcome, in my experience. There is one pool, located between the two buildings housing the rooms. There is no children’s pool, and the facility didn’t seem to cater to young families, although there were infants present. We were there during the school term, and didn’t expect to see many children. The Taboras bar/restaurant is also located there. We received outstanding service and treatment from the pool team, led by Simon. Deserving special recognition are Ryan & Nathan, who worked the pool/beach area and were fabulous – attentive, friendly, personable and professional; and Richard, who was a waiter at Taboras Restaurant who worked the poolside drinks & dining. He was an absolute gem, and he is a credit to the Fairmont. There were 3 dining venues available to us: the Palm Terrace, Taboras Restaurant and The Beach Club. We experienced all three. The Palm Terrace was only open for breakfast during our stay. It is a lovely open area on the ground floor of the main building, with lovely ocean views. All seating is under cover. Breakfast was included in our package, and the breakfast offerings had just changed. There is a cold buffet, and a la carte menu, and the buffet is included in the breakfast. You are able to order a hot breakfast from the menu, and also enjoy the buffet, which included a yogurt station, fresh fruits, cereals and oatmeal, pastries, bagels, English muffins, wheat bread, slicing loafs of bread, smoked salmon, capers, cream cheese; cheeses, and selection of fruit juices. The menu offers pancakes, eggs Benedict, avocado toast, build your own omelet, Traditional English breakfast; eggs any style with potatoes and your choice of protein (bacon, sausage, ham). It was abundant, and delicious! Taboras Restaurant, which included the open area bar, offered lunch and dinner, The menu itself is eclectic, offering Starters, Salads, Larger Plates and Wood Stove Pizzas. The Starters included Pan Bread, Crab Cakes, Pumpkin Gnocchi, Ceviche, Prawns, Tuna Tartare and a daily soup option. Salads include Roasted Squash salad, Caesar salad, and Panzanella salad. Larger Plates were Local Catch (Mahi-Mahi), Salmon, Skirt steak, and several pizzas: Margherita, Supreme (3 meats), Bajan Pride (smoked ham, peppers, onions,corn) and BBQ Chicken. (See my separate TA review of Taboras Restaurant.) There is also a lunch menu, offering a variety of wraps, burgers, tacos and assorted appetizers, that is also the pool menu. The Beach Club is located a bit away from the main area, and offered casual dining and a full bar. Notable dishes included a quesadilla, chicken wings, and wraps. It was casual, and only open during lunch while we were on the property. This is a first class property, and it is manned by a host of friendly, knowledgeable and professional staff, who seem to enjoy their job, and it is apparent in their actions and demeanor. We had the opportunity to meet the General Manager, J.C. Martinez, when he stopped by our table to invite us to his General Manager’s Cocktail Party on Wednesday. He was a pleasant, highly professional gentleman, who deserves great credit for his management of an efficient operation. We had a wonderful stay at Fairmont Royal Pavilion, and highly recommend the facility if you are traveling to Barbados. We look forward to returning there next year!

I had a great time during my stay with family at the FRP in Barbados and I return home feeling charged with vitamin D and raring to take on the Scottish winter ahead. Whilst the Fairmont boasts a beautiful sea front location and excellent amenities it is its staff which made it such a great place to stay. All were friendly. All were attentive and all exceeded my expectations. From Peter our ever vigilant butler who delivered asked for room service as well as unasked for ice lolly beach service, to Ryan the beach club manager who kept us safe and smiling while on duty and took time to say hi while searching for guests lost items in the beach on his day off. These guys are dedicated! Am looking forward to a return trip and ideally a longer one next time!

Lovely week at the hotel. Rooms spotless, food great and service exceptional. Location right on the beach - could not be better. View from room was unbeatable. Highly recommend this hotel as was a perfect week away with friends at a beautiful location.