Review: Sea Breeze Beach House, Christchurch, Barbados
Inspired by the Tradewinds that gently bow the beachside palm trees and cool the guests, Sea Breeze Beach House serves up laid-back luxury.
Set on the ultimate Caribbean paradise beach, stretching along 1,000 feet of soft white sand, Sea Breeze Beach House has a total of 122 rooms and suites.
Artwork and soft furnishings carry the seascape’s ever changing hues into the hotel. Hints of aquamarine, cobalt, deep ocean blue, sea grass, teal and turquoise frequently appearing throughout the interior design scheme.
At easy-going Sea Breeze Beach House all-inclusive is all-embracing. It covers meals, snacks, drinks, many activities and non-motorised water sports.
Sea Breeze Beach House has the space to be both family friendly and also to offer adults only serenity.
The welcome
As soon as the security barrier rises to admit our taxi to Sea Breeze Beach House territory, the bellman is on his way to collect our luggage.
After formalities at reception, and drinks, the receptionist guides us to our suite.
The suite
In each of the 44 luxury ocean front suites the full-width windows give panoramic Caribbean views.
A large coastal water colour brings marine colours into the suite and reminds guests that the beach below is a nesting spot for turtles.
Driftwood timbers give a Robinson Crusoe look to the headboard behind an extra wide double bed. There are driftwood tones to the flooring too.
If it is too hot to venture out onto the balcony, a two-seater sofa and armchair give views out to sea. There are times when you you feel the need to be cooled by air con and ceiling fans. Place drinks, from a minibar where beers and soft drinks are refreshed daily free of charge, on a large trunk of a coffee table.
The suite includes many luxuries: a 60 inch flat screen television, a Keurig coffee-maker with Colombian coffee, dressing gowns and a fresh orchid floral display.
The bathroom
The White Company provide the toiletries for the two wash units and the rain forest shower.
The facilities
Breakfast is served in Mahogany Restaurant from 7 am for those heading out early on excursions.
From then on drinks, meals and snacks are always at hand. Opening at 10 am, The Rum Shop, built in traditional chattel house style, serves up sandwiches and drinks alongside the rum cocktails. Throughout the day, waiters provide poolside drinks service, and the Cerulean Bar finally closes at 1 am.
Tipsy, on the beach, is a sand-between -the-toes casual lunch venue serving wraps and kebabs. The Flying Fish has a similar light menu of fish cakes, roti, salads and wraps whilst Mahogany provides a lunch buffet.
In the evening, with a more formal dress code, Cerulean is the fine-dining gourmet option. At Aqua Terra perched over the ocean, the sushi menu, is just one of the highlights on the a la carte menu.
Throughout the day, the Watersports Team provide equipment and tuition for body boarding, kayaking, paddle boarding, snorkelling and a trip on the Hobie Cat. Jet skis are available but at an additional charge.
Set in a serene corner of the estate, the Drift Spa’s masseuses work away life’s wear and tear with deep tissue and Swedish massages. Relax around the adults only pool, with two jacuzzis, between facials, massages and pedicures.
The location
On one of Barbados’ best beaches, Sea Breeze Beach Hotel sits between St Lawrence Gap and Ostins. The hotel is well-placed for excursions.
A trip to St Nicholas Abbey tells much of the Island’s history since colonisation. Bizarrely the abbey isn’t an abbey. But it is home to Barbados only railway.
Ride the train that once transported sugar cane and rum through the plantation, stopping for a spectacular view down Cherry Tree Hill of Barbados’ Atlantic Coast.
Despite the splendour of just one of three Jacobean houses to survive in the Western Hemisphere, for most visitors the highlight is an 18 minutes black and white home movie plantation life back in 1935.
Other excursions include a dive on the Nautilus submarine to view the coral reef and a jeep safari around the island.
Other nice touches
Every evening there’s live music: venues switch between the beachside bandstand, the Cerulean Bar and on the beach.
Even when it’s time to check out, Sea Breeze Beach House offers free late departures if your suite isn’t required. If it is, there’s a room for luggage storage and showers for that final refresh. Guests are entitled to lunch and drinks until if is time to fly. Essentially giving them an additional half-day of holiday.
Sea Breeze Beach House offers a succession of blissful, immersive experiences: afternoon tea in the Cerulean, sunset champagne on the Aqua Terra terrace.
The cost
Sea Breeze Beach House is £4,896 (all-inclusive) for a Classic Ocean View Room.
The best bit
The staff. They are approachable, bubbly, cheerful and engaging. They don’t merely deliver food and drinks, they serve up Barbados’ personality too.
If any problems arise guests have the number of a Hotel Ambassador to quickly sort out any housekeeping or maintenance issues.
The final verdict
Many Bajans claim that the island is 166 square miles of smiles and there’s a case for stating that those smiles are at their broadest at Sea Breeze Beach House.
Disclosure: Our stay was sponsored by Sea Breeze Beach House.
Michael Edwards
Michael Edwards is a travel writer from Oxfordshire, UK. Although Michael had his first travel pieces published nearly four decades ago, he is still finding new luxury destinations to visit and write on.
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Never heard of St Nicholas Abbey and I thought I knew Barbados well. It must be a recent addition to the island’s attractions.
We’ve never done all inclusive. There couldn’t be a better place to give it a try than on this Caribbean beach. It all looks very tempting.
Of all the Caribbean islands that I’ve visited, Barbados is my favourite. Although it’s a long time since Barbados was a British colony there’s still something reassuringly British about it with plenty of tropical charm.
Nice to see that they are keeping on some of the old English traditions with a very yummy looking afternoon tea.
Love the design of that suite it’s so gently tropical with the light pastels. I could happily stay there for a couple of weeks.
We’ve never really considered Barbados for a family holiday. This post might make us think again. I can see the kids happily playing on that beach for hours and with all the watersports there would probably be plenty to keep them occupied.
It’s far from certain that families and couples are separate. We sometimes take the children and grandchildren away for a holiday.
That doesn’t mean that we want to spend every minute of everyday with them. We have been known to sneak off for a snooze in the adults only section for an hour.