Porters, St. James, Holetown, Barbados | (888) 399-9863
Two large pools, and a long beachfront
Variety of accommodations, including Junior Suites and Cottages
Huge, full-service spa
Colonial style buildings and manicured grounds
Large on-site restaurant serving breakfast, lunch, and
dinner
Large, two-room fitness center
Spacious rooms and suites with basic but stylish furnishings
Tennis courts
No TVs in the rooms (a pro for some)
Narrow beach depending on the weather and tide
With 12 acres and 88 rooms, the upscale Coral Reef Club is larger than its sister property, The Sandpiper, and has a few more amenities. It has a lot to offer on the competitive and ritzy west coast, including two pools, a scenic beachfront with plenty of lounges, a huge open restaurant/bar serving all meals, a stylish and contemporary lobby, and spacious rooms. Its spa is a shining star here -- housed in a huge, 500-square-foot building, the full-service facility was built with relaxation in mind. While the rooms are stylish and spacious, they are not overly luxurious and there are no TVs (a pro for some).
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Scene
Colonial-style buildings and charm
The resort is located off the main road, down a long, narrow, tree-lined drive. Its set-back location means the resort is quiet and peaceful. The clientele consists of a good number of retirees but also some young couples and families. While the restaurant and beach areas are lively, there's certainly not a rowdy, party atmosphere.
The grounds at the Coral Reef Club are lush and green, with plenty of gardens, ponds, and palm trees. The colonial-style buildings are charming and inviting with columns, white verandas and balconies, wooden shutters, and large windows.
The resort offers lots of common spaces, including two pools, a beach with plenty of lounge space, a big, stylish lobby with multiple seating areas, a large and popular restaurant/bar, and a spacious TV lounge.
The Coral Reef Club and its sister property, the Sandpiper, have been family-owned since the 1950s. While the service at the Coral Reef Club is excellent, those looking for a smaller, more intimate and personal atmosphere may find the club’s sister property, The Sandpiper, a better fit.
Location
Just north of Holetown, along the platinum coast
The Coral Reef Club is located on the main road, just north of Holetown, on the west coast. It is within walking distance of the Limegrove shopping center, which has high-end stores, restaurants, and bars. It’s also within walking distance of a grocery store, post office, and other eating places.
Rooms
Stylish and cozy but not overly luxurious
The rooms at the Coral Reef Club are large, bright, and clean, with white tile floors and large windows that let in plenty of sunlight. The furniture is stylish and quaint, with colonial influences, but not exactly modern. There are wood wicker chairs and patterned couches as well as neutral floral art. The rooms and suites are nicely furnished with desks, seating areas, and thoughtful touches, such as an umbrella stand, vases, and dip dishes. The bedrooms are spacious and cozy, with matching pillows, drapes, dust ruffles, and crisp white bedding.
The rooms do not have TVs. A TV can be placed in the room by request but only to play DVDs. For those that will miss watching reruns of "Gilmore Girls," nearby Mango Bay has modern rooms with TVs. The bathrooms are huge and modern, with a tub, separate shower, and double vanity. In addition to high-end toiletries (Ortigia products from Sicily), a small jar of cotton swabs and cotton balls is provided. The rooms come with safes, robes, irons and ironing boards, tea- and coffee-making facilities, and mini-fridges.
The hotel’s top accommodations, the five Plantation Suites, are true luxury. The living room is large with vaulted ceilings and beachy white furnishings. There is a mix of lightly stained and darker wood, in keeping with the colonial theme. The suite has a wraparound balcony with its own marble bar complete with a fridge and glassware. The balcony has a dining table and chairs, as well as its own plunge pool. The bedroom is stylish as well, with a white tile floor and walls, white bedding, yellow accents, and upscale furniture. There is a large closet/vanity area that leads to a huge, luxurious bathroom. A freestanding tub, separate shower with rainfall showerhead, toilet and bidet, large vanity, and an armchair furnish the large space. The bathroom has its own knickknack shelf, with decorative plates, pictures, and jars.
The luxury Plantation Suites aside, the rooms at the Coral Reef Club are not overly luxurious. For a bit more, the rooms at the adult-only Fairmont Royal Pavilion are more upscale.
Features
Two pools and a long beachfront
The resort has two pools, a main pool near the beach/restaurant and the other on the other side of the resort near the cottages. The main pool is large and landscaped with gardens, trees, and greenery. There are cushioned loungers and umbrellas surrounding the pool. The pool near the cottages is rectangular and has a waterfall at one end. It tends to be quieter, as it is farther out on the property. There are a handful of cushioned lounges on one side of the pool.
Coral Reef has a long beach, since it is a large property, but the stretch of sand is narrow. The water is calm, clear, and turquoise blue, and trees going right up to the water provide nice scenery and shade. There are loads of beach chairs set up both on the narrow stretch of sand, as well as on a sandy area leading up to the hotel.
The Coral Reef Club Restaurant, the hotel’s only on-site restaurant, is open-air and huge, with seating areas outside, on a balcony overlooking the ocean, and in an inside, covered area. The restaurant is both popular and scenic, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The bar is located within the restaurant. Stylish couches, chairs, and coffee tables are set up around the bar and keep with the colonial-style theme of the rest of the hotel.
There is a large, two-room fitness center with treadmills, ellipticals, stationary bikes, and strength machines. A separate room has mats, free weights, and balance balls. There is a large tennis court on-site, and tennis ‘pros’ often come to the hotel to offer free lessons and tips to guests.
Spa
One of the top spas on Barbados
The Coral Reef Spa is the crème de la crème of spas. At 5,000 square feet, the spa is housed in a huge, open air, two-story building and includes:
The grounds of the spa are beautifully manicured gardens with palm trees and tropical plants, as well as waterfalls.
The spa is full-service and provides massages, nail services, body wraps and scrubs, facials, waxing, and tinting.
