St. James Beach, St. James, Holetown, Barbados | (586) 210-9239
Beachfront location along the white sands of St. James Beach
Spacious rooms large enough for families or groups
Some rooms offer unobstructed sea views
Modern pool with daybeds and lounge chairs
Beachfront restaurant and bar
Within walking distance of the bars, shops, and restaurants of
Holetown
On-site parking
Free Wi-Fi in the pool area and lobby
Hotel shows its age and needs renovation
Dated rooms need updating, and some require navigating long narrow hallways and steps
Not all rooms have Wi-Fi
Limited restaurant menu
No fitness center or spa
No nightly entertainment
Grounds could be better maintained
Located along a busy road
Located on a busy road along a prime stretch of St. James Beach on the
island’s Platinum Coast, Discovery Bay by Rex Resorts is an 85-room, mid-range
beachfront hotel with a modern pool,
seaside restaurant, and direct access to a stretch of white sand and the
calm, clear waters of the Caribbean. The hotel’s rooms offer ocean and garden views
from spacious balconies, but they're basic and in need of renovation, as are the common spaces. Vacationers seeking a hotel with more
modern, boutique appeal might want to check out the nearby Lone Star or the pricier Coral Reef
Club.
Disclaimer: This content was accurate at the time the hotel was reviewed. Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct.
Scene
An older hotel with a modern pool, an oceanfront restaurant, and a serene stretch of beach that's ideal for lounging and swimming
The plantation-style facade at Discovery Bay looks
more corporate than beach resort. Thick square columns, sparsely planted
gardens, and tall concrete planters greet guests before they enter the lobby. Step
inside, however, the scene gives way to a more relaxed beach ambience. The
breezy lobby is awash in color, with cobalt-blue walls and trim contrasting with bright-white ceilings and coordinating lantern-style chandeliers. Two turquoise tables serve as check-in counters, a white-iron railing borders a staircase leading to a block of rooms, and an
arrangement of square rattan chairs and sofas invite guests to sit and relax. The main building of the hotel has a vast area
dedicated to dining and cocktails. Adjacent to the lobby is a lounge with a lime-green bar and collection of round tables arranged for socializing.
The open-air dining area's white tables and cushioned
chairs match the resort's signature cobalt-blue color theme. While most of the facilities are in the hotel's main building, the most attractive part of
the resort requires a walk across a great lawn, past the white gazebo to the
pool, beachfront restaurant and bar, and a stretch of white sand fronting the
calm, aquamarine water of the Caribbean. Guests at Discovery Bay spend their time lounging poolside
on thick-cushioned chairs or on the more luxe daybeds and taking leisurely lunches
or late-afternoon tea at the Sugarbird Bar and Grill, a long open-air spot with deck-like wooden floors and glass-topped tables that allow views of the pool and the beach. At the beach, guests
can request a set up of yellow lounge chairs and umbrellas and settle in for a quiet day. The serene water
with its gentle slope is perfect for swimming, floating, and snorkeling.Guests, specifically those on the all-inclusive plan, take
dinner buffet style at the Garden restaurant in the main part of the hotel, but
the hotel is within walking distance of several restaurants and bars in Holetown. While the hotel lacks a gym and spa, several recreational activities such as golf are nearby. Diving and boating excursions can be arranged through the hotel, and massages are available through vendors on the beach. The hotel attracts mainly couples and families.
Location
Set along the busy Highway 1, within walking distance of Holetown's shops and restaurants
Set between the busy Highway 1 and the serene water of the Caribbean, Discovery Bay is within walking distance of many shops and restaurants, and a quick drive to other beaches along the west coast.- Three-minute walk to Lime Grove Shopping
Rooms
Spacious rooms with clean, basic, beachy style, and large private balconies overlooking the Caribbean or hotel grounds
Discovery Bay's 86
rooms fall into three categories. Garden Rooms, located above the lobby and in
two separate two-story buildings, make up the bulk of the rooms
at the hotel. They have either two twin beds or one king-size bed. Like
the Garden Rooms, the Beachfront Rooms also come with one king-size or two twin beds but are located in a three-story building with balconies look out on the beach, offering unobstructed views of the sea. The largest rooms are the Beachfront
Club Rooms, offering ocean views as well as additional sitting areas and bed
configurations of two doubles and one king or two twins and one king.Rooms at Discovery Bay are spacious and airy, especially
when the sliding glass doors open to views of the sea. They are
finished in a neutral beachy style with white-tile floors, whitewashed
ceilings, and standard white linens. Sand-colored walls and coordinating damask
window treatments along with bright-pink-and-blue beach towels fashioned into
swans add to the beach-inspired theme. While the rooms are well-kept, they are dated.
Furnishings are basic, with fan-style headboards, small white bedside tables
and lamps, and white desks and chairs. Some rooms feature more modern furnishings finished in woven sea grass. Wide closets with white shutter doors
offer room to store suitcases and hang clothes, as well as personal items in
the safe. The large private balconies are an asset, offering wide views of the sea and the
gardens, but they are simply furnished, with only two chairs and a table.Bathrooms are finished in white tile with standard shower/tub combos and white plastic shower curtains. Bathroom vanities vary,
ranging from single bowls to more modern wood vanities with raised vessel
sinks. Generic toiletries and white towels embroidered with the hotel's name are also included.
Features
Two restaurants and bars, a modern pool with thick-cushioned lounge chairs, and a stretch of white-sand beach
Discovery Bay's location, along the Platinum Coast of Barbados ensures that guests have access to the soft white sand and calm Caribbean water that has made this part of the island famous. From the hotel, guests can walk to the shops and restaurants of Holetown or settle in for lunch or afternoon tea at the Sugarbird Bar and Grill. While the hotel does not offer any evening entertainment, the nightlife of St. Lawrence Gap is a 30-minute drive away.
