Palm Garden Hotel

Nestled away off of a busy road, The Palm Garden Hotel is peaceful and relaxed -- a welcome contrast to the bustling scene beyond its grounds. Down the wide driveway, past Silver Fox Slots casino, the hotel's retro-style building comes into view. Painted peppermint-green with white trim, it has a cheerful Miami feel, and two levels that hold most of the rooms. The lobby is welcoming and homey with terra-cotta floors and island accents like coral-patterned armchairs and decorative seashells. A sizable rack of tourist brochures is here too. The building unfolds onto tropical gardens with patchy lawns and plenty of palm varieties that create privacy between the rooms and the pool. It all amounts to a good home base for couples and families keen to recharge and get a good night’s sleep in between island jaunts and nights out on the town. Those who want easier nightlife access and aren't looking for self-catering rooms might prefer the (sometimes noisy) Time Out Hotel. 

The Palm Garden Hotel is located just off the main road of Worthing in the Barbadian hub of Christ Church. It's a quiet and convenient spot, about a 15-minute drive from Grantley Adams International Airport and a few minutes' walk from Worthing Beach and Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary. A variety of restaurants, bars, and a grocery store are found along the busy main road -- all accessible by foot or a short drive. The popular nightlife area called St. Lawrence Gap is about a 10-minute walk down the road or three minutes by car. 

For other excursions around the island, a car is necessary. It's a 12-minute drive to Barbados Golf Club and 10 minutes by car to Oistins Fish Fry -- a famous Friday night celebration with fresh local seafood that's a must for visitors to the island. There are also a number of small swimming beaches to explore up and down the main road -- some with beach bars, water sports, and deck chairs (available through outside vendors). 

Free on-site parking is provided at the hotel. Some guests have had trouble finding The Palm Garden as it’s set off the main road. Aside from using Google Maps, guests should keep an eye out for the street sign below the Silver Fox Slots, or call ahead for landmarks.

The Palm Garden offers self-catering rooms and apartments that are generally clean and comfortable and have a homey feel. Given the setting, not far from the road, rooms are peaceful and quiet. However, decor is largely generic and outdated, from the mid-tone wood furniture to the floral-print curtains and bedskirts. The white tile floors and pastel-painted walls are well-kept but aged. 

Some options have limited kitchenettes with small sinks, mid-size refrigerators, microwaves, toasters, coffee/tea facilities, and cutlery and cookware. Others have full kitchens with ovens/stoves and full-size refrigerators. All rooms have free Wi-Fi, small flat-screen TVs, safes, and ironing facilities. Bathrooms in lower-category rooms have showers, while others have shower/tub combos, and all have hairdryers and free toiletries. 

Categories range from Signature and Superior Rooms to Courtyard Studios (singles or doubles) to One-Bedroom Apartments (for up to four guests). Most rooms are spacious (although some studios are on the small side) with a good amount of storage space. Some ground-floor rooms extend to small, furnished outdoor patios that step directly onto the lawn. Courtyard Studios share access to a courtyard with a mosaic-tile floor, while many second-floor rooms have outdoor furniture in the open-hallway space outside their front doors. 

For the most part, The Palm Garden hits the highlights of the typical Barbados mid-range property. The on-site restaurant, De Grille, is generally open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but it closed shortly after lunch during our stay. In any case, this area is full of dining and drinking options worth venturing out for. When De Grille is open, the menu features inexpensive local and Western dishes, in addition to a full bar and cocktails. Gardened grounds are a highlight -- there’s plenty of level lawn framed with well-kept tropical plants and trees. The pool is a reasonable lap size, surrounded by sunbeds, and features a poolside bar. A comfortable business center is set up in the lobby, where a small library of books is available for guest use. Free Wi-Fi is provided throughout, and free local calls are included.