02 Beach Club and Spa in Barbados: Modern, Splashy, Luxurious and All-Inclusive

BARBADOS – I’m dining at the elegant, glitzy Oro restaurant on the ninth floor of the 02 Beach Club and Spa in Barbados, trading business talk with Jacqui McDermott, Sales and Marketing Manager for O2 and Ocean Hotels Group Barbados.

It’s a relatively new property, only two years old, and a lot of advisors aren’t yet familiar with what they offer.

“02 Beach Club and Spa is aimed at people who don’t want to compromise,” McDermott tells me. “They’re looking for a little elegance. They want a five- star property but they like the convenience of an all-inclusive property. They don’t want bad wine and crap buffets.”

McDermott says many would-be visitors “might dismiss us because we’re all inclusive, or because we’re on the south coast, or because we’re new. Maybe they don’t think there’s anything like what we have here.”

It’s a high-end, modern property with bright colours and light wood tones.

“A lot of places in Barbados are built or decorated in kind of a plantation style, so we wanted to do the opposite,” she tells me as I tuck into a perfect Caribbean lobster tail, paired with a nice Sauvignon Blanc.

There are splashes of colour all around, including in-room art and beach/pool umbrellas in shades of bright pink and orange sherbet.

“We still speak to the Caribbean but in a very different way,” McDermott told Open Jaw. “The island is changing. You can have luxury in the south or affordability in the west or the south.

“Barbados has the ability to be anything you want it to be.’

There’s no pretension at the O2 Beach Club and Spa, but there is elegance. Staff are very helpful, and sometimes quite playful. Toss in very good food, a nice beach, stylish, bright décor and a great location, and you’ve got an upscale, all-inclusive holiday spot in one the Caribbean islands Canadians love best.

I had a fabulous stay. On my last night, I sat under a 2/3 moon hovering over the dark sea, with white puffy clouds moving across the sky and a soft, tropical breeze rustling the palm trees.

Here’s a look at what’s on offer at the resort.

THE ROOMS

The resort has 130 luxury rooms and suites, including swim-up rooms.

Luxury Collection rooms feature modern, spacious Junior Suites for adults only, with stunning ocean views, king bed or double queen configurations, designer touches and indulgent amenities.

Concierge Collection rooms are spacious, beautifully appointed, one and two bedroom suites offering incredible ocean front views, unique luxury touches and generous add ons including spa treatments, personalised grocery service and exclusive ‘Masterclasses’ to help guests make the most of their stay.

All rooms include:

• Limitless access to a variety of gourmet dining options
• Unlimited premium international and domestic spirits
• Daily Pre-stocked mini bar
• Pool and Beach Wait Service
• Complimentary Suite to Beach WiFi
• Beach Sports
• Daily ‘HOW TO’ Classes and Activities Program
• Access to dining and non-motorized watersports with complimentary shuttle at ‘Sea Breeze Beach House’
• Complimentary Golf
• Spa Credits
• Complimentary Beach Bag

Concierge Collection rooms include those features, plus:

• Personal Experience Ambassador service
• Interactive MasterClass led by a local expert
• In-room stocked grocery items upon request
• Wedding and Group Specialists

I had one of the ground-floor Luxury Collection swim-up rooms in the new wing of the resort. It was massive and featured a super comfortable bed, a sofa bed with soft, pink pillows, a nice desk, a large-screen TV, a coffee maker and a mini-fridge stocked with Prosecco, beer and soft drinks. There was a colourful, free-form throw rug on the floor and a cool, vibrant painting of a red octopus on the wall.

My bathroom was nearly the size of a pickleball court, and featured a lovely stand-alone tub, a spacious rain shower big enough for two (or three), and double sinks. My patio fronted the pool and had comfy lounge chairs with thick padding and a direct view of the ocean.

DINING OPTIONS

Guests at O2 can enjoy a variety of premium dining experiences from relaxed indoor spaces to gourmet fine dining, to breezy outdoor decks or a barefoot meal on the beach.

ELEMENTS is steps from the water and offers fab ocean views. They have a Mimosa breakfast, as well as themed menus from around the globe for lunch and dinner, with a choice of indoor or outdoor seating. I had nice breakfasts each day I was there, including an omelette station, bacon, sausages, yogurt, granola, cereal, fresh pastries, fresh fruit and local dishes such as plantains. I didn’t see avocado toast, but it would be a nice feature at an upscale resort. I had excellent shrimp crudo one night, and tremendously flavourful Moroccan lamb chops, not to mention the silkiest, best flan I’ve had outside of Spain. They also make a very powerful rum punch. There’s live music at night, including everything from soft jazz to Bob Marley and romantic tunes from the likes of Etta James and The Righteous Brothers.

ORO is a fine dining experience with a vintage modern style, offering air-conditioned comfort and exquisite views from the ninth floor. I enjoyed a fine Caribbean lobster tail on my visit, as well as wonderful local mushroom soup and an excellent pavlova. They also have a great selection of rums, and there’s a baby grand piano for live entertainment.

BLUEFIN This is a casual, open-air, beachside grill that features a pizza oven and offers fresh fish, homemade burgers and salads. I had good fish tacos for lunch one day, and stopped in for dinner to check out the Asian buffet, where I found excellent butter chicken, spicy shrimp, Kung Pao Chicken, and more.

BRISA is a nautically themed rooftop tapas lounge with a modern twist, offering small bites and great cocktails, fine rums and liqueurs, all with an amazing 270-degree view. The food was good, the views were terrific.

OASIS is an open-air, poolside lounge with speciality coffees, spiked mochas or tipsy teas accompanying sweet treats.  A very pretty spot, and excellent espresso. Both Oasis and the resort lobby have snacks, fruit cups, sandwiches, beer and soft drinks for take away.

CHEF’S TABLE & PRIVATE DINING  The resort’s ‘Chef’s Table’ and private beach dining options offer highly personalized dining experiences with wine or rum paring for couples or groups of up to 12 persons for an unforgettable gastronomic event. A supplemental charge is applicable.

POOLS/BEACH

The adults only pool is an L-shaped affair that wraps around two sides of the newer of the two buildings, which is the west side of the resort. It was quite pretty, but the water was a little chilly. The “open to all” pool on the east side of the resort was warmer. It’s a nice place to swim, but there aren’t slides or diving boards so it might not appeal to older kids or teenagers. There’s a pool on the roof at Brisa restaurant, but it’s also adults-only, as are the two hot tubs on the second-floor sun deck, which is a great place to relax.

The resort has a very nice stretch of beach that’s maybe a couple hundred meters from end to end. They have tons of comfy beach loungers and a wooden swings and benches, which I quite enjoyed. It was very windy when I was there, and waves were a bit big for frolicking in the surf. But it’s not usually like that, and there were smaller waves at Dover Beach, just a short walk to the west.

THE SPA

Hotel officials told me the eighth floor Acqua Spa is the only elevated spa on the island and has the only Hammam steam spa. There are floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the grounds and the ocean, which makes it even better.

I was lucky enough to get to try a revitalizing treatment that included time in the Hammam steam room and a masterful massage. I started with about 30 minutes in the steam room, where I was given some rough clay for exfoliation and moisturizer. The steam machine made loud noises every few minutes, but it was a relaxing experience, with cool or warm water to rinse with when things got hot.

After that was an outstanding massage. I asked Joann, my masseuse, if it was Swedish or some other style. “I’ve adapted it from Swedish,” she said with a laugh. We decided to call her treatment “Swedish Joann,” and I highly recommend it. She used a combination of undaria oil and olive oil for a series of north-south (versus circular) strokes, and gave me a vigorous but not over-the-top massage that included my arms, feet, face, and hands. I told her I’d give her five stars, but that was as high as I could on my personal massage chart. “You could start a new one,” she said with another hearty laugh.

The spa is open to non-hotel guests. Guests who book some rooms get spa credits. There are many types of treatments, and also manicures and pedicures on offer, as well as a “beach repair facial” for men. Sign me up for that one next time.

THE NEIGHBOURHOOD

Unlike some Caribbean resorts, O2 Beach Club and Spa is very much part of the neighborhood, with no fences to keep people in or out. It’s in the St. Lawrence Gap area, a lively part of the island with tons of local shops, markets and restaurants. You might not want to dine out when you can eat for free at the resort, but there are lots of inexpensive places to go and try a local fish sandwich or grilled chicken so you can mix with locals. I had a cab driver take me to Cuzz’s in Bridgetown for a grilled fish sandwich or cutter, which we ate with Diet Cokes a few steps from the beach. It’s a great place to meet Bajans and visitors alike. There’s a small grocery store across the street from 02, and a Royal Bank ATM maybe 50 meters down the road.

THE STAFF

I found the staff to be very accommodating and friendly One day it had rained (mon dieu!) a little and there were puddles on the tiles near the lobby. A worker carefully showed me where to walk so I could minimize my chances of slipping and falling. At Oro restaurant, I hit it off with a bartender named Junior, who talked about rum and Canadian/American accents and made me feel like someone I’d known for years. And there was Joann at the spa….

THIS AND THAT

It was an older crowd when I visited, but that was mid-week in January; not exactly prime time for family travel. They do offer a teen lounge, but I didn’t see it. There were a few older kids on site when I visited, and a group of young women in their early 20’s who seemed to be having a great time playing football on the beach.

I found the wines by the glass to be a bit limited. They were good, but more choice and some higher-end wines by the glass would be welcome.

The swim-up bar near my room made great cocktails. I think hotel workers in Barbados get tired of rum punch so one night I spotted a bottle of Cachaca behind the bar and ordered a Caipirinha. The bartender, Zion, thanked me several times for letting her make something interesting. Oh, the Caipirinha? It was lovely, thanks.

There are many free activities for guests to enjoy, including beach volleyball, yoga, morning power walks and beach cricket. You also can learn how to play dominoes or make a classic Bajan cocktail.  

The resort’s Pink Mango shop features pretty beach clothes, work from local artisans, Bajan pepper sauce, Green Monkey chocolates, and more. A very nice little store.

The resort is well-equipped for weddings, honeymoons or proposal visits. They can arrange marriage licenses, provide design and décor help and even have a proposal concierge in case someone hasn’t a clue about how to pop the question.

Ocean Hotels Group also owns Sea Breeze Beach Club, a gorgeous all-inclusive spot just east of the O2, and are putting the final touches on The Rockley, which is a renovation of the former South Beach Hotel, right across from Rockley Beach.

One great benefit of the O2 Beach Club and Spa is that you’re only 15 minutes from the airport, so you get more time to enjoy your stay.

Air Canada flies directly to Barbados from Toronto Pearson Airport.

PRICES

I went online and found rooms from $1,842 USD per night in early March, with a three-night minimum.

EDITOR’S NOTE

I was a guest of the 02 Beach Club and Spa for my visit. They did not see or approve of this report prior to publication.