By Alexander Britell and Guy Britton
It’s a breezy dinner in Barbados, with light music muted by the crash of the waves down below.
Chicken tempura is on the menu, followed by a perfectly prepared Flying fish, accompanied by a neat Mount Gay extra old.
It’s the sort of meal you might expect at a boutique hotel in Barbados — not an all-inclusive.
But the art of surprise is what makes this place unique.
This is Sea Breeze Beach House, a South Coast property that is quietly reinventing the Caribbean all-inclusive.
The property, which recently completed a large scale transformation and rebranding, is a breath of fresh air. The design is crisp and sleek, with rich blues and whites and an aesthetic that doesn’t forget it’s on the beach.
The service is outstanding; one never feels left alone or unattended.
The village-style green at the front of the property, home to regular rum tastings and Bajan specialties.
But what truly impresses is the slate of authentic activities, all centered around a plan to reinforce the local. It’s a perfect jumping off point to explore the delights of Barbados’ bustling southern coastline.
That’s without mentioning 1,000 feet of brilliantly white sand.
This is not an all-inclusive that wants you to forget where you are. It’s a place that wants to constantly remind you you’re in Barbados, that you’re here to enjoy the special pleasures of this island at the Atlantic edge of the Caribbean Sea.
And that means food that celebrates Bajan cuisine and its manifold influences, from the aforementioned flying fish to terrific lunchtime Samosas — with four restaurants and six bars in total — and regular rum tastings, too.
It’s all about a philosophy of gourmet dining with a local twist, led by a culinary team with seven chefs that have won national culinary awards.
It’s a menu – and a hotel — that you wouldn’t normally recognize as an all-inclusive.
A room at the property.
Because that’s not what it is — it’s a true Barbados resort.
For more, visit the Sea Breeze Beach House.