Bougainvillea Barbados

We had a really enjoyable stay at Bougainvillea Barbados overall. The resort has a lovely relaxed feel, the beach is beautiful and there are some genuinely fantastic members of staff. There are, however, a few areas where I think improvements could make the experience even better.

Arrival

We received a pleasant welcome with drinks on arrival. A special mention to Rashad, the porter, who was extremely helpful, polite and welcoming.

Our room

The room was spacious and airy, with a decent-sized bed and bathroom. The kitchenette was clean and had enough cutlery and utensils for our needs.

We also had everything we needed — plenty of toilet roll, washing-up liquid, towels, an iron and a safe, all of which were in good condition and worked well. The air conditioning was also very good.

The TV had lots of channels, although the picture quality wasn’t particularly good and there were quite a few very old shows being shown.

Outdoor shower

This is one area I think could definitely be improved. There was only one outdoor shower and the water pressure wasn’t great.

With guests coming off the beach covered in sand, I think having two showers would make much more sense. There were times when people were waiting to use it, which was a little off-putting.

Kalabash Restaurant

A big shout-out to Juliette, Kadijah, Nicole and Zakiyah they were all fantastic and provided great service.
The downside was the long wait for food and, at times, the wait for the bill, which could be frustrating. Prices were reasonable overall.

One thing I would strongly recommend is putting up a clear sign saying “Please do not feed the cats.” We saw people feeding the cats around the restaurant, which I didn’t feel was particularly hygienic. There may also be guests with cat allergies, and these are wild cats, so I think this should be addressed.

Pool & Pool Bar

The pool is a decent size, although I think it could become quite hectic during peak periods, particularly with lots of children, floats and water toys.

The pool bar could also benefit from additional staff when busy. Having just one bartender makes it difficult for the service to be quick.

Big up to Hosea, though great service!

Beach

The beach was absolutely beautiful and definitely one of the highlights of the holiday.

We did have a few days where there was quite a lot of smelly seaweed, but this appeared to be due to the strong winds and rough waves, so obviously not something the hotel can control.

The towel station staff were lovely and a particular highlight was being handed cold flannels such a simple thing but incredibly soothing in the heat!

Getting around

Taxis were fairly easy to get, although we later discovered the Ubers were a much cheaper way of getting around.
We did have two occasions where we were quoted one price for a taxi but charged slightly more at the end. My advice would be to confirm the exact price before setting off.

We also went to Sheraton Mall for food. Massy supermarket was quite pricey, and I did wish there was a larger, more affordable supermarket option nearby.

Be prepared for “island time” when eating out generally! Service was quite slow in most of the food places we visited, so don’t expect everything to be quick.

Overall

We had a lovely stay at Bougainvillea Barbados. The beautiful beach, spacious rooms, relaxed atmosphere and friendly staff were the biggest positives for us.

There are definitely some relatively simple things that could improve the experience particularly the outdoor shower situation, staffing at the pool bar, restaurant waiting times and the issue of guests feeding cats around the restaurant.

Would we recommend it? Yes. We enjoyed our stay and would consider returning, while hoping some of these small issues are addressed.

This is an average hotel not worthy of four stars , it should be adults only there is one very small pool that is shaded by the hotel that children can use , the biggest pool is for adults only but is empty most of the time . There is a third pool that was not initially part of the hotel and operates separately but they lead you to think it’s part of the hotel , they charge for sunbeds so don’t get caught out like we did, the restaurant there charged £81.00 for three burgers and chips , you are better off eating out. We are regulars to the island the only thing going for this hotel is its location. We will go back to the crane next time where children are welcome

Truly enjoyed my 2-night stay at the Bougainvillea Barbados. It was my first stop for a 7-night trip and happy I chose here for a tranquil, relaxing and quiet stay before all the activities of Crop Over.

The check-in was simple and I was given a complimentary rum punch. Then walked to my room that was on the ground floor by the pool. It was nice and air conditioned, along with a fan. Very spacious with a kitchenette - sink, fridge, microwave and glass cook top.

The Calabash is the on-site restaurant where all meals are served. It's a short walk to Deia Beach Club for a more upbeat atmosphere and beachfront bar and restaurant.
I requested a driver from the front desk to get to my rum tour and pick up my costume for Kadooment Day. They prefer payment in cash - USD or Barbados dollars. ATMs give Barbados dollars plus the exchange & ATM fee so keep that in mind. Only larger establishments take cards. CashApp or similar apps won’t work however I paid a local bookstore using PayPal.

Everyone was accommodating and nice. I felt completely safe as a solo traveler. I met other Americans and British travelers. Families, couples and singles like me. The city bus stop isn’t far either to explore on a budget. Highly recommend it!

We stayed at the Bougainvillea resort in a very well appointed junior suite with a full kitchen. It was our second week on the island and we had a car hire for the duration. July/August is their low season, so many bars and restaurants only open at the weekend, but most close by are closed. Barbados isn’t cheap and everyday items are double that of the UK, so preparing daytime meals were a must for us to allow eating out at night. The Bougainvillea is on a beautiful white sand beach, but not on the Caribbean, so the sea can be quite rough at times, if it’s windy and it can be at this time of year. The hotel is very friendly and quite, but sandwiched between noisy Sandals and Diea Beach Club next door which plays extremely loud music from 11am until midnight every day, which does spoil the tranquility we were seeking, but Barbados is a party island and the smell of marijuana is prevalent everywhere and I hate the smell. If I was younger many of these things wouldn’t bother me, but as I grow older give the Greek Islands any day.

We recently stayed at Bougainvillea Barbados and overall had a lovely experience. The hotel itself is beautiful, peaceful and has a really tranquil atmosphere, making it the perfect place to relax.

The food was good quality and tasted great, although after a while it did become a little repetitive. My favourites were definitely the cassava mash and the fish, which were consistently delicious. There was even a fire show on Fridays. However I would definitely try eating out as it’s close to oistins (about a 5 min drive) with many places to eat.

The staff really made our stay special. Every member of the restaurant team was welcoming and friendly, but Anneka deserves a special mention. She was incredibly warm, always greeted us with a smile, and even remembered my morning hot drink, which was such a thoughtful touch. Juliette was also lovely and always made us feel welcome.

The pool area is on the smaller side, but because it’s open from 7am until 10pm, everyone had plenty of opportunity to enjoy it throughout the day. The beach area was also lovely, and the team handing out towels were fantastic—they would even help you find a good spot and set up an umbrella for you.

We did have one issue during our stay. We had booked a meal plan, but were mistakenly being charged individually for meals. I spoke with one of the front desk supervisors (I unfortunately can’t remember her name, but she had neat straight-back braids), and she resolved the issue quickly and professionally. I sometimes feel uncomfortable questioning things like this, but she immediately put me at ease and handled everything without making me feel awkward.

Overall, we had a wonderful stay. The hotel is beautifully maintained, the service is excellent, and the atmosphere is incredibly relaxing. I would happily stay here again. The only thing I would do differently is request a ground-floor room next time, as they seemed to have the best locations and direct access to the gardens and pool areas.

Thank you to the Bougainvillea team for making our stay so enjoyable!

Beautiful hotel in a lovely location by the beach. The rooms were spacious and comfortable. Friendly staff, especially Aaron on the pool bar and Gayle in the restaurant.

The hotel was very nice. We had a suite with a kitchen which was great because I have a ton of food allergies and the resturants onsite did not have much to choose from. We ate at both (there are 2). Coffee wasnt that great so I stuck to having tea. We went to Massey's grocery store and stocked up on snacks, water and breakfast foods. The prices are average prices you would find in any grocerty store. The resturant is overpriced and the food is mid. My husband ended up with a stomach issue after having a hamburger for lunch. So we just decided not to eat onsite after that experience. The hotel staff were nice, some not so much, very moody. There really isnt much to do at the hotel. They did keep the rooms and grounds very clean and the groundskeeper did a steller job with taking care of the property. Seemed like by 8:00 p.m. they would have a singer and music but it wasnt very livley at all. Kind of dull and boring. They have cab service whrere the hotel will set it up for you. $15 literally any where you go. I was highly dissapointed in the beach. The water was brown and full of seaweed. We have done pretty much all the islands and I was really bored. So we went to Savvy on the Bay. Much more livelier and $20USD for an umbrella and 2 chairs. and tons of food trucks. The water was amazing and excatly what I expected of an Island. They do however start taking the umbrella's down at 5:30 p.m. which was a surprise to us. That was probably the best part of the whole trip. We took the cab there and they said you dont have to pay now but you can pay when we pick you up. Which turned out to be a $70 cab ride. Ostins Fish Friday was cool. Another $15USD there and $15USD back. The food line to Pat's was over a 2 hour wait so we decided to try another stall, there are plenty. They had live entertainment. A Micheal Jackson and Bobby Brown impersonator. And once they are finished on stage they walk around with a bucket for donations. There is really no place to sit because it gets so croweded. Went to St. Lawrence Gap. Not sure if it was dead because it was a Sunday, but it was nothing like what I expected it to be. I was kind of dissapointed. Also, the main resturant does not start serving until 7:00 a.m. as an early riser, it would have been nice to at least get a cup of coffee/tea and sit out on the beach to watch the sunrise. You do not need to rush to grab a lounger at the beach of pool, because it did not seem to crowd like most resorts do so that was a plus. Also went to Chevettes. Another 1 wait for an order and it was mid. Definitley a trip if you want to relax, but other than that not much else to do.

la ubicación frente al mar, la amabilidad de todos los empleados. la calidad de todas las instalaciones

I chose Bougainvillea because of the reviews. I read through a bunch of them. It mainly ready the bad reviews first just to get a feel. And I KNOW, you can’t please everyone not matter what you do for them. But being a Hotel manager myself for a little over 20 years. I know how to decipher between the reviews.

With that being said I thought this hotel was the best option for my family and I. It had all the amenities we needed from, onsite guests laundry, a kids game room, a swim up bar, and the kitchenette! This hotel is minutes from a grocery store which was perfect!

Upon arrival, the views, and lobby were perfect. They welcomed us with drinks and a warm smile! All started off perfect. Then it all went SOUTH FAST! After the first night out AC went out. Not an issue, I figured they’d fix it fast. But it ended up being a big job so they offered us a new room. Thankfully we didn’t move into that room completely because my daughter woke me up around 3AM stating there were BUGS in the bed her and her sister were sleeping in.

Once I hear that, I jumped up and checked just to make sure it wasn’t bed bugs. And YUP, exactly them. I took videos and pictures for evidence. We got up and went back to our old room. We stayed up because that room was hot. We had the ceiling fans going and the balcony door open. Thanks for the ocean it gave us a good breeze.

I reached out to Expedia to see if we can move or get a refund. They submitted the request but the manager wasn’t in. When the morning time came, I reached out to the manager to inform them that we wanted to check out because of this. Ms. Maggie or Margie (can’t remember the name) informed me. And I quote, “WE DONT have bed bugs. You’re in the Caribbean it’s could be any kind of bugs!” Mind you I’m a hotel manager myself and I know what they look like. I even Googled it again just to be sure. They were bed bugs!!

So I tried to get them to refund me so we my and my kids could leave. This trip was a trip but my oldest high school graduation and my youngest daughter’s birthday! So I wanted it to be special and it wasn’t due to them denying the refund. So we had no choice but to stay. The AC couldn’t be fixed so they gave us a 3rd room! Before we moved, I did a 3 point check of the room. Lifted the sheets checked the corners of the mattress and all. Everything was good. So we moved.

After that they offered us lunch/dinner… Not the best but we had not choice since I spent thousands on this trip. Had to make the best. While in the new room. The door lock had to be reset 3 times! Once the Housekeeper let us in. The other times we had to walk to the front desk to get up. And our room was WAY in the back corner of the resort…

Ordered lunch from the restaurant and my wings weren’t cooked the way I requested. The flying fish sandwich was dry, long waits for the meal when the restaurant only had two tables seated… must’ve been staff doing more talking then working… asked to have my wings removed from bill and they didn’t!

Overall, only plus were some of the staff members, the steak frites, and the amenities! I hate that I had to write this review, but I wouldn’t go back nor would I suggest this place… The owners need to train management better or something. To not offer better service recovery or a refund is crazy to me. But maybe it’s their way in Barbados. But, beautiful island. I would go back just not to Bougainville!

I am at the hotel right now, since the first day I callled the reception and went in person to request that somebody to look into the problem with the internet in the bedroom. Yes they will look into it nothing is done . Maybe they know that this specific room doesn’t have any connection in the bedroom. Very disappointed .

A lively hotel with a “party” atmosphere. Food was below average. The property is lovely when you walk in - well decorated and maintained - but the bedrooms were a different story. Very old and tired and clearly hadn’t been upgraded for years. No elevator. Service at reception was great but everywhere else was poor. Overpriced for what it was

No alavator enjoy climbing 3-4 floors 10 times a day
Room feels like you sleep out side
in a tent you can hear all the outside noise Wich is loud at night
No morning buffet eaven though fallsly advertise then add the mosquitos.
Bar staff look like kids that mixing you 7 eleven slushi.
Good luck won't recommend

My hubby and I had an amazing trip to Barbados! Bougainvillea resort was incredible. All the staff were super friendly and attentive! Front desk was always available to help with concierge services, delivering groceries to our room. We ordered Massy store. Both restaurants Calabash and Deia - had great food and good breakfast at Calabash. The bartenders at the swim up pool bar were amazing, super freindly - Aaron, Vincent and Joshua. Try the "Aaronator" rum drink Aaron makes personally!
We had a fantastic taxi car driver, Ryan Griffith, who contracts with the hotel - but has his own private business. He went out of way to take us when and where ever we wanted to go, plus airport service for $60 BBD ($30 US)/pp. Ryan's a native to the island - so knew all the history and great places to visit!
Rooms were clean and well stocked. We had a Junior suite with a kitchen, stove, microwave and large fridge. Housekeeping was always available with clean towels oe extras. We did tip about $10 BBD/$5 US each time as staff rotated each day.
The beach was beautiful - white sands and great "watersport" staff - who brought cool towels or additional umbrellas/towels whenever we asked!
The Bajans in general are probably the most friendly people I've ever met - and I've traveled the world. We will definitely go back to Barbados! Thank -you to Bougainevillea resort for a fantastic week!

The grounds are absolutely spectacular. The gardens are beautiful, the rooms are spacious. We had dinner at the restaurant a number of times and the food was delicious for lunch and dinner. They had entertainment every night mostly singers and a wonderful fire show on Friday's. Everyone was incredibly talented and it was such a nice touch to hear music while we were enjoying our dinner.
When we arrived we walked through the beach and onto the street to the market (Dover Market) you'll find everything you need there (milk, coffee, sandwiches, fruits, personal care etc)
The staff was always incredibly friendly we did not rent a car and had the staff call us taxi's to get to dinner throughout the island. St Lawrence Gap is a short distance and round trips were about $30 USD. For Lunch we would go to Carolina's Barbados which is truly spectacular the food is so tasty and fresh absolutely loved every time we got to pop in there.
We also used the Spa onsite. I recommend booking early because we only managed to snap spots due to cancelations. Our massages were very relaxing. I received a mini facial which was quite refreshing and my mom opted for a pedicure that was better than the ones we get back home! Loved it truly.
My only complaint which in no way or form is the fault of the property is that the beach is ok. It was very rough during our time and we could only enter for a short while on the Sandals side. It's not the Caribbean water I have grown accustomed to. We ended up doing Savvy on the Bay a couple of times using their shuttle services where they do pick up drop off and provide beach chairs and while the water is crystal clear there it's just not as relaxing as Bougainvillea since it's a beach club and there's just more people and a different ambiance.
Bougainvillea is truly just such a relaxing place filled with beauty and warm staff that are so helpful. Truly think this is one of the nicest properties on the whole island I don't think you can beat it.

As always, Bougainvillea exceeds expectations and we don't want to leave! The room is spotless and the ladies do a great job with housekeeping. All staff were helpful and we enjoyed the food. This is a very special hotel with a relaxed vibe and stunning beach. We ate at Deia on our final night and enjoyed the catch of the day ( amberjack). Shout out to Basil for the beautiful plant life and to Vivian for hard work at the bar, including keeping everything sparkling.
We love the island and the people and we will be back!!

DO NOT GO HERE!!!!! place is old. Half of the things here do not work. Restaurant on site is horrible. And the restaurant next door, which belongs to the owners Son, is horribly worse. They even ran out of cheeseburgers. The staff are unfriendly and hardly ever smile. If you are looking for a peaceful relaxing place , this is not it. The thumping music goes on till quite late. And the pool bar will stay open until ….Ive stayed at other places on this island which I enjoyed very much. Don’t waste your RCI POINTS HERE. .

We stayed for 14 days over half term, having booked direct.

Room was ok, second bed was just a pullout sofa bed which creaked & groaned so much my daughter ended up sharing with me. Fortunately the other bed was massive!

The first few days we were woken at 0700 by next door’s microwave going ‘ping ping ping’ but fortunately they then left.

Kitchen was useful; well, we used the fridge to store drinks, im not cooking etc on holiday!

Rooms were cleaned almost every day & cleaning staff were polite & friendly, as were reception staff.

Air con was efficient,

Balcony had insufficient chairs for number of guests.

Pools are small and half are adult only so it’s quite limited for children.

Pool bar is lovely but a real mix of staff… Joshua was super friendly, & Nathan was great… but Vivian, wow, what a misery. He should NOT be in a customer facing role.

Calabash on site restaurant was a disappointment; very expensive and very limited choice. Deia beach next door was reasonably priced but the chicken burger was horrible.

Weather was lovely; 30° the whole time. Some seaweed on the beach but not too bad. I do recommend a high-DEET anti mosquito spray.

Cool Runnings catamaran trip was awesome, and flower forest was amazing as was the monkey reserve!!

Highly recommend for food:
Savvy
Champers
Harlequin
Mimosa
New China Garden

Would I go back? No. I feel I’ve seen Barbados now & there a whole world to visit.

Beautiful beachfront location. We were here the week of Mother's Day. Roslyn greeted us with a smile and checked us in and provided us with information and cash exchange during the week and was always pleasant. They tagged and secured our luggage while we ate at Calabash for lunch while waiting for our rooms. We were told that we would get an email when are rooms were ready but that did not happen. We had to keep going to the front desk to check.

We stayed in a Jr. Suite on the 3rd floor with great views of the pool and beach areas. Our room was clean and well maintained by housekeeping during our stay.

On Mother's Day, Calabash had a fixed buffet menu that we were not interested in, so we had lunch next door at Deia beach club and then dinner at a restaurant in the Gap.

Zawadi at the front desk arranged for a taxi to take us to several places for a day trip. She was always pleasant and friendly during several interactions.

The weekend was busy around the pools with every lounge chair taken and the pool bar was full of the same people all week. There was much better lounge chair availability after the weekend, but this was not a peak week. I would imagine the chair situation would be stressful during busier times but there is always a spot on the beach to setup.

Pool bar service by Jose and Vivian was excellent. The only issue was that they constantly ran out of wines and cranberry juice and there were no nonalcoholic offerings other than mixer/juices. We ordered lunch from Calabash directly from the pool bar and it was delivered to our table takeout style.

My wife enjoyed the hot/cold rock massage at Karma spa and rated as one of the best ever. A friend also enjoyed her regular massage although the spa is a very small area. The gym was well setup and clean.

There are a few cats that roam the property and, in the restaurant. They do walk on the lounge chairs and towels but remarkably stay off of the tables.

Pros:
Close to airport
Beachfront with water sports
Umbrellas and chairs can be set up anywhere on the beach
Restaurant on site
Clean and well maintained
Friendly service
Nightly poolside entertainment
No Kids at Adult Pool enforced
Pool was clean and well maintained

Cons:
Water is rough. Need to go next door to Sandals to go in the water near the breakers. Couldn't use any watersports options due to red flag all week
Constant, all day and night smell of food cooking whether on the beach or in the pool due to restaurant location.
Limited menu at Calabash and other close by (walkable) restaurants are very limited and hours vary.
No elevators if you have mobility issues