Sugar Cane Club Hotel & Spa, Barbados

Enjoy a drip in the hotel's freshwater pool

Sugar Cane Club

As our car slipped past gleaming beaches and plush hotels along Barbados’s Platinum Coast, I confess I felt a little concerned about our hotel’s location near Speightstown.

Located in the parish of St Peter in the far north of the island and a good 40 minutes drive from the capital Bridgetown, it felt like we were striking out for one of the remotest corners of the island. When our driver veered inland, away from the coast and past a gigantic, ugly hole in the hillside, I felt disaster looming. Where on earth were we heading?

However, after we pulled off the main road and into a circular driveway to be greeted at the reception desk with a delicious rum punch and refreshing lemon-scented towel, I allowed myself a tiny sigh of relief. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad, after all.

Spread over delightful green gardens - where frogs hopped insanely along its paths every evening - the boutique Sugar Cane Club Hotel & Spa was mainly made up of 40 one-bed suites, and a couple of swanky private villas.

While the hotel's exteriors – dazzling white washed facades and red tiled roofs – were reminiscent of the Med, the interiors were firmly inspired by the Caribbean.

In our suite, our small, modern living room overlooked an outdoor patio set above a forested gully where we were warned to avoid feeding the resident green monkeys. (Unfortunately, they didn’t appear during our stay). Timber beams on the ceiling added a chic rustic feel. We had a fully-equipped kitchenette, where we enjoyed preparing breakfasts from supplies bought from the local supermarket.

Rooms are comfortable at the Sugar Cane Club Hotel
Sugar Cane Club

Cane and wood furniture plus colourful local artwork continued the tropical décor in our bedroom, while our ensuite bathroom featured a gorgeous glass bowl sink, complimentary toiletries, soft, cotton robes, a wonderful power shower and even a handy line to dry our swimwear on.

The only thing that tempered the luxury feel were the wall-hung bottles of shampoo, conditioner and soap above the bath – a lazy concession, I thought.

However, our suite, like the rest of the hotel, was an oasis of relaxation. By day, most guests – mainly older, British couples – seemed content to lounge by the inviting freshwater pool, a delight to swim in compared to the sticky, salty sea.

Not that the beach was on my radar at all; the nearest sandy strip was about 1.6km (1 mile) away. Although the hotel offered a free shuttle bus to the beach three times a day between Monday and Saturdays, I pondered about its long term future. I discovered that the ugly big gash in the ground I had seen on my arrival– close to the beach - was to be the site of a new luxury marina.

But who needs a beach, I thought, when we could enjoy unlimited rum punches by the hotel pool, pamper ourselves in the spa, browse the art gallery, work out in the small, 24 hour gym, relax in the library or play board games, squash, table tennis or darts? Boredom simply wasn’t an option.

Tranquil gardens at Sugar Cane Club Hotel
Sugar Cane Club

For those with itchy feet, the Sugar Cane Club offered free, turtle spotting trips every Friday in its own exclusive glass bottomed boat.

Bikes were also available for hire; my husband and I took a spin one afternoon to Speightstown itself, a one-street affair with a smattering of shops and restaurants. I also spent a fun morning diving amid the coral reefs off shore.

Evenings in the hotel were unsurprisingly low key affairs but this suited us to a tee. In the smart La Salsa restaurant, offering sweeping views of the far off coastline, a mix of buffet and a la carte menus were offered throughout the week, including global, Caribbean and Bajan-inspired fare.

Dress code was elegantly casual but the closest we got to the restaurant was sipping rum punches in the adjoining bar. Instead, we chose to sample the local restaurants and I was glad we chose to venture out: the nearby Fishpot restaurant renowned for its seafood was one of the best meals I enjoyed on the island while Mangoes by the Sea offered a gorgeous, romantic, seaside setting.

The Sugar Cane Club and Spa may feel out on a limb but if you’re looking for a restorative break amid tranquil surroundings, you realise there’s much to be enjoyed by escaping the crowds.

Sugar Cane Club Hotel & Spa
Maynards Hill, Speightstown
Tel: (246) 422 5026.
www.sugarcaneclub.com
Prices start from US$205 per night for a double room (two sharing).