Best of Barbados: O2 Beach Club

Location

O2 Beach Club is located on the south coast of Barbados in the St. Lawrence Gap area, which is full of restaurants and bars visited by both tourists and locals. It's roughly 15 minutes via car from the airport and about a five minute drive to Oistins Fish Fry. Transportation arranged through the hotel cost $144 round trip and the driver was prompt, pleasant and professional.

The Property

O2’s guest rooms are located in two high rise buildings. The Sunset building (the adult-only building featuring junior suites with oceanfront and pool views, as well as swim-up suites) has been more recently updated and contains more modern and brightly colored furnishings, compared to the classic Caribbean decor in the Sunrise building. The Sunrise building features one and two bedroom suites, all of which face the ocean, as well as some smaller “club” rooms on the backside of the building. Both buildings feature swim-up suites which connect to swim-up bars. There are two pools which are relatively small, one of which is adults-only.

The beach is not private (there are no private beaches in Barbados) but is bordered by rock walls on both sides which make entry from adjacent properties impracticable. There are ample lounge chairs and staff members are happy to set up umbrellas and chairs anywhere on the beach (other than a portion of the beach where the sea turtles are known to lay eggs-in that area, loungers with adjustable sun covers are provided). The waves are larger on the south coast than on the west coast, and yellow flags are common due to the moderate waves. Large sea turtles popping their heads out of the water are visible from the shore.

Unlike other resorts with dimly lit spas, O2’s Acqua Spa is on the 8th floor of the Sunset building and has bright and airy treatment rooms with breathtaking views of the sea. The award-winning spa utilizes OSEA products and offers a creative menu of services, including a Harman room.

The Room

We stayed in a Luxury One Bedroom Oceanfront Suite in the Sunrise building. The room was spacious and featured a separate bedroom with a king bed as well as a queen size pullout couch in the living room. One of the unique features of this all-inclusive property is that the suites contain kitchens with full-size appliances, pots, pans and tableware, providing guests with the flexibility to cook in their suites if desired. Some rooms also feature in-unit laundry (stacked washing machines and dryers). The refrigerator was stocked on arrival with various beverages and a small bottle of local rum. There was a coffee maker in the suite which can be used for both K-cups and coffee sachets and a basket with a variety of coffee and tea options that were restocked daily. The large balcony overlooking the ocean contained two lounge chairs and a high top table set. It was a great place to enjoy coffee in the morning and watch the sunrise. The bathroom featured an oversized shower with a built in bench and multiple shower heads, as well as dual sinks, but did not have a tub (only the oceanfront suites in the Sunset building have tubs). Housekeeping and turndown services were provided daily.

Dining

There are three restaurants onsite that serve dinner, and all require reservations. Oro is O2’s fine dining restaurant, located on the top floor of the Sunset building with panoramic views of the sea. Seating options include cozy chairs and intimate velvet banquettes. The bar serves bespoke cocktails and is staffed by a creative team of mixologists. The food at Oro was excellent and elevated, with options such as filet mignon topped with a lobster tail, 48-hour braised lamb shank and locally caught fish of the day. The standout dessert was the Mount Gay crème brûlée. The ambiance was complemented by a live pianist each night.

Elements is the open-air buffet restaurant which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. The lunch and dinner buffet menus rotated nightly and included local Bajan, Italian and Mexican options.

Bluefin serves an a la carte lunch menu with classic beach foods such as burgers, Bajan fish cakes and quesadillas. Food from Bluefin can be enjoyed on the beach loungers. Bluefin’s dinner options vary between a la carte and buffet depending on the theme. The Indian themed buffet was the highlight of Bluefin’s offerings.

Breakfast is only served in Elements and includes rotating local dishes as well as American and English traditional foods. There is an omelet station and a variety of fresh juices.

Brisa, a rooftop tapas bar, is located on top of the Sunrise building and offers incredible sunset views. Guests can enjoy “sundowner” cocktails and light Mediterranean-themed snacks. There’s also a small rooftop pool.

There are several bars at O2, including Oasis in the lobby of the Sunrise building, which serves a variety of espresso drinks and cocktails.

Additionally, there are several self-serve options onsite, including refrigerators in the lobby of each building with grab-and-go snacks and sandwiches, as well as self-serve coffee and tea at Oasis.

Private dining is offered on the beach in clear “bubble” tents for an additional cost.

Service

The staff at O2 are warm, friendly and accommodating. Each member of the staff that we encountered provided excellent and customized service. From the beach staff who set up umbrellas and chairs each day to the waitstaff who never let our drinks run out, to the receptionists at checkin and checkout, O2’s staff members are well trained and professional.

Hotel “ambassadors” are assigned to each guest and communicate via WhatsApp to ensure seamless service throughout the day.

We enjoyed the daily cold towel service on the beach, which was refreshing after days in the hot sun.

The staff also provided several unique experiences for guests throughout the week, including “barefoot bubbles on the beach” serving champagne on the beach at sunset, and the poolside “Boozy Box” serving boozy popsicles.

Though they are allowed and accommodated, this hotel does not cater to children. There are limited activities for children, the pools are small and the ocean can be rough. Families should consider the sister property Sea Breeze Beach House.

The restaurants operate on a rotating schedule which is posted on the hotel’s website. A dining concierge is also positioned in the lobby of the Sunrise building daily to assist with reservations and dining inquiries.

The best months to stay at O2 for a chance to see baby sea turtles hatching on the beach are July through October, which coincides with the rainy season.

This trip report is part of our ongoing series on travel to Barbados. In need of further inspiration? Check out Laura Rosas’s guide, Barbados Travel Guide for Beach Lovers.