Review: The Rockley, Rockley Beach, Barbados

Casual Rockley is the place for South Coast Beezin’. A 49-room boutique hotel, with a distinctly Bajan vibe, right in the center of the action. All this on a Caribbean beach fit to be the ultimate screensaver of a blue-sky-blue-sea paradise.

Bursting with Bajan personality – Sea Breeze and O2 Beach Club make up the portfolio – this Ocean Hotels property invites guests to “Take Ah Peep” into the vibrant local culture.

Forget the guide. The Rockley immerses you in Bajan art, culture, slang and steelpan rhythms. Open since March 2024, the Rockley brings a live-like local rhythm to the south coast of Barbados.

In a previous life, The Rockley was known as South Beach Hotel. Now the reincarnated Rockley, embodied by the bold Bajan bus stop logo, is aimed at free spirits who want to discover Barbados for themselves.

The welcome

We are welcomed with a chilled towel and a rum punch. An alcohol-free fruit punch is also available.
The all-knowing Troy from the front desk guides us to our suite and introduces us to the air conditioning, the televisions in both the living room and the bedroom, as well as the amenities of the kitchen.

The sequel

Our one bedroom suite is wonderfully cool, cooled by both the air conditioning and fans and has a balcony overlooking the pool.
The beautiful decor is based on The Rockley’s color palette: warm whites, welcoming sunshine and deep sea blues, all complemented by vibrant local art and personalized rugs.

For avid self-catering, there is a well-equipped kitchen for frying fish from Ostins market, perhaps with your own take on the local rice and peas specialty.

Add the double bed in the living room to the plush king-size bed in the bedroom and the suite can sleep up to three adults or two adults and two children.

The bathroom

In a spacious bathroom, with two sinks and plenty of storage space, there is a huge glass cabin with a powerful rain shower.

The facilities

Start with a tropical fruit mix for the complimentary breakfast at the poolside restaurant, before heading to the hot buffet.

Although Barbados is now proudly independent and local delicacies are served daily, there are also the famous eggs of the day and bacon. A British tradition still celebrated at The Rockley.

Back at the hotel there is a small gym. And if there’s a rainy day, the lounge has a pool table, board games and a huge selection of books to while away a few hours.

The location

The vibrant, bouncy Rockley Beach is a favorite with locals and is just 267 steps away according to The Rockley’s measurement system.

From the beach you can head west along a coastline promenade that takes you towards Hastings.

Even though you might not make it to the beach. There are so many buses along the coast road passing the hotel that you might be tempted to take a trip to Hastings, Ostins, Worthing or beyond Bridgetown to the west coast.

Although the way to discover this 23 by 33 kilometer island is on the five-hour tour of Troy. Highlights include the historic garrison area of ​​Bridgetown, the west coast, the spectacular coastal views from Cherry Tree Hill, the wild surf coast at Bathsheba, the Morgan Lewis Windmill and St John’s Church. Troy explores contemporary pop history, highlighting Rihanna’s humble birthplace and her current palatial mansion.

Other nice touches

A wristband with built-in electronic key takes away key worries while swimming in the pool or in the Caribbean Sea.

Guests gather poolside on Tuesday evenings for cocktails and canapes to a steel pan soundtrack.

There is a guest area where you can shower before heading to the airport for an evening flight so you can get that last dose of vitamin D.

Costs

Seven nights, including breakfast, in a Junior Suite starts from £1225.

The best part

The Rockley is surrounded by many dining options, including fast food and the Tiki Bar on the beach.

The Rockley will help guests experience local flavors and is developing a “Dine and Sign” partnership with nearby restaurants Cocktail Kitchen, Naru and Tapas.

Just a five-minute walk from the Rockley, sophisticated Champers has a reputation as one of the south coast’s best restaurants.

Book ahead to snag one of Champers’ ocean side tables. Arrive at dusk for a cocktail as the sun sets behind Rockley Bay and watch the twinkling lights of fishing boats as they sailed into port.

While the fresh seafood – shrimp bisque, coconut shrimp, catch of the day and salmon – grabs the headlines, chicken, lamb, steak and vegan options also star on the extensive menus.

The final verdict

The Rockley is authentically Bajan and the staff loves it as much as the guests. “We are one big family,” says our cleaner.

With its bold, fresh décor, pops of tropical color and original artwork, the Rockley immerses guests in Caribbean culture.

Disclosure: Our stay was sponsored by The Rockley Barbados.

Michael Edwards

Michael Edwards is a travel writer from Oxfordshire, United Kingdom. Although Michael published his first travel stories almost forty years ago, he still finds new luxury destinations to visit and write about.