The wind is whipping across the waves, churning the usually placid seas next to Barbados’s Rockley Beach into a frothy swell, despite the still-sunny sky. Swimmers have retreated from the chop to chaises lined up on the half-mile-long sweep, each beneath egg yolk–yellow or turquoise parasols that look like giant cocktail umbrellas piercing the sand.
“I love to come out here and get fresh air and sea breeze,” says Walter Coma, 73, as we watch the swells. “I love what I do. I’d like to retire but I really don’t think I can stop.”
Coma has been renting chairs and umbrellas to beachgoers since 1970, when he bought a dozen and decided to start a concession on this south coast strip in the parish of Christ Church. Back then, each cost $5 to rent for the day. Today they’re $10. But since I’m staying at the Rockley, just 267 steps away from the beach, it costs me nothing. The rentals are included in the rate at the hotel, which aims to connect guests with Bajans. It’s clearly worked in my case, because in my more than 20 years of basking on Caribbean beach chairs, this is the first time I’ve had meaningful conversation with the person who’s rented me one.
A penthouse bedroom at the Rockley in Barbados
Courtesy of Steven Graffham/The Rockley
Every day of my four-day stay, I’ve come to the beach with my hotel voucher in hand and given it to Coma, who directs his son, Dario, to set me up with a chaise and umbrella. Coma has partnered with the Rockley since it rebranded, and he tells me it’s been good for business, particularly when high season ends, because the hotel’s Caribbean-based guests make up for the dip in long-haul tourists.
A Stay That Feels Like a Window Into Barbados
Open in 2000 as the South Beach hotel, the retreat once channeled that Miami neighborhood’s slick aesthetic. But last spring, CEO Patricia Affonso Dass led a bold reinvention she hoped would create something unique on the island: a hotel that celebrates Barbados at every touchpoint, from the decor to the menu to activities, and connects guests to its culture, both on- and off-property.
The Rockley is well placed to do so. The hotel is a 20-minute drive from the airport; 10 minutes’ drive from bustling Bridgetown; 3 minutes’ walk from a shopping plaza where you can stock up on snacks; and next door to a branch of Chefette, the much-loved local fast-food chain. Step into the lobby, and there’s no doubt you’re in Barbados. Guests are met by life-size replicas of the island’s famous black-bellied sheep, the pair standing proudly in front of a mural depicting the red circular bus stop signs so iconic of “Bim” (the island’s nickname), painted by Michelle Bowe. The walls are a gallery for colorful paintings by other local artists, all offered for sale.
The pool at the Rockley
Courtesy of Gregory Parris/The Rockley
The 49 suites (one and two bedrooms, with balconies and kitchenettes) in the oceanview tower are decorated with distinctly Bajan touches. Pillows embroidered with local slang (who knew “catspraddle” means to fall hard?) sit on sofas. Vibrant prints decorate the walls. And bathroom amenity dispensers with Bowe’s bus stop art encourage guests to “clean yuh hair” (shampoo) and “cream yuh skin” (body lotion).
Mornings begin with a complimentary buffet breakfast, which may include local specialties such as fish cakes, fried plantain, coconut bread, and Bajan cherry (acerola) juice. The Rockley’s restaurant is open for lunch and dinner, though guests are also encouraged to try local spots. The hotel’s Dine + Sign program makes it easy, allowing them to charge to their room meals at four restaurants within walking distance.
The Secret to This Hotel’s Charm
What truly sets the Rockley apart? Its people. Here every staff member—from housekeepers to security guards—plays a role in guest services. Operations manager Sherrita Sargeant has made sure that each of her 25 team members knows how to perform at least some aspects of each other’s job. “We don’t have a designated Guest Service desk because all my staff are involved in guest services,” she said. “A waitress can offer shopping recommendations. One of the housekeepers can fill in at the Front Desk. We’re in the business of selling Barbados, and it’s the people who do that.”
Rockley staff member Trinity Noel
Courtesy of the Rockley
Troy Yarde, the “unofficial chief fun officer,” according to Sargeant, is a good example. You might find him teaching guests traditional Bajan games at one moment and behind the front desk offering instructions on how to take the bus at another. (Tip: From the stop across the street, you can take any bus anywhere on the island for BDS$3.50, exact change required.)
An Island Tour Designed Solely for Hotel Guests
Book in advance, and you might snag a spot on the Rockley Tour ($100), a once-a-week, guest-exclusive adventure led by Yarde. Each half-day excursion for up to a dozen people is tailored to guests’ interests and mobility, making every trip unique. In four hours, Yarde shows guests around his home, on an excursion that aims to touch all of the island’s 11 parishes. Our tour combined the quirky (Rockley Golf Course, where the first international flight landed in 1929), the historic (Bridgetown’s National Heroes Square), and the contemporary (Rihanna’s childhood home). A picnic overlooking the crashing Atlantic Ocean and pebbled beach at Bathsheba, on the island’s rugged east coast, was a relaxing finale—not just to the tour, but also to a uniquely immersive Bajan vacation. From $223
