Starfish Discovery Bay

The plantation-style facade at Discovery Bay looks more corporate than beach resort. Thick square columns, sparsely planted gardens, and tall concrete planters greet guests before they enter the lobby. Step inside, however, the scene gives way to a more relaxed beach ambience. The breezy lobby is awash in color, with cobalt-blue walls and trim contrasting with bright-white ceilings and coordinating lantern-style chandeliers. Two turquoise tables serve as check-in counters, a white-iron railing borders a staircase leading to a block of rooms, and an arrangement of square rattan chairs and sofas invite guests to sit and relax.

The main building of the hotel has a vast area dedicated to dining and cocktails. Adjacent to the lobby is a lounge with a lime-green bar and collection of round tables arranged for socializing. The open-air dining area's white tables and cushioned chairs match the resort's signature cobalt-blue color theme. While most of the facilities are in the hotel's main building, the most attractive part of the resort requires a walk across a great lawn, past the white gazebo to the pool, beachfront restaurant and bar, and a stretch of white sand fronting the calm, aquamarine water of the Caribbean.

Guests at Discovery Bay spend their time lounging poolside on thick-cushioned chairs or on the more luxe daybeds and taking leisurely lunches or late-afternoon tea at the Sugarbird Bar and Grill, a long open-air spot with deck-like wooden floors and glass-topped tables that allow views of the pool and the beach. At the beach, guests can request a set up of yellow lounge chairs and umbrellas and settle in for a quiet day. The serene water with its gentle slope is perfect for swimming, floating, and snorkeling.

Guests, specifically those on the all-inclusive plan, take dinner buffet style at the Garden restaurant in the main part of the hotel, but the hotel is within walking distance of several restaurants and bars in Holetown. While the hotel lacks a gym and spa, several recreational activities such as golf are nearby. Diving and boating excursions can be arranged through the hotel, and massages are available through vendors on the beach. The hotel attracts mainly couples and families.

Set between the busy Highway 1 and the serene water of the Caribbean, Discovery Bay is within walking distance of many shops and restaurants, and a quick drive to other beaches along the west coast.

• Three-minute walk to Lime Grove Shopping
• Three-minute drive to Sandy Lane Beach and golf
• Five-minute walk to Folkstone Marine Park and Museum
• Seven-minute drive to Royal Westmoreland Golf Course
• 15-minute drive to Heywoods Beach
• 20-minute drive to Barbados Wildlife Reserve
• 29-minute drive to Rockley Beach
• 30-minute drive to Animal Flower Cave
• 30-minute drive to St. Lawrence Gap
• 30-minute drive to Oistin's Fish Fry
• 30-minute drive to Dover Beach
• 35-minute drive to Grantley Adams International Airport
• 45-minute drive to Bottom Bay

Discovery Bay's 86 rooms fall into three categories. Garden Rooms, located above the lobby and in two separate two-story buildings, make up the bulk of the rooms at the hotel. They have either two twin beds or one king-size bed. Like the Garden Rooms, the Beachfront Rooms also come with one king-size or two twin beds but are located in a three-story building with balconies look out on the beach, offering unobstructed views of the sea. The largest rooms are the Beachfront Club Rooms, offering ocean views as well as additional sitting areas and bed configurations of two doubles and one king or two twins and one king.

Rooms at Discovery Bay are spacious and airy, especially when the sliding glass doors open to views of the sea. They are finished in a neutral beachy style with white-tile floors, whitewashed ceilings, and standard white linens. Sand-colored walls and coordinating damask window treatments along with bright-pink-and-blue beach towels fashioned into swans add to the beach-inspired theme.

While the rooms are well-kept, they are dated. Furnishings are basic, with fan-style headboards, small white bedside tables and lamps, and white desks and chairs. Some rooms feature more modern furnishings finished in woven sea grass. Wide closets with white shutter doors offer room to store suitcases and hang clothes, as well as personal items in the safe. The large private balconies are an asset, offering wide views of the sea and the gardens, but they are simply furnished, with only two chairs and a table.

Bathrooms are finished in white tile with standard shower/tub combos and white plastic shower curtains. Bathroom vanities vary, ranging from single bowls to more modern wood vanities with raised vessel sinks. Generic toiletries and white towels embroidered with the hotel's name are also included.

Discovery Bay's location, along the Platinum Coast of Barbados ensures that guests have access to the soft white sand and calm Caribbean water that has made this part of the island famous. From the hotel, guests can walk to the shops and restaurants of Holetown or settle in for lunch or afternoon tea at the Sugarbird Bar and Grill. While the hotel does not offer any evening entertainment, the nightlife of St. Lawrence Gap is a 30-minute drive away.