Time Out Hotel

Set on the edge of Barbados’ nightlife hub, Time Out lives up to its name, offering a calm, welcome contrast to its touristy surroundings. The hotel sits opposite a sporting oval, with easy access to Dover Beach, where a cute stretch of food shacks is within view of many rooms. There are numerous hotels and resorts that share the street, and this three-story property -- with a white facade and neon-pink, purple, and blue logo -- occupies a corner setting. Guests arrive into an open-air interior courtyard that many rooms have views of, which separates the Sporting Pig restaurant on one side from the reception area on the other. Wrought-iron tables and chairs with wide shade umbrellas invite chill time, and bright tropical artwork adds exotic local flavor. Set at the back of the hotel, the pool, surrounded by lush, tropical gardens with a huge poinciana tree branching out over one end, exudes a calm, oasis-like vibe.

The restaurant is vast in size with a range of seating options (booth, high table, bar, outdoor, and standard dining), but its muted palette, English sporting memorabilia -- and many huge TVs -- give it a pub ambience. The Sporting Pig livens up during major televised sporting events, but otherwise stays pretty low key. While there's  nothing fancy about Time Out, it's a fun, lively spot that's easy on the wallet.  

Time Out Hotel is located in St Lawrence Gap -- 15 to 20 minutes from Grantley Adams International Airport, and directly across the road from Dover Beach. The area is known for its dining, bars, and nightlife scene. It’s a 10-minute drive to Barbados Golf Club, a four-minute drive to Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary, and a 10-minute drive to Oistin’s Fish Fry -- a famous Friday night celebration of fresh local seafood -- and a must for visitors to the island. 

Time Out's 76 rooms include Standard, Superior, Pool View, and Deluxe Rooms, but only Superiors have king beds -- the other rooms have twins. All rooms are spacious, with simple furniture that won’t set any style trends, but is perfectly in tune with the hotel -- many rooms have work desks and dining tables for two. Decor primarily consists of wicker headboards, white bedding, and wooden furniture with neutral walls and white-tile floors. There are splashes of color in the cushions, curtains, bed runners, and bed skirts. All rooms have flat-screen TVs, mini-fridges, coffeemakers, and Wi-Fi -- although guests frequently complain about the patchy signal. Standard and Deluxe Rooms have shower/tub combos, while other rooms have showers only. Only Superior and Pool View Rooms include patios, but others have virtually wall-to-wall windows that let in lots of light. Roadside rooms get a bit of noise in the evening (karaoke went on until all hours at a shack over the road during our stay), so if noise is an issue, guests should request rooms on the other side of the hotel. There is no elevator, so guests who might have difficulty climbing three flights of stairs should request ground-floor rooms. 

Time Out does a solid job of providing the features expected of a mid-range property. The pool is large enough for laps, and is surrounded by deck chairs and tables. The Sporting Pig restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, serving a range of local and Western dishes, in addition to providing a full bar and cocktails. A basic continental breakfast is included in the nightly rate, but guests get discounts on the hot items. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel, but the signal can be unreliable. The beach has deck chairs and water sports available through outside vendors.