Discovery Bay Hotel

We returned from Barbados on 10th February 2005 having spent 2 weeks at the Discovery Bay Hotel in Holetown, Barbados. I would say this hotel is in a good position for walking to the West Coast shopping mall and the Chatell Village shops which are only about a 5 minute walk away. The bus to Bridgetown stops right opposite the hotel and you can also catch buses to Oistins and in the other direction to Speightstown and Bathsheba. The hotel itself is very much in need of re-furbishment - the rooms are large but very tired (especially the bathrooms). The air-conditioning is effective but very noisy. I would however say that our room was clean and was serviced every day with clean towels and bed linen about every 3rd day. The pool area was fine with sufficient sun loungers and although the pool is not very big, it was never crowded. The beach is small and narrow and quite shelved. Its not always easy to walk along the beach beyond the hotel either north or south (but especially north) as you'll have to negotiate rocks to climb over and narrow sections where you may get caught by the surf. On 2 or 3 days there were red flags posted as the sea was quite rough and not safe for swimming. Right next to the hotel is the swamp area you'll probably read about in other reviews. At the front of the hotel there a bridge which crosses it. Its certainly not very attractive and is just an area of stagnant water with rubbish in it. It meets the beach between Discovery Bay and the Mango Bay hotel next door. On one occasion while walking on the beach when there was quite a swell on the sea, waves were coming right up to meet the swamp and sucking a bit of the stagnant water out to sea. However I must say that only toward the end of the holiday did I notice a smell from this area (someone said they thought there were dead fish in it). However this is not the hotels fault and needs to be dealt with by the local authority The food at the hotel was fine (we were all inclusive), nothing to rave about but there was good choice and it was plentiful. The dining room like the rest of the hotel needs re-furbished. If you get tired of eating at the hotel there are good restaurants close by - The Mews, Angry Annies, Cocomos and Tides are some. Tides is a more expensive one which we had good reports about but we didnt get round to going to The gardens at the hotel are beautiful and very well maintained. There are plenty of birds which will visit your terrace or balcony and bajan green monkeys in the trees. You'll get some nice shady spots to put your sun lounger under the trees in the garden. The staff at the hotel are generally very nice and helpful with only a few who are a bit sultry but I dont think they are rude - its just the general 'laid back' caribbean way! Look out for Linda on the beach who will give you a wonderful reflexology foot massage for BD$40 (about £10). I also had a great pedicure in the hotel spa room- book appointments in the hotel shop. The guest services rep at the hotel is called Rosita - shes in and around the hotel from 10am. She is very good and if you have any problems with anything (changing pool towels, problems in your room) just see her and she'll sort them out Overall I would say this hotel was fine but dont expect luxury. If money is spent on re-furbishment, then it would be a great hotel in a good location. Finally, i would recommend hiring a car to see the north and east coasts of the island which are very different and quite unspoiled. Also Sunbury Plantation is well worh a visit. We had a car for 2 days and we saw a lot

We spent two weeks at Discovery Bay after New Year and we too were apprehensive having read the reviews below. Firstly Virgin issued no warnings that the refurbishment of Grantley Adams Airport was not complete and as a result it took 3.5 hours from landing to get to the hotel. On arrival there did seem to be problems for those who had booked sea view rooms and there was no porter in sight, but our own check-in was otherwise trouble free. Remember the hotel sells blocks of rooms to the travel agent, so not getting the right room is down to your travel company, not the hotel. The hotel itself was at one time a definate 3 star plus - we had called in about ten years ago. However it has just recently been sold and clearly no money has been spent on maintenance for some considerable time. There are many problems arising from this, solar panels are out and hot water is thus intermittent, the roof needs work, the switchgear is faulty in a number of places, the air conditioning units break down constantly and the bathrooms date back to a time when Bajan plumbers did not possess either spirit levels or square tools. Is would estimate a basic budget of $2-3 million is required. The rooms themselves are clean but very very basic - no television, kettle and so on. Not much of an issue but it was the wettest January in Barbados for 66 years. So in terms of rating - two star or low cost US motel. There is a staff issue. There have been six managers in the last eight years. The new manager, two weeks into the job when we arrived, is experienced and has run a number of quality hotels in his career, on and off the island. Some of the supervisory staff need a wake up call but the rest are warm and friendly. You have to remember that Barbados is quite old fashioned in some respects and waitresses will often not speak until spoken to. Having said that we found the attitude of some guests towards the staff absolutely appalling and I will go further and point out that it seems to be a characteristic of those from the south of England. Certainly consideration and good manners towards people working long shifts would not go amiss. Understandably the staff are apprehensive that the hotel will be closed for refurbishment and that they will lose their jobs. If the new owners are to invest then the restricted size of the hotel and grounds will prevent any other course of action. This is bound to affect their attitude, they are not stupid. The food was generally good. Breakfast and Lunch were the same menu options each day with the variety coming in the evenings. The manager is working on the menu and working out the entertainment contracts with the intention of bringing better quality entertainment in the evenings. The most contentious issue is the so called swamp. First it must be made clear that at one time the whole area was swamp ground. The residual swamp or lake is totally the responsibility of the government and the hotel has no right to do anything about it. The swamp is fed by a concrete storm channel which runs straight up into the hills. The only weir is under the bridge outside the hotel and is not capable of controlling the water flow in heavy rain. As a result water slops over the far end of the lake and onto the beach, as all that is in between lake and beach is banked sand. There is no sewage in the water but there is, inevitably, rubbish. The effect on the beach frontage is exacerbated by the government decision to ban breakwaters in order to protect live coral. This ridiculous decision means that the beaches themselves are eroding rapidly. We walked to Mango Bay next door, where we stayed some ten years ago and I reckon the beach is about two thirds the size it was when we stayed there. Thus if the swamp overflows, there isn't really enough space to allow people to move along out of the way. So in summary, ignore the Virgin photographs - they are years out of date, be prepared for a wait at Grantley Adams, double check that your room is available, don't think it is a three star, negotiate a discount, and be friendly to the staff and they will look after you. Lou and Misty need the support of the owners to put the hotel right. Get on to Virgin and the other travel companies using the hotel to press for a budget to be made available. Too many three star resorts are closed, Rockley, Sam Lords, because the travel companies are being greedy. The result will be to force people into either the rented apartment or four and five star sector - so be warned. PS Kerry's baby is due in March so send an e-mail to the hotel!

My family and I returned from this hotel on 13th January 2005 following a 10 night stay. Our problems started as soon as we stepped out of the airport. Our luggage was piled onto the back of a lorry, whilst we endured two bus rides to the hotel (arranged by Virgin). When we arrived at Discovery Bay, we were asked by the reception staff for our travel vouchers. My partner and I, along ith my fayer and his partner had booked and paid for a Junior Suite. We were handed our keys, and whilst enjoying our complimentary rum punch, was approached by a smirking official, and told that all the Junior Suites had gone, and we were offered a down grade to a Deluxe Ocean view room. We were not at all happy, and could not get any reason why this had happened. We had booked our holiday in the summer of 2004. Our Virgin rep had not appeared at the hotel, so we rang the 24 hour number to contact them. Surprise, no answer. Having no alternative we had to accept the rooms allocated. The rooms were clean and spacious, with a wonderful view of the sea. The problems did not end there. We had a two hour wait for our luggage, and when we went to reception to enquire if it wa on its way, we found it standing in the hotel doorway. We had to carry the cases to our rooms. The food was boring, and the same lunch served for 10 days. Chicken, fish and cake daily. The majority of the guests were complaining, and most said this was the worst hotel they had stayed in. During our stay we had heavy rain, and the swamp next door overspilt into the sea, making it a no go area. Part of the beach collapsed, and at no time were we warned of any danger. If travelling with Virgin, please dont fall for the check in and chill facility. This took an hour and a half, and saved us no time. the only ones to benefit were the airline. The check in staff were very rude and unhelpfull. Barbados..love it, this hotel..avoid it!

My husband and I recently stayed at Discovery Bay over the new year period, on the way home following a trip to Palm island in the Grenadines. When we booked the hotel, I admit we did look for a cheaper hotel as we were only staying for two nights but the standard was truly appalling. Kuoni rate the hotel as a 'superior medium class' whereas I would rate this as a one star - I have stayed in much nicer hotels when going with the cheapest package deals available in Greece. On arrival we were told by reception that there had been a mix up with the rooms and we would have to stay in a three bedroomed villa in the complex along with two other couples. We were told that there was absolutely nothing else available, but after making it clear that there was no way we were prepared to share living space with people we had never met before, along with discussions to our rep, a garden view room was magically made available. The attitude of the reception staff was terrible and we were basically told that surely we could 'stick it' for one night. Funnily enough we didn't pay to go on holiday to have to put up with anything we were uncomfortable with. We were eventually shown to our room and again were sorely disappointed. The size of the room was fine and it did have a garden view but everything was so shabby, it needed a complete overhaul. The bathroom smelt strongly of sewage, the patio door was basically falling to pieces and the place just didn't feel clean. In addition to this the number of cockroaches we saw was a bit offputting, I can appreciate that this wasn't a reflection of the hotel but when they are scuttling about your room it isn't a very pleasant experience. Luckily we were only on a room only basis as I truly couldn't have eaten there, in fact we never even had a drink there. It was just used as a base from which to explore and the position of the hotel is its only redeeming feature. It is just around the corner from Holetown where there are plently of excellent restaurants and bars (The Mews and The Tides to be recommended). All in all we thought Barbados was a beautiful place, the people are wonderful but next time we visit we will be sure to save up and splash out on one of the luxury hotels.

We were staying at Discovery Bay over Xmas and New Year, the same as the two previous reviewers. I had read the reviews a week before we were due to travel and it made my stomach churn as I envisaged a miserable Xmas. However, it did prepare me for the fairly basic room standards and when I saw the furniture in the restaurant which was past its sell by date I thought that all the reviews I had read were probably pretty accurate. Walking around the hotel the next day confirmed what I had read, that the hotel was shabby and was in need of refurbishment. On the positive side, my teenage children had made friends and were having a great time and the beach staff and other guests were really friendly. As time went on, I began to acclimatise to the place and got used to the idiosyncrasies of some of the hotel staff. There was a good buffet breakfast and the lunch menu was good until after Xmas when it became a buffet due to the large number of guests. The evening buffets were nice although we sometimes ate out and would recommend Tides and Cocomos. The new manager started whilst we were there and I hope that he is given a sufficient budget to refurbish the hotel as it will then be fab! At the moment it is best described as 'shabby chic' which was another guests's description and very accurate, but we all had a great time in a good value hotel in a fantastic location, and hope to return again this year.

My family and I have just returned from a two week break at the Discovery Bay over Christmas and New Year. I am sorry to read some of the reviews that have been submitted on the site. This hotel, though basic, is comfortable and clean. It is one of, if not the, cheapest option on the St. James coastline and its position by Holetown is superb. You obviously can not escape the fact that the hotel is built next to a part natural, part man made outlet for water on the island, it is not exactly a swamp, but Barbados does not get a vast amount of rain (that’s why we all go!!) and so it can be stagnant for some time and an occasional whiff is noticed, but only occasional. As for one review I read, concerning the building work next door, I assume the developers were on holiday at the time of my stay, but let’s be reasonable, do you honestly expect the surrounding hotels to close during times of development in the area? The hotel rooms are clean and the Ocean View Rooms have a view that is worth five times what you pay for them, it really is superb, I have very fond memories of watching the Caribbean sunset from my balcony. The bathrooms are, without doubt, in need of renovation but they serve their purpose. Showers can be occasionally cool, partly due to the fact that the hot water is generated by solar power, it is problem that needs solving especially if you go when the hotel is nearing capacity. Air conditioning is in every room, and in our rooms, of which we had three, it served its purpose. The beach is excellent, some reviews have noted that it is small and I will warn you this it is smaller than the pictures in the brochures, however this is a problem faced by the entire island and you only need to walk down the beach to see how fortunate the Discovery Bay is in this department. Beach furniture is aging but functioning. The pool is not huge but never busy and as I have read in another review, if you are an Olympic athlete go elsewhere. The Bars in the hotel are comfortable and well stocked. Some reviews have noted that if "one asks for premium sprits I expect to get them." You are informed at check-in that some premium brands are not included on the all inclusive package. I am left asking myself if these people who demand premium brands are willing to pay the extra? It is worthy of note however that premium brands are sold to all inc. residents at 50% of the bar price. The Restaurant is not excellent by any means. It is however acceptable. My advice with this is that if you calculate the room only price against the all inc. price you will find that the difference is around £30. Not much, so if the food is not to your taste, drink the drink but go out for dinner, there are some of the best restaurants in the world on the island. I am lucky enough to have been returning to Barbados every year for over a decade, and have stayed in some of the best hotels on the island. The staff at every hotel are the same with the exception of the 5 star hotels! The island is laid back, very very laid back indeed and you have a to accept this before anything else, if you do not you will not enjoy yourself as you will just work yourself up more and more and having "stern words" will do you no favors. The appearance of staff could be worked on, certainly, and with the new management now in place at the hotel things of this nature can only get better. The staff are very friendly and helpful if you are relaxed and living at their pace, there are some exceptions. One review mentions a certain "male member of bar staff." I think I know who they are talking about, and I don’t think he will last much longer in his position. Overall the hotel is an excellent base for a holiday in Barbados, it is a comfortable cheap option, with a great beach and in walking distance of some superb restaurants and bars. If you are visiting the island for the first time and are staying DB don’t panic, if you wind down and live at the pace of Barbados you will not only enjoy the hotel more but you will fall into the ways of one of the most beautiful islands on earth.

We have just returned from a 15 day holiday at the Discovery Bay Hotel. It is very sad that a hotel with so much potential has so many problems. There is an extremely unpleasant swamp-like river right next to the hotel, it smells bad and looks unhealthy - the only residents who appreciate it's presence are the mosquitos! Our beach-front room had no air conditioning for the duration of the holiday, despite repeated requests for it to be fixed. Engineers would arrive, look up at the A/C, agree that it was not working but were never able to fix it. We had intermittent hot water and had cold showers for at least 7 of our 15 days. Staff uniforms across the board were tired and well worn and the 'waiting' staff (restaurant, bar and pool bar) were in general surly unsmiling and even rude. There were some notable exceptions to this, but sadly these were few and far between. I have never before been treated with as much disrespect as shown to me by a particular male member of staff one evening when we had the audacity to request some drinks, we were all left in open-mouthed shock at the blatant animosity he showed. Cleaning staff, reception staff and groundsmen were all much more willing to be friendly and did their best to give good service but they seem to be trying to keep a sinking ship afloat without any tools! (There were power cuts in the pool front block two nights running and residents were using other rooms for the night in order to get ready for dinner). The beach is small but situated in the most stunningly beautiful setting, but again there are no decent facilities. The beach towels are old and clean ones difficult to obtain, sunbeds mis-matched broken frayed and in short supply also. Food was perhaps a bit monotonous, but it was plentiful and well cooked. Our feeling is that this hotel needs a major injection of money to bring it back to the standard that it must have once enjoyed. It could be very special but someone out there needs to do some immediate remedial surgery or this patient is going to die. That would be a real shame, both for the paying customer and for those staff who genuninely try so hard to compensate for the problems!

The ferocity of some of the reviews of this hotel never cease to amaze me. We have just returned from another repeat visit here and like numerous other repeat guests that we bump into each year, again enjoyed a pleasant stay. This is a very basic hotel, probably one and a half / two star at a guess, but our room had a superb ocean view on the beach and was kept very clean by the friendly staff. The beach front location is great and we did not incur any problems in getting beach chairs and umbrellas, although these clearly do need updating. Next door in first and second street in Holetown, the restaurants and bars are good, with the locals very friendly and generally hassle free. This hotel is priced at the lower end of the scale for hotels in St. James and on this island you get what you pay for. Discovery Bay is not Sandy Lane or Coral Reef, however it appears that many people these days expect this five star quality for a fraction of the price. Wake up !

After a disasterous flight ( 33 hours delayed ) with BWIA ( never again ) we finally arrived 2 days later to Discovery Bay. Bit dissapointed on arrival at 1am in the morning that noone had thought to leave us some bottled water and a light snack! We had to make do with tap water and went to bed starving. Our room ( Beachfront Club Room ) was really lovely, large king size bed, plenty of wardrobe storage space. Good size bathroom but in desperate need of some attention. Most importantly a large balcony over looking the beach and sea, fantastic! The first day breakfast was good, so indeed was lunch although service was pretty slow! During the course of the day we had quite heavy rain which caused alot of problems. The dining area was completely flooded so we had evening meal in the main bar areas which infact was a much better venue and the food was delicious. Also during the course of the day, the main water pipe to the hotel had burst so we had no water at all! The hotel got things organised very quickly and we where transported to other local hotels for showers etc. The following day, we had even more rain which subsequently flooded the whole of the downstairs of our hotel! Water was cascading through reception, bar and restaurant! We where almost knee deep in dirty smelly river water. Not pleasant. Was very annoyed that most of the staff where sitting around laughing, finding the situation incredibly funny. We did not. My boyfriend, eventually, after running around for over an hour managed to track the manager down who advised everyone that we would be evacuated to other properties located on the other side of the island. This is where we were taken to the awful Silver Sands Resort, see my review! So overall although we had a short stay we did enjoy ourseleves despite the rain etc and would have loved to have spent our entire week here. Great location, friendly staff, food and drink plentiful and of good quality. Hotel accommodation etc could just do with a bit of TLC.

I have just read the review from someone in England who stayed at the Discovery Bay Hotel Barbados the week after we left the Hotel. I have to say in my opinion the comments were for the most part very unfair. If you choose to go on holiday during half term you have to expect most hotels in Barbados to be busy. We had a thoroughly enjoyable holiday at this hotel and sometimes people need reminding that life.... and indeed holidays are what you make it. These days people seem to go on holiday with one thing in mind Complaining. Believe me there are far far worse hotels in Barbados and I speak from experience. Please remember what you paid for this holiday. They have some very cheap deals on at this hotel and most people are appreciative of what is provided for the relatively small amount payed. If you want top notch food, entertainment etc book at Sandy Lane. Just to reassure people just about to go on holiday.... I too read lots of reviews before I went away and thought I was in for an awful time. We had a super two weeks at Discovery Bay, made some super friends and will definitely return next year. Yes the mango swamp does pong a bit at times but this is the Caribbean and you will smell far worse if you are a frequent traveller. Yes we too had to wait a while to be served but what a wonderful view we had while we waited. Yes I have probably heard better bands but while we were there everyone danced their hearts out and had a great time. Chill out. Lifes too short for complaining all the time