We stayed at Coral Reef for a week. It was the first time we had been to Barbados and we had an amazing time. Barbados is great and Coral Reef was the perfect place to enjoy it from. The hotel is very elegant and stylish but all in a very understated way and the atmosphere is friendly and relaxed. There is no big hotel building - the gorgeous gardens just have "houses" dotted around which are blocks of 6 rooms/suites. We had a Junior Suite and it was very spacious, and beautifully decorated. The bathroom was huge with a bath and a separate generous and powerful shower, and two sinks. Because of the design of the building, there are no communal corridors, you just walk up to your own door, so other guests/staff are not walking past your room and it really is peaceful. But the best thing about the room was the huge balcony/terrace which was more like an extra room outside than the usual strip of space we have experienced at other hotels. We had two loungers and a table and chairs out there, there is a ceiling fan and lights, and when you are sitting on the terrace you cannot see or be seen by any other guests on their terraces/balconies - again a huge improvement on lots of places we have stayed where you feel packed in with other guests. We did have a few heavy rainstorms, but it is not a problem because we knew that we could just retire to our terrace and read/relax there without losing our holiday feeling.
Breakfast can be delivered to the room at no extra cost and we took advantage of this most days - the service was always exactly at the time we had requested and the table laid out properly for us. There are no room numbers, each room has a name, ours was "Lucky Nut" - it does make everything seem more friendly than being known by a number.

The main part of the hotel is a large, open plan bar/restaurant area on the edge of the beach, with all of the sides open. This means that there is always a nice breeze whilst you are dining, and you can hear and see the sea all around you and be protected from any rain without feeling that you are trapped indoors. The food was good but not excellent, and with so many great restaurants within easy reach it is best to eat away from the hotel at least on a few nights. However, we did enjoy eating at the hotel and there was always appropriate musical entertainment whilst we were dining, and there is a space to dance beside the restaurant if you wish.

Our only criticism was that the entertainment ended too early - by 10:30 every night the bar was pretty much closed and all of the guests had gone to bed. This does not seem to be the hotel's fault as it states that the bar is open for as long as guests are in it, but probably is due to the fact that the guests staying at Coral Reef tend not to be a young crowd, and most of the guests did seem to like to go to bed early (and got up very early as well - there was always people in the pool by 7am!). Anyway, none of this is really a problem as of course you don't have to go to bed when everyone else does! and it was quite nice on a few nights to paddle in the sea and have the beach to ourselves when we got back from other restaurants late at night. However, if you are wanting excitement and wild entertainment you would be disappointed!

The pool was lovely but we spent most of our time on the beach. I read the reviews about the beach being missing and was concerned, but there is no need - there is a beautiful beach and it was always easy to get a lounger on the beach. The strip just in front of the main part of the restaurant is very narrow but the beach to the side of the restaurant, at the bottom of the gardens is beautiful. There is one area of the sea marked off as having a coral reef beneath it, and another area which is mostly sandy and is good for swimming. The snorkelling over the reef was excellent - there was such a lot to see and some really big and colourful fish, but the visibility varied tremendously from day to day, even when the weather seemed the same, so some days were amazing and on others it was difficult to see. The hotel has a watersports hut with staff who lend out equipment for snorkelling and can also organise other activities.

The hotel provides a free bus service into Bridgetown but really, unless you actually want to purchase some tax free jewellery, I don't think it is a very picturesque or interesting place, and it was quite hot and busy and I wished I had stayed relaxing on the beach!
The hotel do not really advertise or carry leaflets about different excursions, so it is good to have a look on the internet etc before you arrive, and have an idea of what you want to do. The hotel will then make all of the arrangements for you. It is an absolute must to go snorkelling with the lovely turtles, which are only a little further down the coast. There are lots of catamaran party cruises that take you but you have to travel into Bridgetown to board them, and then there are lots of you all trying to snorkel with the turtles together. The hotel booked us onto their own turtle trip which departed from the hotel beach and only had 4 of us on it in total - the boat was not nearly as glamorous as a catamaran but it got us to the turtles without the crowds, so I would definitely recommend that. It also gives you time to snorkel over a wreck site. The other thing we did was go horse riding, again, the hotel arranged it for us, with Carribean International Riding Centre. It was an excellent way to see the other part of the island - we rode through forests, across open countryside and saw monkeys, cattle, goats, birds etc, and then came down onto the beach on the East coast. A word of warning though - there was no quiet option - my husband had never ridden before but we ended up galloping flat out along the beach, which was excellent fun, but not for the faint hearted as the horses were quite mad!

The hotel has lots of information about the different restaurants and we enjoyed the Cliff and Calabaza especially. It is best to ask the hotel to make reservations for you at the start of your stay, the Cliff was especially heavily booked.

If you turn right out of the hotel it is a 5-10 minute walk into Holetown which has a supermarket and then a collection of little touristy shops. There are also some nice places to eat there, either for lunch or in the evenings. There are also branches of the big jewellery shops, so there really is no reason to go into Bridgetown!
In summary the hotel provides an absolutely beautiful and peaceful place to truly relax and unwind and enjoy the weather and scenery. If that is what you want, you will love it. If you want nightlife and glitz then you should look elsewhere. We will definitely be going back, I feel completely relaxed and recharged!

DO NOT Stay here. My wife and I booked our Barbados honeymoon several months in advance, and after much deliberation, we decided on the Coral Reef Club. What a mistake. We have stayed in some of the best hotels/resorts around the world, and unless you've never travelled a day in your life, you will be incredibly disappointed.

First off, there is no beach, it's been completely washed out, you will have to lounge on the lawn. So if that's what you're after, book elsewear. The rooms are dated and offer very little view. Even our supposed "ocean view" barely had an ocean view to speak of. The staff are rude, unfriendly, pushy, and often creepy.

The dress code restrictions are unreasonable. I'm in full support of respecting a "standard", however who wants to go on a beach vacation where they can't even walk around the resort in their bathing suite. Even if you are just walking directly from your room to the pool, you will be asked to cover up. They even specify that sleeveless t-shirts for men are not allowed ANYWHERE on the property, in addition to jeans in the dining room, no matter what designer made them. Before you've even settled you will be confronted with several notices about what you can and cannot wear on the property, as well as numerous other can't dos. I'm in full support of a dress code being in effect for dinner at a fine dining restaurant, but they push it further than anywhere I have ever been.

It's a really strange place, you are paying a lot of money, even in low season to stay there, yet you are made to feel unwelcome from the moment you step inside. Being on our honeymoon, we expected at least some type of upgrade or congratulatory gift package, maybe some champagne. Especially from a place that sees itself as an exclusive 5 star luxury resort. But despite the fact that our agent made it very clear to them on several occasions that we were celebrating, they seemed to care very little. In fact when we ourselves mentioned it to them, they just said great, have fun, and that was it.

The word "Complimentary" does not exist at this resort. You will pay for absolutely everything. And any time you ask a question, or request something, the staff will act as though you are ruining their day.

With no beach to speak of, you may want to spend your afternoon by the pool. The problem is, the pool is far from the oceans breeze so it's really warm, it's also very small, and there is no bar or restaurant service around the pool. No music or "atmosphere" to speak of, you might as well be home in your backyard. And just like your backyard, you will have to bring your room towels down with you, there is no towle service by the pool or by the "beach".

If you are planning a family trip, also note your children will not be allowed to eat with you in the dining room. You'll have to hire one of the hotels pricey babysitters and order them room service. And unless they are very quiet, they will also be unwelcome by the pool or "beach".

I've never reviewed a hotel before, but after this experience, I felt as though I had to say something. Barbados is great, but this hotel should be recognized for what it really is. We were booked for a 10 day stay, and after trying to make the best of it, we checked out after 3. It was without a doubt the worst experience either of us have ever had. The hotel didn't even care to ask us why we were leaving.

The Coral Reef Club likes to act as though it is a sister hotel to Sandy Lane, however you will feel as though you are being ripped off from the moment you arrive. It is a terrible place, one I would never recommend, and a far, far cry from the luxury resort it wants to be.

We spent 8 nights of our honeymoon at the Coral Reef Club and were absolutely amazed. I'm the type of person who enjoys the finer things in life, but I also have a steak appetite on a hamburger budget. That being said, we wanted to treat ourselves to the best for our honeymoon. We selected the Coral Reef Club based on its ratings on Trip Advisor and we were not disappointed. Excellent value for the price.
Upon arrival at the airport, there was a slight problem when our shuttle didn't show up. There was a shuttle waiting for someone else going to the Coral Reef but not for us. This driver phoned the hotel to ask about the status of our shuttle and they advised us to take a cab for which they would pay.
As we entered the driveway of the resort, my breath was taken away. A long driveway lined with lush tropical gardens and staff in uniforms bustling around. The front entrance of the hotel was majestic. The staff was so helpful and friendly.
We had the honeymoon "Sun, Moon, Stars" package which was great because it included almost everything (except alcohol, lunch and room service). Our bill at check out was surprisingly small. (Mind you, we had spent 8 nights in St. Lucia before this and had pretty much boozed ourselves out! :o) I'll tell a story on our lovely accomodations in St. Lucia called 'Ti Kaye' later.
We were shown to our room via lush pathways. The grounds and buildings reminded me of an old fashioned plantation. Banana trees surrounded our building, the birds sang their hearts out. Our luggage was brought shortly after by a bell boy.
We stayed in a Junior Garden Suite. My goodness! We couldn't believe our eyes as we entered our suite. It was huge. The bathroom had 2 sinks, separate shower, soaker jetted tub. There was a separate sitting area in the living area. Beautiful, tropical furniture and a wall of french windows and doors that opened out to our huge verandah. The verandah also had comfy reclining wicker furniture and a white wrought iron table set where we had breakfast delivered every morning. There was also a small fridge out there to keep our drinks and snacks.
The food was amazing. Every evening you hang a card on your door with your breakfast selections and the time you want it delivered. The waiter will bring it in, ask where you want it set up (in our case we liked the verandah). Then he'll set it up. We're talking silverwear, fancy coffee pot, everything arranged just so. If you aren't fond of this kind of distinguished service, then the Coral Reef Club isn't for you. But my husband and I loved it. Afterall, we work hard and we deserve to be spoiled! You may also dine in the dining room for breakfast but we preferred breakfast in our jammies and dinner in the restaurant.
The coffee was not the best I've ever had, but it did the trick. Also, if you choose to eat outside, know that the birds will try to join you. Keep your food covered if you leave the table.
I recommend you have lots of small bills, either US or Barbadian, for tipping the staff as they help you. (ie. room service, laundry delivery, bell boy, etc. etc.) Tips aren't expected but it sure is a nice courtesy.
Lunch wasn't included in our package but we spent most of our days travelling into town. You can take a complimentary shuttle right from the hotel into Bridgetown or various points in between. I recommend while in town, picking up snacks, drinks etc with which to stock your fridge. You can also pick up alcohol in town to have in your room.
We frequented the hotel's gym. It was a nice size, decent equipment. Only complaint would be a bit of a musty smell (I think from the carpet flooring). Hopefully they'll change that. I'm sure it's difficult when it's so humid there!
Dinner in the dining room was amazing. You need to advise the dining room what time you'll be coming. You give them your room name. Ours was 'Passionfruit.'
The dining room is all open which allows the cool breeze to blow through. There is live music every night. Lit torches line the seawall. As our dinner was included in our package, we could order whatever we wanted off the menu. We often had a 6 course meal including the palate cleansing sorbet. The service is impeccable. (Holding the chair out for the lady and placing the napkin on your lap). Every night the menu changes. Usually there are 4-5 choices of each course. Only on one night I didn't really feel like anything listed for the entrees, so I had two appetizers.
It is dressy and there is a dress code but we did see people dressed more casually.
On one night every week they have the big BBQ. It's so wonderful. Bring your appetite. They have a huge table full of meat and seafood that the chefs will cook any way you like. All the while watching authentic Barbadian entertainment (limbo dancing,fire eaters etc.)
The owners of the hotel, the O'hara family, live on the grounds and are very often present. Mid week, you will receive an invitation underneath your room door for a cocktail party at their home. It is a weekly event. I thought it was wonderful to meet the owners. They are so nice. It was a wonderful addition to our holiday.
The beach directly in front of the hotel has been eroded from the last hurricane. I'm a beach person but I really wasn't bothered by this lack of beach. There are nice beaches on either side of the hotel and not only that, but there is a huge grassy area along the ocean covered in beach loungers and shaded by large trees. A perfect place to relax. There is a watersports shop on the hotel grounds where use of all water activites are free.
The two pools are very refreshing and clean and weren't crowded.
Barbados itself seems like a nice island but if you're into lots of adventure travelling, it doesn't really have that much to do in my opinion. There is a lot of history though. Just down the street from the hotel in Holetown is an old church from the 1600's. Bajans, as they are called, are very friendly. Try taking one of the local transit buses. Just be careful, they go fast and depending which one you get on, they play loud music. It's a HOOT! The town of Bridgetown is quite busy. If you like duty-free shopping, this is the place. If you like rum, there's lots of it in Barbados. We took a tour of the Mount Gay Distillery which was good. There are also lots of little rum shops around the island where you can just sit and enjoy a drink.
So I hope this helps your decision making. I can't wait until we return to the Coral Reef Club again. We're thinking maybe for our 5th anniversary. :o) I will post some pics soon.

We selected this for our honeymoon, and we could not have imagined a more wonderful place. The attention to details, the welcoming staff, the lovely grounds, the incredible rooms--were all amazing! Our room had a very private pool on the second floor, an ocean view, and surrounded by lush gardens. The food was delicious and rivaled the other famous restaurants on the island where we also ate 3 other nights prior to our stay at the Coral Reef. The staff was so kind and helpful. We loved the location at St. James, and we wandered far up and down the beach which was beautiful and quiet. The snorkeling reef in front of the hotel offered an abundance of fish without a difficult swim. The pictures on the websites and the reviews did not do this place justice; it was even better! Every detail from the fresh flowers in the room, the personal greeting by the O'Haras, the breakfast on our private terrace-was superb. We so highly recommend this, and we cannot wait to go back!