Dover Beach, St. Lawrence Gap, Barbados | (888) 604-6432
Located opposite the beach, 15 minutes from the airport
Close to restaurants, bars, and nightlife
Outdoor lap pool surrounded by tropical gardens
Spacious rooms with AC, flat-screen TVs, and mini-fridges
Free continental breakfast (hot items available at a discount)
Free Wi-Fi throughout
Most rooms have twin beds
Roadside rooms pick up noise, especially at night
Wi-Fi signal can be spotty
Breakfast is basic
No elevator
Located 15 minutes from the airport, the mid-range Time Out Hotel offers great value for its popular St. Lawrence Gap setting. Its 76 rooms are spacious and some have balconies or patios and pool views, but three of the four categories have only twin beds (Superior Rooms have kings). The location is a big highlight -- Dover Beach is right across the road, as is a strip of island-style street-food shacks. And the area bustles with restaurants, bars, and nightlife. Calm oasis-style gardens frame the outdoor pool, and a sports bar and restaurant serves all three meals, including a basic breakfast that's part of the room rate. Time Out suits travelers seeking budget-friendly rates and a base from which to explore the island and soak up the nightlife -- it's not for those after luxury and plush amenities. Travelers seeking a value option right on the beach could try the Butterfly Beach Hotel.
Scene
A low key, chilled out haven -- in contrast to it touristy surroundings
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.
Location
In the heart of the South Coast, opposite Dover Beach and close to the airport
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.
Rooms
Simple, spacious, and practical rooms, but mostly with twin beds
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.
Features
Large pool with loungers, restaurant and bar, breakfast, and free Wi-Fi
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.