Solandra
- Category
- Villas & Villa Living
- Island
- Barbados
- Location
- Sandy Lane & Sandy Lane Estate, St James
- No of Rooms:
- 3
- Prices from:
- US $495.00/ villa/ night ? view all rates
At a glance
A very comfortable villa on the West Coast of Barbados. Solandra has a traditional Barbadian interior with floral soft furnishings and excellent outdoor space and gardens and a 40ft swimming pool. It is a well-priced find in the exclusive surroundings of the estate. It has use of a Cabana at Sandy Lane Beach.
- Best for:
- Family, Golf
- Who for:
- Suits couples and small families. Location is convenient for Sandy Lane Golf Course
- Not for:
- Beachfront or formal accommodation
- How to get there:
- Direct from UK, USA, Canada, Europe
Key features
Good value Sandy Lane villa rental with 3 acres of gardens and large areas of lawn. Swimming pool (40ft) and use of beach cabana at Sandy Lane Property Owner’s Beach Facility. Breakfast patio, spacious covered living terrace with partial sea views off large open-plan living/dining room, recent well-equipped kitchen. Cable TV, DVD, VCR and CD player. ADSL high speed internet access available. Selection of board games. Close to golf courses.
Style:
Cosy, older build of character with an unusual oriental-style frontage and traditional Barbadian interiors - original parquet and speckled tiled floors, louvered windows, exposed varnished pine roof (clever concealed lighting gives pleasant warm glow) – and a semi-circular covered patio to sweeping gardens. Recent renovations give a fresh, contemporary appeal. Low key, relaxed family villa, ideal for children and good for barefoot style entertaining
The beach:
Approximately 5 minutes drive to Sandy Lane, where there is a cabana at Sandy Lane Property Owners’ Beach Facility for guests’ use
The rooms / villas:
3 bedrooms en suite – master bedroom with large circular tub and shower, 2nd bedroom with tub and shower and 3rd bedroom (off pool terrace with no internal access) with shower only
Children:
Welcome
Staff:
Cook, laundress, maid and night watchman
Journalist’s Review
Beach & Swimming
The beach by Sandy Lane Hotel is five minutes away by car. Solandra has a cabana at the Sandy Lane Property Owners' Beach Facility, where sun loungers are provided. The swimming from Sandy Lane beach is some of the best on the island, however at certain times of the year there can be a swell with some undertow, in which case there red flags to warn against swimming.
Solandra has a good size freshwater swimming pool 40ft long with entry steps at the shallow end and a ladder at the deep end) with mosaic tiles, just a few steps below the covered veranda. It can also be accessed from the gardens. This is a very pleasant setting where you can sit and enjoy lunch on the surrounding sun terrace, which is edged on three sides by trees, ferns and palms to create a feeling of privacy and areas of shade depending on the time of day.
The third bedroom is located at pool level with glass sliding doors opening onto the pool terrace.
Sports & Recreation
The Sandy Lane golf club, tennis courts, and dedicated spa are located within five minutes drive of Solandra, as are a range of watersports on Sandy Lane Hotel's beach. There is a fitness club at Warren's, approximately ten minutes away. The nearest polo field is at Holders Hill approximately six minutes by car. Tennis is also available at Sugar Hill, again about ten minutes drive.
Locality
Solandra is set on Simmonds Road, on an upper ridge of the Sandy Lane Estate (inland from the hotel). It is surrounded by the golf courses and is therefore very convenient for golfers. There are tennis courts nearby. Five minutes drive will get you to the heart of St James, including the nearest shopping district at Holetown. Here you will find the Cave Shepherd Plaza and the larger West Coast Mall. These contain a supermarket, bank, photo centre, duty free shops, video rental, and various shops and boutiques. The Limegrove Lifestyle Centre is a recent addition with a range of designer shops, an art gallery, bars, cafes and restaurants. Also close by is the Chattel House Village, a series of traditional-looking Caribbean cabins selling souvenirs, the 24 hour Sandy Crest Medical Centre, and a market stall where you can buy fresh fruit and vegetables. The town also has a gas station (as petrol stations are known locally) which has an in-store mini-mart and an outlet of KFC, both open until late evening. Holetown, the place where the English first landed in 1625, later settling it in 1627, is also a local Barbadian community, with Police Station, Post Office, Parish Church, bank, pharmacy, clinic, fitness centre, school and so on.
There is a host of restaurants within 15 minutes drive along the main West Coast Road in either direction of Solandra. You might consider the famous The Cliff restaurant, about ten minutes away to the south - also look out for Scarlet, Daphne's and Cin Cin By The Sea in this direction. Heading north beyond Holetown you could try celeb favourite the Lone Star, about 15 minutes north, or the Fish Pot. There are any number of restaurants in Holetown itself, including The Mews, Café Indigo, Nishi and The Tides. There is also good nightlife in Holetown with lively weekend gatherings in 1st and 2nd Street, where the restaurants and bars stand shoulder to shoulder, with some providing live music. Drinkers tend to spill out into the street to mingle, creating an easy-going 'street party' type of atmosphere. The current 'hot spots' are The Mews, Elbow Room, Spago and Lexy Piano Bar.
Useful Hints
Ask your travel organiser or the management company (if booking direct) for initial food and drink supplies to be laid in for your arrival. The cook will then prepare a welcome meal. Thereafter, staff will shop for you during your stay if you wish to delegate this chore, but a 10% service charge plus VAT will be added to all shopping bills. Rental rates for villas in Barbados do not include 'tips', about which you will find advice in the guest information book at the villa.
Airport Meet & Greet
If you are booking direct ask the villa management company to send a taxi to meet you at the airport. Your airport transfers are paid for locally and take approximately 45 minutes. Alternatively, if you would prefer to be taken care of from the minute you arrive at the airport, with a range of services that can include limousine transfers, a Concierge Service is offered by St James Travel & Tours.
If you are booking through a travel organiser, it is likely that their representative will be at the airport to meet you. This service and your return airport transfers should be included in the cost of your holiday. Please check at the time of booking.
Getting Around
Although everything is relatively close at hand, a hire car is strongly recommended for all private villa holidays. A car is especially useful if you want to dine out at night or go sightseeing, unless you prefer staff to call taxis for you as required.
Book car hire via your travel organiser or direct with Stoutes Car Rentals and ask for your vehicle to be delivered to the property approximately three hours after your scheduled time of arrival on Barbados or the following morning. Vehicles can be returned at the airport or be collected from the property at a pre-arranged time on your departure day.
Solandra offers bookings via the following villa rental agents:
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Realtors Limited Villa Rentals
Realtors, formed in 1954, was one of the first villa management and rental companies to be established on Barbados. Family run.
