Fairmont Royal Pavilion

Our family recently returned from a 5-day stay at the Fairmont Royal Pavilion. It appears that for every pro we experienced with this resort there was also a con. Overall, I would not say the Fairmont meets true 5-star expectations. The property's location on the beach does trump many of the resort's imperfections. If your priority is being steps from the stunning beach then the Fairmont could be a good match. However, if you're expecting consistent quality service then prepare to be somewhat disappointed. Pros - 1. Renico and Lorenzo, the two most attentive, cheerful butlers on the property. If only every staff member could have the same friendly, accommodating demeanor! They made sure every one of our needs was met and always had a huge smile every time we crossed their paths. 2. Our oceanfront suite (the reason we booked the Fairmont over other resorts) was a dream. I had coffee brought to our deck every morning and barely let the beach all day. The butlers kept our deck pristine, swapping out towels and sweeping the sand. It felt like a 5 star experience. 3. I enjoyed the general vibe of the Fairmont - everything was open air and felt very private and quiet. Even the children appeared to be generally very well behaved. Cons - 1. We had a hiccup at check-in because one of our children is 14 and needed to be added on to our bill as an "adult." Check-in staff insisted on keeping us waiting for an exorbitant amount of time while they waited for a manager to confirm the additional fees. We had been traveling for almost 12 hours and ended up waiting in the lobby exhausted and starving while they "figured things out". Considering I repeated over and over again that whatever the additional charge was would be fine with us I found it both inconvenient and borderline rude to be kept waiting. Total lack of service and unacceptable for the amount we paid per night for the room. 2. There was a general lack of lushness on the property, almost as if the landscapers hadn't shown up for a while. There were massive planters everywhere...with either dead plants or a lone dwarf plant in each of them. 3. The property needs a facelift badly. Mold, cracked and peeling paint, scratched up and damaged floors, a general smell of mildew in our room...I say the bathroom was supremely clean but otherwise the room felt dated and much in need of some TLC. Overall I would consider staying here again but would first check out Cobbler’s Cove or Sandy Lane.

Our stay at the Fairmont has been absolutely fantastic from start to finish. From the moment we arrived, every member of the team made us feel genuinely welcome and valued, creating such a warm and friendly atmosphere throughout our holiday. A special mention has to go to the way everyone treated our daughter, Gracie. They made her feel like part of the Fairmont family, taking the time to chat with her, involve her, and make every day memorable. Those little touches meant the world to us and are something we'll never forget. A huge thank you to Renico, who truly went above and beyond. His kindness, humour and outstanding service made such a difference to our stay. We honestly wish we could bring him home with us! We'd also like to say a heartfelt thank you to Shontelle, Alison and Shane. Each of you played a part in making our stay extra special, and your care, professionalism and genuine friendliness did not go unnoticed. Thank you all for making this a holiday full of wonderful memories. We can't wait to return. With love, The Harlands

We came back to the Fairmont to see what changes had taken place since our last bus it and we were not disappointed. The team were fully engaged, the ‘vibe’ was really positive and upbeat, especially in the restaurant (the main restaurant was closed for refurb so the one near the bar was used for all meals). Two significant improvements here: the smiles on the teams faces and the quality of the food. What a difference. The food was that good that we stayed in a few nights as the quality was equal to if not better than some of the outside restaurants and cost was on point. The menu was a little limiting but if the tapas menu could be given as an additional option on an evening, then that would be great. Maybe make it a true ‘Tapas’ offering would provide a different option for people - just a thought. The room was perfectly clean and understand that a planned refurbish of the rooms is planned which will address the ‘worn’ aspects, but the room with its own deck was a great size for the 3 of us. The beach was raked each morning (this was not the case previously) and any debris removed. It really felt like someone had looked at the small things that make big differences to guests and said ‘let’s change this’. I believe there is a new GM and this may be the reason behind the changes observed. The beach club is also due for a serious overhaul (maybe even a total rebuild) which will be great for all. Ryan is always great fun and when he and Kerry are on shift there the whole atmosphere is different. Both continually try to make the whole experience better for the customer and puts the customer first every time. Kerry always has a smile in her face which is contagious. The gym, whilst could be deemed small, is fully functioning with some good machines and on a number of mornings I was the only one using it. Great time had and we look forward to seeing what the next round of changes bring but well done to the team on a great start!

We were so happy to be back and can’t wait to return. There is absolutely no other place on Barbados that I would stay but here. They have the best rum punch, best beach, but more importantly the best staff that always provides impeccable service. Thank you for another wonderful stay!

We have been to this hotel twice before and it is amazing. We were hoping to go next week and we had the most amazing support from fairmount. My husband has been unwell and the fairmont bent over backwards to help us. Sadly we weren’t able to travel but we are looking forward to going soon. This would always be our hotel of choice in Barbados. The staff are amazing.