OMG, I Want to Rent That House: St. James, Barbados
Bajan Heights, St. James, Barbados (onefinestay): If it weren’t for the palm trees, one might mistake this home for a southern plantation with an indelicate past. But this is not Scarlett O’Hara’s family estate—this is Bajan Heights, an island palace on the sunny shores of Barbados. Bajan Heights is a grand, seaside mansion that combines all the best elements of island living, namely a view of the ocean with beach access just a short drive away, but in a location that’s nestled in the lush trees of a posh neighborhood. With this set up, the inescapable sandy floors of beachside living are a choice, not a lifestyle.
While we love open floor plans, we tend to tamp down our visible enthusiasm in order to avoid coming off as just another sheep jumping onto a hot architectural trend. (Being aloof is cool, right?) Needless to say, open floor plans are everywhere and everyone loves them. But when a particular open floor plan also features an open wall plan that brings the outdoor Caribbean breezes in, our carefully constructed attitude of cool quickly evaporates.
Sitting areas, Bajan Heights has had a few. Or rather, we’re pretty sure this home offers more places inside and out to put your feet up, enjoy your daiquiri, and take in the view than there are palm trees on the island. (Editor’s note: this claim does not hold up to fact checking, but you get our drift.)
On the one hand, we love an all white scheme. On the other, all white kitchens make us a wee bit nervous to make anything with any sort of color in it. The solution to this problem is obviously to convince your vacationing crew that the “in” thing these days is meals consisting only of neutral-colored foods. That, or insist that this is a looking ,not a touching kitchen and eat out for every meal.
This is a house that really knows who it is. While each of the bedrooms has a slightly different look, the color scheme is of a piece with the rest of the home: aka white and neutral livened up by pops of color.
We are all about playing the game of “sleeping arrangements math” before vacation. Here, there are 5 bedrooms but the owners say the home sleeps 9, which means one lucky member of your party crew will get the honor of sleeping in complete peace.
There’s nothing like an afternoon spent lounging on a covered porch…except maybe an afternoon spent lounging on a float in the pool. These are the kinds of debates you’ll have if you claim the master suit, which has its own private patio with a view.
Welcome to the veranda. We just love saying that word and trying to resist the images that immediately pop into our head, pictures of mint juleps and polo tournaments and big hats with gauzy bows.
We are all about exclusivity: exclusive pools, exclusive beach access, exclusive wine cellars full of rosé. While Bajan Heights doesn’t have all of those amenities (BYORosé, people!) it does offer a very exclusive location in Forest Hills, one of the island’s poshest neighborhoods.
Personally, golf is not our thing. But if you are one of those who likes to dress up like your holiday home (aka: in your sportiest whites) and wander around a vast lawn chasing a ball with a stick, then you are in the right location. Forest Hills is not only one of Barbados’s exclusive neighborhoods, it also happens to feature its own impressive golf course.
How many outdoor seating areas are in residence here, you ask? We couldn’t count that high even if we weren’t labeled one of the “words” kids early on in school…after which we, of course, proceeded to avoid all math.
There is no price too high to pay for convenience, our fictional grandmother once told us. Peak among those holiday home conveniences is having an outdoor wet bar so you never have to walk too far to get a refill when spending your days lounging by the pool.
The jungle vibes in the home decor and the landscaping aren’t just for looks. Bajan Heights is all about the great outdoors with its own private grounds and garden to wander around or to host a very fierce bocce ball tournament.
Nothing short of a feast is acceptable in this gorgeous outdoor dining room. May we be so bold as to recommend hiring a renowned local chef to grill up the fresh catch of the day and whip up a meal that will live up to this setting?
Paradise is having the freedom to decide whether or not you actually want to leave the grounds of your home while on holiday. When you have this view, staying right where you are or leaving to check out the beaches of Barbados becomes a real Sophie’s choice.
Book Your Stay: Bajan Heights, St. James, Barbados: $1,650/night via onefinestay
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