Fairmont Royal Pavilion

The Fairmont Royal Pavilion is the latest chapter in a star-studded legacy that began in 1940, when the resort originally opened (with 12 rooms) as The Miramar Hotel. It was the first hotel to be constructed on the famous West Coast of Barbados – right next door to the winter estate of Sir Edward Cunard of the renowned Cunard Steamship Company. In 1987, U.K. power couple, Lynne and Mike Pemberton, bought The Miramar, after which it underwent a whirlwind renaissance and became the luxurious Royal Pavilion. Eight years later, the Pembertons launched the Barbados chapter of Variety Club International by hosting a garden tea party auction at Glitter Bay. Guests included Joan Collins and Lord Banfield, and watercolours by Prince Charles were sold to raise in excess of $40,000. In February 1996, the Royal Pavilion was acquired by Princess Hotels, and became a Canadian Pacific Hotel after the merger of those two brands in 1998. Then, in October 1999, following the acquisition by Fairmont Hotels and Resorts, the property was renamed The Fairmont Royal Pavilion. A multi-million-dollar renovation in 2017 dramatically lifted the hotel to ultra-luxury standards, replete with enviable bespoke furnishings and high-end finishes. Today, the resort boasts 72 exquisite beachfront rooms directly facing the sea, plus the magnificent, three-bedroom Sea View Villa, and is a AAA Four Diamond favorite destination for vacationers. The culinary experience is as unique and inspired as Barbados itself. From casual to fine dining, from locally AT A GLANCE FAIRMONT ROYAL PAVILION WHAT: 75-room luxury resort complex WHERE: St. James, Barbados WEBSITE: www.fairmont.com/barbados/