4 Things to Look For When Buying a Luxury Barbados Apartment

The jewel of the Caribbean, Barbados has a long-standing reputation as an exclusive holiday destination. Its natural beauty and world-class amenities attract visitors from across the globe, many of whom buy their own apartments so they can return year after year. Getting the right property, however, can be tricky, so to help, here are some of the things you should look for when buying a luxury apartment in Barbados.

1. Get the location right

There are lovely apartments all over Barbados, but if you are looking for luxury, there is only one place you should consider buying and that’s the west coast. Also known as the platinum coast, the area around St James Parish is the island’s most exclusive. This is the neighbourhood with the most beautiful beaches, the finest restaurants, the best resorts and the high-class shops. If you are looking for a luxury apartment in the best area, this is your number one location.

2. A resort-based or complex-based apartment?

Apartments are always one of a group of properties, often with shared facilities like communal pools, car parking and so forth. At the luxury end of the market, the trend these days is for apartments that are located on private resorts. The big attractions for owners are all the added benefits of being on an exclusive resort. These include security, privacy, excellent on-site amenities and first-class personal services; things you just can’t get if you simply buy an apartment on a standard complex.

For the most exclusive resorts, like Royal Westmoreland, expect amenities on a world-class level. As a property owner, you’d be a Royal Westmoreland member, providing you and your guests with use of all the amenities the resort has to offer. There are several on-site places to eat and drink, a private beach club with complimentary shuttle, a championship-standard golf course, state of the art gym, tennis courts and more. And you’d also get exceptional personal service, including round the clock security, housekeeper, concierge and the use of personal chefs.

3. What to look for in a luxury apartment

Apartments come in all shapes and sizes. The first thing you need to look for is that there is enough space for you to feel comfortable. You need the right number of bedrooms and bathrooms, the living accommodation needs enough space for everyone and the building should be designed for modern, open plan living so that it feels light, spacious and airy and creates the right environment for you to enjoy your visits.

Of course, in a luxury apartment, you’d also expect a lot more. Make sure that the apartment is eye-catching inside and out, is finished to a high standard with quality building materials and décor and that it has all the modern conveniences you expect, such as designer kitchens and appliances, a roomy balcony or terrace with a great view, communal pool not shared by too many others, air conditioning, wi-fi and so forth.

Pay close attention too, to the external surroundings of the apartment. Is it part of a huge complex with hundreds of other apartments so that you feel boxed in and on view all the time? Or is it part of a small group of properties set in well-kept gardens with stunning vistas of the lush tropical landscape to enjoy as you sip your cocktail on the balcony? Such things can make a big difference to your long-term enjoyment of the property.

4. Rental potential

Barbados’ reputation as a high-class holiday destination means there is a lot of potential for property owners wishing to rent out their apartments when they are not using them. If you own a luxury apartment on the west coast, particularly if it’s on a prestigious resort like Royal Westmoreland, the annual rental income can be considerable – not only because of the quality of the apartment itself but because rental guests have membership privileges during their stay and so can enjoy all the resort’s fabulous amenities too.

Royal Apartments, Royal Westmoreland

If you are interested in purchasing a luxury apartment in Barbados, then the Royal Apartments at Royal Westmoreland are a serious consideration. Boasting the most prestigious address in Barbados, Royal Westmoreland is a private, 750-acre resort with truly enviable views of the west coast. With only 250 villas and apartments dotted across the site, you are assured of privacy and have exclusive access to its wonderful amenities.

The one to four-bedroomed Royal Apartments are exquisitely designed and finished, are spacious, fully equipped and have all the features and facilities one would expect of a luxury apartment. For more information, visit our Royal Apartments Ownership page.