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In centuries past, some Caribbean islands were theaters for European rivalries, colonized by different governments and exposed to new rulers, languages and customs depending on the country in power. Unlike these islands, Barbados remained under uninterrupted British rule for more than 300 years (an independence treaty wasn’t negotiated until 1966). Not surprisingly the Anglo imprint is still felt today. Bajans (it rhymes with Cajuns) speak with a slight English accent; cricket games, polo matches and horse races are primary pastimes; and an overall sense of decorum—made easier by the lack of casinos and high standard of living (the Caribbean’s highest)—prevails.

But the appeal of Barbados transcends this rather quaint old-world Britishness. Along the west coast, the parish of St. James—always popular with the island’s U.K. socialites—now attracts a more universal, even sexier crowd. Trendy, newer hotels, such as the House and the Lonestar, have a more Miami Beach than English country-club vibe and the Royal Westmoreland and the legendary Sandy Lane have some of the Caribbean’s best golf courses. Fine dining has taken both coasts by storm and, in 2007, Barbados became the first Caribbean island to receive its own Zagat guide. All of this has not gone unnoticed by the A-list celebrities who frequent the island, and in recent years there has been an influx of famous visitors, including Mick Jagger, Oprah Winfrey, Victoria and David Beckham and the sharp-tounged American Idol judge, Simon Cowell.

Still, Barbados has not completely divorced itself from the motherland. The majority of regular visitors are Brits; Daphne’s, one of the island’s top restaurants, is a direct export from London, a city that’s also undergoing a culinary transformation, and at self-consciously hip hotels like the House, afternoon tea is still pretty much par for the course. So Barbados is not losing any of its Britishness—it’s just updating it a bit.