A member who owns a house on Barbados recommends two realtors.

“If people want to rent on Barbados, I can give you a list of good houses with nice staff. Sometimes it is cheaper than a hotel. Rental agents would be Jenny Alleyne (246-432-2221) or Realtors (246-432-6930).”

Read her other suggestions for the best on the island.

The Royal Westmoreland retains an English country-club feel largely because it is a gated residential club (or “villa community”). The white coral stone villas and town houses, many of which were designed by renowned Caribbean architects Ian Morrison and Larry Warren, are sprawled out on a huge Robert Trent Jones Jr.–designed golf course. The smaller homes have a more central location near the main clubhouse (where there is an elegant-casual dress code), while most of the larger, more lavish ones—the most grand have seven bedrooms—are situated around the perimeter of the course. Thirty of the 125 houses are currently available for rent. Keep in mind that though all were designed in a subdued, contemporary Caribbean style, with lots of whites, creams and the occasional pastel, these are privately owned vacation homes, so interiors can vary. Housekeeping services are included in the price, and private chefs can be arranged for an additional cost. And while the Royal Westmoreland is not on the coast, it does have a shuttle bus service to the resort’s Beach Club area (with lounge chairs, a sundeck, etc.). Rates upon request.

WHO SHOULD GO: Avid golfers and those looking for complete privacy.

WHO SHOULDN’T GO: Anyone hoping to simply hop from the bed to the beach.

More Photos (3)

The esteemed villa rental company Wimco (in the U.S.: 866-850-6140; in the U.K.: 0870-850-1144; www.wimco.com) has a ton of properties on the west coast. If you want old-world Barbadian charm, Glenn Ormiston, the company’s Barbados expert, recommends Mango Bay, a seven-bedroom house in St. James once owned by Pamela Harriman and the six-bedroom Fusic House, where it is not uncommon to see monkeys cavorting about in the backyard. The company also represents all the houses available for rent on the Sandy Lane Estates. Ormiston’s favorites there include Point of View, Bluff House (“The butler is really amazing,” she says) and the more contemporary Bohemia. Every house Wimco rents comes well-staffed (the larger ones come with a house manager, butler, maids, gardeners and security guards). An employee will pick you up at the airport upon arrival, and should you wish to rent a car, the company will have one delivered.

From Melissa Biggs Bradley: “The villa rental company Wimco has some great properties. I rented one through Glenn Ormiston in their office, and she knew each house inside and out. She found us one on Sandy Lane Estates, so we had access to the resort facilities, including golf and spa, as well as a cabana at the property owner’s part of the beach. Our house came with a pool, tennis court and fantastic staff, and was only a few minutes from Holetown. I have since referred a number of friends to her, and for all of them she found fabulous houses that were just right for them.”

Also see: the Sandy Lane Villa.