Villa Melissa

Villa Melissa is a five-bedroom family villa in St James on the West Coast of Barbados. It is on a private road that leads to a leafy beach path, and the beach is a 3 minute stroll away. Holetown, with its shops, restaurants and bars, is a short drive away.

The villa is made up of a 3-bedroom main house and a 2-bedroom cottage, which suits two families or a group of friends. All five bedrooms have en suite bathrooms, air conditioning and ceiling fans, with a mix of king, queen and twin beds. Two of the bedrooms in the main house have been renovated; each has floor-length windows onto the garden, a large walk-in shower and twin vanities. The master bedroom in the main house has floor-length windows on 2 sides, looking over the pool and the garden.

The cottage is an original coral stone building, with fossils in its walls. Its two bedrooms are large, furnished in creams and taupes, and both are en suite. The cottage master bedroom has a four-poster bed and is popular with honeymooners, and the second bedroom can be set up as a double or a twin. The cottage also has a kitchen and 2 private terraces.

The open kitchen in the main house leads straight into the garden. It has 2 fridge freezers, 2 ovens, a microwave, a dishwasher, a wine fridge and a butler's pantry. There is also an air-conditioned media room with a 60 inch flat-screen smart TV, a TV package that includes Netflix and sport from the UK, USA and Canada, and a writing desk for anyone who needs to work. A cloakroom is next to the media room.

The villa is let with a cook, a housekeeper and laundress, and a general assistant who serves drinks and meals.

The large saltwater pool sits in the middle of the gardens. Stepping stones divide it into a shallow end of 3 feet, which suits children, and a deeper area for swimming lengths, with plenty of seating nearby so children can be watched from the water's edge. Next to the pool is a thatched tiki bar, known as Chubs One Love Bar, with shade, Sonos for guests' own music, and space for backgammon and other games before dinner. Meals can be taken at the round coral stone table on the covered terrace, or at a wooden table by the pool under the stars.

The landscaped gardens attract bird life, and green monkeys are sometimes seen crossing the garden walls. Coral Reef Club, Colony Club, Royal Pavilion and Glitter Bay are all within walking distance.