Originally Posted by mikeparis75

Just wanted to report on our very nice stay at the Hilton Barbados.
We stayed at the Hilton Barbados from 12/25/2008 to 12/31/2008 (on a reward stay). We arrived around 4pm and headed to the HHonors check-in desk on the left. We were offered a nice glass of local juice while the clerk checked our reservation. As Diamond members, we were informed that we could not be upgraded on this occasion as there were no twin rooms available on the executive floor (and we had specifically requested a twin room). The clerk said that the executive rooms were not "much different" anyway (who knows?). We stuck with the original twin room on the 5th floor which was reserved for us. Check-in was smooth. We liked the room very much. Nice view over the bay. Nice furniture and decoration. The only drawback is that it was located directly below the gym room (on the 6th floor) so we could hear some noise, particularly in the evening (not too much at night to be honest). After arriving in our room, we received a bottle of a rather nice red wine and some nibbles (cheese, fruit...) as well as a letter from the General Manager welcoming us to the Hilton Barbados.
The hotel is HUGE (my friend said it felt like a "factory" sometimes). We sometimes got a feeling that it was more like a business hotel rather than one suited for a vacation (there is really no "personal" touch in the service provided, unlike other Hilton Resorts, like Mauritius or Mexico for example). The hotel staff is not rude or anything. Just pretty cold and expecting to get quickly to the end of a conversation. They also did not seem to us to care whether you are having a good time or not (I understand that different people may have different views on this; I am just giving my personal opinion here, not trying to make generalizations).
We had breakfast in the executive lounge. The choice was rather limited, but overall ok. Fruits, cereals, juices, (bad) coffee, cold cuts (ham or salmon), pastries, breads. We did not get bored. We tried once the buffet downstairs. Very disappointing. More choices but overall not great. Also, you have to pay a premium for it. Even though you get a $10 "discount", it is still about $40 for 2 people with tax and service charge. We did not like the experience, in any event, as a waitress rushed a bill as soon as we had finished our first plate of fruits. She obviously did not think that we could want to get some hot items or some more coffee.
The hotel's location on the island is great. We rented a car from topclassrentals.com. They delivered the car to the hotel and explained everything nicely and efficiently (PS: it is free to park your car at the Hilton). They also issued the local permit to drive around the island. We enjoyed driving around the island very much. Do carry a map with you as we felt there was not many signs around for directions. The Barbadians are very helpful if you get lost. We particularly liked the north of the island. Do drive on the smaller roads up north. It's beautiful out there. Still wild in some areas with dramatic views of the Atlantic Ocean and some magnificent cliffs. We stopped at Naniki restaurant (lushlife.bb) which has a SUPERB view (and ok food). They are also opening spa cottages over there with simply breathtaking views on the Ocean. We might stay there next time :-) The owner is nice and will come to chat with you when you have lunch.
In terms of restaurant, we also tried Brown Sugar (not far from the Hilton). We had the Sunday brunch buffet which we tought was ok but nothing great. We also tried Lobster Alive which we tought was great. Well worth the visit. Not far from the Hilton, on the road to Bridgetown. Be prepared for a long wait and do not expect a 5* place. It's basically a shack on the beach, albeit a nice one, with lobster that is fresh and delicious. It is expensive but truly excellent in terms of quality. We never tried the restaurants at the Hilton either at lunch or at dinner.
We went scuba-diving two times. This activity is run by a company called Barbados Blue; its shack is located on the Hilton's parking. There, we really felt that the staff was rude. Always busy and understaffed. Answering your questions with as little words as they could (but charging your credit card fast!). Overall, we loved the diving but the experience of going to dive with these people was not enjoyable. They could not care less about making this a good experience for people. In the end, we laughed about it. The second time we went, we asked each other whether we were ready for another "verbal beating". Diving in Barbados is a great experience aside from Barbados Blue (do try another local company if you want to enjoy your diving experience even more).
The experience around the pool was ok. There are some incredibly rude people who "reserve" their sunbeds very early in the morning (around 7am) by leaving a towel or a book and returning whenever they felt like it. It was like some sort of competition for them, I imagine. Looking for a sunbed on the beach is also an adventure. Staff will help you, albeit with minimal efforts.
The edge bar had some nice cocktails (I loved the "BBC": Bailey's, Banana and Coconut - Drink in moderation, especially under the sun).
We went to the Executive Lounge for the 6pm hors d'oeuvre. That was an experience! Be prepared to wait quite a bit and to have rude kids grabbing all the food in one plate before you even reached a fried samosa. The selection changed each evening. The place was really packed. Getting a wi-fi code was a hit and miss experience. Sometimes they would let you have one, sometimes they would not as they would say you could not use it outside the Lounge. The wine in the Lounge was nice.
The weather was pretty nice during the whole time. If clouds appeared, they would disappear pretty quicly. Same with the rain. The temperature was around 30° C the whole time. Nice!
We liked shopping at the Pelican Craft Centre in Bridgetown; we found some nice souvenirs.
In the evenings, you could get turn down service but you had to specifically request it (same thing if you wanted the local paper). Once, we requested it but no one showed up. I expected to see small treats at night (water or chocolates) but we got these once only. Disappointing...
Overall, we had a very nice stay. If I returned to the Barbados, I would probably not choose the Hilton again (perhaps a smaller property with more "local" charm) but there was really nothing wrong with this hotel. It's one of the less interesting Hilton "resort" but a reliable and pleasant one still.