The Oceans Hotels Group Barbados, will be opening its third resort collection, O2 Beach Club & Spa this winter on November 1st 2021. This will be a five-star all-inclusive, chic boutique hotel where luxury is re-defined. Ocean Hotels Group is a Barbadian family-owned company with properties located in Barbados . The Hotel Group first entered the hotel business in 1992. Since then, it has focused on continuous upgrading, renovations and expansions of its properties. The Ocean Hotels Group has also improved their management team and marketing capabilities, investing in the development and training of team members and continuously looking for ways to grow and adapt in an ever-changing and competitive market. At the heart of Ocean Hotels Group lies quality, service and beauty. At Ocean Hotels group, genuine Bajan hospitality shines through in all aspects of guests’ holidays.

O2 BEACH CLUB & SPA BARBADOS

Welcoming tourists back into the Caribbean, the O2 BEACH CLUB & SPA is a new resort offering tourists an escape into a chic, tropical paradise set on a 1,000 feet of powder white beach fringing the glistening turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea. O2 Beach Club & Spa offers unparalleled comfort and personalized service throughout your stay as you unwind in luxuriously appointed guest rooms, suites, and residences featuring contemporary design and upgraded amenities. This island haven boasts several dining, wellness, and relaxation options and provides the perfect setting for an indulgent Barbados holiday. This hotel makes you the newest VIP member of the most fabulous new beach club in Barbados at your point of arrival.

Patricia Affonso-Dass, Group General Manager of Ocean Hotels Group and former President of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association, had great things to say about the hotel’s offering. She said that the Group was “confident” that O2 Beach Club and Spa would “take centre stage in Barbados’ luxury boutique offerings with personalized service, upscale accommodations, world-class dining and the fun, casual vibe of the south coast.” The “O2” name was not coined by accident, and it is an acknowledgement of the symbol of oxygen, “an element as natural and as life-essential as the act of breathing,” she said.

The Ocean Two Resort & Residence’s transformation includes contemporary design, upgraded amenities, luxury accommodations, and many public spaces to relax and lounge. O2 will welcome all ages. “We want our guests to feel like they’ve just become VIP members of the coolest beach club in Barbados,” Affonso-Dass said. “We’re marketing O2 to empty nesters, our customer base of guests from the U.K. and North America and young professionals and families who want to experience the active, fun vibe of the south coast,” she said. “There’s lots of energy here, and we’re putting our spin on the vacation experience with curated activities like hiking,catamaran sailing and windsurfing lessons.”

O2 will have 130 rooms and suites, including swim-up rooms and a new nine-story, 42-suite tower topped by a rooftop pool and fine dining restaurant. There are three pools (two are adult-only), six dining options, seven bars (two are swim-up), an Acqua Spa and a fitness centre with rooftop yoga classes. There is also a teen lounge and daily classes with topics such as preparing local recipes, playing the steel pan drum and learning the fine art of playing dominoes like a local. Accommodations fall into three collections:

  1. Club features 18 large oceanview or oceanfront hotel rooms with balconies;
  2. Concierge offers 70 one- and two-bedroom suites with kitchens and add-ons such as personalized grocery service and complimentary spa treatments;
  3. Luxury has adult-only suites that include swim-up rooms with access to the river pool.

“Our reservations books are open, and we’re selling for the festive [holiday] season and winter,” said Jacqui McDermott, sales and marketing manager of Ocean Hotels Group. The three properties in the hotel group adhere to rigid health and safety Covid protocols. “Our message for our O2 guests is that they are coming to a great destination and staying at an all-inclusive luxury property with a beach vibe and feel, with lots of attention without pretension, in a fun area of Barbados” says Affonso-Dass. The hotel also has wedding venues for lavish wedding celebrations, stunning beachfront event venues with luxury event space options, including intimate beach locations, private meeting rooms and spacious rooftop patios. All spaces can be custom tailored and are elegantly designed and equipped with modern amenities. Meeting rooms offering 1,500 sq ft with outdoor breakout space offers several set-up options, including boardroom, conference, theatre, classroom and trade show. The poolside, beach, and rooftop Brisa terrace are perfect for intimate wedding receptions or small cocktail functions. It offers sweeping views of the south coast, dramatic sunsets and an island backdrop studded with twinkling lights. THINGS TO DO You could spend the day swimming or relax in the spa, where all treatments have been curated around the theme of ‘wellness through water’. You will feel relaxed, refreshed and rejuvenated.  After a fun-filled day, you can retreat to the comfort of your private sanctuary, where uninterrupted relaxation and endless ocean views await you. Enjoy an unparalleled experience unlike any other – designed around a modern definition of luxury that focuses on the precious elements of time, space,choice and experiences

Led by Barbadian Olympian O’Neal Marshall, you have a full suite of non-motorized watersports available to you. From boogie boards to Hobie-cats are available on-site at O2 beach club and spa. You also could take 30 mins out of your day and learn a new skill, whether it is playing dominos’ like a local, creating exciting holiday snaps with your phone or making the best Rum Punch. The guest services team make these fun and exciting that all ages enjoy! If you’ve always wanted to learn to play golf, dance salsa, windsurf or create some exciting culinary dishes, masterclasses to help you start a new hobby can be arranged for you from the list of local experts. You can also relax in the oasis charming and comfortable lounge where you can catch up on your email or take a look at the news, borrow a library book or take a moment to relax and enjoy your time in the island paradise. The options are numerous to ensure you have that Bajan experience. For more information and bookings, visit O2 Beach Club  & Spa website As tourism begins to rebound in Barbados, more and more tourists are flocking to the island. According to the latest data from the island’s tourist board, July 2021 recorded over 10,000 air arrivals. That figure was the highest registered number of arrivals this year and represented a significant increase compared to July 2020. Officials say the trend suggests a “positive turn for the industry” ahead of the 2021/2022 winter season. The United Kingdom contributed 34.4% of business activity for the hospitality industry, behind the United States, which at 43.3%, accounted for a more significant chunk of the market. According to Craig Hinds, who is the interim CEO of Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc, “Barbados has and continues to weather this COVID-19 storm, but while this period has been difficult for the industry, the BTMI is so pleased to see the recent sprouts of positive growth.” __ M.E.