Excellence Luxury Villas · St James
Luxury Villa Rentals in St James
Villas above the calm Caribbean shore, from Sandy Lane and Holetown to the fairways of Royal Westmoreland
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The sheltered coast where Barbados began
St James is the Barbados most people have in mind before they have ever been. This is the sheltered west coast, where the sea is calm and clear, the sand is pale and the sun goes down straight into the Caribbean. It is also where the island's English story started, when settlers landed at Holetown in February 1627. Since Sandy Lane opened in 1961, it has held the island's smartest addresses.
Our St James collection runs to 170+ properties. There are villas on the Sandy Lane estate and along the coast at Mount Standfast, houses on the golf estates of Royal Westmoreland and Sugar Hill, and a few apartments within easy reach of Holetown. The largest have 12 bedrooms.
Here is a guide to the parish, its beaches and the best months to come.
Saint James at a glance
- Villas
- 170+ on the west coast of Barbados, with up to 12 bedrooms
- Guide prices
- Typically £4,000 to £13,000 a week, from around £2,800
- Best areas
- Sandy Lane and Holetown on the coast; Royal Westmoreland, Sugar Hill and Holders Hill in the hills
- Best time
- December to May for dry, sunny weather; February for the Holetown Festival
- Getting there
- Grantley Adams International Airport, around 45 minutes to an hour by road
Browse all 170+ villas in Saint James
Villa numbers and guide prices are updated daily from our live collection.
Cove Beach Mansion Barbados10 bedrooms
Laughing Waters at Sandy Lane Barbados | 12-Bedroom Villa in Holetown12 bedrooms
The Beach House – Barbados Barbados | 9-Bedroom Villa in Holetown – Dur9 bedrooms
Rent Villa Tamarindo Barbados5 bedroomsWhere to stay in St James
Holetown for restaurants and the beach, Sandy Lane for the grandest estate on the island, Mount Standfast and Weston for quieter stretches of coast, and Royal Westmoreland, Sugar Hill and Holders Hill for golf, polo and sea views from the hills.
The first town, and the smartest beach
Holetown takes its name from a small stream known as The Hole, where the first English settlers came ashore in 1627. It was the island's only town for a couple of years, until the capital moved south to Bridgetown. St James Parish Church, founded in 1628 just north of the centre, is one of the oldest churches in Barbados.
Today Holetown is the social centre of the west coast. Restaurants and bars line First and Second Streets, there is a shopping centre at Limegrove, and the Folkestone Marine Park has snorkelling in calm water. A short way south, the Sandy Lane estate sits behind one of the finest beaches on the coast, with villas set among mature gardens.
Browse villas in Holetown
Golf, polo and a view of the sea
Inland, the ground climbs into old sugar-cane country, and the villas here look out over the treetops to the sea. Royal Westmoreland is a gated golf estate built around a Robert Trent Jones Jr course, and its par threes are cut through ravines and an old coral-stone quarry. Sugar Hill, in Lancaster, is a quieter estate of villas with its own shared facilities.
Sandy Lane has three courses, including the Green Monkey, which was carved out of a limestone quarry. Holders Hill is home to the Barbados Polo Club, which has played there since 1965. During the international season, from January to mid May, spectators are welcome at matches, and afternoon tea is served.
Browse villas at Royal Westmoreland
Mount Standfast, Weston and Paynes Bay
North of Holetown, Mount Standfast and Weston are quieter, with villas set close to the shore and small beaches where the main entertainment is a rum punch at sunset. South of Sandy Lane, Paynes Bay is a favourite for swimming with turtles from the beach, and Fitts Village is a short drive further on.
Every beach in Barbados is public, so a walk along the sand at low tide will take you past fishing boats, beach bars and grand houses one after another. Wherever you stay in St James, you are never far from the water.
Browse villas in Mount Standfast
Flying fish, festivals and a dry winter
The national dish is flying fish with cou-cou, a cornmeal and okra dish, and it is worth trying at a local rum shop as well as in the smart restaurants of Holetown. On a Friday night, many people drive down to the fish fry at Oistins, on the south coast.
The dry season runs from around December to May, which is when the island is busiest. The Holetown Festival fills the town for a week each February. The summer months are hotter and cheaper, and Crop Over ends in early August. Our concierge can book restaurants, polo tickets, tee times, catamaran trips and airport transfers.
Ask our conciergeFeatured villas in Saint James
Villa Sandy Beach Barbados6 bedrooms · sleeps 12From £30,408 a week
Coco De Mer Barbados4 bedrooms · sleeps 8From £30,003 a week
Atlantic Pearl Estate Barbados5 bedrooms · sleeps 10From £29,461 a week
Jaden Estate Barbados6 bedrooms · sleeps 12From £26,184 a week
Sandyprints Estate Barbados8 bedrooms · sleeps 16From £26,002 a week
Villa Garden Dream Barbados5 bedrooms · sleeps 10From £24,572 a week
Elsewhere at Sandy Lane Barbados | 10-Bedroom Villa in Holetown10 bedrooms · sleeps 20From £22,462 a week
Sandyprints Villa Barbados5 bedrooms · sleeps 10From £21,002 a weekWhy book your St James villa with Excellence Luxury Villas
The right house, not the nearest one
St James runs from beachfront estates to hillside golf communities a few miles inland, and we know which villas let you walk to the sand and which are worth the short drive for the view. With 170+ properties in St James, we can usually find the house that suits you rather than the one that happens to be free. Search by size, pool, location and price, or tell us what you have in mind and we will put together a shortlist.
Book direct
You book with us directly, with no booking fees. Questions about access, parking, pool heating or how far it really is to the nearest beach go to people who can find out the answer.
A concierge who knows the territory
Restaurant reservations in Holetown, tee times at Sandy Lane and Royal Westmoreland, polo tickets, catamaran and turtle trips, a private chef, car hire and transfers from Grantley Adams. Our concierge team arranges all of it, leaving you free to decide which terrace to sit on.
A house for every kind of party
Couples, families with small children, three generations together or a crowd of friends celebrating a birthday: we match the house to the group, down to the number of bathrooms and whether the pool is fenced.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the best place to stay in St James, Barbados?
Holetown suits those who want to walk to restaurants and the beach, and Sandy Lane has the grandest villas on the island. For golf and views from the hills, try Royal Westmoreland or Sugar Hill. Mount Standfast and Weston are quieter stretches of coast to the north.
When is the best time to visit St James?
December to May is the dry season and the most popular time to come. February brings the Holetown Festival, and polo runs from January to mid May. The summer months are hotter and quieter, and the hurricane season runs from June to November.
Are the beaches in St James good for swimming?
Yes. The west coast faces the Caribbean, so the water is usually calm and clear. That makes it good for swimming, snorkelling and paddleboarding, and Paynes Bay is known for its turtles. All beaches in Barbados are public.
Can you arrange a private chef at a villa in St James?
Yes. Our concierge can arrange a private chef for a single dinner or your whole stay, along with cookery lessons, guided visits, transfers and restaurant reservations.
How much does a luxury villa in Saint James cost?
Across our 170+ villas in Saint James, weekly rates typically range from £4,000 to £13,000, with the most affordable from around £2,800 a week and the largest estates well above. Prices depend on the size of the property, its location and the season, with July and August the most expensive. These are guide prices based on current listings; each property page shows its own rates for your dates.
How do I get to St James from the airport?
Grantley Adams International Airport is on the south coast, and most villas in St James are around 45 minutes to an hour away by road, depending on traffic. There are direct flights from London. Our concierge can arrange private transfers.
Are there villas in St James for large groups?
Yes. Our St James collection includes properties with up to 12 bedrooms. Tell us the size of your party and the occasion, and we will send a shortlist that suits it.
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Find your villa in St James
170+ villas on the west coast of Barbados, with a concierge who knows the parish well