LUXURY FOR LESS

BARBADOS

FOR... £714 per night

WINTER sun doesn’t get much more glamorous than the gilded west coast of Barbados.

While TV’s Simon Cowell and footballer Wayne Rooney mess around on jet skis at Sandy Lane, a more discerning crowd can be found at The Sandpiper, a family-run hotel overlooking a secluded stretch of coast.

There are only 24 rooms, all tucked up in a beautiful Caribbean garden. There’s access to golf and tennis if you feel active — and a recently revamped spa if you don’t.

One night bed and breakfast in the Garden View Room for two from £714, sandpiperbarbados.com.

OR... £561 for a week

ALTERNATIVELY, swap the price of one night at The Sandpiper for a whopping seven — with some to spare — at Palms Diamond, an Airbnb set back from the beach, but sharing the same beautiful coast.

There are two bedrooms and an open-plan kitchen designed by the house’s British owners.

With the money you save on accommodation and threecourse meals, why not treat yourself to a spot of scubadiving, a trip to Harrison’s Cave or an island safari? Palms Diamond is part of a larger property, but you will have your own entrance and access to a communal pool, which is surrounded by mature mango and plum trees.

SEVEN nights for two people, £561, airbnb.com.