Maddox

Maddox was the Barbados home of Oliver Messel, the celebrated British stage designer who reshaped the architecture of the Caribbean's west coast. Messel bought the house, a former plantation home above the beach on the St James coast, in the 1960s and made it his own, transforming it with the theatrical flair that defined his work.

His signature is everywhere: Greek columns, generous balconies, antique wrought iron and local coral stone, set within lush gardens. On the ground floor, airy spaces for entertaining open onto a sea-view gazebo, a poolside bar and a coral-stone dining terrace with a table for 12.

Seven en-suite bedrooms sleep up to 14 guests, spread between the main house and two guest cottages, so families and friends can share the estate while keeping their own space. Bedrooms are air-conditioned, with ceiling fans to catch the breeze.

Outside, a private pool sits within the gardens, and a path leads to a secluded beach with chairs and everything needed for a day on the sand. A housekeeper, a cook for two meals a day, a butler, a gardener and a night security guard are included, with a concierge and property manager on call every day. The golf courses, tennis and spas of the west coast are a short drive away.

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