What's the ideal distance between a holiday home and the beach? If you answered 'as short as possible', this elegant stone villa on the west coast of Barbados has your name on it. Mere steps from Gibbes Beach, you just know a stay here will mean long days of swimming in the ocean and basking in the sun. However, there's plenty at this home to keep you off the golden sands — for a while at least. For a start, there's the swimming pool, but an impressive outdoor kitchen complete with barbecue and a wet bar will make it feel as you have your very own private beach club at your disposal. If you ever need respite from the midday heat, the outside terrace is the perfect place to cool off with a good read in shady solitude. In less than ten minutes by taxi, you have tennis courts and golf courses, while there's Speightstown to your north and Holetown to the south if you want a taste of nightlife. Home truths: *Only the bedrooms have air conditioning, although there are ceiling fans in the communal rooms and on the terrace *The property has a small exercise room equipped with weights, resistance bands, a pilates machine, treadmill, body balance machine and yoga mats *If you want to try any watersports, the host can arrange it