Shore Thing: The Atlantis is famous for its ABC lunch on Sunday (Authentic Bajan Cuisine)

If all you want to see is identikit Barbados white sand beaches, turquoise Caribbean and packages of other tourists, you would probably never find the Atlantis.

That would be your loss. This small hotel in Bathsheba on the east side of the island, where huge Atlantic rollers buffet the shore and the landscape is a wild, rocky beauty, offers an experience of Barbados, which is very different from that by Sandy Lane and its trendy neighbors on the west coast.

The Atlantis was one of the first hotels to be built on the east coast, after a steam line connected to the busier south and west of the island at the end of the 19th century. The pension coastal location made it a popular retreat with those who favor the simple pleasures of Bathsheba, but in recent years, had the Atlantis become run down, just about maintaining its reputation as the place to go for ABC authentic food (all Bajan Cuisine) on Sunday lunch times.

Then came Andrew Warden, a man a thing or two about boutique hotels know from running the few good guest Harbour and its famous restaurant, The Fish Pot, in Speightstown, on the west coast. He applied the same understated quality, Atlantis, the refurbishment of the dilapidated building into a luxury retreat with eight bedrooms, two two-bedroom suites, a swimming pool and new restaurant with outdoor terrace.

Rooms

The bedrooms are in the midst of the transformation of the hotel. Fishing Bright colors are applied to the walls of the wooden floor rooms with high ceilings give a sense of fun sea. The beautiful wooden furniture is grand four-poster bed covered with fine white curtains, while modern touches iPod docks, WiFi and open bathrooms with power shower. There are eight rooms in the main hotel and a pair of two-bedroom suites on the other side of the pool. By far the best are those overlooking the ocean, where the French windows overlooking open on to the roaring ocean. Striped beach towels, a TV, kettle and refrigerator are all provided.

The food and drink

The Sunday lunch buffet of traditional Bajan cuisine has become so popular that it is served on Wednesday, too. The rest of the time, the menu features fresh local and seasonal products, transformed into a beautiful yet unpretentious mix of European and Bajan cuisine. A three-course meal without wine costs around $ 60 (£ 36). Service is genuinely friendly, not that corporate : I have been told to smile  way but with all the staff to stop to chat, and knowledgeable about what they serve. If the weather is good, enjoy dinner on the deck overlooking the ocean.

The extra  s

Bathsheba is home to one of the best surfing spots in the world - the soup bowl. A five-minute walk along the coast, dramatic hollow waves make this a surfers  playground. If you want more quiet but the water, you could always watch the sea from the comfort of the infinity of the hotel or go to one of the more secluded beaches nearby. Bath Beach is one of the best: quiet and protected by a coral reef, it is an ideal spot for a picnic. Nowhere is far in Barbados and whether you're using reliable local bus or go by car, it's easy for the rest of the island. For more ideas, go to visitbarbados.org.

Access

Situated on a steep slope and most rooms are accessed via a staircase. Children are welcome in the restaurant, but are only allowed u200b u200bvoor stay in a two-bedroom apartments, and not the main building.

The bill

Rooms cost from U.S. $ 300 (£ 182) per night, $ 400 for a two-bedroom suite, with essential booking details (020-8977 6099; essentialdetails.co.uk). British Airways (0870 850 9850, ba.com) offers return flights from € 658. Drive Barbados (001 246 230 1998; drivebarbados.com) rents cars  s U.S. $ 281 per week.

The address

The Atlantis, Tent Bay, St. Joseph, Barbados, West Indies (00 246 433 9445; atlantishotelbarbados.com).