I HAVE a rule with holidays: Never go back to the same place twice.

Why? Because the world is a great, big, exciting place with so many things to see.

Well, for the first time I broke my rule.

With some trepidation, The Husband and I didn't just go back to Barbados, we went to the same hotel - The House, on the West coast just a couple of miles from super-snooty Sandy Lane Hotel.

Would it be as good as last time? Would it feel the same? We would soon find out.

We flew with Virgin Atlantic, always a great way to start a holiday as the smiley staff actually seem to enjoy what they do.

As our taxi glided through the huge wooden gates that shield The House from the rest of the world we were greeted by chief ambassador Andrew - the same gorgeous Andrew who welcomed us three years ago and who was largely responsible for us having such a fantastic holiday last time around. The lovely Tamila's still there too.

And even singling out those two out makes me feel guilty because all the other staff are fabulous.

Not fawning or in your face, but whenever you need anything they're there.

And everything was done with a smile - the cold towels brought to the beach, the fruit kebabs, the ice lollies carried on a tray to your sunbed every afternoon . . .

This didn't feel like a House - it felt like we'd come home.

Glitzy

The truth is there are other five-star hotels on the island that are flashier, posher, and more glitzy. But having visited most of them I can say there isn't a hotel that possesses the magic of this one.

And I say magic because I watched what happens to people after they arrive. One rich lady from the North East who was used to staying at the Sandy Lane came just a day after us.

She wasn't happy. Her room wasn't big enough. The place wasn't as flash as Sandy Lane. The bathrooms weren't up to the standards of the Sandy Lane's (they're not shabby - they're just not all chrome and bells and whistles).

But two days later I asked her: "So, do you get this place yet?"

And with a big smile she said: "Yep, I get it. In fact I'm never going anywhere else in Barbados."

That's how this hotel affects people. You either feel the magic - or you don't.

The House is a healing place. It's calm, it's serene, it's relaxed. It feels like you've stepped into a cross between a private house party and a spa holiday which you can dip in and out of as you choose.

We love the fact there are only 34 rooms. There's no formal reception - just one big area with wooden floors filled with squishy white sofas. Best of all, it's open to the sea.

At night this room is lit by hundreds of twinkling candles and you lounge on those white sofas drinking cocktails until you fall off them.

There's no hotel restaurant but the Italian delights of Daphne's is next door.

The bar stays open as long as you want it to.

Oh, and every morning there's a champagne breakfast.

And no, don't say you couldn't possibly drink champagne at 8am. Trust me you can. We all did.

We had the first glass with our scrambled eggs and the second as we walked along the beach contemplating how bloody fabulous life can sometimes be.

There are some amazing places to eat in Barbados. But I noticed this time round that the locals haven't quite grasped that the world is in the grips of a credit crunch.

The good restaurants still charge London prices (approx £120 for two with wine). Admittedly, the food is fantastic, but with the dollar faring better than the pound at the moment it's not cheap.

The best ones we tried were The Lone Star (right on the beach with a fantastic atmosphere); Tides (pricey but fab); a lovely cheapish Moroccan place called Calabaza.

And right across the road from the hotel there's Scarlett's - great burgers at low prices.

Explore

The hotel is happy for you to order in takeaways which you can eat in your room or sitting on those lovely white sofas. It's cheap and cosy.

For shopping and supermarkets a little place called Hole Town is only ten minutes by bus from The House but if you really want to do some serious damage to your credit rating there's always Bridgetown.

These days the island's capital has lots of waterfront cafes, big stores with big American labels and scores of jewellery shops where, if you've got cash, you can do a good deal.

But the thing I love about Barbados is that you don't ever feel guilty about doing nothing at all.

There are few sights of historical interest, nothing important that has to be seen or done so the only thing to do is relax and drink cocktails.

If you're feeling lively, you can hire a car and explore the island but that'll take up less than a day.

If you like water sports The House has plenty of those on offer - windsurfing, boogie boarding, kayaking, waterskiing, tube and banana boat rides. And it's all free.

And if you like golf, then the Royal Westmoreland Country Club, one of the best courses in the world is nearby. But after a hectic few months The Husband and I just wanted a few days to lie down, chill and read books surrounded by some of the nicest people you could hope to meet.

And that's exactly what we got!

Getting there

THE House is part of the Elegant Hotels group (www.eleganthotels.com ) and can be booked through The Couture Travel Company which offers seven nights in an Ocean View Junior Suite including breakfast and taxes and return flights with Virgin Atlantic from £1,360 per person.

See www.couturetravelcompany.com or call 0845 603 9815.

Virgin Atlantic offers daily return flights from Gatwick to Barbados from £469.

See www.virginatlantic.com or call 08448 747 747.

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