The Barefoot at Havelock

Our stay at Barefoot was magical. Everything exceeded our expectations from start to finish. Firstly, I would like to thank the staff at Barefoot for making our stay a memorable one. Their dedication to their roles shows through their hard work, attention to the small details (such as remembering our coffee order!) also bringing me food to the room when I was feeling unwell. A special mention to Jack and Suresh - their restaurant service was immaculate. Dev the bartender & his team with their amazing cocktails.Trilochan the chef, he would come and chat to the guests during dinner which was a nice touch. Prathamesh & Rubin the onsite knowledgeable and friendly naturalist guides, with their passion for nature and wildlife. I celebrated my 30th birthday during our stay, my partner and the staff at barefoot organised a surprise dinner on the beach under the stars - a birthday to remember! The rooms are comfortable, rustic and close to nature. The nicest beach on Havelock is a stone throw away from the rooms and you can hear the sound of waves crashing in the early morning. The restaurant food quality is some of the best we had during our time in India (lobster curry is a must!) Highly recommend Barefoot for those looking for a memorable experience on Havelock Island!

Let’s first say a lot of things went wrong here. Most of it was fixed, but there is a lot to improve here. On arrival the toilet did not flush properly. This was resolved by replacing the entire bowl for a new one (leaving a nasty stain on where the old bowl used to be). Then there was hot water for like 30 seconds before it stopped. Mentioned it 2x, they ‘fixed’ it 2x, but in the 4 nights I stayed here I only had cold showers (lukewarm would be a better description). Then the airconditioning broke after a power outage. This was solved by replacing some part of the device. I have to say at this point they aknowledged the fact that a lot of things went wrong and they gave us free dinner, which was very nice. Then the next day: I booked a diving trip via barefoot scuba, their sister company. At the desk of the hotel I discussed with them that pick up should be at 7. No pick up. ‘Sorry mam’ was their reaction. They could arrange a pick up an hour later. I was so disappointed by this that at first I cancelled, reconsidered 5 min later and went anyways. Diving was amazing, but the pick up at 13h went at 13.30. The next morning at check out, although it was said that the reception will be staffed 24h, apparently not with people that can let you pay the bill. So I had to wait until someone showed up that could ‘help’ me with that. Leaving us with 30 min to have breakfast (which is served, so it takes a bit longer than a buffet) and check out. The hotel furthermore is just not properly cleaned (mentioned this, part of it, the hairdryer was sort of cleaned, but not really). The main parts like the toilet floor, the bed and shower floor are clean, but don’t look at the walls or deviced like hair dryings or hand dryers. Which also makes us a bit less enthusiastic about taking your shoes off whenever you enter the reception or restaurant. On a positive note and the only reason why it gets a second star, is that the in house naturalists are amazing. We did two intertidal walks with Prathamesh and we really enjoyed outselves. Also Ruben helpt out whit arranging the shuttle for my diving when they did not show up. All in all, I will not return here.

An amazing resort right on the stunning beach a definitely one of the best beaches we have experienced around the globe. Staff were exceptional, rooms are lovely and set back in the jungle with wonderful soundscapes. Wonderful range of activities on offer - we were only there for 2 nights so opted to enjoy the beach mostly, but did use the spa which was basic but excellent value for money and a very good massage was enjoyed. We also experienced the sound meditation which was an amazing experience! On site restaurant is good and tries to offer a range of cuisines; they also accommodated our vegan diet. The bar is also great. Their logistical team also took care of every aspect of our transfers which was an added bonus & very much appreciated. 100% recommend.

Having come here 18 years ago, this time I was afraid the magic would have gone. But it hasn't - truly lovely spot, bright stars, beautiful forest, morning birdsong, fantastic beach. And the restaurant is good too, with lovely, friendly staff.

The best eco-lodge experience in Andamans. Your Amazing Andamans moments start right from the meet-and-greet team led by Rahul at the Port Blair airport and the staff who assist at the Haddo Jetty with your ferry travel. At the Barefoot Resort in Havelock, Susmita and her team welcomed us warmly into our “Nicobari Cottage”. Trilochan the Chef, Jagan the Restaurant Manager, and their team assisted by Varada prepared a sumptuous dinner. We were lucky to get a Kilo-Crab on the day we arrived. Reuben, the in-house naturalist charted our plans for a trek through the reserve forest, the marsh before we landed in the beautiful, white sand Elephanta beach. Reuben impresses us with his knowledge of the jungle, the terrain and the activities we had to pick. Back in the resort, the stunner is the pristine Radha Nagar beach to which one has access from the resort. You wouldn’t want to get back from the sun loungers under the shades of the mighty trees overlooking the beach. I could spend a lifetime here; dolce far niente. We were up for a surprise dinner on the last night of our stay, arranged by the Barefoot team. A sweet gesture indeed. The rooms are clean and spacious. They are well attended and air conditioned. Towels and bed linen were clean and smelled good. The housekeeping team did a great job. The network connectivity for Airtel is good (4G works inside the cottages and most part of the property). No TVs and loud music here.

Barefoot at Havelock was a fantastic destination for a relaxing beach holiday on the unparalleled, scenic, quiet and clean Radhanagar beach. The 200m trail from resort to the beach leads out to the quieter end of the 2km beach and it’s possible to find quiet naturally-shaded alcove for some solitude ***** the beautiful beach. The staff were fantastic, always willing to help, and very attentive. My partner and I stayed in a tented hut which was large and luxurious with AC, fan, lighting, reading space in the front porch, and a spacious traditional semi-covered bathroom. The tent is mosquito-netted, and the four poster bed is further mosquito-netted. We didn’t have any issues with insects on our stay. It’s worth noting that this resort is based in the relatively dense rainforest (which is globally a rich and diverse ecosystem) that runs ***** Radhanagar beach. Whilst walking to the reception area/restaurant/beach you will certainly come across birds, frogs, lizards, and we saw the endemic and relatively harmless Andamese cat snake. The main path is unlit at night and is an unmetalled dirt track which will be difficult to transverse if you have mobility issues/to push a wheelchair/buggy. If you’re able to walk 2-300m on an un-level surface this can be done with ease. We enjoyed the food at the restaurant where we had daily breakfast, most lunches, and dinners. The staff are attentive and friendly. The food is traditional but the taste is somewhat Westernised to accommodate spice tolerance. You can always add some salt and chilli powder at the table, as I did, whilst my western partner enjoyed not crying through dinner! Radhanagar beach is relatively secluded and you’d need transport to get to most other points on the island, with the jetty 10km away. It’s worthwhile hiring a relatively cheap two-wheeler for the duration of your stay - it will likely work out cheaper than daily autos. This can be left at the resort’s two-wheeler parking which is near the gatepost where the very good metalled road becomes the resort’s rustic dirt track (not worth driving on!). Overall we were delighted with our stay in Barefoot at Havelock and doing Havelock Island absolutely stunning. Evenings on Radhanagar beach are a must, a day out walking to Elephant Beach for water sports/snorkelling, and an early morning out kayaking the mangroves seing the bioluminescence is a great way to spend a few days!