Imagine having to look at Barbados’s finest white beach from your luxury suite. Richard McComb grins and bears it.

There is a sense of anticipation the first time you walk along a hotel corridor to your room.

You’ve seen the brochures, checked out the resort website and looked at the guide books, but experience tells you not to get too excited. Places frequently fail to live up to the hype, particularly if they are billed as “tropical luxury”.

So as we swiped the electronic card to gain entry to our rooms on the third floor of the Barbados Hilton, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t apprehensive. The hotel is positioned on one of the finest, whitest beaches on the island. Our taxi driver said the dazzle of the sun was so fierce we would need to wear sunglasses, possibly at night-time too.

What we walked into blew us away, prompting several excited whoops, gasps and involuntary jigs. The children had their own separate double room with a bathroom and balcony. Then there was a massive self-contained sitting room, with another bathroom. And then there was our room, which was the size of several tennis courts, and another huge balcony.

The suite had recently been refurbished in neutral tones and splashes of colour to reflect the vibrancy of the island’s natural environment. The feeling is cool and relaxing, comfortable modernity rather than cutting-edge gimmicky.

But what’s inside the air-conditioned suite (you need aircon as the temperature is a constant 28C-30C) is only half the story. The views from the balcony are glorious. The sea, the sand and the natural light make for an entrancing combination.

The Hilton is situated at Needham’s Point, just south of the capital Bridgetown, on the island’s south coast. Panning right on the balcony, you can see the city – really it’s a large town – with its port, just a couple of miles away.

It’s possible to make out the structure of the Kensington Oval, where the West Indies pace attack used to make mincemeat of England’s top order batsmen. Luxury cruise ships moor in the distance, disgorging the latest arrivals for tours of beaches, rum distilleries, exotic gardens and old plantation houses.

Straight ahead lies the rolling blue water that makes this place such a sought-after holiday destination. The hotel is right on the rocky headland, built on a spit of land that once housed Fort Charles, a 17th century British colonial fortress. The old defensive cannons are still in place, soaking up the heat of the sun and acting like slow-release radiators on moonlit nights.

From our balcony, though, it’s probably the view to the left that most captivates. Hilton has cannily bagged a spot alongside the whitest sands you will find anywhere in Barbados. There are two picture-postcard coves, except they aren’t picture-postcard at all – they are real, amazingly real. Seeing the beach for the first time – in fact, seeing it on successive days – sparks a “pinch me, are we really here?” reaction.

Needless to say, we spent a lot of time at Needham’s Point. The swimming is lovely and parents with children will be reassured by the vigilant lifeguards who keep watch from a vivid yellow patrol tower. The heat can be intense and sun beds come with parasols. Lie in the sun unprotected at your peril. There’s also a huge, sprawling pool complex, with infinity features and fun and games for younger bathers.

This is undeniably a big hotel, with 350 ocean-view rooms, including 33 suites. If you’re prepared to take the eight-and-a-half hour flight (and millions do) it may be worth shelling out a little extra for one of the 77 executive floor rooms. In addition to superior accommodation, you get access to the executive lounge.

Here, guests can take advantage of the complimentary continental breakfast, afternoon tea and evening canapés and plan lazy days ahead using the free wi-fi.

The panoramic views over Carlisle Bay, a hotspot for diving with its sunken wrecks, are stunning from the lounge. It’s a wonderful spot for an early evening drink.