Key Staff Members

Hamish Watson.

Hamish Watson is something of a legend in the circle of Caribbean hoteliers.

His peers respect him for his ability to take on humdrum hotels and transform them into gems of luxury and personal service.  His guests have followed him around from island to island, hotel to hotel because they appreciate his hands-on style and his absolute dedication to personal service.  To say nothing of the fact that he is, by nature, a charming, congenial gentleman who makes it a point to get to know all his guests and make sure they’re having a great time.

Hamish Watson was born in 1943 in the Gunthorpe's Sugar Factory in Antigua, where his Scottish father was an expert engineer in sugar-making equipment.  His mother was a seventh generation Antiguan.  Almost since he learned to walk, Hamish has lived a peripatetic life, dividing his childhood between Antigua and St.Lucia before heading for his father’s native Scotland at the age of 11 to undergo a rigorous, non-nonsense education at Morrison’s Academy in Crieff, in picturesque Perthshire.  From there, he transferred to his father’s hometown, Glasgow, to study mechanical engineering at the city’s venerable university (one of the oldest in Europe) but he was under whelmed with the romance of cogs and camshafts and later switched to Strathclyde University, also in Glasgow, where he graduated with a degree in Hotel Management.  

To learn his trade to the fullest, Hamish worked in kitchens and hotels all over the United Kingdom -- until the “sight of one grey sky too many” convinced him that it was time to return to the balmy islands of his childhood.  But before settling into a life in the sun he polished his resume with stints at the Bar le Duc in Met, where, as he put it, he ”discovered that Champagne and langues du chat are more exciting than tea and cucumber sandwiches”; and since every general manager worth his salt has to spend a year or two in the United States, Hamish detoured to Missouri, well and truly in the U.S.A. for a spell as trainee manager for Mayfair Lenox Hotels.

When he finally made it back to the year-round sun, he spent a few years in Antigua before heading once more to St.Lucia.  There he met his wife Linda and his two children, Iain and Janine, were born while he was General Manager of the luxurious La Toc St.Lucia, a post he held for seven years. 

During a further brief stint in Antigua, at the Blue Waters Hotel, Hamish was approached by the owner of a hotel in Barbados, who coaxed him into bringing his family over for a few days to take a look at the place.  Hamish didn’t tell his children why they were visiting Barbados (for them, a move there would have meant losing old friends and setting into new schools) but when young Iain saw Cobblers Cove Hotel and exclaimed “Dad, this is just your kind of place!”  That clinched the matter.

Hamish spent the next 15 years at Cobblers Cove, nudging it into one of the choice small luxury hotels on an island not lacking in small luxury hotels.  He saw it accepted into the exalted realm of the French-based Relais & Chateaux collection, the only hotel in Barbados to achieve this distinction and his steady, subtle changes to the property meant that under his leadership it stayed a Relais & Chateaux property for 13 straight years.  Among his notable achievements there were the additions of two super-luxurious rooftop suites which not only elevated Cobblers Cove to a new standard of sumptuousness but spearheaded a trend that continues to this day throughout Barbados.

Now Hamish Watson has focused his genius on Treasure Beach Hotel, masterminding and overseeing its recent $4-million upgrade and restyling which turned it into one of the most distinguished, most luxurious properties in the Caribbean while still retaining its air of understated elegance and tropical beauty.

Elenore Griffith

Elenore Griffith is the new Front Office manager at Treasure Beach Barbados. Elenore joined the company on 18 February 2008 . Before joining Treasure Beach Elenore worked at some of Barbados' most prestiqious hotels including the Settlers Beach and Coral Sands. Before forging a career in hospitality, Elenore worked as a teacher of Health Sciences and Cosmetology . Commenting on her appointment Elenore explained " I am thrilled at this new appointment and I am looking forward to a challenging but rewarding tenure. I plan to take Treasures Beach to unprecedented levels in quality servce". Elenore in her spare time loves to read and is a member of the Oprah Winfrey book club. We are pleased to have Elenore on board as we feel her diverse back ground will be an asset to the organisation.

Enid Lashley

Having worked with the first owners and developers of Treasure Beach hotel Enid took on the role as the head maid to the then new Treasure Beach Hotel in 1977.
Enid never imagined she would stay in Barbados for ever and left in the early eighties to pursue a career in Canada. Not long after her departure Mrs. Ward persuaded her that the hotel needed her back so she returned to Treasure Beach and hasn’t looked back since.
Today Enid Lashley is the Head of the entire Housekeeping department. Lashley demands quality from her entire team and that is reflected by the cleanliness of the property and efficiency of her staff.

Debbie Odderson

Debbie Odderson, who is our Reservations Manager, joined Treasure Beach as a receptionist 16 years ago. Debbie’s personable nature and organized work ethic makes her the ideal person to handle all inquires, reservations, or requests which are channelled through her desk. Debbie has formed lasting relationships with many Travel Agents, Tour Operators and repeat clientele who trust her to make their dream vacation a reality. Whether it is a wedding, honeymoon, anniversary or special request Debbie makes it simple and easy for our clients.

Kirk Kirton - Head Chef.

Treasure Beach is delighted to announce the appointment of Kirk Kirton as Head Chef. Kirk takes the helm at the hotel’s award-winning ‘Al Fresco’ restaurant in time for the winter season and promises a mouth-watering menu for guests and visitors alike.