Disappointing Experience – Beautiful Beach, Terrible Service

The only positives about this resort were the beach and the cleanliness. The beach was beautiful, clean, and well maintained, and while the rooms were on the smaller side, they were clean and comfortable. Unfortunately, everything else was a major disappointment. The service was by far the worst part of our stay. While there were a handful of friendly and helpful staff members, the majority were extremely rude, unhelpful, and seemed uninterested in providing good customer service. The r [... read more]eservation system for the à la carte restaurants was an absolute disaster. The app only allows reservations for two people. If you're traveling with a larger group, you're forced to line up every day at 10:00 a.m. to book with a representative. People start lining up as early as 9:30 a.m., meaning you're wasting a significant portion of your vacation just waiting in line. To make matters worse, the representative often arrived late, reservations could only be made two days in advance, and even when we were first in line, many of the desirable dining times were somehow already unavailable. We were repeatedly forced into late dinner reservations. The buffet food was very underwhelming, with limited variety and mediocre quality. Service there was equally frustrating, as servers frequently ignored requests or took an unreasonable amount of time to respond. The food truck was another terrible experience. Although it officially opened at noon, they rarely had food ready, resulting in yet another long lineup. The staff were disorganized and incredibly rude. When I asked to speak with a manager about the situation, I discovered that the manager was just as rude and dismissive as the employees. It also seemed obvious that management was completely unprepared for the number of guests staying at the resort. Restaurants constantly ran out of menu items, sometimes very early in service, and the ice cream shop regularly ran out of ice cream well before the day was over. Running out of basic food items at an all-inclusive resort should not be a regular occurrence. Overall, this resort has a beautiful beach and clean rooms, but that's where the positives end. The poor service, frustrating reservation process, disorganized operations, and consistently disappointing dining experience made this one of the least enjoyable resort vacations we've had. Unfortunately, I cannot recommend staying here.

Poor Service

The scenery at the resort was beautiful and the bar, cafe service and entertainment were excellent. The performers did a fantastic job and made our stay enjoyable. Unfortunately, our overall experience was affected by several service issues. At the gourmet buffet, some of the waitstaff were not very friendly or accommodating. For example, when I asked a waitress for an espresso, I was told I had to go to the café to get one instead of being assisted. The reception area could also do a better  [... read more]job of creating a welcoming first impression. When we arrived, we weren't greeted or welcomed and throughout our stay it was difficult to get assistance with maintenance. We reported a leaking shower that needed additional caulking three separate times, but the issue was never resolved. On one occasion, a maintenance staff member even rolled his eyes when we mentioned the problem, which was disappointing. Housekeeping was also inconsistent. Our room was often not restocked with enough towels and the drinks in our minibar were not replenished regularly. While the resort has a stunning location and excellent entertainment, the customer service and attention to guest requests need significant improvement to match the quality of the property.

Disappointing

The resort itself esthetically is beautifully layed out with plenty of trees, flowers and bushes overlooking ocean. However the receptionists were not very welcoming. We had issues with our shower and after many times of having to tell them they just dismissed our concerns. They kept forgetting to replenish our fridge and l had to keep calling for towels. The beach and pool very nice, including bartenders and loved their entertainment and water aerobics. The waitresses in the buffet "marche" ne [... read more]ed a lesson on etiquette. Overall my family and l were disappointed and won't be returning.

Disappointed!

I am writing with deep disappointment regarding our recent stay on March 15 to March 21, which we had chosen to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary. This milestone was meant to be a joyful and memorable occasion, yet our experience at your resort was stressful, frustrating, and far below the standards we expected and paid for. From the moment we arrived, problems began: 1. Room readiness: We had to wait over two hours for our room, which was a highly inconvenient start to what was supposed  [... read more]to be a special celebration. 2. Poor service: Staff were often inattentive, leaving us feeling ignored and unvalued as guests. Many times waiting at the Marche Restaurant with no staff in front of their station. Many of the staff did not smile or even try to converse. 3. Food shortages: Key menu items were repeatedly unavailable, impacting our dining experience and enjoyment. On many occasions being told before we ordered that many items were not available. No shrimp, no chicken, no fish. 4. The food tasted stale, old and freezer burnt. When I asked the server, she confirmed that the fish had been frozen. The first time we went to the Score Pub, they were out of many items, and we were told this after waiting for 30 minutes for someone to take our order. We went back the next day, and ordered a Cuban sandwich at the Score Pub and was served a piece of pork and processed yellow cheese. The Smothered Chicken I ordered was deceiving by its name, as I received a processed chicken patty with yellow processed cheese. The Pasta allo Scoglio was overcooked with one shrimp and 2 mussels at Grazie. At the beach side grill, we ordered the pulled pork sandwich. It literally had 1 tsp of diced pork in it. Many times, Scoops was out of ice cream. 5. Room condition: The room smelt musty, the bathroom was dirty, with cracked tiles and blackened grout. Furniture, including the sofa, was old, scratched, and unpleasant, and the walls showed clear signs of neglect. The combination of these issues ruined the experience of what should have been one of the happiest moments in our lives. We expected a resort of your reputation to provide cleanliness, attentive service, and a comfortable environment—standards that were clearly not met. Claiming to be a 5 Star Luxury Resort, the Royalton fell extremely short from what it advertises itself to be. The sunwing representative knew about out concerns and those of everyone else; however, nothing was done. We asked about an extended check out time due to the chaos at check in, and nobody got back to us. There were many upset families that waited for 4 hours plus to get rooms, as we were told they had a new computer check-in system. That is no excuse. Even the sunwing rep noted that there should have been more workers at the check-in desk. Given the severity of these issues and the special occasion, we are requesting full compensation for our stay. We also urge your management team to address these problems immediately, so that future guests do not suffer the same disappointment. We expect a written response within 14 days outlining how you intend to resolve this matter. I can be reached at jlasilveri@yahoo.ca. We sincerely hope that the Royalton will take this complaint seriously and demonstrate the professionalism and guest care that should accompany such a celebrated milestone.

Royalton Antigua

The overall grounds were clean and well groomed. The room walls are paper thin and you could hear what was going in the next room. The rooms could use some updating. Food was good & entertainment was excellent. The staff were very friendly and helpful. The resort app. did not work when we were there for week’s vacation. After a day or two we realized we had to prebook dinner reservations. On a late time in day departure we couldn’t get extended time for room or book an advance room to freshen u [... read more]p.

Nice but not a 5 star

If you like the smell of pot, this is the place for you. The Royalton Antigua has a beautiful beach, and the rooms were very nice. It is a smaller resort which means the buffet is much smaller with a limited, but good quality food selection. The all inclusive restaurants want you to pay extra for what other resorts include...how is this all inclusive? Clients cant just go get food anywhere, you have to check in and they will seat you, a long and tedious process. The Royalton staff has to serve y [... read more]ou everything, at there pace. I have never seen a sports bar where quick food is usually available only available by sit down menu. Some staff were very helpful, but most 'served ' you like they were doing you a huge favour. We asked for a coffee with dinner and the waitress pointed to the coffee shop and said they don't serve it at dinner at the buffet....go over there. This is a 3.5 star hotel

Beautiful property

The grounds were lush, clean and beautifully kept. The restaurants had varied menus and good food. The buffet had limited choices and repetitive. Rooms were clean. Front desk was pathetic, I didn't get the room I was supposed to, and they were condescending and continued to offer lame excuses putting me off.

Don't waste your hard earned money

Wait staff were rude (not all, but about 85%) like we were bothering them. Buffett was the same every day with flies all over the food, heard a lot of people were getting sick from this. Beach was nice and pool, but not a 5 star at all!!

Stunning location

This resort is nestled away in its own little cove, making it the perfect getaway. Hotel was clean and staff were amazingly friendly and helpful. Food was amazing, varied and plentiful. Beach was amazing. I didn’t know such a beautiful beach actually existed! At the end of the beach is an old fortress you can climb for spectacular views. Lots of activities on site. Can’t say enough about this wonderful resort!

Nice trip

All of the staff at the hotel were great people. With all guest staying in the one building and there being only two elevators. It was a bit of an issue with one being out of order for a couple of days. Also, I noticed when it rained no one was getting the water off of the covered walkways they were just mopped which only made it slippery. The rooms were clean but a bit older and junior suite a bit different than any I have had before. (Smaller, only a small love seat and table in the room  [... read more]with the bed and desk)

This was an average royalton hotel

The food on the result did not meet the other standards of the royalty hotal The service was awful on the beach.If you were a young girl of any origin, you were served in order for me to get served.I had to call them over.

Great resort but has so much more potential

Loved the beach and setup. If you want to relax with great views and people this is your place restaurants were good but the buffet could use some help with more selection but good. Very clean and staff were great not sure it’s worth upgrading for the price

Great Place To Relax

Hotel was quiet and location was amazing. Close to town to do shopping but far enough away to not be bothered by anyone. Local vendors were respectful and very accomodating. Lots of day trip options and beach activities available on site. Food was good but could only book two days in advance and time slots were limited. Staff were great and would definitely visit again.

JUST OK!

First off our WestJet flight was delayed, then when we arrived there was no bus to take us to the resort. The WestJet team was VERY unorganized! Finally after waiting and complaining for an hour with a little baby, a random airport bus driver told us to come with her and took us to our resort. She definitely saved the day! I’ve been to 4 other Royalton resorts and this one by far is the smallest. It’s definitely a family resort, would not recommend it for singles looking to party! We went to cel [... read more]ebrate my daughter’s 30th birthday and we had our one year old granddaughter so we weren’t looking to party but thought there would be more action poolside, that was NOT the case. The vibe team was mostly non existent; which was disappointing. They also promised to decorate my daughter’s room that did not happen, even though I provided my own decorations. Stating they were short staffed! Beach and food were great, drinks ok. But most staff (not all) were rude and seemed like they didn’t like their job! Would rate this resort a 6. Would return to Antigua just not Royalton.

Beautiful resort

This resort is the most amazing resort we have ever been too. Check in was smooth the staff is amazing the rooms are spotless and the food was great. Earl our butler made our vacation he was the best. We have already booked this resort again in March 2026.

Antigua is beautiful

Hotel needs a little tender loving care, a little old, overall rooms are kept clean, maids did a great job. Service was lacking a bit but most tried to do keep up with serving you. Bartenders could have better service. You can tell who enjoy there jobs I would say 3/4 of the service was good. Can’t remember the one server who served us in the Caribbean restaurant and then she was serving in the steakhouse had 16 years experience and told me she loved her job….you could tell she definitely ha [... read more]d the customer service I was expecting. Excursion we were on was amazing the 3 who were on the boat made our experience one to remember. We were taken around all of Antigua swam with the stingrays had lunch, snorkeled it was well worth the money. Our guides were great, Brandon Tyris, and Kimba new how to make the trip a lot of fun Thanks guys

Beautiful Setting, But Fell Short of Expectations

We recently stayed at the Royalton Antigua and had an overall enjoyable vacation. The beach was stunning, the weather was perfect, and we appreciated the efforts of several friendly staff members. The resort's location offers breathtaking views and a serene atmosphere. However, despite these positives, we left feeling underwhelmed. Given the Royalton's branding and its affiliation with Marriott's Autograph Collection, we anticipated a higher standard of service and amenities. Unfortunately, c [... read more]ertain aspects did not meet these expectations. Dining experiences were inconsistent; We were unable to make reservations at some restaurants and told they were booked to find out others had no problem accommodating them. We were told someone would help us with our luggage while checking out and no one showed up. Having elderly parents carry their luggage down 5 flights of stairs since the elevator was out. While these issues didn't ruin our trip, they did detract from the overall experience. We had a good time but wouldn't choose to return to this particular resort. For travelers seeking a five-star experience, it might be worth exploring other options in Antigua.

Beautiful resort but not the friendliest staff

The hotel facilities were wonderful and the beach area was beautiful but a lot of the staff were extremely moody and unapproachable. The restaurants weren't open everyday and we were asked to make reservations thru their onsite app that didn't work most of the time and when you went to book with the hotel concierge it took forever. When we did get into the restaurants the wait was always very long and when your food came it was always cold or not what the description said it was. Half of the t [... read more]ime they did not have alcohol or could not make you any tropical drinks because of a lack of menu and because the machine wasn't working or they ran out of rum. We kept asking for bottled water and were always told that we had to call down to get some and that they did not have any at the restaurants. This was surprising because we were told that our mini bar would be re-stocked everyday with water, etc. This was not the case, we had to call every day to make sure they brought us more water. Most of the places that were suppose to be open late were not and when you asked staff questions they responded with annoyance and usually didn't have any answers. I also was surprised that our transfer and tour operator didn't give us any information about the island on our way to the resort or provide us with an orientation onsite to book excursion, etc. Most all inclusives' have someone onsite who tells you what excursions are available and what they recommend when you get there. Neither the driver or the check in person said anything about this to anyone. I was a bit disappointed in this vacation. The island was pretty but i would not recommend this hotel to anyone in the future. There were a select few people working on the resort that were amazing but in general the people were unhappy, lazy and unwilling to help with anything.

Beautiful midsize resort

Full disclosure. We treated ourselves to a bungalow for our 20th anniversary. Stunning set up. We enjoyed all aspects of our stay and the resort. We didn't enjoy the Hunter restaurant. Didn't try the buffet but loved the carribean and Italian restaurants. Beautiful island. People were friendly.

Beautiful midsize resort

Full disclosure. We treated ourselves to a bungalow for our 20th anniversary. Stunning set up. We enjoyed all aspects of our stay and the resort. We didn't enjoy the Hunter restaurant. Didn't try the buffet but loved the carribean and Italian restaurants. Beautiful island. People were friendly.