Sandals Grande Antigua: Public beach

The booking of the trip was easy when you use TripCentral.ca (and Marnie). The Sandals resort is gorgeous! Great food (never disappointed)! Wonderful staff! Beautiful white sand but not a private beach! We did not realize that Antigua beaches are all public, so there are families, children, people from the cruises and vendors going by non-stop. Not the vacation we were looking for as...We are not pool people, so our only disappointment was the busy beach!

St James Club and Villas: Stunning paradise

Excellent service and super friendly staff. They do a great job in maintaining the grounds and keeping everyone happy. It is never busy or crowded wherever you want to go because there are so many places (beaches and pools) to choose from. Food is excellent and we liked that you had lots of options.

Royalton CHIC Antigua: Unfortunately, it has gone under

From what we heard from guests, both new and returning, was that this resort was no longer what it claimed to be. They are way understaffed and you can tell there is a serious lack of funds. I would give this 2 stars at best and that is only because there were select employees who made our trip better. I am not one to complain, but this isn't even a discount vacation at this resort - they should not call themselves all-inclusive. Oh, and there is food at limited intervals during the day (nothing [... read more] is open/available all the time), you have to pay for their a-la-carte (and it's expensive), water is not free and the bar closes by 10:45. It's not a better-bang-for-your-buck situation unfortunately. Antigua itself is incredible and so are the people :)

Jolly Beach Antigua: Wonderful family vacation!

We had a wonderful vacation at the Jolly Beach Resort. My husband and I travelled with our 4 young adults (18-24) and everyone had a great time. The staff are warm, friendly and helpful. Our rooms were very basic but clean, the AC worked just fine and the water was hot. Our rooms all had balconies and looked out over the entertainment square and the beach. The food was great and there was a good variety at lunch and dinner. We ate at the Italian and Mexican restaurants and everyone enjo [... read more]yed their meals. The entertainment was excellent - steel drum bands, live bands, dancers, a bonfire on the beach and a fire-eater/limbo performance - all well done. We used the kayaks and the paddle boards and were easily borrowed. We did 2 snorkelling excursions and enjoyed them as well. We had no complaints at all and everyone in our family would happily go back.

Jolly Beach Antigua: Stunning beach, views and sunset

2 reasons why I would return: 1) staff is awesome, caring, happy, polite and truly want us to enjoy each moment of our vacation from reception, to duty manager, cleaning lady, barmaid, animators, restaurant staff. Have not seen one single worker not nice to guests. This makes us feel very at ease and home. 2) location is stunning. The hotel sits on 3.5 acres of land and takes a big part of the bay. The water is turquoise and beach out of this world. Went to turcs and Caicos, Cuba, Dominican [... read more] Republic, Porto Rico, St-Lucia and prefer Jolly Beach for the quality of the water (no weeds, no jelly fish, waves are Smooth) and quality of beach (nice shells orange, pink...), no sand bugs at all), can take long walks. Nice views on mountain with tropical climate, lots of exotic birds... On a con’s side: the hotel will eventually need updating but found it very clean. Food is good but don’t expect gastronomy.

Royalton CHIC Antigua: Old and dated

The first ground floor room we had was totally unacceptable. Rusty fridge, no bathroom ventalation. Bathroom regoruted just one too many times with the old grout being left behind and covered with the new stuff. Rusty lamp shades Once we spoke to the AC rep we were moved to a recently painted 2 nd floor room which was better. It however took us about 3 hours to complete that process - not something you want to be doing on vacation Not sure about recommending to anyone. You would have to be s [... read more]ure to get a seocnd floor room. The food was fine and staff was nice. Would have to wait and see what starfish is going to do to the place. The watersports were not at all comparable to the Rex in st lucia We lived the Rex in St Lucia and that is why we booked the Rex in Antigua. We were disappointed

Royalton CHIC Antigua: Can’t wait to go back!

From the minute I arrived at the resort I was blown away by the service and the staff. They were welcoming and helpful. What the reviews say about the rooms being older is true, but they are very clean. The beach is amazing. Clean and large and along a nice section that you can walk for quite a while. I will be going back for sure!

Sandals Grande Antigua: Excellent Vacation

We stayed at Sandals Grande Antigua from Dec 9-16 2018. This was our first sandals experience. (Our 2nd time in Antigua. 1st time we stayed at Galley Bay). We are 34 and 35 years old. There was a wide range of ages here. Lots of younger couples on their honeymoons, and others around our age. We never had a problem finding someone to have a drink and some laughs with - young or old. We stayed in the Sunset Bluff Honeymoon Club Level Walkout. The room was modern, spacious, clean with a nice c [... read more]omfortable bed. We loved the location, close to everything and it was very quiet up on the bluff. We didn’t use the pool up there, as we like the atmosphere of the beach and the Med pool. Maid service was excellent. Our room was always spotless, our fridge and bar were restocked daily. Turndown service every night, and they always made sure we had enough bottles of water for when we returned to our room from a day and night of drinking! The grounds were beautiful and very well maintained. The staff does a fantastic job every day to keep the resort looking too notch. They fog for mosquitos late in the day as the sun goes down and it works. Not a single bug bite while we were there. The beach was amazing. Soft white sand, warm but refreshing turquoise water. The beach vendors were always around, but a simple no thanks and they left us alone. I didn’t find them to be rude or relentless at all. Don’t make yourself an easy target - be stern, but nice and they aren’t a problem. I did rent a jet ski one day. they will give you a high price but a little haggling and I got 40 minutes for $40. The food was excellent. We ate at all of the restaurants. Getting an appetizer at one restaurant and having dinner at another is a great way to get multiple visits to the restaurants in. Sushi at soy was great, And the antipasto buffet at Mario’s was awesome. Could have eaten just that for dinner. I always play a lot of beach volleyball when I go away and it did not disappoint here. We usually played for an hour or so in the morning and usually 2hrs in the afternoon. I have to give a shout out to Cara, Sasha, Joiquim, and a huge shout out to “my brother from another mother” - Allen. He matched my energy and level of crazy!! They were all so much fun everyday. Very welcoming, funny and full of energy. We did participate in some other activities as well. Some activities were cancelled due to lack of interest. I wish they would announce the activities to make more people aware that they are happening. Occasionally someone would walk around the pool and talk to some people to see if they were interested in an activity, but they can’t talk to everyone. An announcement at the Med pool would be a much more efficient way. I went out on one of the snorkeling trips. It was pretty rough that morning, and most of the people went back to the boat after 10minutes. A few of us stayed out for the whole time though. The snorkelling was good. Fish everywhere. Big, small, huge. Just had to be mindful of the choppy conditions when going near the coral. The drinks were great, and the bartenders were always happy to make you whatever you wanted. The staff always said hi as they walked by, most were always smiling and happy to talk and help. Be nice to them and you will get the same in return. Overall our first sandals experience was excellent and we really enjoyed it. There have been a lot of negative reviews lately, and we didn’t experience any of those issues or really see any. Everyone is different and expects different and everyone’s stay will never be the same. Some of the complaints are ridiculous and people need to chill out with their complaints about stupid, insignificant things. And some people just go around looking for stuff to complain about. So take some of those complaints with a grain of salt. The resort and beach are gorgeous, the food is really good, the staff are excellent. What more can you ask for.

Ocean Point Resort and Spa: Amazing resort.

We loved that it was a small hotel in such a beautiful spot. The rooms were a good size, very clean. I just had to ask for face cloths every day because they didn't supply them daily with the towels. I'm glad I had brought a water bottle, like a lot of people did for water refills at the restaurant or bar. The beach was great, no problem getting a beach chair or pool chair. The grounds were lovely and well kept. There was plenty of variety on the buffet for all meals. Being an It [... read more]alian resort, the pasta was amazing. Also being an Italian resort, one would think there would be great wine, but there was not. That is my only complaint with this resort that the red wine was terrible!!!

Jolly Beach Antigua: Great fun in the sun!

My wife and I had a great week. Staff couldn’t have done more to make it any better. Beach was clean and lots of it the resort was sold out and we never had an issue with finding beach chairs and ample seating around pool. The room was small and dated but very clean,no issue we only used it to sleep at night. I could on and on but definitely looking forward to visiting this resort again.

Royalton CHIC Antigua: Fabulous time

The resort has very basic amenities, the grounds are nice, the rooms are clean but need updating big time, the food is plentiful and is excellent! approx 200 rooms. The days and nights have activities and bars close at 11:00 pm the workers here are awesome, polite, they actually pay attention! The coffee is instant coffee! Yuk unless it's just made. You get what you pay for The other downside is they let children in on the weekend to use the pool and beach, so it gets noisy then. Would  [... read more]go back someday.

Jolly Beach Antigua: Best vacation Ever!

Hotel is dated but clean and good food. The staff are all wonderful!! Never have I been to a friendlier hotel. (Big thanks to Lisa and Sharon in food services!). The long beach is beautiful for walking and the marina at the end is lovely. DEFINITELY will be back. One small thing-we had a fridge and coffee maker but no water for making our morning coffee we so love to have on balcony. You really should supply something in fridge. Hope Sunwing Travel group don't change the prices too much and co [... read more]ntinue to value the staff they have there. They all are worth more than they probably get paid. God bless them all!

St James Club and Villas: Loved every minute here !

Everything from the staff to the food to the amenities to the beach to the drinks to the weather was perfect ! Great low key resort for a relaxed vacation. We will be back for sure ! The rooms are a bit tired but they are renovating them at the moment. Judy Anne and the front desk made our trip amazing with an ocean view suite upgrade . Robert Barrett the owner runs his Resorts with great professionalism!

Nonsuch Bay Resort: Met and exceeded expectations!

My wife and I spent the week of Dec. 5-12, 2018 at Nonsuch Bay Resort ... and loved every minute! The resort arranged the transfer from airport to resort, which is a 45 minute drive. Driver and vehicle were top notch. Check in was a breeze with cold towels and tasty rum punch. We were shown to our suite and had time for a swim before dinner. The resort is as pictured in their website, stunningly beautiful. During our week there, we had sunny days with steady cooling breezes which might explain t [... read more]he near absence of biting bugs. I think I counted 5 bites during the week that were pretty innocuous. Our suite was extremely spacious and lovely. The restaurant is open air with great views and great food. There were 3 nights with very good live music. We took the included trips to Green Island and enjoyed the snorkelling. Staff are all personable and competent. We went to Stingray City and were blown away. Stay in the water until they tell you it is time to leave. We were the last ones out and had the stingrays to ourselves for 15 minutes! We loved our week at Nonsuch Bay Resort.

Galley Bay Resort and Spa: Galley Bay Resort & Spa

As usual our trip to Galley Bay was great. The Staff greeted us with friendly smiles & warmth. The grounds of the resort were well maintained and beautiful. The Staff at the restaurants were very courteous and well organized. Our room with a view of the ocean right at our doorstep was great. We look forward to our next trip there hopefully in February 2019.

Jolly Beach Antigua: Fabulous beach one mile long!

The hotel is a 3 star rating however it has a 5 star charm. From the moment you arrive the staff makes you feel welcomed. They go the extra mile to make your stay a memorable one. The resort has the best beach that is 1 mile long. I will definitely come back. Best holiday ever!

Jolly Beach Antigua: Beautiful location!

A beautiful beach and a awesome background. The people are hardworking and i had no real problems with anything. Pros beautiful beach, great food and service. Lots of entertainment at night. Cons.. not much for the money i paid. They need more towels and glassware. The coffee could be better. I loved it here and would be happy to return.

Jolly Beach Antigua: Amazing people!

I just returned from a week in this beautiful country and had a great time. The rooms are dated but I didn't go to spend my time in my room. The beach is gorgeous, the staff are so friendly and the drinks are endless. It was an amazing week.

Royalton CHIC Antigua: Nice week away

, decided to go with 4. Here comes the description. Hotel lobby is small. Not much goes on here, no entertainment, but there is a sitting area with a television that was normally tuned to the cricket tournament that was being played in Antigua. There is a fountain of sorts but it didn’t haven’t water?! We spent no time here I found hotel reception quite pleasant during the day, but night staff left something to be desired. If you need money changed, absolutely make sure, you have enough [... read more] changed at the airport before coming here. They will charge you unsightly amounts for changing currency and it seems to change in quantity with whomever was at the desk. And a lot of times was told they had no money to give you. Or if something happens and you can’t get your money changed, get a taxi into St. John’s,go to the bank, hop back in the cab and you will save money. The shop has next to nothing in it. A bag of doritos will run you 8$ Canadian. If you smoke, buy before you come. The shop is rarely open and if you go to the front desk, they will go in with you, but everything takes a long, long, long time. We were in super saver room with air Canada. I expected the worse but it really wasn’t bad. The maids keep these rooms spotless, you can smell the bleach in her mop water. The beds were a little hard but clean. We didn’t have a mini fridge like other people did but we didn’t miss it. Water was hot after you let it run a bit. Our toilet did clog one night, we told the front desk the next morning at 9, we revisited the desk at 5 because it hadn’t been taken care of. It was done by the time supper was over. Air conditioning was fine. Remote for tv was missing. Lamp didn’t work, but they replaced it. There was a slatted opening/window that didn’t close all the way, so mosquitos did get in. I was bitten everywhere, and I had bug spray. Breakfast was the same every day. Eggs...fried, omelette, scrambled boiled. Toast, bagels, English muffins. Oats, cereal, muffins. Beans, salt fish, johnny cakes, sausage, bacon, pancakes and French toast. Everything was great. Lunch was cooked and served at the beach restaurant. They have a nice set up there with plenty of tables and room for everyone. Too much to mention but for example, shepherds pie, Mac and cheese, cheese burgers, fries,rice, chicken, salads, broccoli, etc. Supper was always delicious. Soup and catch of the day, pork or chicken dishes, rice, potatoes, pasta, etc. Whoever they have employed here as a chef, really truly knows what they are doing. It was superb. The towel hut was available once in the morning and once in the afternoon. No complaints. The pool was an ok size but I never used it so can’t comment. They do have a out of seating and beds for people to lounge. They do host aerobics and volleyball in the pool. The beach was nice. The water was generally warm but very cloudy. Definitely can’t see the bottom, which was just as well, lol, something keeps nipping your toes. Crabs I suppose, and there are bigger, longer fish that hang around the pier restaurant. There is a small drop off when you get a few feet in the water, that was fun when you try to get out of the water, not! There Were water craft available but I’m sure u had to rent them...nothing...I mean nothing is free and no one will give you a deal. As soon as they see tourists, the price goes higher and higher. Before going here, make a list of things you need and do not forget anything, cuz it will cost you. Night life is non existent. Friday night they did have a live band and they were truly great. I think they played for hour and a half. Saturday night they had a steel drum band and they were fantastic. They did have karaoke there one night. The host was off key and the singers were atrocious. Anyway, off base. It was a decent week, very relaxing. If you can get past all the vendors wandering around trying to sell hats and coconut shakers and jewelry and excursions, it’s not too bad. The only reasons I wouldn’t go back is the price is too high, the flight a little too long and even tho the food was fantastic, the beaches are still nicer in Cuba. Hope this helps. I probably forgot lots, any questions ? Lol Oh, and if you are in a wheel chair or unable to do stairs for any reason, don’t go, lots of stairs to get to meals

Jolly Beach Antigua: Starfish jolly resort

Just got back from vacation from starfish jolly beach resort. It had its pros and cons let me start with the pros. The beach was beautiful nice clean water. Management the staff and the entertainment staff were super nice. The hotel itself plus the grounds were nice and clean. Now the cons the room that my husband and I got was super small I think those rooms should be used for single people that come by there selves. The food was always a repeat in the morning afternoon and super. There  [... read more]wasn’t a variety to choose from. A lot of locals on the beach coming to sell you stuff every single day which was a little annoying. The bars should be open a little later than midnight and not enough entertainment. Every night there was a band playing which was ok but it gets tiring listening to the same music time and time again. Antigua itself is super expensive I don’t know how people survive living on this island with prices so high on groceries and clothing. This resort is more for couples and not children cause they don’t have anything for children to do