Jolly Beach Antigua: Older, but clean; good fun, good food.

I didn't have high expectations, considering we had seen this as a 3 star resort, however, the grounds and beach were beautiful. Our room was clean and spacious (junior suite) with a separate living room and two balconies, both with an ocean view. The buildings and rooms are tired, but kept up by staff fairly well. The bed was a true king, but the mattress was pretty hard. The maid kept the room clean, but on a few occasions forgot to replenish several things which we had to call reception to re [... read more]ctify. I found the bathroom a bit small, but there was lots of hot water in the shower. To end my list of "cons", I have to critique the food. The buffet was fine and well stocked, however, I found the selection minimal. What was available was ample and tasty with the exception of the scrambled eggs and sausage at breakfast which we all found were obviously powdered and tasteless and the sausages mushy. On a positive note, the staff is very friendly and upbeat. The a'la carte restaurants were delicious and attentive to our needs. They had to cancel the beach BBQ due to rain and quickly moved it inside to the buffet which turned out to be excellent. The drinks were mostly quite well made with very few limitations. At certain times you might have to wait in line for a drink due to limited staffing. There were a few vendors on the beach looking to sell their wares, but were polite and left you alone if you said "no thank you". The beach was clean and well maintained and the food at the beach grill was excellent. We enjoyed the kayaks, paddle boards and Hobie cats. I was disappointed that the water at the beach had a sediment which made snorkelling completely useless every day, but rendered the ocean a beautiful colour. There was nightly entertainment or a band of one kind or another. Check in and out was fast and efficient, but I'd have to complain about the fact that we didn't always know or find out when things were happening, which leads me to my last "semi negative" comment. Jolly beaches system of booking for the a la carte restaurants was frustrating and seemed antiquated and nobody could or would explain why it was that way. You can only book specialty dining one day in advance and if you didn't line up well before 7:30 AM, you probably wouldn't get your restaurant or the time you want. It seems to me that the the lady making the hand written lists needed the job every morning and to book to far in advance would give her less to do. We were also told that the Italian restaurant (Bocciolos) had a cover charge, but if you don't order the items which indicate an additional charge, there was no extra charge at all. All in all we weren't disappointed and had a good time. I recommend it for a relaxing week away.

Sandals Antigua: Very nice resort

The beach is amazing, room is nice but could use new pillows, staff is nice and always friendly, food is good but was expecting a little better. Not much night life, the resort is very quiet after 10pm. The sport activities are good.

The Verandah Antigua: Strongly Recommend this Resort!

Happy New Year! My fiance and I recently visited the Verandah for one week prior to Christmas returning Dec 24th. We have no complaints. Accommodations, food, beach.....everything met our expectations. Tip: Do not take Full Day Jeep Adventure from Sunwing. It was "really" not worth it at $110 US. A half day is more than plenty especially since trip goes to Long Bay Beach which is next door. And trip ended at 2:30 pm!! Best to book trips directly from hotel and not Sunwing. The  [... read more]only small things that would have made it even better was if hotel offered better coffee. We love our coffee so we missed that! The hotel should also look into improving their bread options.....crispy baguettes or Italian bread can really improve dining experience.

Jolly Beach Antigua: Low key Fantastic Resort

This was a last minute christmas vacation and after soeaking to our trip central agent Tammy we knew would have a good time . Its low key , you go for the weather and the beach whish was the best I have ever been to .Food was great , drinks cold and staff very nice..resort itself is old but our room was clean, new matress and never any hot/cold water issue ..remember you go for the beach 😎🌴

The Verandah Antigua: Great place for a vacation!

We liked the cottage style resort, the location (almost all cottages have an ocean view) and space inside the cottage. The grounds were kept very clean and the beaches were cleaned daily. The staff was amazing and always helpful. Perhaps because it is so spread out, the main pool and the bar was never crowded other than dinner time. We had a great relaxing time.

Pineapple Beach Club: AWSOME RESORT

The food ,the people ,the beach ....everything was amazing ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Royalton CHIC Antigua: Great vacation!

I went in with low expectations from everything I read and was blown away! The food was unreal although I wish they had food 24 hrs. There is no late night snacks and nothing in between meals. Also it’s hard to get good drinking water and hey charge for water bottles. The rooms were awesome bed was amazing! The service was top notch especially Dolston,Dave and Heleen! Bar closes at 11 which I thought would suck but if you are nice to them they will set you up with enough drinks to last a whil [... read more]e! I would highly recommend this resort to anyone!

Jolly Beach Antigua: Good Value

Good pools, nice beach, average food, nice people, great weather. My only complaint was the departure was very long and uncomfortable at Pearson. I would go back any day. There are 365 beaches around Antigua.

St James Club and Villas: Paradise at St James Club Antigua

It was a lovely resort with the Atlantic ocean on one side and Mamora Bay on the other side - we had a ground floor room that had a huge deck on the Atlantic side - loved being able to walk right out onto the beach and see the sunrise every morning - the resort and area is hilly understandably and for a few in our group that have some mobility issues the resort staff are able to pick you up and drop you off anywhere around the resort in their golf carts - food was fantastic (gained 6pds LOL) Ove [... read more]rall it was a wonderful time in Antigua and wouldn't hesitate to go back.

St James Club and Villas: Beautiful beaches

Great to have the best of both beaches. On the ocean and on Mamora Bay. Live music every evening, missed live shows from other trips. On Mamora Bay lots of water activities to endeavour. Meals were great, including one restaurant having various theme nights.

Jolly Beach Antigua: Great time

We were a little skeptical after reading a few of the reviews but had one of the best vacations ever. The beach was incredible. The food was great. There were always seats available either at the beach or any restaurant. The staff were amazing and never looked for a tip. Did a catamaran trip around the entire island and would recommend it to everyone. What a way to see all the other neighbouring islands. We will definitely return.

St James Club and Villas: Great Bay

My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed our week at St. James Club. We particularly enjoyed Mamora Bay. It was great for swimming and water sports. Warm and always very calm near the shore and only a little choppy on windy days out in the middle. The only negative to the bay was the water was not crystal clear. Not very good for snorkling. The beach had nice soft white sand. This is a fairly quiet resort. Not a lot of partygoers. No swim-up bars and foam parties. Our room was a walkout to the oce [... read more]an. Very functional, but a bit dated. There was a large gym with a lot of equipment. Very comfortable for a good workout. The 4 tennis courts looked to be in good condition. Nice size resort. Not too big to walk around. We had a 5 minute walk to the bay and the same to the main lobby. If you wanted a shuttle in a golf cart, it was readily available. There are some mid size slopes you have to navigate to walk around the resort. The food was very good. I had one of the best steaks I have had anywhere. The staff were nice people and looked after us very well. It was nice, for us, that english is the main language spoken by all staff. We did a side trip, 10 minutes by taxi, to English Harbour. Nice historical spot with lots to see.

Hawksbill Resort Antigua: "Needs Improvements"

We have traveled throughout the Caribbean and Hawksbill was our 4th Rex resort visited in recent years after Antigua's "Halcyon Cove", St Lucia's "Papillon", and Grenada's "Grenadian". This makes for easy comparisons of these specific Rex resorts. It is clearly understood that these are all 3* properties providing rustic charm, relaxed low-key atmosphere and an authentic Caribbean experience. All resorts were blessed with fantastic weather, beautiful beaches, and good prices providing great valu [... read more]e. Reading numerous TripAdvisor Hawksbill reviews clearly set expectations prior to our visit. There are a few areas where Hawksbill differentiates itself from the other Rex properties during our Dec. 3-10 stay. The hotel has less than 100 rooms, most guests are from Britain (staying 2-4 weeks) with some Canadians, and the average age is probably 65+. Adult only except during Christmas/New Year period. Accessibility would be a consideration because of lengthy stairs to/from reception and Tamarind Tree restaurant. Food: The executive chef for Halcyon Cove , was trained by famous British chef Jamie Oliver and the food at the Grenadian exceeded our expectations. Unfortunately the food at Hawksbill was disappointing and uninspired, below expectations even for a 3* resort. The breakfast & lunch menus were very similar each day. Hawksbill is the only Rex resort without a speciality restaurant. During our stay, there were 4 theme-based dinners at the Tamarind Tree restaurant (Thai, Chinese, Italian, Indian) and 1 dinner at the Seagrapes restaurant. Dinners were very basic: overcooked ham & fish, charcoal-like roast potatoes, chicken/fish every meal, etc. And the dishes did not seem to match the theme: • on Italian night, no pasta and the carved meat was meatloaf • Thai night had pasta and carved turkey with cranberries • Chinese night also had pasta, roast ham, grilled eggplant with tomato & cheese topping It would have been nice to have more local Caribbean foods. Room: Supersaver Gardenview Bungalow #85. We knew there would be no AC in our room and ceiling fans helped move the warm air. Our room only had a desk, no place to store your clothes and no luggage racks. Luggage had to be left on the floor and closet only had 12 hangers. The exterior of the bungalows have some areas of significant wood rot and the back of the Gardenview bungalows have been abandoned and in serious disrepair (see behind room #80). If you are a light sleeper, you'll continuously hear loud chirping tree frogs outside the windows as well as the periodic bleating of goats & sheep along with a crowing rooster. Every night we had mosquitoes bites, but mid-week we had 2 nights where mosquitoes feasted on us, easily getting through large gaps in the window screens and around door frame. Two mornings at 5:30am, a loud truck went slowly past the bungalows fogging for the mosquitoes and filling our room with pesticide. No notice was given in advance and this would be totally unacceptable, especially if you have breathing issues (asthma). The final straw was a rodent periodically chewing loudly above our heads in the ceiling. We brought these issues to the attention of the reception desk and they immediately upgraded us to Seaview Bungalow room #70, no charge for our last night. At $20US per night, it is highly recommended to upgrade immediately from Gardenview to Seaview. The Seaview Bungalows on Seagrapes beach offered air conditioning, mini fridge, and a dresser with drawers to store your clothes. We had no issues with mosquitoes in the Seagrapes bungalow. Bugs: No see-ums, sand flies, whatever you want to call them were brutal. We have so many bites despite using repellent. Mosquitoes were not an issue in the evening outside the room (dinner, entertainment), but only in our room at night. During out stay new beds were delivered to the hotel. We got to enjoy a new pillow top king mattress and frame and it was very comfortable. New bedding will be needed to properly fit these larger mattresses. Entertainment: As this was the beginning of high season, we had entertainment 4 nights during our stay. Otherwise resort is quiet. Pool is the smallest and most disappointing of the 4 Rex resorts. It's in an awkward location (beside the Seagrapes restaurant, at the end of a driveway), 3 feet deep, and only 8 loungers, no umbrellas. Shade at the beaches is hard to find during peak hours because trees were significantly damaged by the hurricane and palapa shelters are damaged/destroyed. Eden beach is the one of main reasons that many people return to Hawksbill each year and is used by about 25% of the guests. The quiet, peaceful, secluded, sandy beach is 30m x 500m, ideal for long walks. There are lots of loungers, limited shade, no facilities, and a security guard. Some new sun loungers on the beach, but not enough on SeaGrapes beach for the number of guests who wish to use it. We wanted to give a shout out for the excellent service that was provided by Dave in reception, Lorina during the evening buffet, and David at the bar. If we hadn't upgraded our room on the last night, we never would consider returning to this resort. Now if the food quality improves we'd be even more tempted to return.

St James Club and Villas: amazing resort

We went to celebrate our 50 th wedding anniversary. Upon arrival we found a bottle of champagne and two glasses. The room was right on the beach.! There was a little issue with the sliding door - next day fixed. The day after another bottle of champagne with an apology note from manager for the inconvenience, very much appreciated. The ground were very well kept and beautiful layed out. Beach towels were nice and large. The foods : breakfast - lunch -dinners very good and great variety [... read more]. We really enjoyed our stay !

The Verandah Antigua: absolutely beautiful

The Verandah is one of the prettiest places I have vacationed. The grounds are picture perfect, the food very tasty and well presented. The Beach bar and grill was my favourite for evening dining. We were in room 185 directly overlooking the beach which in my opinion was the best view. It is the place to be if you simply want restful relaxation. There is evening entertainment but everything shuts down at 11:00 because it is in a national park. The walk to devils bridge was quick and easy, wort [... read more]h a look at no cost. Loved the Wadadli beer, served from a bottle and always cold. The only complaint I have was the long flight of stairs, 39 to be exact, down to the beach. This would not be an issue however the restrooms and bar on the beach are not finished being built, kinda a hassle. Beyond that once these are up and going I would find absolutely nothing bad to say. It is a beautiful place, spread out, with stairs and some hills so it may be difficult for someone with mobility issues. I loved it.

Pineapple Beach Club: Beautiful plantation style resort

We were there for a week in mid November. The best feature is certainly the beach. It is not a long one but is it beautiful with white powdery sand and no rocks on the beach or in the water. You can even snorkel in front of the resort but the best spots are a few minutes walk away. The hotel itself is quite nice, not big and well maintained. There is an ambiance of Caribbean plantation to it, at least in our eyes. Note that some buildings are being completely renovated. Ours (room 135) was no [... read more]t and although it was clean and functional it needed a major updating. On the positive side our room was a garden view room and was very well situated with a partial ocean view; we also had a private ground floor balcony. The staff was very polite, professional and efficient but not overly friendly. No real problem there. The food was very good everywhere we ate and we tried everywhere. The variety is good at the buffet with theme nights. The a la carte restaurants were both superb. The birds learned that they can get free drink and free food at every restaurant. Cover up your drink or plate when you leave your table. It is still an attraction to watch them operate in the eating areas. The snack bar was fine and we also went to the Outhouse: a kind of BBQ/snack bar combo. The food was good but the view and the whole place were even better. The resort is a good place to relax with a few nice attractions such as the beach party on Wednesday and the manager cocktail on Monday. There is also live entertainment nightly witch we enjoyed. Even though the resort is rather small they have a very good and well equipped gym with new equipment. We went there daily. There are also 4 tennis courts with 2 of them brand new. We walked to Devil's bridge (a local attraction) about 1 hour brisk walk total. We also went private horseback riding at Springhill Riding Club and it was a lot of fun (reservation required). Special thanks to Suzannah Adderson, the manager for a great morning. Good and well kept horses. We definitely would be back with family or friends.

Pineapple Beach Club: Best Resort Ever!

We just LOVED this resort! Upon arrival, we were worried and skeptical as the reception area was very small and not connected to the main buildings. However, once we were in our room and oriented to the resort, our opinion sure changed. The rooms are a bit tired looking, the food was excellent, al a carte's were excellent, premium bar!, a party pool and low key pool, and right on the beautiful beach! The Antiguan people are so very nice! We cant wait to go back! best resort experience ever!

Pineapple Beach Club: A Hidden Gem

Recently returned after 10 day stay at Pineapple Beach Club in Antigua. What a wonderful vacation at resort that is truly a hidden gem. This resort has a lot to offer - the Food is delicious, wide selection of alcoholic beverages are offered, the staff are pleasant and cannot do enough for the guests. Accommodations are very clean and the Hotel is working on updating rooms throughout the resort. The resort grounds are well maintained and the beach is pristine. I would return to this resort [... read more] in a heartbeat. Thanks to Helen Callendar from Tripcentral for assisting in our choice of this resort

Jolly Beach Antigua: Amazing fun!

The beach was vast and beautiful. Soft, white sand and clear, clean warm water. We took a sailing lesson and went sailing a few times on the catamaran. All non-motorized water sports were free of charge. There was a limited number of umbrellas on the beach so we had to reserve our spot pretty early in the morning. The staff were wonderful. The food was okay. Lots of selection. A big English breakfast every morning. The coffee was not too good - no cappucinos. We only went to one a  [... read more]la carte restaurant (there are three.) We went to the Italian restaurant and it was really good. The hotel needs a face lift but otherwise, the accommodations were clean.

Pineapple Beach Club: Relaxing vacation

Great trip from beginning to end. Transfer from airport was simple and quick. No hassle check in. The room was simple but clean. We booked the super saver room. It was a garden view room, but we also had a good view of the ocean. The food was great, lots of choice, and it changed each day. The service was good as well. All the staff are friendly. The entertainment at night was a live band, and it was quite nice. We even danced on the beach! The beach was great although the water was cloudy, [... read more] but warm. Really have nothing to complain about. We did not use the pools because the beach was so nice but the looked lovely. There was the odd mosquito but they were not a problem (compared to what we get at home)