Galley Bay Resort and Spa: Quiet, Relaxing and Beautiful!

As a couple celebrating their 20th anniversary, we found this to be the perfect resort. The food was much better than typical resort food and the service was amazing. Everyone usually has a smile on their face and they treat you with kindness and respect. Some of the staff will even get out and dance with you during the evening entertainment. The beach is also amazing. Super soft sand and beautiful, clean & clear ocean water to swim in. The grounds of the hotel are beautifully landscap [... read more]ed with lush, tropical plants everywhere and they spray for bugs. All three of their restaurants are located next to the ocean. We personally liked the Gauguin restaurant the best for lunch and dinner. It has such a romantic atmosphere. The resort is also fairly small. We never had a problem finding beach chairs or somewhere to sit for a drink at the Tee Pee bar which was also right next to the beach. All in all, we would definitely return to this resort.

Sandals Grande Antigua: 2nd time round

Was as exceptional as our first trip. Despite infrequent sun, this Sandals rocks. Great people, great service, great pool!! Take the island helicopter ride. Best tour we've taken. All round, a 9.5 out of 10.

Jolly Beach Antigua: Relaxing place, needs TLC, but you get what you pay. Overall we had a great time!

Rooms - Rooms are very small and basic, however all have a great view of the ocean. You only sleep in them so it was not a big deal. Would be nice to have some drawers to keep your clothes out of your suitcase. Food - The grill by the pool has the best jerk chicken. Overall besides the grill, we were not a huge fan of the food. It was simple, but we were ready for a change. Pool - Pool needs some TLC, however it was great for the price we paid. Lots of room, could always get an umbre [... read more]lla and great music. There was two pools, one quite and one by the beach for those with kids or wanting pool games or music. Staff - Great staff, very friendly and willing to help out. Location - About 25 minutes from the airport. The island and people themselves was a great place. It was a safe place to travel outside of the resort, even with a young child. The grocery store is only takes a few minutes to walk to so it is nice to get some snacks. Beach and Ocean are great. Some locals on the beach as they are public beaches, but for the most part they were nice and would leave you alone. Overall for the price you pay it was a great and relaxing vacation. If you are expecting something fancy and nice, this is not your place. If you want to get away, experience the island, enjoy the beach and go for a swim for a reasonable price this is your place.

Jolly Beach Antigua: Wonderful Staff

JOLLY BEACH RESORT, ANTIGUA November 27 – December 4, 2016. Overall review: The staff were wonderful, friendly, and helpful. The pool bar was great for entertainment and music. The beach was beautiful, postcard like. The water was clear and calm. The hotel and grounds were clean and well kept. Detailed review: The Air Canada plane was surprisingly clean and spacious. I have heard horror stories about filthy planes, rude staff, and cramped seating. We arrived on [... read more] time and there was an Air Canada representative waiting to meet us. The taxi to the hotel was included in the package price however, the taxi drivers will ask for money. One couple paid $24 US and found out after they arrived at the hotel that the taxi was included. The taxi driver leaving the resort, after our vacation, tried to charge us $24 US but we told him no. He also had a list of passengers that were included and 'forgot' to check it. The resort was very much a 3 star hotel. There was a charge, in US dollars, for most things. The key to the safe in our room was $7 per day. To upgrade our room was $40 US per day. We booked a super saver room. This room has one double bed and 1 foot of room around the bed to move around. The shower was stand up, no tub, and was about 1 ½ feet by 3. It was a triangle shape, with three sides and little elbow room. The upgraded room, for $40 US per night, was exactly the same however, there are 2 single beds pushed together. Same space, 1 foot of room, around the beds. After seeing the room with 2 single beds, we did not upgrade. There were no mini bars in either of these rooms. To have a bottle of water in the room there was a charge of $2 US. The bottle of water can be bought at the bars that open at 10:30 am and refilled for free. There was no room service. In room Wi-Fi $10 US per day or free only in the lobby. There were three al la carte restaurants. The Italian restaurant was $20 US per meal and only opened for dinner. It was the only restaurant that has air condition. We did not eat at the Italian restaurant. The other eating areas, the buffet, Indian, and Lydia's seafood, did not have AC. It was cooler in the evening and I personally did not need the AC. The food was good. There was not a large selection. The Indian restaurant offered an "exotic" fruit plate. It was watermelon, cantaloupe, honey dew melon, and dried coconut shavings. We never actually saw any exotic fruits at any of the restaurants. We called the front desk twice and both times someone appeared almost immediately. The first time was because there was no toilet paper in our room. The second time because our remote control for the TV did not work. There were no do not disturb signs. Housekeeping regularly interrupted nap time. There were no covered walkways for rainy days. There were not enough umbrellas or shaded areas at the beach or main pool. There were not enough public washrooms. None on the beach and nowhere near the main pool. There was no 24 hours drink or food options. The bars open at 10:30 and when they are closed there was no other option to get drinks. Same for the food, when the restaurant's close, no more food. We arrived at the airport three hours before our departure flight. There was no running water at the airport in any of the washrooms and none of the toilets flushed. The toilets were still being used and they were filled with waste, paper, etc. It was the topic of conversation for all the tourists waiting for their flights.

The Verandah Antigua: One of the BEST trips ever; can't wait to return!

This resort was absolutely amazing. It was unlike any other resort I've visited (this was my 9th all inclusive trip). It's a huge resort with so much to offer for all ages. The grounds are incredible (located in a mountainous and lush area), the scenery is gorgeous, the rooms are practical, spacious and clean, the kids club is perfect for children and the FOOD is awesome! The live bands they had for evening entertainment were fantastic but the other entertainment was lacking. The main beach had  [... read more]tons of seaweed - would have been nice if it was cleaned for tourists to enjoy the water. Long Bay beach was a short walk off the resort and it was extremely clean. The other smaller beach on the resort was great for the kids. The shuttles are very helpful for getting around. You are advised to purchase a water bottle from the gift shop which can be refilled at the bars. Overall we had an incredible time and will definitely return in the future!

Galley Bay Resort and Spa: Paradise.

Fabulous location. First time a beach front resort had us on the beach. Could not have been closer to the sea. Wonderful staff. Incredible meals. Minimal buffet eating. Very quiet. The pool, restaurants, room everything was exactly what we expected.

Jolly Beach Antigua: You get what you pay for.

This vacation was a surprise birthday gift for my boyfriend's 30th birthday. He wanted to go somewhere that we both have never been too. I did a lot of research on Antigua and Jolly Beach Resort was the most affordable. I was definitely sold on the pictures I saw online and everyone commented that this resort had the nicest beach on the island. As soon as we arrived, I noticed how outdated and run-down the resort was compared to the pictures I saw online. What I didn't like from the get-go w [... read more]as that upon check-in, you have to provide a credit card in case of any extra charges, damages, etc. I have never had to do that at a resort before. Everything was always settled at check-out. So make sure to bring a credit card with you. They don't offer food all throughout the day. When we arrived it was around 4:30/5:00PM and they were offering "tea-time" in the court yard. We had to wait until 6:30pm for the buffet to open. It was inconvenient to say the least. The food is not the greatest at all. If you don't eat pork, you won't be eating much all week unless you go to the Coconut Grill at lunch time. Another major annoyance was their a la carte restaurants. Half the menu was "all inclusive" .. the other half was food options that you had to pay for, and there were plenty. I've been to resorts where if you wanted lobster, you pay extra for just that. It seemed that this place really wanted you to fork out as much money as possible even after paying for an "all inclusive" resort. Another inconvenience is that the resort store closes at 7:00PM every day. If you don't stock up on snacks or water to keep in your room after everything closes, you'll be super dehydrated and hungry until the morning. The entertainment shuts down around 10PM every night and the bar is usually running until 11PM .. sometimes midnight but that's not every night. We found that this resort was more for an older crowd. If you're younger and like to party, this isn't the place to go. And the cab drivers will give you crazy rates to take you anywhere to enjoy yourself at night time. My boyfriend and I ended up renting a car to take ourselves around the island at our leisure which worked out to be cheaper and better than what locals were trying to charge us. We got to tour the entire island in the 4 days we had the rental and it was amazing. We also got to go out at night and enjoy the nightlife around the island. The room we had was super small - opt for a standard room or a suite. Our room was the size of a jail cell. We had constant issues with our toilet, and it took staff all day to fix the problem. We had a leak under our bathroom sink everyday. There is no mini fridge in the room, and even though they provide ice buckets there is nowhere to get ice other than the bar and it will melt overnight. The bed was super uncomfortable. It felt like we were sleeping on a concrete slab every night. As soon as we checked in, the front desk staff gave us a flyer regarding Zika Virus and how to protect yourself. You'd think it would be common sense that when house keeping cleans your room everyday, they'd keep the doors closed. Nope. We would come back to multiple mosquitoes in our room everyday. It was super annoying. The resort had a funky odor throughout it and at times, it smelt like fecal matter. It was not pleasant at all. The main pool was not cleaned properly or daily. Both pools close at 6PM every day, and the main bar closes around 5. The only nice thing about this resort was the beach. I definitely wouldn't come back to this resort. It wasn't worth the time or money at all. It's more a motel than a resort.

Jolly Beach Antigua: Fantastic holiday!

We just returned from a 2 week holiday at Jolly Beach and wish we were still there. The people we met were fantastic. The staff were wonderful. The food was good. The beach was amazing. Next time I will bring my own pillows (but that is an issue when you are over 50) The value was very good for the price. The room seemed small upon arrival but we quickly forgot about it. Our view from our balcony was lovely. We had a day long tour of the island with Ralston (Taxi #76) with a catered lunch tha [... read more]t was really wonderful. I cannot begin to name all the great staff met Neil, Zauda, Marcia, Lisa, Keeshan, Samantha, Quint, way too many to talk about. If I am supposed to list negatives.......forget it....the experience for the value completely negate it. Would we go back? YES!

Sandals Grande Antigua: Amazing Resort and Staff

Beautiful Grounds, very well maintained. Staff are Fantastic. Shemika at Travel & Loyalty was Amazing. Food Delicious. Girls at Bella Napoli were Fantastic. Beach is Great. Very clean and the water is gorgeous.

The Verandah Antigua: Beautiful Destination and surroundings

Beautiful but the restaurant and pool area needs more to accommodate. Line up at the main restaurant for food service at all meals and it was not prime time. Entertainment at the bar after dinner cannot accommodate the amount of people there; that should be expanded. All in all it was great.

St James Club and Villas: Amazing Resort

Just got back on Oct 22 from St James Club in Antigua. What a awesome vacation. We celebrated our 35 Wedding Anniversary with friends. We stayed in beach front rooms 341. When we got to our room there was a bottle of champagne with two glass. The air conditioner was not working well. We advised front desk. The had someone come to the room to take look. He made it little cooler. The next day we got new parts and the air conditioner worked great. The people there are very friendly and always wil [... read more]ling and happy to help you out with smile on their faces. The resort is big and beautiful. I loved having two beaches to relax. Having 6 pools was also nice. You could go to different pools at anytime of the day. I loved the food always good things to eat. I would recommend this resort. I will return to St. James to see new friends that we made there.I want to say hi to Jason our taxi driver what a awesome guy. Also I want to thank Bev Johnston from tripcentral.ca she was very helpful in booking this great trip.

Sandals Grande Antigua: Great Resort with a few issues.....

All in all, a great resort. Staff very friendly and helpful. Just a few "downers".... 1 - water pressure in room VERY poor. Pressure from shower was like standing out in the rain... 2 - "Marios" & "Drunken Duck" restaurants claim to be "air conditioned", but not so much. Very uncomfortable eating when you are sweating. 3 - Not enough lounges by pool/beach for the amount of guests. After the 2nd day, we began to set our alarm for 6am, to get up  [... read more] reserve lounges with towels. If you simply went to the pool around 830-900, you didn't have a chance at getting chairs. 4 - Lastly, I realize they don't have control over Mother Nature, but crickets & tree frogs VERY loud all nite long !! Began around 5:45 pm and didn't stop until around 6am. A little difficult to sleep as they were very loud ! Other than that, a great time, great weather ( we had 45 mins. of rain one afternoon) Snorkeling was fun. Food was good.

Jolly Beach Antigua: Good times!!!

The weather was great. The beach is stunning! The staff were super friendly, upbeat, and fun to hang with. Food was great at Hemispheres restaurant. Mine was a Supersaver room, which was a bit dated, with a hard bed...only complaint, but it was my choice to book that room for cheaper. Loved it!!!

St James Club and Villas: St James Club in Antigua

This resort is just beautiful. Two beaches to chose from. Very nice clean rooms. Food was excellent and the Staff was just fabulous. We will go back there again soon. Will recommend this resort to everyone.

St James Club and Villas: Outstanding Resort

The resort seems large on the map but was a very nice size. Easy walk around area. Features two beaches which were both very different. One beach on the Atlantic was truly an ocean beach and the other on Mamora Beach side felt like a lake beach. The rooms were slightly dated but large. The food fresh and flavourful and was above average for the variety. We opted often for the buffet cause it was good. The majority of staff were friendly, accommodating and personable. We liked Priscilla, Roan and [... read more] Cordell very much.

St James Club and Villas: a week well spent!

beautiful resort...beaches, rooms, food, layout excellent! the staff were incredible...never had an experience with the staff anywhere like this resort....management team always out and around the resort and helping make everyone's vacation special...we did Jeep tour and sunset cruise...both great experiences...our new favorite destination!

Jolly Beach Antigua: Great Getaway

The hotel was great. It'seems situated on the best beach by far. The staff were friendly and entertianing and the food was really good. View from our room was of the pool and beach. Couldn't ask for anything more!

Jolly Beach Antigua: Great Getaway

The hotel was great. It'seems situated on the best beach by far. The staff were friendly and entertianing and the food was really good. View from our room was of the pool and beach. Couldn't ask for anything more!

Sandals Grande Antigua: Amazing resort Sandals Grande Antigua

My husband & I spent 14 wonderful days in Sandals Grande Antigua. We were there August 6 to 20, 2016. We were checked into our room very quickly. They originally had us booked for the 3rd floor, but when I asked for a walkout room they showed us both rooms and we picked the walkout. The patio was bigger and had two lounge chairs with a round table in between them. And a rack to hang our wet bathing suits. The room was wonderful. Two sinks, a jacuzzi tub and a walk in shower. Lots of shelf an [... read more]d counter space. The room was always kept very clean by the housekeeping staff. The king size bed was comfortable. We had a fully stocked bar, including white and red wine, liquor, beer, juice, water and pop. The restaurants are all very good. I wasn't as keen on the Ok Coral, but my husband liked it. It's really a matter of personal preference. We ate at the Bayside restaurant several times. I would recommend the Chateaubriand or the lamb. The meat was cooked to perfection by Chef Kerry or Chef Dwayne. The appetizers and desserts were also delicious. There were different buffet theme days for lunch at the Bayside restaurant, again, very good food. Eleanor's has a la carte breakfast. Eggs Benedict and blueberry pancakes are amazing. You can even get them with sides of bacon, sausage or ham or all three! Also has Browns. The Eggs Benedict is quite filling. We ate at the Barefoot Grill for lunch. They have jerk chicken or pork, mild or helfire. The portions are generous. We had the steak and lobster for dinner and it was excellent. Mario's has a buffet breakfast. We were in there almost everyday for breakfast. The best thing about it was the chef who cooked our omelettes. Ronalyn was always smiling and has a great sense of humour. After a couple of days, she already remembered what we liked in our omelette. She recommended the use of pepper jack cheese in the omelette and she was right, we loved it. Desire was also one of the chefs who ensured the buffet food was kept full. Rosalyn and Desire made it worth going to Mario's. Rolrene and Asana were very good servers. Kimono's was entertaining and the food amazing. Chef Nathaniel and server Oydayne made our experience great. I suggest you try the Sake Cruise drink, it is refreshing and delicious, but can go down very quickly as you don't taste the booze in it. The main pool was fun. We have never had such good pool bar service. Celestine took our drink order soon after we got our lounge chairs by the pool. She was also quick to return to ask if we needed refills. LaToya was the bartender at the Caribbean pool. Between volleyball games she would set us up with shots, sometimes we picked, sometimes she surprised us. Celestine filled in as bartender when LaToya went for break. Both of these wonderful ladies made the best drinks! The entertainment staff got people involved in the games, flip cup, beer chugging, ring toss, name that tune, trivia, etc. and of course pool volleyball. Cheers to JoJo, Rakim and Antonio for making the volleyball and other games fun. The resort grounds are beautiful and well maintained. Fogging is done to keep the bugs away. The beach is beautiful with soft powdery white sand. The water was warm and clear. The only negative thing I can say is that the beach is public, so you have vendors coming up to ask if you want to buys various items or go on tours. A few pleasant "No, thank you" responses are accepted. We met a lot of very nice people from Britain, the Sates and our fellow Canadians. The resort staff are friendly and very nice. They go out of their way to make sure you have the best vacation. I want to say thank you to nurse Angelina and Dr. Stevens for taking such good care of me when I needed it. Shemika and the rest of the Loyalty Club staff are wonderful in helping you make the difficult decision of which Sandals to go to next. We would return to Sandals Grande Antigua, but we want to try other sandals before returning. We have been to Sandals Grenada, Whitehouse in Jamaica and the Royal Caribbean in Montego Bay. Each resort has so many positive aspects and very little negative. It all depends on personal preference.

St James Club and Villas: St. James Club: Go there. Now.

In a word, St. James Club is phenomenal. Our oceanview balcony was breathtaking, the food was creative and buffet offerings rotated in theme and variety, the beach was stunning, the staff friendly and helpful, the resort clean and spacious, the entertainment solid and interesting, the grounds well kept, the insect spraying and lack of Zika relieving, the sunrises and sunsets glorious. A few additional beach towel stations, an espresso machine, a beach bar on the ocean side (bless the golf cart d [... read more]river who brought around drinks), windsurfing permitted on the ocean side, and a touch more Calypso Jim would be my only improvement suggestions. We'd return in a heartbeat.