Dream Getaway!

My spouse and I visited Hawksbill to celebrate my birthday & we both had the most incredible time. The food was super fresh and tasty, and we really enjoyed all the food options. Our room was beautifully situated, always clean and very close to the beautiful waters at the beach. This resort is very quiet and perfect for anyone looking to truly relax and unwind. There is no music at the beach, which is heavenly. The nightly entertainment starts at an early and reasonable hour and ends early as  [... read more]well. This is not a party resort and truly geared for those looking for rest and relaxation. There are paddle boards, a catamaran and kayaks for guest use. The beach was incredible and the water was so blue and warm. The grounds were immaculate and just stunning! This was a trip from heaven! The staff is so wonderful, extremely hospitable and truly go above and beyond to ensure you have the best stay. An extra special thank you to Mario, the AM, for his amazing hospitality; Dalston and David who both always went above and beyond to take the best care of us! Last but certainly not least a huge thank you to Shamary for her care, hospitality and for always greeting us with a smile! You made our trip unbelievably special. Thank you!

Staff was incredible! Resort and management........Not so much.

After arriving at 5:15pm, we finally got a key to our room around 9:00-9:30. Denise at the front desk had no management or people skills and just hid from us in her office instead of telling us what is going on and why the delay. Not a great way to start a week of vacation. Luckily the majority of the staff were excellent. Resort was old and neglected. Broken concrete sidewalks, pool was out of order, repairs were poorly done. To be fair, i heard that it has been taken over by a new owner.  [... read more]They have been doing repairs. It was a chore to get water. Bars and restaurants were always out and said you could get it at the store. If and when the new owners get this place back to shape and put new management in place, it will be an incredible place to stay. Unfortunately, we won't be back.

Amazing location / Inexistent management

- room without hot water - no lock on the safe - some lights not working - missing hairdryer - plugs coming out from the wall - damaged chair on balcony and missing back pillows - some staff had preferential treatment towards tourists according to the tip received and colour of the skin - most of the staff moving very slow - some rooms without glass windows, only wood shutters (ants and lizards in the room) - very noisy and loud crickets (maybe just in December?) all night long - every [... read more]thing outdated, paint flaking everywhere - all inclusive just 3 meals a day; no snacks in between or a-la-carte restaurant - beaches were very clean; grounds same - turquoise sea, fine sand - cleaning in the rooms = okay

Perfect for rest ,relaxation &sun

Grounds were nice we had room 15 on the beach . The water is clean and warm and calm as this resort is on a cove, great for swimming and snorkelling . There are a few small beaches ,all were nice but not the long white sandy beaches for long walks. The beach with clothing optional was pretty much deserted . We didn’t feel comfortable going there as there was a local hanging around staring at people . It would be a good idea for staff to monitor the beach once or twice a day .The food was ver [... read more]y good . We loved having lunch right on the beach in the open air restaurant . Amazing fresh grilled fish everyday ! My sister loved the homemade strawberry ice cream! plenty of drinks with very few lineups due to low season . When booking ask for air-conditioned room as some rooms don’t have it and it does get quit warm . This resort is for older retired people which suited us just fine . No loud music blaring all day so we read and slept which was the purpose of our trip . The pool is very very small and 3’ deep . There are lots of steps so not Great for mobility issues. There are a row of about 10 renovated cabins with HUGE anew bathrooms right on the beach that would be perfect for honeymooners or if you are looking for privacy . Good live music a few of the nights with an amazing steel band we really enjoyed . The rooms and public bathrooms are extremely tired . I understand that the resort closing in April for a few months for some highly needed Reno’s. We got this for a good price so we went for it ,but not sure we would return .

Such a relaxing resorr

This is a classic resort, little bit old school, little bit dated, but everything works and the staff are some of the best anywhere. Always friendly and helpful and eager to make your time wonderful with going above and beyond the standard. All the beaches were great and each one is unique. Great snorkeling off the main beach straight out on the reef. Generous meal times so your day does not feel rushed. Very good food at all meals. This is a quiet place with more older adults looking to  [... read more]visit and chat and although there is evening entertainment it was good to watch with no need to take part. Well worth looking into.

Great setting/Resort needs work

We loved the location, resort style, friendly staff and low-key ambience but the resort requires lots of improvements. The infrastructure is worn and needs an infusion of cash to get it back in good working order. For example the window louvres in the rooms and the screens all need repairs. The 4 beaches are beautiful but they cannot be relied upon as the sole reason to visit. This resort would not meet everyone's requirements; it rates a 3* at best which is why I wouldn't recommend it as it wo [... read more]uld not be to everyone's liking.

Caribbean feeling

We just got back from Hawksbill resort. Island, beach is gorgeous..weather usually super. Pool ...does not apply... No showers..outside Entry in country is easy, fast . They check the covid papers but things move quick. Things become interesting on the way back...You have to make appointment for the test...which cost 200 usd each person...plus 50 usd per person if you want them to come to the resort to take the test...so it's 500usd per couple. This is the main reason to consider other co [... read more]untries to visit...plus keep in mind the new condition required by Canada..to be tested upon arrival in Canada 🇨🇦... The resort itself is also under Covid regulations, food is served to you , less salad bar... Personal wears masks all over, guests at the bar and restaurants. Out of resort , mask required and generally respected. Recommended to book premium rooms...standard ones can be..bad.

We'll be back !

The airport was spotless and very efficient as was the 30 minute ride in the mini bus to the resort. At the beginning of this review I want to state " WITHOUT A DOUBT, WE WILL RETURN TO THIS RESORT. However this resort is not for everyone. On arrival, we were deposited at the front of the resort. To say the entrance and reception was uninspired would be an understatement. No one was there to greet us so we struggled with our bags down cobblestone steps into a tired looking little lob [... read more]by where a tired and bored reception checked us in. The check-in was uneventful and we were given a locking gizmo for the room safe and one key. No, there was no second key ( a previous guest had apparently lost it ) and if we lost either of these items there was a steep replacement fee. Rule number one - don't lose the key. We arrived late Sunday afternoon, so we were anxious to get to our room, get out of our clothes and hit the beach. Our room wasn't ready so we were told that we would have to wait. As our room wasn't very far, I went to check it out. Indeed the maid was cleaning and prepping the room for us so I asked if she would mind if we moved in while she was finishing her job and she said "of course". Our maid Opal turned out to be great. Back at reception, I let Dave know we were heading to our room "now" and he helped me carry our bags down some pretty steep steps to our room. ( Lots of stairs at the resort ) Dave turned out to be a great guy too and was very helpful throughout our stay. We had a pretty good idea where the nude beach was and we found it about a ten minute walk away.. The one km beach was stunning. Unfortunately not one palapa was in decent repair ( I ended up repairing my own as the week went on so there is now one almost functional palapa ). Throughout the week there were seldom more than 10 people on this beach. The resort is weary looking and is in need of o lot of tender loving care - the owners need to realize that it is time to spend some money on repairs and updates. The location is amazingly beautiful and I suspect that the owners are hoping that guests will ignore the neglected facilities. One glaring example is the pool - this adults only resort once allowed families with children and I can only guess that the resort put in a small pool for the kids. It is three feet deep, smaller than most backyard pools and in poor repair. Of course, with four gorgeous beaches, who needs a pool. We've been to resorts that have no pool simply because the beaches are so spectacular that no one would think of lying around a pool. The best bet for this resort is to tear out the pool and put in another garden dining area adjacent to the existing beach dining area. As is, the pool s an embarrassment that the management is forced to apologize for on a daily basis. The tennis court was also rather rough looking. On first impression, we we're wondering whether we had made a mistake choosing this resort, but, from the first evening on, the place and the staff grew on us. All staff were amazingly friendly, attentive and welcoming. As for reception, Monday morning it was like someone had waved a magic wand over them and they also became incredibly friendly and helpful. The staff, from the grounds workers to the bartenders to the wait staff, are five star. All our meals were served buffet style and the food was excellent with breakfast and dinner being served in the main upper dining area and a BBQ lunch being served down in the beach restaurant. Any little concern we had was taken care of immediately. ( We had a hole in one of our room screens and our bathroom bulb burnt out. Both were replaced immediately (the bulb within ten minutes). When we checked in we noticed that our room lacked a fridge - we had one the next day. Our room had air conditioning that worked and a new TV with HBO, ESPN.movies etc. and mosquito netting which we hid under one night. The water pressure was great and the hot water always worked in the shower. We had a large balcony over looking the lawns and the ocean and every morning little finches would line up on the railing for muffin crumbs. Be warned : there is a huge difference from room category to room category. Our Superior Seaview room in the main building was fine but we had a chance to see some of the darker, claustrophobia-inducing, smaller rooms- none with TV, some without AC, some with water issues. We also saw the Royal Palm rooms which are similar to the Honeymoon Cove rooms and they were larger, newer and very nice - walk in glass showers, full tubs, bidet etc. The guests were generally older, as are we, and predominantly British with a spattering of fellow Canadians. One gentleman and his wife had been to the resort 50 some odd times over the past 26 years ! ( Hello again Hugh) It was a very quiet place through the day and into the night. Through the week dinner music was provided by a keyboardist and on Friday night there was a guitar, base and drums trio who were excellent. On Saturday night we were entertained by another very talented group of musicians with an excellent vocalist. Of special note : the interim manager Hyacynth seemed to be everywhere and was readily available. She also made a point of sitting and talking to each and every guest and truly wanted to know our impressions of the resort - both negative and positive. Will we go back ? Most definitely.

Nice place

We enjoyed pour vacation once se moved to à room with air conditionning. Overall everythig was ok and the food was good. Nice Beach. The shows were great. We wanted to do some excursions but it was way tout expansive. Nothing under 100$ us per person.

Quiet resort with limited options

This is a perfect spot for a quiet get away......if you are looking for action this is not the spot for you. If you are a "pool" person this is not the spot for you as the pool is very tiny. Grounds are beautiful overlooking the Caribbean, with 5 beaches. Buildings are in need of some maintenance....there is some rotting wood, flaking paint, holes in screens, shutters that won't close tight. We were without water for our first 3 days; although this was blamed on the drought in Antigua, s [... read more]ome units had plenty of water and we were provided a key to a room with water in order to have a shower after a day on the beach. Some staff were very friendly, but others were on the surly side; it was frustrating having to track down a waiter for a coffee in the morning. Perhaps one coffee station could be opened for guests to serve themselves instead of waiting to be noticed?? Although there are 2 locations for food....only one is open at a time. The food selection was good and the quality of food was good. They did not have Baileys but had Mollys which was a good substitute. Ourselves and many other guests frequented Eden Beach.....unfortunately there were not enough lounges and very little shade......it would not take much for them to put up more palapas or umbrellas. In addition there is no excuse for the resort to not provide drinking water for that beach. All in all, this resort (with Eden Beach) was a good alternative to not being able to travel to St. Martin.

"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.