Chillin' Antigua Style!
I was lucky enough to sample Virgin Atlantic’s premium cabin on the flight over to Antigua. The service was impeccable and the seats very comfortable, happy to recommend.
We arrived at the recently opened Hodges Bay to glorious sunshine and to find that my roomie, Sarah, and I were in a 2 bedroom/2-bathroom suite which was enormous, complete with kitchen/diner and lounge, plus terrace with loungers, tables and chairs. The gardens appeared very well established, just a bit of titivating still needed, such as artwork, to finish off this premium property.
In the interests of research, I was keen to participate in all the activities that were planned for us and my colleague Ian drew the short straw to partner me in kayaking. Neither of us got the hang of kayaking in a straight line, continually veering off to the left meant that we probably ended up travelling much further than the rest of the group! Our mission was to discover the amazing benefits of the mangroves’ ecosystem, the storm protection they afford, the natural nursery for sea-life and home to birdlife and reptiles. Continuing our jeep safari, we covered a lot of the island and stopped in a stunning location for a delicious home-cooked lunch after some snorkelling from the speedboat. And the trip wouldn’t have been complete without a trip to Shirley’s Heights for the amazing views over Nelson’s Dockyard and English and Falmouth Harbours. I was assured it is difficult to get lost in Antigua, but rarely did I see any road signs, not sure I’d fancy my chances as I have zero sense of direction! If you never hear from me again, you’ll know I went back to Antigua - and hired a car!
The following morning, after breakfast, we took a speedboat from the hotel’s jetty to Prickly Pear Island, visible from Hodges Bay. With white sand and turquoise seas all around it is an idyllic place to chill out, snorkel and feel blessed that this is classed as work! Oh, the places I get to visit in the interest of research! Ana’s on the Beach was our venue for a delicious dinner, situated on the stunning Dickenson Bay in St John’s, just along from Sandals Grande Antigua.
It was time to visit some hotels after a full day of just chillin’. Nonsuch Bay offers beautifully appointed, spacious bay view apartments, intimate beach cottages and luxury villas with private pools, in a West Indian Georgian colonial style. The 40 waterfront acres include a dramatically positioned restaurant, bar and clubhouse, three infinity edge swimming pools, palm fringed beach, sailing school, childcare facilities, spa treatments and colourful gardens. The azure waters of Nonsuch Bay are framed by a rich tropical landscape of green rolling hills, white sandy beaches, a barrier reef of gleaming turquoise and uninhabited islands. Cooled by the trade winds and sheltered from the ocean, it is a tranquil haven and home to wildlife including dolphins and turtles. We also got a peek at Escape@Nonsuch Bay, the perfect location for honeymooners.
Sandals Grande Antigua, set on the stunning Dickenson Bay in lush gardens, has a plethora of room types to suit all budgets and tastes. Personally, this is just too big a hotel for me, but I do get the appeal of all-singing, all-dancing resort hotels.
Following a rather leisurely lunch at the amazing Dennis Beach Bar (delicious food, laid-back vibe, stunning vistas) our final visit was to The Inn at English Harbour. Despite Antigua being popular with North Americans, most of the guests that stay in the genteel hotel are British and it has a real colonial feel about it, stylish but not stuffy.
Shirley’s Heights warranted a second visit and it was Sunday night so time to join the sunset party with live music, barbeque and dancing and seeing the lights decorating the harbour.
We were VIP guests at the PURE Beach Party back at Hodges Bay rounding of the day nicely. It was amazing to see the terraces and gardens rammed to the gills with mostly locals having a cool time, the ladies especially giving it large, they really do know how to let their hair down, what a superb atmosphere!
En route to our second hotel stay, Curtain Bluff, we visited the delightful Blue Waters Resort. Whilst Blue Waters is spread over 17 acres, offering myriad pools, accommodations and facilities it still retains a village feel and is one of the most popular hotels in Antigua. A surprise was in store for us – exclusive lunch at the very private Rock Cottage with plenty of time for swimming, relaxing and counting our blessings before our sumptuous buffet.
Bluff House will appeal to discerning folk and whilst it does cater for families it is very popular with my age group and above. I did think it would be a bit stuffy but after dinner on our second night we over 50’s hit the dancefloor, boogying along with the fab local band. Even the oldies were twisting and shaking their stuff! As you will know from my previous trips, I did manage to sample the spa, enjoying a relaxing massage that didn’t melt my credit card.
A relaxing day at sea was thoroughly enjoyable aboard Tropical Adventures' Mystic catamaran. With the opportunity to swim and snorkel in the tempting azure seas, a seafood barbeque aboard and plenty of refreshments it was a wonderful way to see the coastline and a few of us enjoyed a bit too much rum punch! Having flaked out after just two glasses on our jeep safari day out, I abstained, being a goody-two-shoes and was glad I did when we returned to Curtain Bluff, as we went to a posh cocktail party at Bluff House pre-dinner. Sarah's glass of bubbles consisted of sparkling water with ice and a slice!
Our final night was to be at Carlisle Bay, with views out to Montserrat from both our veranda and the beach. Nestled in a pretty cove, Carlisle Bay offers unpretentious luxury, a mix of casual and sophisticated dining and bars plus a wealth of activities. The suite was vast with two double bedrooms and a huge Jack-and-Jill bathroom just steps from the beach.
As you can probably tell, I’ve been very impressed with everything about Antigua and have no doubt I’ll be returning. If you’d like help with planning your own Antiguan Escape then do please get in touch, I’d be delighted to assist.