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Antigua- anybody been? Advise. (1 Viewer)

El Floppo

El Floppo

Footballguy
We'll be going for our 10 year anniversary this November and I don't really know much about it. We visited for a day a long time ago- not long enough to get a sense of the place other than nice beaches.

Has anybody been? We're trying to figure out where to stay, what to do, and other tips for visiting there.

We want a hotel on the beach that has a kitchen. Also can't afford much. Not a fan of big place or AIs (although a kids' club would be good).

Best beaches?

Best restaurants?

Other things to see there?

Best supermarkets?

Car needed?

I did a search, and the only thing that really came up here was how to pronounce it. TBH- I don't care.

 
Hey Flop, I was there in July for my ten year anniversary. I'm about to run out the door but will repost later tonight. If I forget shoot me a PM.

 
I've got some friends with a rock-a-billy/blues type band that play at this place once a year. They love it and keep going back.

They have an airport story of one the band members being pulled into special security. He had to go into a room where an intimidated man looked him over quietly, and then made him change out of his fatigue/camo cargo shorts. It is considered disrespectful of the military down there.

 
OK Flop, now that I read your post more closely, I'm not sure I can help much. We puddle-jumped over from Nevis after a presidents club trip, so we had no kids and were definitely looking to just chill given the level of partying we had just done. We stayed at Hermitage Bay (link below), which is all-inclusive but done right (every meal was outstanding). I went on a few dives, but that's about all we really did outside of laying low on the beach. Got a decent look at the island to and from the airport and honestly there doesn't seem to be a ton there.

So in short, we pretty much did the exact opposite of what you want to do. Sorry!

http://www.hermitagebay.com

 
jamny said:
Just curious, why there specifically if you really don't know anything about it?
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we were there once for a day a long time ago- beaches looked amazing, and the island overall looked nice. I'd always had it in the back of my mind that we'd go back someday when the time was right.

we're not party people- good food, great beaches and water with decent place to stay and we're set. we've been going to Anguilla every year since we first went- got married there 10 years ago because we love it. we also have it dialed in for staying as affordably as possible. we were supposed to go there this year, but for some reason the airfare to St Maarten has been ridiculous- more than twice what we typically pay (which adds up fast for family of 4)- and showing no signs of going down, so we decided to look elsewhere. got tickets to Antigua for less than flying to California. now we just have to figure out how to make a go of it there similar to how we do it in Anguilla.

 
Dentist said:
Go to Turks and Caicos, stay at Seven Stars, thank me later.
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thanks :thumbup:

been to T&C a couple times. nice, but not interested in going back- didn't like the food at all, or the pile-up of timeshare type places on the beach (grace). just checked your place- looks great. also 3x the price we'll be paying in Antigua. airfare is also 3x the price for same dates.

 
El Floppo said:
Dentist said:
Go to Turks and Caicos, stay at Seven Stars, thank me later.
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thanks :thumbup:

been to T&C a couple times. nice, but not interested in going back- didn't like the food at all, or the pile-up of timeshare type places on the beach (grace). just checked your place- looks great. also 3x the price we'll be paying in Antigua. airfare is also 3x the price for same dates.
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I agree the food wasn't that great. obviously 3x price is no good

 
BUMP!

Heading here for my honeymoon next July.  Staying at Sandals.  Anyone been there?  Thoughts on the island?

TIA.

 
rodg12 said:
BUMP!

Heading here for my honeymoon next July.  Staying at Sandals.  Anyone been there?  Thoughts on the island?

TIA.
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We had a really nice time down there, but didn't stay in an AI like Sandals. 

When I get a minute I'll look up what I wrote for it. Lots to see, and tbh we didn't even make a dent.

 
Went there on a cruise about 20 years ago. We got weed from a cab driver who brought us to a nice beach where we got hammered, high and very, very sunburned. So bad that my buddy couldn’t wear shoes for a few days due to swollen feet.

I Love Antigua.

 
RUSF18 said:
Just booked this place for a kid free anniversary trip in June. Very excited.
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that place is supposed to be amazing- the wife's been wanting to go there for a long time.

it's funny- we're trying to get away this summer with my mom... looking at the usual week in fire island, nj shore, etc. this is what we started with before our antigua trip. antigua trip ended up being about the same price as any of those local nyc inflated summer spots.

and sure enough, after I recommended cape may my wife responded with- might as well go to anguilla (our favorite) for those prices. 

 
El Floppo said:
that place is supposed to be amazing- the wife's been wanting to go there for a long time.

it's funny- we're trying to get away this summer with my mom... looking at the usual week in fire island, nj shore, etc. this is what we started with before our antigua trip. antigua trip ended up being about the same price as any of those local nyc inflated summer spots.

and sure enough, after I recommended cape may my wife responded with- might as well go to anguilla (our favorite) for those prices. 
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It was way cheaper than I expected it to be. And yeah, last summer we paid a ridiculous amount for our portion of a week in a (sick) house on the North Shore with 3 other families. Great time and everything but you can get a real vacation at the same price.

 
The Z Machine said:
My mom spent a month down there with her boyfriend.  Lots of beach time she said. Other than that, I know nothing.
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It's a bigger island, still feel the British colonial history there with some forts/harbors. Lots and lots of beaches and geography (hilly and maybe rain forest or at least jungle) with wide range of AIs and regular. can fly there direst form a bunch of US spots. Little bit o everything, hut emphasis on beaches.

 
Went on a sailing trip with my cousin's family when I was about 14 and stopped at several places, including Antigua.  I forget if it was Antigua or Guadelupe, but my cousin and I somehow ended up at a dirty hole in the wall bar playing pool with a bunch of adults.  I was so terrible, but ended up working to my advantage when I had like all 7 balls left and my opponent had 1 and he started getting frustrated that he had no clear shots.  that allowed me to come back and almost win.  In retrospect, I have no idea how we were in this place alone at 14 (maybe his parents were actually somewhere nearby).

Then we met a homeless dude named Byron with one leg who seemed super happy and we gave him some money.  Probably affected my worldview a lot, seeing something like that.

HTH

 
RUSF18 said:
Holy #### do I love it here. 
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Jesus Christ, $700 per night, per person?   Going to stay at Hawksbill for a full week for the price of one night there.

Appreciate any details and recommendations if you make it off the resort.  We rent a car to get around to explore the islands/beaches ditching the over crowded St. Maarten for Antigua this year.  

 
AAABatteries said:
Would love to get more details - room, beaches, activities - is it all-inclusive?
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The place was really just perfect. My wife and I desperately needed some R&R away from the kid and this allowed for just that. Big beach where no one was on top of each other, no need to reserve chairs/palappas as they had plenty available, and the water was unreal. Felt like a better version of Aruba...one of my complaints there was how far away from the water you actually are when you're set up in your chairs. Here it was just a few steps. Only had to go about 5 ft in to start seeing fish, and they had snorkels for you in your room. 

Stayed in the premium beachfront suite which is their top one. Huge room, two person shower, great lounge chairs on the balcony and just walk from there right on to the beach. 

Galley Bay is all inclusive...food was very good. There are only two restaurants for dinner (a 3rd has an extra fee) but the menu changes daily so didn't feel like it was that limited. Had a little beach grill open for lunch that was great. Drinks were what you'd expect. Good labels, plentiful, etc

Activities...free paddleboarding, kayaks, catamaran rides for more snorkeling, etc. A lot of people seemed to be booking other boat rides/tours that they enjoyed but that wasn't in the cards for us.

tonydead said:
Jesus Christ, $700 per night, per person?   Going to stay at Hawksbill for a full week for the price of one night there.

Appreciate any details and recommendations if you make it off the resort.  We rent a car to get around to explore the islands/beaches ditching the over crowded St. Maarten for Antigua this year.  
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Haha geez that has to be an availability/holiday problem if that's what you saw. I paid just under $3200 for two of us, with direct airfare from NYC, for 4 nights in their best room. 

We stayed on the resort so can't offer too much but while going back and forth from the airport I kept thinking there was no way in hell I'd drive there. Tight roads, weird traffic patterns, cows/horses on the side of the road...no bueno.

 
RUSF18 said:
The place was really just perfect. My wife and I desperately needed some R&R away from the kid and this allowed for just that. Big beach where no one was on top of each other, no need to reserve chairs/palappas as they had plenty available, and the water was unreal. Felt like a better version of Aruba...one of my complaints there was how far away from the water you actually are when you're set up in your chairs. Here it was just a few steps. Only had to go about 5 ft in to start seeing fish, and they had snorkels for you in your room. 

Stayed in the premium beachfront suite which is their top one. Huge room, two person shower, great lounge chairs on the balcony and just walk from there right on to the beach. 

Galley Bay is all inclusive...food was very good. There are only two restaurants for dinner (a 3rd has an extra fee) but the menu changes daily so didn't feel like it was that limited. Had a little beach grill open for lunch that was great. Drinks were what you'd expect. Good labels, plentiful, etc

Activities...free paddleboarding, kayaks, catamaran rides for more snorkeling, etc. A lot of people seemed to be booking other boat rides/tours that they enjoyed but that wasn't in the cards for us.

Haha geez that has to be an availability/holiday problem if that's what you saw. I paid just under $3200 for two of us, with direct airfare from NYC, for 4 nights in their best room. 

We stayed on the resort so can't offer too much but while going back and forth from the airport I kept thinking there was no way in hell I'd drive there. Tight roads, weird traffic patterns, cows/horses on the side of the road...no bueno.
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Thanks, the price was from their website you linked, I tried a couple different dates.  No doubt it doesn't seem right. We always explore so we will figure it out as soon as the wife guest accustomed to driving on the wrong side of the road.  We're all inclusive too, but, no way we stay in one place more than a couple days. We're going for 10. Glad to hear you had a great time!  

 
tonydead said:
Thanks, the price was from their website you linked, I tried a couple different dates.  No doubt it doesn't seem right. We always explore so we will figure it out as soon as the wife guest accustomed to driving on the wrong side of the road.  We're all inclusive too, but, no way we stay in one place more than a couple days. We're going for 10. Glad to hear you had a great time!  
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Fwiw, we had a car and drove around to different spots (not at all difficult, although I have some wrong-sided driving experience from our trips to Anguilla and from being drunk). Had dinner and walked around in the old English Port, saw sunset from some hilltop that every tourist on the island went to for the same idea, drove, but didn't really explore the more rugged North shore, hit a couple nice beaches on the west coast.

Mostly stayed on the west coast where our hotel was...can't remember the name, but was in a busy more dense part of the island ok (cheap) with ok beach. it was nicer elsewhere, but there was lots of restaurants and stores around us within walking distance (iirc our hotel didn't have a restaurant, although it did have a very loud frog that liked to chirp all night), so made things easy for food during the days we stayed at home. 

A friend said there's a beautiful area on the south part of the island that you have to 4x4 to get to...we didn't have that, so kissed out.

 
We usually get villas with a kitchenette instead of hotel rooms and all inclusive. Always rent a car for exploring.  Settled with Buccaneer Beach Club, quaint villas just steps from Dickenson Beach.  Always cash in my credit card rewards points to help pay for the vacation.  Got flights, villa and rental car for 10 days for about $2,000.   :thumbup:

 
tonydead said:
We usually get villas with a kitchenette instead of hotel rooms and all inclusive. Always rent a car for exploring.  Settled with Buccaneer Beach Club, quaint villas just steps from Dickenson Beach.  Always cash in my credit card rewards points to help pay for the vacation.  Got flights, villa and rental car for 10 days for about $2,000.   :thumbup:
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:shock:

I would never have remembered it- but that's exactly where we stayed. and exactly how we did our trip. 

say hi to the nocturnal singing frog.

eta... 10 days is a long trip- nice! we were there less than a week. I don't know if anything's left of Barbuda after the hurricane last year, but it had some stunning completely desolate beaches and is a ferry ride away. we stayed there for a week years ago. 

 
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El Floppo said:
:shock:

I would never have remembered it- but that's exactly where we stayed. and exactly how we did our trip. 

say hi to the nocturnal singing frog.

eta... 10 days is a long trip- nice! we were there less than a week. I don't know if anything's left of Barbuda after the hurricane last year, but it had some stunning completely desolate beaches and is a ferry ride away. we stayed there for a week years ago. 
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Great minds.  Is everywhere set up to take US dollars like st Martin and anguilla so you don't have to mess around with currency exchange? 

 
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