The Verandah Antigua

We had a lovely week staying here. Having read other reviews I wondered if we had stayed at the same resort. All staff we came into contact with from cart drivers, restuarant servers, bar servers, cleaners and ground workers were nothing but polite and helpful. We are all different characters,...

We had a lovely week staying here. Having read other reviews I wondered if we had stayed at the same resort. All staff we came into contact with from cart drivers, restuarant servers, bar servers, cleaners and ground workers were nothing but polite and helpful. We are all different characters, so just because someone isn't gushing doesn't mean they don't take their job and guest service responsibilities seriously. There are many exceptional staff here, I am just going to single one out though by name, Theodore, he was an absolute hoot and joy to be served by. If he ever reads this, Alright Mate !!!? Does it matter if you aren't served immediately you arrive at a bar or restaurant? No, of course it doesn't. You are on holiday in a lovely place so just relax and someone will be along very soon, where else have you got to be ?? Food was good everywhere, some choices better than others, but the selection is fantastic and you will always find something you like, you can try everything remember!! I read somewhere about concerns of no mini bar in the rooms. Seriously, the bars are open all day till late evening/early morning, not sure what the need for a room mini bar is. The grounds of the property are just amazing, beautiful to walk round and superbly kept, well done all. Do the Calypso Cat trip and Pink Panther Jeep Safari if nothing else, great fun. If I have 1 slightly less positive to mention, that would be the Sea Breeze restaurant decor. It could do with a face-lift,particularly the dark floor and furniture. A minor point and does not detract from the great food and service, but that tweak would lift the experience another notch. I do appreciate that renovations are a constant job in an establishment of this size however. Overall, a great week, would happily return and recommend, thanks all.

A nice hotel but needs a few changes to make it an excellent hotel. Our Water View room was spacious, yes it could be updated but it had a fabulous view. Some complain there is no mini bar but water is put in your fridge everyday and can be filled...

A nice hotel but needs a few changes to make it an excellent hotel. Our Water View room was spacious, yes it could be updated but it had a fabulous view. Some complain there is no mini bar but water is put in your fridge everyday and can be filled up at bars. If you are prepared with this list of things then your stay will be much better, unfortunately you need to insist on things which isn’t always the English way but if you do it in the right manner then they will understand. Guest Services- Book your restaurants in advance, if they say no availability then ask them to try the Pineapple Beach, if you still get a no then politely ask for management. Also book your day/ night pass at the Pineapple in advance, again ask for management if there is nothing available for the week you are there. Vanessa - the Duty Manager is amazing and without her the hotel wouldn’t survive. She listened to anything we asked for and solved everything. There are not enough restaurant slots for the number of guests in the hotel, people haven’t come to your lovely hotel to eat in a buffet restaurant that has no atmosphere and is like a dark hall. Portinfo restaurant was bright, the food was fabulous, particularly the lamb shank and the service excellent. Sails n Tails - good food, nice outdoor atmosphere, service hit and miss. Pizza at Papa Ricos was absolutely fantastic, the guy working there was fabulous. Wavy wickets was great for drinks, David and Risa work hard and produce good drinks, outside and inside space, although inside is chilly with the air con on high. Breakfast staff were great, particularly Maurica and the lovely lady behind the omelette/egg station. Go to the Pineapple Grill at the Pineapple beach which was fabulous. If you wish to pay the supplement then the Outhouse at the Pineapple Beach was also amazing. Although we booked and paid for 4 people and they only had a reservation for 2 but they quickly resolved this. We didn’t try Nicole’s. The choice of pools is good, depending if you wish noisy or quiet. The simple thing of stocking up beach towels first thing in the morning isn’t done, hopefully Vanessa has sorted this now as it was a crazy situation everyday. There are 2 beaches to choose from, the Beach grill does the best ribs and chicken wings. Do go to the Pineapple Beach in the day as the beach there is a little clearer. Overall we had a fun holiday with good food but the organisation at the hotel needs a lot of help. A big thanks to Vanessa the Duty Manager who seemed to be there day and night and assisted us so many times.

My husband and I stayed here for 5 days and had a great time. Considering this to be a mid range price hotel, you get a lot for your money. This resort has a romantic tropical vibe, Pros - The food was pretty good. With the restaurants all really good...

My husband and I stayed here for 5 days and had a great time. Considering this to be a mid range price hotel, you get a lot for your money. This resort has a romantic tropical vibe, Pros - The food was pretty good. With the restaurants all really good and buffet as average like most buffets. The coffee shop with specialty drinks and pastries were a nice bonus. - Waterfront rooms were beautiful but shower water pressure could be better - Expansive beautiful property which requires a bit of walking which is good to work off all the food you eat but would be a problem for mobility challenged individuals. - Lots of activities that are all well maintained… mini golf, pickleball, variety of water sports Cons - Only 1 out of 5 days were there towels available at the beach. - Hilly property

First of all, I want to say that I am writing this review relative to the price point I paid for the holiday. We stayed using a certificate that entitled us to 50% of the rack rate and we stayed in peak season. That said, this would have been a...

First of all, I want to say that I am writing this review relative to the price point I paid for the holiday. We stayed using a certificate that entitled us to 50% of the rack rate and we stayed in peak season. That said, this would have been a $6000/week stay and we paid half that. For full price, I would give 2 stars. Given this was half price, I think 3 stars is fair. I also want to add that we are tippers. We don’t believe that staff at any all inclusive ever receive all that they are due. We were armed with a roll of $5s and used them every time we got a nice drink or pleasant dining service or a gold cart ride. I am always pleased to acknowledge those doing a great job, and would encourage other guests to tip generously too. Where the resort shines: - The pools are lovely, especially the one right down at Rasta Beach. There is never anyone there. The water features in the pool are relaxing. We never had a problem getting a chair or towel. -There is always lively music at the main pool and the DJs work hard to keep up entertainment. -Karaoke night was a blast. -The water sports staff are eager to help you out and try something new. -There are various activities if you are looking for something to do. Jewelry making, water aerobics, mini golf, tennis. - Ability to call for a golf cart ride whenever needed - Beautifully maintained grounds - Wednesday night beach party at Rasta Beach. Seems like the staff pulled out all the stops. Food, service and entertainment were great. Where the resort has opportunity for improvement: - Check in process. The handouts and resort maps are black and white and fuzzy and hard to read. The receptionists are also giving you a lot of information when you are tired, hungry and don’t yet have your bearings. This process could be better, including having some of the key information they are telling you included in the handouts. - Housekeeping. Service is every other day, which is fine. I had to call and remind them to service our room on the third day, the first day we were due for service. On the fifth day, no one came and we were out all day on the boat. I called Guest Services at 5:30 pm when we got back to our room and saw that it hasn’t been touched, and then again at 6:30 pm to get at least fresh towels. None came. I took a shower that night using a hand towel to dry off as it was the last clean one in the room. They did service our room the next day but no water was dropped off and there were no apologies for not responding in the day they were supposed to come. - Food service. We found the staff at the Beach Bar and Grill to be great. This spot is not very busy so it seemed they were able to keep up with demand. But the waits for food even when using the reservation- based restaurants was long, and order accuracy was also a challenge. We also found that the food at the buffet was just fine but we didn’t care for the atmosphere because 1) it was loud in there and felt like a cafeteria 2) it was dark and cold 3) everyone was constantly getting up and down and having a continuous conversation with your loved one’s at the table wasn’t possible there. Unfortunately, there is not enough space at the other restaurants to go there more than a couple of times during your stay. More on that later. - Mini fridge in room. We were surprised to see that there was nothing in there, no bottles of water, cans of soda, fruit juices. The fridge is pretty useless. - Staffing. There was just one poor lonely bartender in the Wavy Wicket and I always felt bad going in there because he seemed overwhelmed. Likewise, there was typically just one bartender at the main pool all day. On our first night, one in our party went up to the main bar before dinner and just requested the bartender make him “something with rum.” Our friend liked it, and asked the bartender what it was called. Exasperated, the bartender replied, “I don’t know man, something with rum, just like you said.” My friend tried to explain and said he liked it he just wanted to know if it had a name so he could order it again. The bartender was irritated and said no. Not a great way to start off our stay. - Queue up or miss out. Guest Services by phone is useless. If you want anything done, you need to go in person and talk to them in their office by the main pool. On our first morning, we saw a line outside by 8:30 am. These people were all in line to make restaurant reservations. We stopped by after our breakfast and found out real quick all the restaurants were booked for the next two days. So the next morning we got up early and joined the queue and were at least able to reserve Sails and Tails and Portofino for one night each of our stay. This was annoying. This process could be handled so much easier and equitably with a simple request process done at check in or with an app. You also have to go there to reserve day passes to the sister property Pineapple Beach. If you don’t do that right away at the beginning of your stay, you may be out of luck. Staffing seems to be an issue. Most of the workers seemed overwhelmed. Some were genuinely happy and friendly and conversational. Most seemed to be there to just do a job. I would say staff engagement and morale is likely a problem here, which translates into the guest experience being up and down. Overall, we enjoyed our stay but feel like the resort has a long way to go before really making you feel at home. There is absolutely no way I would pay full price for the experience we had. There are much better all inclusive resorts in the Caribbean that we would visit over this property. That said, for $3K for the week, it was not bad.

The resort has lots of potential but seems extremely poorly managed , if it's managed at all. Most dining staff show the most dissinterest in their jobs that I've ever experienced. They really appear depressed to have to be there and attempt even a basic diner level of service. Bars...

The resort has lots of potential but seems extremely poorly managed , if it's managed at all. Most dining staff show the most dissinterest in their jobs that I've ever experienced. They really appear depressed to have to be there and attempt even a basic diner level of service. Bars are consistently understaffed. (I never saw more than 1 person actually on serving duty even though others are milling arund with 6 people queuing . You'll wait 20 min for a beer when the person in front orders 16 margaritas. Seems to be zero supervision on restaurants - we waited over an hour for our lunch order in a restaurant at 25 percent capacity. Most other tables left or ordered pizza from next door. After 50min we were just told "there were other orders in front of yours" Nothing had come out of the kitchen in 20 min. Staff either don't care or aren't allowed to give any reasonable explanation.

Phenomenal experience!! From the first moment we arrived we were treated like royalty by the majority of this happy staff all the way through to our regrettable departure. Everyday we found many memorable moments. If we needed special attention, this staff expedited results!! The willingness to comply to your every...

Phenomenal experience!! From the first moment we arrived we were treated like royalty by the majority of this happy staff all the way through to our regrettable departure. Everyday we found many memorable moments. If we needed special attention, this staff expedited results!! The willingness to comply to your every request was exceeded with urgency and big smiles!! We felt almost like family after just a few hours! Genuinely friendly people! Truly a dream come true!!

Summary Compared to visits to several other Caribbean Islands and resorts, this one was the only one that we were disappointed with. The resort has lots of potential, but it is not reached. We wanted to give it 3.5*, but you have to chose 3 or 4 Rooms • Large...

Summary Compared to visits to several other Caribbean Islands and resorts, this one was the only one that we were disappointed with. The resort has lots of potential, but it is not reached. We wanted to give it 3.5*, but you have to chose 3 or 4 Rooms • Large room • Nice balcony • Comfortable beds • Air con v good and quiet • Fridge in room • Kettle in room with teas and coffee • “Waterfront Suite Waterfront View” The room was at the lowest point in the resort and there was very limited sea view despite paying extra for a sea view room • Lots of noise from trees banging against room walls • Lots of noise from adjoining room (you could hear doors banging, conversation and hair dryers going all of the time) • Water supplied to room too limited (1 small bottle a day pp) • Reception miles away • Cleaning done only every other day Meals Overall, the food was not great. It was predominantly indoors (in the Caribbean!) and had limited choice Also, it felt a little like a holiday camp as you had to pre book evening meal for every meal, but you could only do that a couple of days in advance, so it became a continual event of queueing at guest services to book My husband was ill for several days (losing almost half of our holiday) with what was we are sure was a food related illness Food choices: • Sea Breeze – Indoors - The main buffet or canteen as we called it is the only restaurant open for breakfast! It has windows closed and closed shutters with a dark floor and dark furniture – felt like a bit being in a dark hole • Portofino (evenings only) – Indoors - good food, light floor and white furniture has windows closed and shutters closed so less oppressive than Sea Breeze, but still indoors • Pizzeria (lunch only) – had to wait 90mins for not very good pizza so didn’t bother again. • Sails and Tails (lunch and dinner) – Outdoors, so was our preferred choice, although a table cloth would have been nice in the evening • Nicoles (eve only) - Indoors - We told to avoid where there is an additional $40 per person charge – were told not worth it. Plus the decent wine is an additional cost. Location • Beautiful grounds and walks in paths, quite hilly – can call buggy if required • Nothing nearby as alternative to eat out • Windy – makes it cold in evening – especially if trying to sit near main bar in evening. Was 26 degrees Celsius but felt like 22. • Central bar but no real “gathering place” to listen to bands or relax after meal…not enough chairs and tables for events Beach • Fresh towels on beach daily (apart from when greedy people take several each) • Plenty of shade • Just about enough beach chairs • Sea slimy and unpleasant underfoot • Lots of seaweed • Water not clear due to being in a cove (could not see the bottom) • Water sports very limited – did not really want people to take out hobie cats on own…. If you did, the cove is narrow so have to tack every five seconds… waste of time Entertainment • Live music limited and not great – one talented band (reggae). Featured DJs and Karaoke but no steel band General view • Staff all very polite but not overly happy/relaxed… seemed to be a pressured work environment • Staff made to work even when ill • Reception staff and guest services seem to know nothing • Guest services (your main point for everything) – always busy and always a wait • Locks changed, told to go to guest services at 3 PM but Locked out of room at 11 am. Why did not wait until we left rather than lock us out of our room and make us walk to get new keys! Management not thinking. • The resort does arrange trips but they seem expensive for us – the resort knows how to charge and all in US dollars! • We did not try the spa because of the prices… can get similar massages in the UK for the same cost or less… • Another main issue was that we had, but did not realise, was that there is an extra $24 per night – tourist tax - $10 per night “room charge” whatever that means (ie $36 extra per day) all to be paid on departure • Guests get told to visit the sister hotel, but the truth is you get only one evening or day pass only to the Pineapple and had to go when they had space

Food at all the restaurants we ate in was lovely, waitresses very kind and gave good service. The main beach is fantastic, with lots of sun beds and shade if wanted, beach bar guy - Andre was very attentive and great fun. Rooms are spacious, big showers, big bed and...

Food at all the restaurants we ate in was lovely, waitresses very kind and gave good service. The main beach is fantastic, with lots of sun beds and shade if wanted, beach bar guy - Andre was very attentive and great fun. Rooms are spacious, big showers, big bed and big terrace to chill out on. Lots to do on the resort and beautiful gardens. Over all we had a really lovely time and will recommend this resort to our friends. Thank you Verandah.

We chose the Verandah because it promised beautiful beaches, great food, adults -only and beautiful grounds. We also paid for the beach front upgrade to enjoy the views and have more privacy. We enjoyed everything except the food. Most people will do just fine, but if you don't eat meat,...

We chose the Verandah because it promised beautiful beaches, great food, adults -only and beautiful grounds. We also paid for the beach front upgrade to enjoy the views and have more privacy. We enjoyed everything except the food. Most people will do just fine, but if you don't eat meat, like we do, the menu will be very limited. We ended up going outside the resort for many of our dinners, which is annoying and costly when booking an all-inclusive resort. However, we want to thank the young lady at the pizza cabana (she saved us a few times), the young lady at the specialty coffee cabana (delicious drinks), and especially Andre at the Lazy Pelican bar at the beach. He went out of his way to prepare special drinks for us! Finally, a special recognition to Charles. He's in charge of maintaining the beautiful grounds at the Verandah. We took the Nature Walk with him and we enjoyed delicious coconut water and sweet bananas. We learned about his vegetable and herbs project and he couldn't have been nicer to us! He deserves a big raise, Mr. Verandah owner. The resort is beautiful and if you get a chance, contact Javier, one of the resort's trusted drivers, and ask him to take you to some of the beaches in Antigua. Such beautiful waters!

Dj adio was the best around the pool with good music and his aqua gym is very fun Our vacation was good an no complaints would be back for a second trip thanks to you adio Lol I should say dj adio!! An thanks to the bartender an wait staff...

Dj adio was the best around the pool with good music and his aqua gym is very fun Our vacation was good an no complaints would be back for a second trip thanks to you adio Lol I should say dj adio!! An thanks to the bartender an wait staff as well we have lots of fun

Had room 308 opposite lovers pool. Beautiful massive room and huge balcony. Easy reach for Bar/Resaurants and main pool. Was delightful. Walk in shower. stayed 28/11/24 for 11 nights, for husbands 60th birthday. Wow! What a beautiful hotel. We had the most amazing time. Grounds are perfectly kept. The two...

Had room 308 opposite lovers pool. Beautiful massive room and huge balcony. Easy reach for Bar/Resaurants and main pool. Was delightful. Walk in shower. stayed 28/11/24 for 11 nights, for husbands 60th birthday. Wow! What a beautiful hotel. We had the most amazing time. Grounds are perfectly kept. The two small beach coves were awesome. Really knew we was in the Caribbean. Main buffet restaurant Sea Breeze was out of this world. Food was delicious. Well done Dale restaurant manager. So much to choose from. Sails and tails, pizza place, and Portofino all fabulous. Drinks strong too. Rum and coke was going down a treat. Have to say a big shout out to Theodore at breakfast, so friendly and fun. Hotel manager also for keeping hotel on top form. Loved the managers welcome party, and the beach party. Well for my husbands 60th we had the best time ever. So glad we booked the verandah hotel. We had made great memories there. I would love to return one day. Please peps don’t hesitate to book. You will not be disappointed at all. Ignore any bad reviews if you read any. Can’t understand what people have to complain about. Can’t remember everyone’s names, but a few. Vanessa so friendly, Mr pool DJ amazing. You were all an amazing team to make our holiday just fabulous.

Room, pool and beaches were enjoyable and very good. Weather was great, similar to Aruba. Level of service and food have a long way to go. Restaurant options were limited to 2 restaurants/night + the buffet. Buffet at breakfast was the same every day. Lines for best option -- fresh...

Room, pool and beaches were enjoyable and very good. Weather was great, similar to Aruba. Level of service and food have a long way to go. Restaurant options were limited to 2 restaurants/night + the buffet. Buffet at breakfast was the same every day. Lines for best option -- fresh eggs were 20-30 minutes most days. Most staff did not seem happy to be there. Food service was delayed 30-40 minutes without explanation on some nights. No options for room service or take-out. Drink service at pool and beach either not available or offered only 1x in 6 hour stay. Wine we were gifted by our travel agent was removed from our room without explanation. Security investigation deducted that the gifted one was "more expensive" than usually gifted as it required a corkscrew. Typically, gifted ones have a twist off cap. Taken wine was replaced with a cheaper selection. In comparison to other all-inclusives where I have stayed, The Verandah fell well below expectations. I would not recommend or return.

We had a good experience at the Verandah. There are areas for improvement but overall we would recommend the resort to friends. Room was comfortable, generous in size, and clean. Bed was very comfortable. Bathroom was clean and spacious and had nice supply of personal care products. We had a...

We had a good experience at the Verandah. There are areas for improvement but overall we would recommend the resort to friends. Room was comfortable, generous in size, and clean. Bed was very comfortable. Bathroom was clean and spacious and had nice supply of personal care products. We had a Waterview suite and the view was absolutely gorgeous. We loved the cottage set up/vibe. The staff was hit and miss---a few stellar ones; some who were rude and/or not helpful; most were fine (friendly and helpful enough). It did seem like it was their way or the highway. One incident was particularly disturbing to me. One of two stalls in the bathroom didn't have toilet paper in the morning at Lovers Beach. I let the staff at the bar know. By the afternoon, both stalls were without toilet paper. I let them know and was told to use paper towel. I said it didn't seem good to flush paper towel and was told they have staff to clear the toilets and not to worry about it. The managers were top-notch---they made an effort to be accommodating, spoke kindly, and went out of their way to make sure you were having a good experience. Food and drinks were above average for an all-inclusive resort. Breakfast buffet was excellent. Great variety. Tasty omelettes. Loved the daily turnover (pineapple was my favorite with Nutella one a close second). I would suggest grabbing your own water at the bar on your way in as it took forever to get your first glass and it was nearly impossible to get a refill. We never had the buffet for lunch so can’t speak to that. The pizza was very good at Papa Ricco’s—highly recommend. Also enjoyed lunches at The Beach Grill. As for dinner, we ate at the buffet, Sails & Tails, and Portofino’s. Buffet was good. Dinners at S&T and Portofino’s were very good. Get yourself to Guest Services and book what they let you book for dinners. Beaches and pools were great. Clean. Chairs were available. There were spots in the sun and in the shade. The music by the beach one day was problematic with graphic lyrics. Loved, loved, loved the floatie things at Lovers Beach! Great way to hang out in the water. Being on coves has positives but it is different to not be looking at the expansive ocean while on the beach. Be prepared to walk, including up and down hills. It was totally doable for us but this could be limiting for some. There were carts coming and going quite a bit so not a dealbreaker but it deserves being noted. Ice was easily available in the area of our cottage, which we appreciated. Get over to Guest Services as soon as you can to arrange a day pass to the sister resort of Pineapple. It has the more scenic beach view and their buffet is set on an open-air space. It was fun to spend the day there. The staff was much friendlier and more helpful too.

The Verandah is a very large and charming resort. There are two beach areas and the first one you see it not the better of the two so don’t despair, when you first arrive. The Beach grill is located at the first beach and was a highlight of the stay....

The Verandah is a very large and charming resort. There are two beach areas and the first one you see it not the better of the two so don’t despair, when you first arrive. The Beach grill is located at the first beach and was a highlight of the stay. We had great lunches there. I can’t remember the female chefs name but she made the BEST jerk chicken and ribs. Theodore is a server there and he was so amazing, fun and attentive. He remembered, on the last day of our trip, everything about us from our first day- even down to where we sat and our drink preferences. He was even more personable than many of the butlers we have had at other resorts. We had a premium ocean front room in one of the buildings furthest from the lobby. There are golf carts to transport guests but found them slow to come around when waiting at the stops in between. Definitely recommend calling ahead if you know you will need one. Our room was very spacious. The shower was tiled recently but plastic still remained between thresholds and was poorly finished. There is a large shower but a tiny, old shower head. The verandah could benefit from upgraded furniture or a hammock and really needs repairs and paint. These are the units facing the nicer of the two beaches and the view of them from the beach also reveals that it could use some repairs and paint. There were a few bottles of water and a cheese plate in the fridge but no mini bar items. When you check in - the extra fees are explained in detail. I didn’t find the “every other day cleaning” to be an issue but when charging so many extra resort fees- it grates a bit. They charge more for resort fees each day than other resorts on the island that we stayed at that offer “more” in amenities. I would love to see upgraded shower fixtures, maybe some wood beam features on the ceiling and repaired and upgraded Verandahs as that is the name. They should also offer better bags to guests than those cheap, ugly paper ones.

We don't usually go to all inclusive resorts but we found The Verandah to be a very pleasant exception. There are a good selection of specialty restaurants to compliment the general buffet. The staff without exception were all wonderful and very accommodating to all requests. The sea view facing rooms...

We don't usually go to all inclusive resorts but we found The Verandah to be a very pleasant exception. There are a good selection of specialty restaurants to compliment the general buffet. The staff without exception were all wonderful and very accommodating to all requests. The sea view facing rooms are well worth the expense.

Awesome trip! Wonderful pools and beaches. Several restaurants and bars to choose from, nightly entertainment. There are shuttles available if you need assistance. Accommodations were very nice. Everyone was very friendly. Will definitely return.

The Verandah Antigua is a luxurious adults-only, all-inclusive beachfront resort located on Antigua's northeastern coast. It offers a range of accommodations, including Waterfront Suites, Water view Suites, two-bedroom Villas, and two-bedroom Plunge Pool Villas, each featuring private verandas with stunning garden or ocean views. Our stay in a spacious Waterfront...

The Verandah Antigua is a luxurious adults-only, all-inclusive beachfront resort located on Antigua's northeastern coast. It offers a range of accommodations, including Waterfront Suites, Water view Suites, two-bedroom Villas, and two-bedroom Plunge Pool Villas, each featuring private verandas with stunning garden or ocean views. Our stay in a spacious Waterfront Suite was exceptional, with an expansive deck that provided breathtaking views. The suite's prime location allowed for easy access to the pools, spa, gift shop, and multiple dining options. The customer service was outstanding, the food exceeded expectations, and the entire resort maintained an impressive level of cleanliness, ensuring a truly relaxing and enjoyable experience.

The rooms were large and clean; ours had a beautiful view with an outdoor veranda. The staff was everywhere, always looking out for your needs. Since the property was landscaped with botanical specimens and meticulously maintained, the walking paths were an activity in themselves. The buffet restaurant food was beyond...

The rooms were large and clean; ours had a beautiful view with an outdoor veranda. The staff was everywhere, always looking out for your needs. Since the property was landscaped with botanical specimens and meticulously maintained, the walking paths were an activity in themselves. The buffet restaurant food was beyond delicious. There were probably 30+ choices as well as a private cook with a fry pan and some raw ingredients to cook you up an individual selection. The food variety was splendid: Asian night, Southern night, seafood, Tex-mex, Italian etc. Also several other restaurant choices. Each day had several activities if that’s your preference. I highly recommend.

First of all normally this isn’t our kind of holiday , we travel a lot all over the world but we are much more independent travellers and prefer smaller boutique accommodation. But I booked this as my husband and I had spent Christmas and our wedding anniversary apart as he...

First of all normally this isn’t our kind of holiday , we travel a lot all over the world but we are much more independent travellers and prefer smaller boutique accommodation. But I booked this as my husband and I had spent Christmas and our wedding anniversary apart as he works internationally and was committed to working over the holidays . I’ll run through my review as it happened . Arrival and reception - absolutely atrocious. We arrived about 8pm after a 2 hour wait in immigration at the airport to basically very sour faced reception staff . No warm welcome just give us your card details and fill in this form - you’ve got to eat at the buffet, but get a move on . The Porter took us to our room , now here again was a big disappointment, we booked a water view and I’d emailed ahead and explained this was a special holiday only to be given perhaps the darkest gloomiest accommodation there was - surrounded by plants - yes we like tropical but this in a dip ( see the pics ) .you couldn’t even see the front door . Anyway we dropped our bags and walked to the Seabreeze restaurant ( now there’s no seaview but it was very breezy- in fact it was freezing cold as the aircon was on full blast and the fans also on full and to be honest it wasn’t that tropical outside . This was perhaps our biggest disappointment of the whole holiday : this so called restaurant is more like a canteen , the floor was disgustingly dirty , it’s dark cold soulless and grim - yes we understand the windows being closed but all the shutters were closed all the time . We did have the first couple of days breakfast there but it was depressing so for most of our 9 days we just grabbed a fruit pot and drink from the cafe - when you’re in the Caribbean you want to enjoy the lovely sunshine eating outside not in the most awful room we’ve encountered . Anyway accommodation: first thing next morning having been a main course for mosquitoes on the first night we went to guest services to ask to move / just a few doors out of the gulley - we received a sympathetic acknowledgment but just a reply they’d get back to us asap . We did eventually move after 3 days but only after constant asking and paying another £450 for exactly the same room but a bit more sea view and tbh this was much cleaner but even then it’s just okay . We found accommodation to be very basic 3* no luxury and the rooms need brightening and modernisation. The seating in our room was covered in stains . We understand a lot of people say it’s just a place to sleep but to us a nice clean bedroom is integral to a good holiday.ps absolutely no soundproofing so be prepared for early mornings and shared conversations with your neighbours 🙄 The main beach was ok but some of the lounges are broken and need replacing . Rasta beach was quieter and the pool down there was nice but we did find we again were a meal for the bugs. Drinks - we are not big consumers but all we wanted was a couple of good quality G&Ts per day perhaps after dinner - again a massive disappointment- the only choices were quite standard and regardless of the time of day the main bar served these in plastic glasses -understandable in the day by the pool but it in the evening? Also the tonic was cheap flat and served out of a pump . They did have better tonic at the main beach but then they didn’t have Tanquary gin which was the best they offered . Overall the drinks are cheap poor quality and sugar filled . Restaurants - like I’ve said we avoided the sea freeze as we called it . Portofino was ok but the menu is the same everyday but it perhaps has the best service. Tails and sails is better at lunch as the 2 nights we ate there service was hit or miss and food cold -one night we waited an hour for my husbands starter of calamari only to get a warm plate and cold food - the main was worse so we just left hungry . Nicole’s Is ok but when we ate there only 2 tables were occupied so soulless . Not really worth the supplement. Our final comments - staff - some good some not . We did find a lot of the bar staff seemed to pander the American customers especially in the wavy wicket again it was freezing in there and sails and tails in the afternoons . We did make our opinions known to customer services before we left . Would we recommend - no we found a lot of other uk guests felt the same - very disappointed . The resort is well kept - gardens etc but the accommodation , food and drink is poor quality. It’s a shame as it could be so much better with just a few updates .

It’s a shame that a beautiful resort is really not run very well. It seemed that no matter where we were they were very under staffed. One day we went for lunch at 1pm and didn’t get any of our food till 3pm. It was also frustrating not being able...

It’s a shame that a beautiful resort is really not run very well. It seemed that no matter where we were they were very under staffed. One day we went for lunch at 1pm and didn’t get any of our food till 3pm. It was also frustrating not being able to get reservations for restaurants till the third day. They have a nice pizza restaurant but it takes over an hour to get a pie. The pool bar is not right by the pool and usually only had one bartender so if someone had a big order you could wait up to 30 minutes. The food was good for the most part, though it seemed best to stick to seafood. As far as the grounds the resort is very well kept. Lush plants, manicured grass, great pool and nice beaches. There is a coffee shop with pastries that is open late. The entertainment was nice, they had some great bands, karaoke and a beach party with a band. The resort is very spread out and hilly. So there were times you needed to call to be picked up by a golf cart. The resort is definitely not ADA compliant with many places with steps. Our group did have a nice time but I would not go back again.