JoannaM

My partner and i have just booked in at the Royal Antiguan for two weeks. I have read some of the comments posted about this resort and I am now a little worried. WE CANNOT AFFORD TO CANCEL AS THAT MEANS LOSING MONEY AND NO HOLIDAY AT ALL. Whats the deal with this place? I can cope with flies, as you get uninvited insects anywhere you go. Is it clean? We have booked room only so what will the price of a pint be, and does anyone have any recommendations of places to eat out of the resort if you are holidaying on a tIght budget?

ejcrowe

The Big Banana pizza company will deliver food to you, plus beer, for less money than it would cost to go out paying cab fare, or often staying in and eating at the hotel restaurants.<BR><BR>If you spend any time exploring the capital of St John, I'd recommend lunch at Hemingway's for very reasonable prices. Lovely open-air balcony with ceiling fans that overlokks the street below, making for fun people-watching.<BR><BR>The Beach, a beach-font restaurant on the southern end of Dickenson Bay offers a lot of atmosphere and pretty good food at a decent price. <BR><BR>Look for little shacks along the roads selling food--very tasty, and the cheapest fare on the island. The one that I tried was located just off the resort properties of Hawksbill and Galley Bay. <BR><BR>I, too, have heard the worst reports about Royal Antigua, but since you've already committed to it, just go in with a relaxed attitude. After all, you're spending two weeks in one of the most beautiful regions on earth. You can make your vacation what you want it to be. A little warmth extended to the folks who work at RA will probably work wonders.

JoannaM

Thankyou for taking the time to reply. I do like to chat with the locals when i am away, and i have been told that this is appreciated greatly especially at the RA. I have decided that since it is alredy booked i shall take your advice and not expect too much, i might be nicely suprised!! And as you said, it is a beautiful place and i am not planning to spend much time in the accomodation, i am going to go with am open mind and explore!! Once again, Many thanks,<BR>Joanna.

cdt

If you are not already reserved for the &quot;best&quot; class of room (ocean view?), you may want to see if you can upgrade after you arrive, without spending too much additional.<BR><BR>These rooms are reportedly in better condition.<BR>

ejcrowe

Joanna:<BR><BR>That's the right attitude to have. Don't start second-guessing your trip before you get there. I agree with the previous poster about getting the room upgrade--there's a good chance that if you inquire upon arrival for an upgrade that they'll give you a complimentary one. After all, you're a guest who has booked room-only for a fortnight--you're the kind of guest they'll want to make especially happy since you're not on the all-inclusive option and you'll presumably be spending money buying food and drinks while there.<BR><BR>Food and drink aside, you'll probably end up spending more money on transportation. Taxis can be very expensive, so you might want to think about renting a car for at least part of the time you're there. There's also the bus system, but I've never used it, so I cannot comment on it. <BR><BR>I'd recommend that you buy a copy of the Rough Guide to Antigua and Barbuda and take it with you on your trip. The folks who wrote approached it with a sense of humor, and it gives a fairly even take on both the budget and upscale places around the island. <BR><BR>You're going to have a great time--two weeks in Antigua! I wish I were so lucky right now.

ejcrowe

i was just interested to know how your 2-week vacation went at the Royal Antiguan...did you end up having a good time? i hope so!

MollyMorris

Hi! I too have booked at the Royal Antiguan but I will be there only for a week. I had not read Joanna's post prior to booking my hotel. Now I'm a little bit concerned and would love to know how Joanna's vactation turned out. My friend and I have not made reservations for all inclusive. My friend has since talked to people who have been to the caribbean and have told her that we should go all inclusive. This is both of our first trip to the Islands and I'm not sure what to expect. What would you guys recommend? My friend &amp; I don't drink and I'm thinking $65/day/person for going all inclusive is too much. Considering what I've read about RA, would the resturant food be any good or safe? Also do you have to be careful about drinking the local water. I have heard of people going to Mexico and getting sick due to the water. Any suggestions on going all inclusive, resturants, transportation, activities would be very much appreciated. I'm heading there next week and I will let you guys know of my experience. I'm going there with an attitude to relax and enjoy my vacation.

Thanks!
Molly

ejcrowe

Molly: Don't let negative reviews get you down before your trip. For every traveler who hates one hotel, there's another who loves it. True, the next time you vacation you'll know to do more research, but for now just go, relax, and have a good time.

I am not a big fan of all-inclusive options, but it might be right for you this trip, even though you don't drink. What you need to consider is whether you (1) are going to rent a car or use taxis on your trip, and (2) whether you want to eat in the same restaurant every day for a week.

$65 sounds like a good price to me for 3 meals/day plus drinks. If you don't rent a car, it would make sense to sign up for the AI option, as a round trip cab fare to an off-site restaurant will likely run you $40 each time you want to leave your hotel.

If I were in your shoes and if I were trying to be very cost-conscious, I would rent a car AND sign up for AI. That way I could have breakfast every morning at the hotel, drinks and snacks by the pool/beach, and then alternate eating lunches and dinners at other places on the island.

Water is safe to drink on Antigua, but I still prefer bottled water for the taste. Bottled water is not always included in AI prices, so you may want to stock up at local grocery store if you plan to drink a lot of it. If it IS included in the Royal Antiguan AI price, you'll be able to get a lot of $$ worth just drinking bottled water.

If you like shopping, you'll probably want to take a 1/2 day and spend it in St. John's. There are good restaurants in town at reasonable prices. I also liked the cathedral, book shops, and map shops downtown. A good bit of the island action is located on Dickenson Bay, with tons of restaurants on that strip. English Harbor is the other touristy destination, but avoid it if there's a cruise ship docked that day. Shirley's Heights has BBQ and live music at sunset on Sunday. Wadadli Catamaran offers a variety of snorkeling trips around the island with pickup and drop off at the RA. There are tons of things to keep you busy andhappy. Just relax and have a great time!