Laurie01

2 couples with NO knowledge of the carribean other than what we've read over the past few weeks are looking for an affordable 25th anniversary "tropical paradise" vacation. This Coconut beach Club resort sound nice and seems affordable... does that really mean its too good to be true?

ejcrowe

Is the place on the west coast that used to be the Yepton Beach Resort? I don't know a thing about it in this new incarnation if that's the case. Yepton was not a nice place at all, but that's irrelevant at this point.

Antigua is a great island for a first timer to the Caribbean. It has a modern feel in the town of St. John's but a nice West Indian vibe as well. There are tons of gorgeous beaches and you can visit several on a day trip circumnavigation ofo the island if you're so inclined. There's decent shopping in town because it's a cruise port, there's also the small but lovingly tended museum and beautiful cathedral of St. John in town, both worth a look.

There's Nelson's Dockyard which is fascinating, not just for the history buff. Good restaurants abound. You can take daytrips to neighboring islands such as Montserrat and Barbuda that are both pretty far off the beaten path. And you can take a daysail for sun & decent snorkeling.

It's easy to access from Hartford (didn't you mention that on another post? That's where I fly from, too.) and you fly on jets all the way there, which eases the mind of some uneasy flyers. (Either an Airbus or 757 to San Juan, then a 737 to Antigua from there)

I love Antigua but I've not been there since 2005. When I go I stay at the Long Bay Hotel, which now feels like going home when I return there. It may or may not be right for you but I can't tell based on the lack of information you've presented. What's your budget and what else do you want in your vacation other than "tropical paradise?"

Laurie01

Thanks for the info, I really appreciate any input I can get! The ad says they're located on the 1/2 mile Yepton Beach on the West coast of the island. Is that the "not so nice" place you were thinking of? We all feel pretty ignorant and everyone has a different opinion. We really had no clue what to spend, so we've been buying books and looking at websites and comparing. We initially looked at St John, but $500-600 per night was a little too high for us. We don't want to be too stingy and end up in a dump, but sometimes you get lucky with a nice place that isn't too expensive. We're not into "frills", so we're not expecting much, just a nice quiet place with nearby "options". We DO want beachfront though, my husband and his brother (the other couple) spent all their childhood vacations on the beaches of Rhode Island. So the beach is special to them and our one real requirement. We may spend a night or two out, but we don't really need a "hot spot" to have fun.

ejcrowe

Okay, it is definitely the place that used to be Yepton Beach. The old hotel was very run down but I don't think that really is pertinent as most of the new hotel has been rebuilt and redecorated and such.

I don't really know much about it.

If you're all about the beach, you might want to check out the Hawksbill Beach Resort on the west coast of Antigua. It has 4 beaches on the property and some of the higher category rooms are right there on the beach. It's a quiet property, about 100 rooms, and overall pretty low-key. It's only AI now, but when I stayed there the AI plan was optional. Food was decent and plentiful but nothing to rave about. I believe the pricing is still pretty mid-range on this place.

If you can tell us what your loose budget for the entire trip would be, within, say, $500, we could give you suggestions that offer pretty good bang for your buck.

Laurie01

Having nothing to compare, its hard to estimate... as we calculate options, we're figuring $3,500-$4,000 with air fare and all inclusive plus spending money for a week? Is that an unrealistic estimate?

ejcrowe

$3500-4000/week per couple during October is quite doable and you should be able to have your pick of places to stay in that range that will be quite comfortable.

On Antigua, you should check out Hawksbill, Cocobay Resort, Coco's Antigua, Blue Waters, possibly even Curtain Bluff if they're open that month. Galley Bay and Jumby Bay will be beyond your budget, and I'd suggest staying away from Grand Pineapple for beach erosion that time of year. Also avoid Jolly Harbour and Royal Antiguan since you can do much better with your budget elsewhere on the island. I really have no idea what the new Coconut Beach Club is like over the old Yepton--reading reviews on TripAdvisor should give you a pretty good idea, though.

Laurie01

Wre're planning ahead and may be over-excited... we're not going until March 2008!

Laurie01

I found this on the cocobay resort site... "Also Check out Cocobay's new sister property, Coconut Beach Club, opened in October 2004." I really appreciate all the help with our plans!

mymoosie

Hi Laurie01,

I've not been to Coconut Beach Club but we too love Antigua. The best forum for Antigua that I've found is this:
http://www.geographia.com/cgi-bin/antiguanews/discus.pl

There are regular participants who actually live on the island, as well as folks who've been vacationing in Antigua for years.

If you go, you must do the Prickly Pear Island Adventure. Just super, wonderful Antiguans who run it.

Laurie01

THANKS! That website was helpful. I actually found some more info on coco bay resort and realized that air conditioning, television and bottled WATER is not be taken for granted!