thinking of going to coco bay in antigua. how is the food, rooms, access to beach, etc.? we like places like buccuti beach in aruba, victoria house in belize, oyster bay beach resort in st. maarten. jolly beach is also a good deal but how are the rooms and the food?
siboney beach resort looks lovely but seems expensive. the hotel must be on a "good" beach. any advice would be appreciated.

I've read a couple of things about Cocobay when we were briefly considering going to Antigua. First, the majority of the guests are British which seems to play a large role in certain tripadvisor reviews by American visitors to Cocobay. I've read that the rooms are tired, and the food, which is included, can be hit or miss. However, some people seem to really like it.

Look on Tripadvisor for the reviews and you'll also see some visitor photos that look fantastic. Antigua doesn't seem to be one of the more popular destinations on this forum for some reason, and the people that do go seem to go to Jumby Bay. I once met w/a travel agent who recommended Blue Waters.

Regardless of which island you go to, it's always a good idea to look at tripadvisor for reviews and candid pictures. There has been many times when I've thought a hotel is perfect, and then after reading the same criticism in tripadvisor reviews I decided against the hotel. Note though that some of the people posting on tripadvisor seem a little too particular. You should pay attention to the criticisms that are mentioned in many reviews.

thank you for your advice about trip advisor. i have been pretty lucky when picking a hotel in the caribbean. any hotel that fodor's has "starred" has not been disappointing but there's no substitute for "word of mouth". i've noticed that antigua is not one of the more popular destinations that people write about on this site. having never been there, i don't know why. on the other hand, there are islands i've been to that get a great deal of attention that i didn't think were "wonderful".

Antigua is actually our second favorite island in the Caribbean. Dickenson Bay is - imo - one of the best beaches, with powder soft sand and beautiful turquoise waters. We enjoyed waterskiing and moseying around the island. Lots of good restaurants. There are the Jumby Bay people and there are the CocoBay people. The CocoBay people would never patronize Jumby Bay as they would say they were too stuffy. Being as you like Bucuti, I think you might like these cottages. Check the beach out carefully though to make sure you are comfortable with it.

Like Knowing, Antigua is also one of my favorite islands. The place we always stay is the Long Bay Hotel, which is certainly not for everybody but has been perfect for my husband and me. So much so, that we got married there a couple of years ago.

Coco Bay is not on that great of a beach by Antigua standards, but the Jolly Beach is lovely and not far away.

Siboney doesn't seem that expensive to me compared to the other places you're considering, and if I wanted to stay on Dickenson Bay, it would be my first choice. That's a really choice stretch of sand, where most of the action on the island is located--not that Antigua over all is a tremendous hotspot of activity.

The nice thing about Antigua is that there are so many different beaches for you to explore--so even if you stay at Cocobay you're 5-30 minutes away from a few dozen nice beaches. Some are longer stretches of sand, some are smaller coves perfect for a romantic private picnic.

By "good" beach, what do you mean? White sand? A certain depth from waterline to treeline? Activities? public facilities? Long stretches for walking? People watching? Good snorkeling? Sunset views?

Hawksbill Resort offers 4 beaches on site, including the only clothing optional beach on the island. They're quite stunning and range from a small cove to a 1/2 mile stretch.

Tell us more about what you want from your vacation next Feb and we can give you more specific advice.

ejcrowe,
a good beach is one with long stretches for walking and good snorkeling. in turks and caicos we could, literally, walk a short distance from shore and see fabulous things snorkeling. i've heard good things about the beach at jolly beach but the rooms sound less than wonderful not that you spend much time in your room. still, i don't like returning to a room that is "depressing"
why do you say long bay hotel is not for
everybody. thanks for your info.

There aren't any combo of beaches + snorkeling on Antigua than can rival what you saw on Provo. Dickenson Bay is truly lovely, but there's no snorkeling from shore. There's some pretty good snorkeling from a some of the beaches on the southern part of the west coast, but there are no hotels on them. There's also decent snorkeling at Long Bay, but the beach is not that long, and in the winter the beach is at its most narrow.

There's good snorkeling at Green Island, which is just off the coast from Harmony Hall, a place I would be interested in myself if I didn't already have "family" at Long Bay I wouldn't dream of hurting by staying elsewhere. The beach on the mainland is TINY, but as guests of the hotel you get complimentary boatrides out to Green Island. The winter rates are great and include breakfast--the restaurant there is my favorite on the island--and there's a very charming art gallery on site as well.

Long Bay is very old fashioned and doesn't offer many luxuries at all, more like the essential creature comforts. No marble, no Frette linens, no a/c. It's rough around the edges and could certainly benefit from an update. The staff there are outstanding and from our first visit they knew my husband and me by name and greeted us as old friends. The food is good, the beds are comfortable, and the pace is slow, but beyond that there's something intangible about Long Bay that resonates in my soul and keeps drawing me back. Apparently I"m not the only one, as there are far more raves on TripAdivsor than I would have expected--it has a very loyal following among the Brits in particular. But for the prices they charge in the winter, guests might expect closet doors rather than the curtain that is provided, and toiletries for the shower, things like that. There's a poster here named Dreps who stayed there in Feb 2005 and he wasn't crazy about his vacation. Partly was the bad weather he happened into, and partly was expectations that were not met. But for me, each time I arrive at Long Bay I feel as if I'm finally coming home.

it is gratifying to read that antigua is regarded as a favorite by some people. maybe we can do some rethinking about going there. since we "escape" new york in the dead of winter, we prefer a place that has some of the amenities we've come to enjoy. even though long bay sounds like it would be a good experience, i think the description sounds a little too "basic" for a vacation and perfect for more of an adventure.
we'll have to think about our other choices. jolly beach has the best package to offer but siboney sounds nicer. it all comes down to cost, unfortunately.
thanks for your reflections.

Blue Waters is a nicer upscale location on Antigua without being astronomical like Jumby Bay or Carlisle Bay. Grounds at Siboney are lovely and I had a delicious dinner at their restaurant, but I've never seen the rooms there. If you're interested in AI, check out the Club Rooms with a/c at Hawksbill Beach Resort. I stayed there several years ago before it went AI and can definitely recommend the beauty of its beaches and tell you that the row of Club Rooms between beaches #3 and 4 is quite nice.

Hope you find a place in Antigua that meets your budget and needs!

i've never stayed at an all inclusive since we like to explore every island we go to. i will check out blue waters. thanks.

is everyone finding the scarcity of direct flights to carib. islands for february 2006? i've never begun to look this "early" but it seems like so many direct flights are gone already. the earliest i've booked a flight for february has been august. i started in june and it seemed the pickings were slim.

Yes, I agree. Flights have been a real homework assignment. A travel tip I found recently to pass along. Not all carriers go on all days, hence if you put in a search for dates, that does not mean you will necessarily get the best deal or option. Better to call the airline directly and ask them specifically which days of the week they travel to Antigua (as is my destination of choice).IE: From Boston AA is the highest via SJU. USAirways offers this destination via PHL which I've been told by one Antiguan is much much better connector than SJU's confusion. Delta is now offering service I believe on 2x week, maybe Wed & Sat. We went on the very last charter of our life. PanAmerican who I think they lifted from the dead was absolutely horrid. Too small of an aircraft and quite a rude staff. When I complained to the provider upon return, they explained, sorry, it is a contract we had to fulfil? Hope this helps. Deb from Boston

TO: ejcrowe
do you have any knowledge to share about a villa rental in Jolly Harbor vs a hotel rental in Antigua?
Thanks