we stayed a week in siboney and found so many things to like about it and only one major thing to dislike about it. the location was wonderful if you like privacy and a lovely beach and calm water to swim in. their restaurant, coconut grove , was right on the beach. the only problem was that only the bedroom was air-conditioned and the screens were not in great shape and there was no screen on the door to the terrace in the sitting room so you had to sit there in the evening and not be able to open the door.
i loved the hotel and the feeling of privacy and the garden around the pool was lovely but my husband and i did get bitten by mosquitos in our room, even though we sprayed. i would have to think long and hard if i would return because of that.
the island is lovely. the beaches are plentiful and you can find privacy if you seek it. driving was maddening because we always got lost, even though my husband was once a n.y.c. cab driver and has a great sense of direction. people were very friendly and helpful whenever we asked for directions. the roads were very clean, cleanest i've seen in the caribbean. harmony hall was wonderful, expensive, but wonderful. i think it was the best meal we ate out. we had dinner one night at julian's which was o.k. for $100. sunday night at shirley heights lookout barbeque was terrific and reasonable. i will say that it was one of the most expensive islands to have dinner and we've been to 9 different caribbean islands. i just thought it was such a pretty island and plenty to do and see. betty's hope, a former sugar plantation, was very informative and we were the only people there on the day we went. there was a man retrieving honey from bee hives and he gave my husband and i a honeycomb filled with honey to taste. this was how we were treated by the people, with great warmth. i suspect we would go back but i don't know if we would stay at siboney beach. i wish i felt differently but it was not cheap and there were issues that are going to continue to exist there. antigua is wonderful and i would recommend it! i don't think it has truly been discovered yet but that will probably change since they're hosting the 2007 world cricket matches there.

I remember when you were planning your trip, so it's gratifying to read that you enjoyed your vacation for the most part. It's a shame that Siboney doesn't have better screens for windows & doors, as that is a relatively inexpensive item to purchase and maintain. I've never stayed there, but I did find the grounds lovely and the restaurant to be pretty good--for us, the atmosphere was a little bit better than the food.

Isn't Harmony Hall the best? I hate that they've not been open for most of my trips to Antigua, as we generally travel there in the off season.

How is the new cricket pitch coming along? They had basically just broken ground for it when I was there in 2005.

yes, harmony hall was the best. both the atmosphere and the quality of the food were fabulous. some things don't make any sense. why a terrific hotel would not pay attention to details like fixing screens and putting screens on doors is beyond me?
especially when it means that you're going to turn guests off a place. we thought antigua was one of the nicest islands we've travelled to.
a friend's daughter is going to antigua in may and has asked my advice regarding blue waters. i'm not sure where it's located on the island or what it's like. can anybody comment on it? thanks.

Blue Waters is located in the northwest quadrant of the island along the north coast. It's not far from Le Bistro, if you happened to eat there on your trip.

It a more formal resort than Siboney, with hotel rooms done out in a few rows of buildings. It's beautifully landscaped and has nice teak furniture for the outdoor dining. I've never stayed there, but I did eat lunch there one time. The food was fine, the service a little hesitant, as if they hated to be intrusive. The beach is on the small side, but there seemed to be enough space for everybody.

Mosquitos are not allowed in BlueWaters. ha ha! We did share the same questioning of why screens were not replaced in these really great older properties but then realized that for the majority of the time screens are really not needed. There was an unusual weather event driving more rain storms over Antigua during Dec & Jan that seemed to be subsiding during Feb which brought out the higher than normal amount of mosquitos. I will return again and agree that it is most challenging but exciting when you find great places at reasonable prices on this lovely island. Enjoyed your comments.

siboney beach was not particularly inexpensive but i loved the feeling of privacy there. eating at coconut grove was absolutely lovely. i don't know if we would return. antigua is so pretty that it might call to me...