Where To Stay in Antigua . . .Help!
 

It's time again to plan my vacation for next February (2005). We have to plan early since we only have a one week block of time to travel.

Here's what we're looking for in order of importance - a nice beach (long and private), good food (all inclusive), adults only or very few kids, casually elegant (not interested in getting dressed up in ball gowns, but prefer someplace classy).

We're considering Galley Bay, Blue Waters, Curtain Bluff. Which has the best beach? Which has the best food? How many kids will I find at Blue Waters and Curtain Bluff?

Does anyone have other recommendations? We chose Antigua because of its relative ease to get to from Boston, but are open to other places.

We went to galley bay last october & i think it sounds exactly what you want! It is adults only, so no kids. blue Waters was lovely too, but there area few children. why don't you look at www.geographia.com & then go to antigua & barbuda newsgroup. It should answer all your queries. We are planning on going back to Galley Bay april 2005 !!

Gerry and I have been to Galley Bay 2x and would highly recommend. The only downside is that the sea can be rough. . .

Sounds like Galley Bay all the way. I can't comment on the others but do believe that you won't be disapointed in Galley Bay, it's perfect. Can't think of anything negative besides the choppy water as Lisager mentioned, but it's not really that bad. I kind of enjoyed the water, rather than the usual calm, flat beaches. That website DaineC posted will be very helpful. They have tons of trip reports and comments of Galley Bay. Have fun!!

I've never stayed at any of these three resorts, but I love Antigua and I've visited each one on various trips to the island. Curtain Bluff is by far the best overall of the 3 resorts. The food and wine are superior quality to the other two, and the other extras covered in their package price add to its value (everything from postage stamps to scuba diving). It has two beaches, one with very calm water and one with a heavier surf. Neither beach is as lovely as the one at Galley Bay, which is nearly a mile long and quite secluded. I don't remember the children policy at CB, but there weren't any children in sight when I stopped by. CB very much has a resort feel to it--there's a dress code but ball gowns certainly are not a part of it. I believe men may have to wear a coat and/or tie to dinner during February.

Blue Waters is also quite lovely, but its beaches were smaller than CB or GB. The food is very good, but not on par with CB. AGain, not sure about kids policy, but no children were there during my visit.

Curtain Bluff is the most expensive of the three properties you mentioned. Jumby Bay, a private island resort just off coast of Antigua, might also be what you're looking for. I've never visited it, though, so I'll leave it for others to tell you about. I believe it would be even more expensive than CB in February, though. I also heard that a new resort was being built on Half Moon Bay in Antigua, but I don't know the name of it. It might be worth looking into as well. Hope you have a fabulous vacation!

If you're looking for something casually elegant, you should consider Curtain Bluff, Jumby Bay or the new Carlisle Bay. Check the archives as there have been a lot of posts regarding Jumby. My husband and I will be going to Curtain Bluff in May and have heard only rave reviews from both visitors and the critics. The best thing is that the resort has dumped their jacket policy. They now only require a collared shirt and close toe shoes for men. No jackets or ties required. Either CB or JB would be an excellent choice. Not sure of the kid policy so you may want to call the resorts directly to find out if you are booking during winter break for the schools. Both are all inclusive - another great benefit.

Thanks for all of your advice. I've found some reviews on-line about these places, but not many that are detailed. We're definitely interested in Galley Bay and Curtain Bluff, but we'll have to see what kind of difference they have in pricing. Jumby also looks nice, maybe for two years from now.