Sandals Grande Antigua

My Week in Antigua

/in /by Lisa Mousley, The Caribbean Dream Queen

In November I was lucky enough to be invited to Antigua by the tourist board to discover what this lovely little island has to offer.

Well, as all their advertising says, it has 365 beaches – ‘one for every day of the year’ but also, as their slogan says – ‘The beach is just the beginning….’

We flew from Manchester on Thomas Cooks first flight of the season. It was direct to Antigua on the outbound but touched down in Barbados on the return ( which was great for a bit of extra duty free shopping!). I was thoroughly impressed with Thomas Cook. It was a brand new plane and there was plenty of legroom. The food was as good as airline meals can get ( James Martin endorsed) and although you had to pay for drinks, they did have some great deals which meant the prices weren’t too bad. The seats all had seatback TV and you had a choice of a handful of films and programmes or you could upgrade for just £4 so you had a selection of over 40!

On arrival in Antigua we were whisked through immigration and met by our driver who took us to our hotel for the first 3 nights – Tranquility Bay. This is a great property if you like to be independent. They are large self-catering apartments with one or two large bedrooms, a large living area with full kitchen and large verandah ( some with hot tubs). It is on one of the best beaches on the island, Jolly Beach, and is within a few minutes’ walk of Jolly Harbour where there is a selection of restaurants and shops plus a large supermarket

During our stay we visited quite a few hotels but some particularly stuck in my mind as exceptional.

Inn at English Harbour

Inn at English HarbourOne little gem which I loved was the Inn at English Harbour. It’s reception area was very colonial with a wood panelled English Bar and lounge with lovely views out to sea. The main evening restaurant is also situated here.

We took the golf buggy down the hill to the beach where all the accommodation is, along with the breakfast and lunchtime restaurant. The bedrooms and suites keep that traditional feel about them but still have all the modern necessities that we need ( TV hidden away in the wardrobe).

We had lunch here, hosted by the manager, Fabio Giorgio. The setting was perfect, right by the sea and the food was excellent – Italian influenced. I have never raved so much about a salad but it was so tasty, and that was just the starter!

 

Galley Bay

One of my favourite properties on Antigua has always been Galley Bay. Whilst being an excellent standard of hotel, with amazing food and lovely staff, it retains a traditional Caribbean Charm. It is also set on an amazing beach.

I am happy to see that they are in the process of refurbishing and slightly changing the Gauguin Cottages. These are the lead-in room type here and are perfect for romantic couples as they are very private with their own plunge pool. However, I used to find them quite dark, and didn’t really like the fact that you have to go out to another building to the bathroom. They have now changed this in that they have covered them to make one big room and painted the interiors white so they are much brighter, with sliding door to the plunge pool. I can now quite happily recommend these, especially for honeymoon couples.

I also love the beachfront rooms where you literally step out of your room onto the sand.

Sandals Grande Antigua

This is always a popular couples’ only hotel. What I love about it is that there are two sides to the hotel – the more traditional Caribbean side, which is much quieter with lush gardens, and traditional rooms. The Mediterranean side is more modern, with higher rooms showing amazing views, a large pool with swim-up bar, a choice of restaurants and bars. It doesn’t matter which side you stay on, you can use the facilities of both.

Sandals Grande Antigua

Sandals Grande Antigua

As well as the large choice of hotels, there is plenty to do on Antigua. It is a great place for sailing and there is plenty of opportunity to try this.

We also visited a donkey sanctuary which is trying to take in the many donkeys which are ancestors of the ones used on the sugar plantations

We took a jeep safari where we saw most of the island, including amazing views over Falmouth Bay & English Harbour ( whilst being offered the excellent rum punch

We also did the obligatory trip to Shirley Heights on Sunday night. This was a great evening, with fabulous views, until it went dark. There were lots of tourists and locals alike enjoying the food, drink, views and the excellent steel band and singers who were entertaining us.

Sunset at Shirley Height

Sunset at Shirley Height

All in all it was an amazing trip and I would highly recommend you go and see it for yourself!

Lisa’s Caribbean Travels – Rossendale Local Journal Article

/in /by Lisa Mousley, The Caribbean Dream Queen

I am very lucky in that, as a Caribbean Specialist Travel Agent, I have visited the islands of the Caribbean many times over the last few years. I have been to both the larger, more commercial islands and also some of the smaller, off the beaten track places.

Destinations Magazine Cover

I am always being asked – ‘Which is your favourite island’? This is difficult to answer as they are all very different and special in their own way. The first island I visited, 16 years ago is Jamaica and it will always have a special place in my heart for this reason. I have been twice since then, and still love it. There is so much to do there from rafting on the Martha Brae or the Rio Grande to climbing Dunn’s River Falls and swimming with the dolphins. To me it is what the Caribbean is all about with its’ Reggae Music, Rum Punch, Dance Halls and Jerk Pork

A couple of years ago I was lucky enough to go on a mammoth educational visit with the Caribbean Tourism Organisation. It was over 10 days and visited 4 different islands including Antigua, St Kitts, Anguilla and Nevis. They are all very special in their own way but the one which stuck out in my memory particularly was Anguilla. The soft white sand beaches are absolutely stunning and there are so many choices of amazing restaurants to choose from, from traditional beach shacks to fine dining restaurants. It is definitely an island to visit if you are a bit of a foody and not one to do all-inclusive on (in fact I don’t think you can!).

I particularly like the Plantation Inns that you can stay at in the Caribbean and there are two properties we visited on this trip which I would highly recommend. The first one is on the island of St Kitts and is called Ottleys Plantation. It is in a converted Plantation Inn which has still retained its’ original features, and there are cottages dotted around the gardens . The Mango Grove Spa in the tropical grounds offers relaxing treatments and the food in the Royal Palm Restaurant is amazing! It is owned by a lovely American family who really can’t do enough for you.

The second Plantation Inn which we visited was Nisbet Plantation on Nevis ( a short boat ride from St Kitts). This is the Caribbean’s only historic plantation inn located in a spectacular setting right on the beach.

On a different trip, I spent a few days in Barbados discovering the delights of this amazing island. It is one of the most popular islands to visit and it has the bonus that it is the only island in the Caribbean to which you can take a direct scheduled flight from Manchester! This is one island to go to if you like to get out and about. It is very easy and safe to hire a car here ( even I have driven in Barbados) and they drive on the left! There is plenty to see and do – one of the most popular attractions is Harrisons cave – not to be missed and Oistins Fish Fry on a Friday night is a must!

After a lively few days in Barbados, I then took a short flight across to St Vincent in The Grenadines. Here the pace of life definitely slows down and you can literally feel yourself relax. There are many small islands to choose from in The Grenadines. A lot of them just have one hotel on the island. One of my favourites is Palm Island, accessible only by boat. It has just 43 rooms, 5 beaches to choose from and you can bike or hike around the island, enjoy sailing, snorkelling, or just relaxing by the pool or on the beach, enjoying the company of the native iguanas!

The second property which I loved in the Grenadines is Petite St Vincent. This is a really luxurious escape. With just 24 cottages and villas dotted across the island, it is very exclusive and very private. The thing I liked about it most is there are no telephones, televisions or wi-fi in the room. When you need something you have a little yellow flag outside your room which you just raise and a man comes round on a buggy to deliver whatever you require.

I could go on forever as there is so much to see and do. I haven’t even touched on St Lucia, Antigua, Grenada – I am visiting all of these islands in the next few months so maybe I will save those for the next article.

For more information on any islands or properties please visit our website www.caribbean-boutique.co.uk.