3 Star Antigua Holidays

Terri Garrant

We were looking to find a budgeted girls trip and found Jolly Beach Resort & Spa with American Express travel. We read the reviews prior to going and knew that we would not be vacationing at a 4 star resort. The rooms were small and the twin beds were very close to each other. The bathroom sliding door continually came off of the tracks when opening and closing. The air conditioning was very good. The view of the ocean from the room was outstanding. The room would have been 4 star if it was updated, the view of the ocean and sunset was awesome. Initially, the staff were not very friendly. June became our favorite bartender. We loved the singing lady at the buffet breakfast. Many of the staff did not seem excited and lacked energy, but some did warm up after we were there a few days. Typically at a resort or hotel, the staff is very accommodating and friendly. I have seen other reviews where the staff was described as rude, and unfortunately it is true. Here, they could use training on delighting the customer. The Pizza Factory restaurant was very nice and elevated the dining experience with a very nice wait staff and menu. However, dining at the Pizza Factory requires you make a reservation at 7:30am in person. That isn't too terrible because there is coffee and tea available while you wait. The beach was amazing! There were ample chairs and umbrellas so there was no need to reserve early in the morning. The chairs and umbrellas could stand to be replaced as many were worn. Alex the massage therapist on the beach was fantastic, definitely a bonus that I did not expect. His reflexology is amazing. I think I would try a 4 star resort on my next visit to Antigua for total relaxation and service. I loved Jolly Beach, but would like to experience a 4 or 5 level resort.

Jim E

Let's be honest that this place is great value for food, drinks, pool and beach. But it ends there. Our room leaked every time it rained and even on the first night. We did not complain. But when we PAID for the room be cleaned, we were accosted by the housekeeper in the hallway about keeping our room clean. Actually yelled at us. The staff is so rude aside from a couple individuals. We tipped every drink and meal but stopped that as the staff was still rude. My advice, go visit but do not be nice. If something is wrong, make a complaint and hold them accountable. We spent one night contemplating moving to another hotel. That is the last thing anyone should be doing on their vacation.

Scott

After reading some reviews, we were a bit concerned that we had booked this resort. But after having spent our March break there,it was absolutely a great decision. Honestly can't understand a lot of the negative reviews. Some people are just too picky apparently. Yes the rooms are a bit underwhelming, but we didn't spend a lot of waking time in the room, the AC worked well and the bed was quite comfortable. We also had plenty of hot water for showering and a great view of the beach. The beach was one of, if not the best we've visited yet. The staff were all friendly and helpful especially Margaret and the sweetheart bartender at the restaurant bar(apologies for forgetting her name). The resort grounds were great. The buffet and pool grill were good, but the a la carte was excellent. Drinks were good as well especially the old fashioned rum punch. We will definitely be making a return visit to Antigua and Jolly Beach Resort.

Scott George

Read so many reviews on this place, we came with an open mind and lower expectations. Our trip was in March, not a lot of people here to my surprise. The pool was great, pool bar was sufficient. The grill behind the pool bar was great, the chicken wraps are delicious. Not too many food selections other than the buffet, unless you explore outside of the resort. No real issues at the buffet, but check out the hours of operation and plan accordingly. Room was sufficient, king bed, ac worked great. Yes it’s a bit dated but comfortable. We have been to Cancun numerous times, no comparison, but we were not expecting such. We recommend going to Shirley heights for their bbq on Sunday evening, lots of people, great food and great views. We also booked power snorkeling, book it! We would consider this an average place, great beaches, views etc. Most of the activities are elsewhere and require a 45 minute drive. It’s a great place to relax at the pool and the beach. Would we stay here again, probably not. Probably closer to 3.5 stars than 4.

bob tom

This resort is a such diamond. Honestly the beach alone would sell it but everything the food, drinks and hospitality are 11/10 I came on my honeymoon here for 2 weeks and me and wife had the best time ever. All the staff are so helpful and attentive. My wife lost her apple watch in the bedsheets we told front of house and they managed to dig it out of the mountains of laundry they do daily. Staff members like Clinton really went the extra mile to make us feel happy and cared for at the resort. Rebecca at the tours desk was so funny but hardworking and efficient she even came and found us on the beach to let us know our tour was booked. The pizza factory is so nice too my advice is book it as much as possible as the drinks are better than the normal stuff at the bar. The resort is very old so don't go expecting 5* facilities your plug socket might not work in your room but if you view it as a place to just sleep and not spend the whole day you'll be fine. I would definitely come back in the future. As long as you know what you're getting you won't be disappointed

Preslava Vassileva

We spent a week at Hawksbill Resort and couldn't be happier with our stay! The entire experience was wonderful from start to finish. The food was delicious and plentiful and a couple bars around the resort for cocktails! The staff were truly exceptional—so warm, welcoming, and always going above and beyond to make sure guests were enjoying themselves. The resort itself is perfect for a relaxing getaway. It's peaceful and quiet, with four beautiful beaches to choose from and a lovely pool area. We especially appreciated the shuttle services to St. John’s and Shirley Heights—great for a quick outing without any hassle. One of the highlights was how accommodating the staff were on our departure day. With a late-night flight, we were allowed to enjoy the facilities all day and were even given a room to shower and freshen up before heading to the airport. Such thoughtful service really made a difference.

Jim Sauriol

Wife and I spent 11 days at this beautiful resort. The staff is fantastic and do a wonderful job. Food is varied and well prepared. You certainly get enough to eat and drink! Grounds are well looked after and the infinity pool is gorgeous. The 4 beaches and views are spectacular. The beach bungalows are private and quiet. If you want peaceful serenity it's found here.

Janice Koch

What a fabulous low key, great value all inclusive resort. Don’t expect high end decor or 8 different restaurants. But great service at the 3 different places for lunch and then a great choice of entrees and items at main restaurant for lunch and dinner. 4 different beaches, main beach is Sea Grapes beach. 1 pool and 2 bar areas. Always book direct with hotel so airport transfers included. Royal Palm rooms were great, no tvs there but other side of resort the rooms had tvs. Don’t need them since almost all rooms are either ocean view or ocean front! Lots of walking due to this resort having lots of beach front property. Entertainment ends by 10p. Bar closes at 12M. Take advantage of taxi excursions sign up sheets by tour desk! Tip your staff, they are wonderful! Eden beach is far south end and a nude beach. Lots of goats and a few pigs visit that beach too!

Warren Hilton

We are currently at Hawksbill for a few more days…. I am struggling to understand the high praise for service that so many people comment on. My wife and I have found the service to be Poor at best, there are staff that walk around without a care in the world, my mum used to say “they look like they’re chewing a wasp!” There are several staff who will not crack a smile, they struggle to acknowledge your existence… we are quiet reserved people and it would appear unless you have a loud mouth, you’re more or less ignored! As for drinks… we have ordered multiple different types of cocktails and they all arrive looking and tasting the same! Food is average at best, some days are better than others, we paid for the beach side dinner for a special occasion, apart from a lovely setting and the only exception regarding service which was excellent, save your money, the food was average and massively over seasoned, we couldn’t eat 2 dishes due to the excess salt! Although the server brought us plate with a sparkler on it wishing us a happy anniversary, the dessert was 3 small pieces of cake, No thought. No imagination and certainly no flavour! The sea grapes bar area has to be the worst service, it feels like they blatantly ignore you! £450 per night is not cheap, I realise there are less expensive and substantially more expensive resorts but for us this was a special occasion and we pushed the boat out… it is fair to say the only thing this resort has going for it is the location… we will not return and I would advise and caution people to read all reviews across all platforms to get a good overall picture before splashing your hard earned money!

Robert Joseph

Very impressed! We’ve travelled extensively in the Caribbean both for work and pleasure and can thoroughly recommend Hawksbill Resort. We are well used to laid back and sometimes rude Caribbean service and ‘island time’… none whatsoever of that here. The staff were super friendly, attentive and polite, and some had great humor. They really made our trip special. The all inclusive food genuinely exceeded expectations with varied decent quality options and at least 1-2 local offerings on the buffet which was nice to see. The beaches were stunning and whole resort very quiet and tucked away. Because a lot of accommodation is small villas the resort never felt busy or crowded and there was always excellent availability of watersports equipment, sun loungers etc, even with it being peak season. The general property was obviously developed a while ago but has been nicely upgraded in parts, the new infinity pool is beautiful and although the older rooms were a touch sparse, they had nice showers and were tastefully decorated with flowers upon arrival. Overall a wonderful stay and excellent value.

gabby Casertano

Breathtaking views and beautiful beach. Pool area was top notch. Plenty of chairs. Dining experience was delicious. Drinks were not super strong in all inclusive package. Showers in bathroom could use some updating but we overall loved it there.

Arianna Peters

Went on vacation for my husband’s birthday and we had a ton of fun on this resort! Lovely Staff, very friendly. Very calm & clean. If you are looking for a laid back relaxing trip, this is your place to book. The dinner wait time was a bit extreme but the chef was amazing. One thing i will warn everyone about is this taxi driver who works for the resort. He will try and take advantage of people because he is money hungry. We took a 10-15 min trip away from the resort late at night to get food and he tried to charge us $40, when the trip into town to come back & forth was $20. So, it is not like we weren’t willing to pay him, it was him improperly trying to get over on us because he knew we weren't from the island. Not only did he try to overcharge us, but he started telling other taxi drivers not to pick us up and followed us to the airport when we were trying to catch our flight back. He pointed his dirty finger in our face and accused us of being thieves after we tried to negotiate a reasonable price with him & even the lady at the desk said we were not wrong. Coming from a person who works in an occupation of dealing with clients all day, this cab driver lacks professionalism and courtesy & needs to be fired because he will do this to other guests. His name is —> SAMUEL JOYCE

Linda Kolb

Lovely pool and beach. Beautiful views from rooms. Very very quiet! Not much night life, but that was fine with us. Do bring snacks because there is no store on site, and closest grocery is a 15 min taxi away. Happy lovely staff throughout!

E Slo

The hotel and staff are lovely, setting amazing and staff professional and welcoming. They are willing to go over and above to make your stay enjoyable. We loved it and like most visitors...leaving and coming back to England came all too quickly. Thank you Ocean spa team. :) only complaint? I was unable to find a suitable desert.. due to allergy...and when I did on the last night.. it was not as I expected. However, the standard and quality of the food is very good...we were on all inclusive but opted to pay extra for premium meals on certain days. Well worth it. Talented kitchen staff. Thank you Ocean Point staff for a lovely, restful, recharge for Christmas 2024. We both needed it.

Garrett R.

Great spa/ mini condo type units. The pool is good size and salt water. The beaches are pretty nice (there's 2). The bar is open most of the day, bartenders were fun and made some good drinks. The restaurant opens 3 times per day, has good food- but smaller portions than I'm used to. Staff is friendly and upbeat - so far wonderful & helpful. Keep up the amazing work :)