Galley Bay Resort & Spa

From day one until our final meal, the service was outstanding. The staff were exceptionally friendly and polite, and I can’t speak highly enough of their work ethic. The food also exceeded our expectations, and the surcharge for dining at Ismay’s was absolutely worth it—we enjoyed it so much that we went twice. There are countless other positives we could mention, such as how spotless our room was kept each day and how well-maintained the entire resort is. A special mention to Alaska as I clearly remember our first night after arriving late and heading to dinner. We stopped by guest services—probably looking a little lost—when Alaska happened to walk by. He was incredibly friendly and engaging, asking if it was our first time at Galley Bay and whether we were on our way to dinner. Instead of simply wishing us a pleasant evening, he walked with us to Seagrape, chatting along the way. Once there, he took our room number, seated us with an ocean view, and quickly brought our drinks. From that moment, I knew we’d made the right choice in coming to Galley Bay, and it’s a feeling I won’t forget anytime soon. A big thank you to Alaska for setting the tone for what became a wonderful honeymoon. The only real critique we had about the resort was the departure experience. We were kept waiting for over an hour, and the communication could have been better—otherwise, we would have rated it a perfect 10.

Shhh… don’t tell anyone! Galley Bay is one of those rare places that feels like a secret you want to keep to yourself. From the moment we arrived to the moment we left, everything about our stay was perfect. The Team – Outstanding Hospitality First and foremost, a heartfelt thank you to the entire Galley Bay team. Every single member of staff was warm, welcoming, and consistently smiling. They made us feel like part of the family from day one. While there are too many wonderful people to name, a few truly stood out: Reception & Guest Services: Dante (who kindly drove us to our room several times), along with the lovely Elisabeth and Alec, were amazing. Bars & Restaurants: Friendly, calm, efficient teams everywhere. Special thanks to Samantha and Pearl for their kindness. Housekeeping: Always ensured our room was spotless and inviting. Gardens: A huge mention to Curt, the head gardener, and the entire gardening team who maintain the stunning grounds and grow the vegetables and greens used in the restaurants. True farm-to-table freshness. Arrival & Check-In Our pre-booked taxi ride from the airport was fun and gave us a great first glimpse of the island. Arriving at Galley Bay, we were welcomed with cold towels and a glass of champagne—perfect after a long flight. Dante gave us a quick tour en route to our room, pointing out key areas such as the lagoon, dining room, and bar. We stayed in Room 88, located at the far right end of the beach near the Gauguin restaurant. The room was spacious, beautifully air-conditioned, and the view from the balcony across the entire beach was simply breathtaking. The Beach & Grounds The beach at Galley Bay is spectacular—long, peaceful, and used only by guests. Even when fully booked, it never felt crowded. Each villa has its own sunbeds, and the setting is serene and unspoilt. Although we had a few red-flag days (the sea can be rough), safety is prioritised and well communicated. We preferred lounging by the Barefoot Grill as it was close to food and drinks. Dining – Fresh, Delicious & Varied Food at Galley Bay exceeded expectations: Seagrape Restaurant: All meals were excellent. Breakfast offers a combination of à la carte dishes with buffet extras. Lunch and dinner were consistently delicious with plenty of healthy, fresh options. Portions were perfectly sized—satisfying without being overwhelming. Gauguin Restaurant: A lovely alternative for lunch or dinner, with a more intimate atmosphere. Barefoot Grill: Great for relaxed lunches—tasty sandwiches, burgers, and the most addictive plain or Cajun chips. Coffee Shop: One of the hotel’s gems. Open from 7 am–10 pm, offering coffee, snacks, overnight oats, fruit, homemade cookies, and even ice cream for 15 hours a day! Heaven. We enjoyed lamb, chicken, fresh fish, and wonderful desserts throughout the stay. The garden-to-plate vegetables were a highlight for me. Activities & Excursions We did several activities and highly recommend them: Captain Sean Sunset Cruise: A fun, memorable trip with strong rum punch, cold beers, and Sean’s delicious chicken with rice and peas. Don’t miss this one—he’s often around the bar for bookings. Barefoot Antigua (Shared Trip to Barbuda): An unforgettable day with stunning beaches and BBQ lobster for lunch. Absolutely worth booking directly—Yensa is fantastic. Island Taxi Tour: Organised through the hotel, our driver Ronnie was brilliant and gave us a great insight into Antigua’s history and culture. We had lunch at Roti King in St John’s—authentic and delicious. Relaxation & Final Thoughts The last few days were spent unwinding on the beach and by the pool, enjoying fantastic service, great food, and perfectly mixed drinks. Galley Bay is just the perfect side of perfect. We truly hope to return and become part of the Galley Bay family once again.

Galley bay is that perfect collision of laid back charm with superb service. The food is wonderful and can I just give a special mention to the salads! Grown on their own site they are delicious as was everything else. Menus change daily with lovely fish and meat specials across all restaurants. Big shout out to Sea Grape, it’s the main restaurant and the food and service has been wonderful. We had a deluxe room on the beach, private patio and sun loungers which gave us the opportunity to just chill. No sun bed wars here, plenty round the pool and on the beach. Live music nightly too. Just also to say the staff here are amazing. Every single one of them. From the restaurant, bar, housekeeping, grounds staff (gardens are beautiful) Spa staff.

Our 2nd visit to Galley Bay ..and it was as good as our first. The accommodation is relaxing and beautifully done - the air conditioner is a godsend. Walk out your door onto sand and steps to the turquoise water. The food is good to quite good. The vibe is super friendly and professional. Everything has been thought of to ensure you have a relaxing and enjoyable getaway.

We holidayed at Galley Bay twice previously (and had a wonderful time) and had booked to stay there again. Unfortunately - because of Galley Bay's ridiculous policy of allowing people to smoke on balconies, in the bar, on the deck, etc etc, we have had to cancel our booking. We were so excited about returning to Galley Bay and bitterly disappointed to have to cancel but we cannot risk paying almost £16,000 only to be badly affected by smokers - as many trip advisor reviews bear out. On the first night of our holiday, I had an asthma attack as a result of someone smoking on the next table to us at the outside eating area of our holiday to Oludeniz in September, and then another asthma attack later in the holiday, again as a result of cigarette smoke. Having asked our travel agent to check on Galley Bay's no smoking policy with the resort and with Caribtours, they both gave contradictory replies. We then checked Trip Advisor reviews and were shocked at the number of complaints regarding - in particular - people on upper balconies having to keep doors closed because of smokers of cigars and cigarettes beneath their room. We therefore felt we had no choice but to cancel our booking. Statistics show that smokers are in the minority yet in so, so many places - including Galley Bay - they are better catered for! So unfair that health-damaging cigarette/cigar/vape smoking is allowed to adversely affect non-smokers. Constantly having to be on the alert in case a smoker sits near you, stands near you, or smokes on their balcony ramps up anxiety (especially for those with asthma!) and spoils the holiday. That non-smokers are made to feel that they are the problem if they say anything about being affected by smokers is so unfair. No doubt Galley Bay's smoking policy is all about money and not wanting to put smokers off from visiting. We are very disappointed! We are posting this review to help unsuspecting non-smokers.