St. James's Club & Villas

Do not be fooled by the idyllic photos or romantic description in the brochure, it is nothing like that ! On arrival the first thing to hit you is the smell, think rotting eggs and fish, it was an effort to walk anywhere without gagging. The smell came from the tonnes of rotting seaweed on the closed beach. The smell is not just unpleasant the fumes are not good for you, my husband and I were ill the entire holiday, we had hoarse voices, sore throats, earache and the worse hacking coughs we’ve ever had, these are all symptoms than can occur when breathing in the fumes from sargassum and maybe its just a coincidence we both began theses symptoms a day or so after arrival ??? We were upgraded to the royal suites which despite the hard work from the pleasant housekeeping staff are in great need of updating. The Suites also overlook a murky brown bay that was lined with yet more seaweed. We couldn’t use the balcony, this again was because of the smell. To eat we had to use the dockside restaurant which sits by the water so we ate, then went back to the room for a night of more coughing. Food was ok. The staff smile apologetically or look at you with indifference and to be honest I would feel the same if I had to work there. We had access to the adult pool where it did seem less smelly but not without fumes as before we left I looked over the wall behind the pool and to my horror there was yet another inlet full of rotting seaweed. There was a beach in the Bay Area but the smell there was really bad and the water uninviting. We could have got a shuttle to another beach but were to unwell to do so. We both felt to unwell to even complain. We went all the way to Antigua and didn’t step foot on a beach or toe in the ocean, a complete waste of almost £6000 and 2 weeks we will never get back. I contacted St James a couple of weeks after our return and was told it is a force majeure or natural phenomena which I agree it is, but the term also means unforeseeable, cannot be reasonably anticipated, and after going back over many years of trip advisor reviews and reading that it happens for multiple months every year I would suggest it the norm, and a such they should show duty of candour and disclose this so people can make an informed decision of whether to book there or not. I would strongly advise not to go.

Our stay at St. James's club was exceptional from the moment we arrived untill the day we departed. Every aspect of the experience exceeded our expection and made for a truly memorable vacation. One of the highlight of each day was breakfast. I genuinely looked forward to it every morning. thanks to the wonderful variety of both Caribbean dishes and International cuisine. There was always something delicious to enjoy, and the consistently excellent. Though I was told by others that if we want a really great food experience, we should visit in March, what was offered was great! The staff throughout the resort was mostly attentive, friendly or professional. we felt welcome and well cared for. It was also a pleasure to chat wit hthe General Manager, who was incredily personable, approachable and genuinely interested in guest's experience. the chef was also very approachable. Our room was ok. a little outdated, but clean. the cold 'Long Bay Beer" draft" made up for that. This vacation created a great Caribbean experience and we are planning on taking the entire family down next year. Thank you everyone at the St. James's club Antigua fo making our stay so special. We can't wait to come back!

An Outstanding Week at St. James’s Club Antigua We just spent a wonderful week at St. James’s Club in Antigua, and we had an outstanding time at the resort! From the moment we checked in, the hospitality was fantastic. We arrived early, and the team immediately went above and beyond to have a room ready for us. That warm welcome set the tone for an incredible stay. The food and service throughout the resort exceeded my expectations. Every restaurant experience was enjoyable, and the staff consistently demonstrated genuine hospitality, professionalism, and a sincere desire to make our stay special. The landscaping and grounds were absolutely beautiful and very well maintained, adding to the overall beauty and relaxing atmosphere of the resort. I would like to extend a special thank you to the General Manager and the entire team at St. James’s Club for making our vacation such a memorable experience. Your hospitality and attention to detail truly made a difference. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay and are already looking forward to returning to St. James’s Club Antigua in the future! Thank you for a wonderful vacation!

Obviously the wrong time of year to go Majority of Restaurants closed Majority Bars closed Only bar in evening was Jacaranda the music was very much geared towards the youngsters that worked there instead of the over 70’s that were in the bar when we went it was loud and sounded like Soca or some gangster type music. We all asked if it could be turned down a bit which caused the DJ Kel to pack up and leave shouting at staff and guests a like . I heard one lady say your behaviour is embarrassing, he gave her daggers and started to clap his hands at her. We didn’t go into that bar again after that. There was a very rude receptionist who was seen shouting at a couple of guests after they had asked for the buggy to take them somewhere , she had clearly forgot to call the guy to come collect the guests and when challenged she was quite aggressive.shouting across at them as if to humiliate them. We tried to avoid her when we had any dealings with reception as she was so rude and had forgotten to order our taxi to go leave. When we tried to speak up about our complaints we were told the general manager was busy!!!

I stayed at the resort for a weekend with family and I must say my experience from start to finish was top tier! First and foremost is the quality of service from staff, every single employee I had an encounter with ensured that my family and I were comfortable and enjoying ourselves in a friendly yet professional manner, they were indeed well trained. Secondly the rooms, each member of my family (including myself) said that the rooms felt welcoming and comfortable (they are also very spacious). Lastly are the activities and the food, the resort offers varied activities that keep you entertained both on land and sea feel free to ask any worker about them. The bar and the food complement the excellency of the resort offering drinks prepared by great mixologists and cuisines from across the globe prepared by chefs (which I can say confidently) that can cook. Ultimately I can say my stay was indeed a 10/10.