Keyonna Beach

The hotel has a stunning beachside location on a wonderful tropical (and clean) beach. The hotel staff are amazing. Not just polite and helpful, but also charming and willing to share a joke. Can't praise them enough. Our room was inviting, but it's described as a "sunset suite", and facing South, we couldn't actually see the sunset. (Perhaps our room is the only one to face this way) In an all-inclusive deal, there is naturally less choice about food and drink. We felt the evening meals in particular suffered from slightly poor quality ingredients - but it was always well presented. The house wines were not great. There is evening entertainment in the form of a different band every night. This is a taste issue, but we found the music to be a bit on the dull and safe. Guests never danced. Every band performed "An Englishman in New York" We did have a great vacation. Keyonna it is a great place to come for a restful and romantic stay.

Trip to Keyonna Beach, Antigua January 2026 | 10-Night Stay Guest Experience Review and Recommendations Introduction In January 2026, we returned to Antigua for our fourth visit, choosing Keyonna Beach for the first time after several previous stays at Galley Bay. Based on consistently positive reviews and Keyonna’s reputation for intimate, romantic experiences, our expectations were high. This document is intended to provide balanced, honest feedback on our stay—highlighting both the strengths of the resort and areas where improvements could meaningfully enhance the guest experience. ________________________________________ Travel and Arrival Experience For this trip, we flew WestJet Business Class rather than our usual Air Canada service. WestJet provided attentive service, comfortable seating, and newer aircraft, which made for a very positive travel experience. Upon arrival at Keyonna Beach, we were escorted to our beachfront cottage featuring a private plunge pool and Bali bed. The room was clean, well-stocked with our preferred beverages, and attractively located near the dining and bar area. While functional, the cottage felt dated and would benefit from modernization to better align with guest expectations at this price point. ________________________________________ Accommodation and Resort Environment On our first evening, we noticed intermittent sewer gas odours in certain areas of the resort. While not overpowering, the issue recurred throughout our stay. The dining room is situated on a wooden deck that slopes toward the ocean. The deck noticeably bounced when staff walked by, which was distracting during meals. Additionally, our first cottage—located close to the main road—was affected by significant traffic noise and loud evening entertainment. The band’s volume and limited sound insulation made it difficult to rest. After reporting these concerns, management responded promptly and relocated us to a quieter cottage. This new location offered exceptional ocean views and improved tranquility, though the accommodation still showed signs of needing updates. ________________________________________ Dining Experience Keyonna Beach offers one primary restaurant and a small grill hut. While breakfast views were stunning, menus across all meals were limited and largely unchanged throughout our 10-night stay. Menu Accuracy and Food Quality A recurring issue was inconsistency between menu descriptions and the dishes served. Examples included: • Tomato and vegetable soup arriving as a plain vegetable soup • Pulled pork that was not shredded as described • Pan-fried fish that was inedible due to strong odour and visible bloodline Several meals—particularly dinners—were poorly executed, with overcooked proteins and unappealing sauces. Vegetarian options were especially limited, making it difficult for my wife to find satisfying choices. After several disappointing meals, we relied on a small number of breakfast items (Antigua French toast and banana bread), which were consistently good. ________________________________________ Engagement with Management and Culinary Improvements After sharing our concerns, both the Assistant Manager and Dining Manager met with us, listened carefully, and took notes. We suggested: • Using thermometers to ensure proper protein doneness • Tasting dishes before service • Improving consistency across plates The Executive Chef later arranged a special dinner, which was excellent—one of the best meals we have had in Antigua. However, confusion around which chef prepared the meal and how credit was communicated felt misleading and undermined transparency. Two chefs stood out positively: • Chef TerryAnn, whose meals were exceptional and memorable • Chef Chappy, whose curry lamb stew and later a perfectly cooked linguine with garlic butter and vegetables were highlights Unfortunately, quality varied significantly depending on who was working, and one later “special” dinner featuring stuffed snapper was inedible, with poor texture and flavour. The interaction that followed—particularly comments minimizing Chef TerryAnn’s contribution—was disappointing and left us feeling unheard. ________________________________________ Service and Staff The staff at Keyonna Beach were consistently warm, attentive, and eager to help. In particular: • Tevin, our beach server, was outstanding—friendly, proactive, and attentive throughout our stay However, approximately 80% of servers were unable to accurately describe menu items, which contributed to mismatched expectations and guest frustration. ________________________________________ Beach Experience and Security While beaches in Antigua are public, the Bali beds and loungers at Keyonna are situated on private property. Despite this, we were repeatedly approached by individuals soliciting money for supposed children’s football initiatives, later confirmed by staff to be scams. We were not warned about this at check-in and unfortunately fell victim to one such scam. Although security was promised, it was never implemented, and the same individual returned days later. Ultimately, we had to intervene ourselves and warn other guests. ________________________________________ Safety Incidents During a tropical storm, water leaked from the ceiling into our bathroom. My wife slipped on the wet floor and injured her back. The resort responded appropriately by arranging a doctor visit the following day. She continues to experience ongoing pain and has scheduled follow-up care at home. A more serious safety concern involved the outdoor shower. The door locked from the outside, trapping us inside the shower area. Despite calling for help, no one responded. We were forced to break a glass panel to escape, creating a potentially dangerous situation. While staff handled the aftermath efficiently, the incident itself represents a significant safety risk that should be addressed urgently. ________________________________________ Bar Service and Beverage Quality When ordering drinks, guests must explicitly request top-shelf liquor; otherwise, standard brands are used. On several occasions, drinks ordered with Harbour 10 Rum did not taste consistent with the brand we regularly purchase and know well. Additionally, the bar lacked several common ingredients (e.g., Drambuie for a Rusty Nail, cherries for a Manhattan), which limited cocktail options. ________________________________________ Overall Impression While there were moments of excellence—particularly from individual staff members and select chefs—the overall experience did not meet expectations given Keyonna Beach’s reputation and price point. Over time, we became fatigued from raising concerns and chose to stop reporting additional issues. ________________________________________ Recommendations for Enhancing the Guest Experience We offer the following suggestions in the spirit of collaboration and improvement: Culinary Operations • Standardize recipes and plating to ensure consistency • Ensure menu descriptions accurately reflect dishes served • Improve vegetarian and rotating menu options for longer stays • Provide additional staff training so servers can confidently describe menu items Accommodation and Infrastructure • Address sewer odour issues proactively • Improve soundproofing in cottages near the road • Inspect and repair leaks promptly • Upgrade locking mechanisms on outdoor showers to prevent accidental confinement Safety and Security • Clearly brief guests at check-in about beach access and known solicitation scams • Provide visible beach security or regular staff presence • Conduct safety audits following severe weather Bar Service • Clearly communicate liquor brands used in cocktails • Ensure consistency when premium spirits are requested • Stock essential classic cocktail ingredients or adjust menus accordingly ________________________________________ Closing Keyonna Beach has many strengths: a beautiful setting, dedicated staff, and the potential for exceptional dining and relaxation. With greater consistency, improved communication, and attention to safety and infrastructure, we believe the guest experience could be significantly elevated. We appreciate the efforts of individual team members who went above and beyond and hope this feedback is received as an opportunity for continued growth. Bob & Wendy

A wonderful getaway for my wife and I. The all-inclusive aspect of this trip is very convenient. Food and drink orders were all "off the menu" which worked out fantastic for our tastes. Look forward to returning in the future.

This is a small rustic style couples hotel on a beautiful beach. Rooms have large double outdoor showers. Plunge pool. Direct beach access to sand and crystal clear water- all inclusive with high quality food and drinks. The staff are amazing helpful and friendly.

We've just come home from a wonderful stay. Cleanliness, food quality, service, location, beach it was all great. Staff here really welcome you, they share knowledge about the island, they do anything and everything to make your stay a good one. We wanted for nothing, and most staff really do go all out. This is a boutique hotel, wooden and rustic is the style of the rooms, it all adds to the relaxed, laid back atmosphere. Pool clean, plenty of beach towels, beach is clean, day beds and loungers were great to help you relax. We had a plunge pool, definitely worth it. The description for the hotel is a chance for couples to reconnect, and its exactly that. No late nights, and gentle music entertainment whilst at dinner. Some staff do really put the extra effort in to taking care of you and make sure you have everything you need. Sleep, now the hotel isn't far from the road, if you sleep light you will hear the cars and their music, didn’t bother us though, I wear earplugs anyhoo. Food. Plenty on offer, lots of choice and specials for breakfast, lunch and dinner. BBQ for lunch was yummy, and the lady chef there is fantastic and very friendly. There was one night we experienced long delays (45mins for a starter, and another 40 for mains) with our food order, but the team made sure we had plenty of wine and we had no where else to be so soaked up the evening entertainment. Room. Has everything you need, air con is good, minibar is topped up everyday with what ever you would like. Maids are great and leave the room very fresh each day. One day we didn’t have a room serviced, the team had been incredibly busy and our room was missed by the team we returned from the beach but the team responded quickly to our request for fresh towels and water, so no problem. I would recommend this hotel for a couples relaxing break, one where you can switch off totally. We'll certainly go back.