Galley Bay Resort & Spa

It’s a beautiful resort with great food. We didn’t like the fact that you can’t listen to music by the pool(earbuds only) and the only entertainment is a singer at night!

Resort Highlights Galley Bay is truly beautiful. All of the restaurants and bars are open-air, which keeps you connected to the ocean at all times. It’s a smaller resort, with only three restaurants and one bar located centrally. The staff were extremely attentive and kind throughout our stay. Tips weren’t expected—instead, there was a daily service charge that went toward staff gratuities, plus an optional tip box at the front desk for a lump-sum contribution at the end of your trip. One of the unique aspects of the resort is its on-site garden, where they grow much of the fruit and vegetables served in the restaurants. We toured it one day and even left with fresh, hand-picked mangos. The property also features a bike trail around the lagoon, which we enjoyed a couple of times. It’s a peaceful loop and home to many birds. Room Our room was one of the highlights of the trip. Most accommodations are beachfront, and ours had direct walk-out access to the sand. We loved this setup—no scrambling for chairs or packing a beach bag each morning. Our room included its own set of beach chairs, an umbrella, and even an outdoor shower for rinsing off after the ocean. Waking up to ocean views from bed, then stepping right onto the sand, was perfect. The room itself was spotless, and housekeeping did an excellent job tidying up daily. No complaints at all! Beach This is easily one of the nicest beaches we’ve ever visited—definitely in our top two. The water was crystal clear, with plenty of fish, making snorkeling a daily activity for us. Right offshore, there are coral reefs that are easy to swim to, and they’re perfect for snorkeling enthusiasts. The watersports team also offers trips to a nearby shipwreck for snorkeling, which was incredible and absolutely worth doing. Food The food at Galley Bay was some of the best we’ve had at a resort. There were daily specials, and we were rarely disappointed—steaks were consistently tender and flavorful, and the fish was always cooked perfectly. That said, with only three restaurants, the menus did start to feel a bit repetitive after several days. Breakfast, in particular, was underwhelming—basic eggs and bacon that felt more like a budget hotel offering. Still, if that’s the biggest downside, it’s not bad at all. We highly recommend Ismay’s and the private dinner on the beach. Both cost extra, but the food was outstanding and well worth it. Outside the Resort We ventured out a few times during our stay. -St. John’s (the capital): Fun to see and walk around, but unless you’re into shopping, you really only need about an hour there. -Shirley Heights: About a 45-minute drive from Galley Bay, this repurposed military outpost offers live music, barbecue, and breathtaking views. We highly recommend it! -Sailing with Captain John: This was one of our favorite experiences. Captain John took us on a peaceful sail around the island, sharing history along the way. We stopped to snorkel a coral reef, then enjoyed a delicious home-cooked lunch onboard—easily one of the best meals of our trip. A Couple of Side Notes Galley Bay is very laid-back. The atmosphere is romantic and calm, but there’s not much to do in the evenings beyond relaxing on the beach or in your room. Nightlife was basically limited to live music that few people attended, so after dinner things got pretty quiet around 8:00–8:30. If you are looking for things to do outside of the beach, this may not be the place for you. I was excited about the café, but it was hit or miss. Some staff there were excellent, while others struggled with the machines and made poor coffee. The service also wasn’t as friendly as elsewhere at the resort—though everywhere else, the staff were wonderful. Overall We loved our trip. Antigua is a beautiful island, and Galley Bay was a wonderful place to spend our honeymoon. Despite a few minor shortcomings, we left feeling relaxed, happy, and very glad we chose it.

We just returned from Galley Bay and while the setting is absolutely gorgeous, overall the experience fell short for us. Check-in was quick and welcoming, and our Superior Deluxe Beachfront Room was great — literally steps from the beach with an incredible view and a very comfortable bed. Waking up to the ocean right outside was definitely the highlight of the trip. That said, the patio often had sand from the tide coming right up to it, and it didn’t always get cleaned. The beach and pool were both beautiful and relaxing. Food was mostly good and better than what we’ve had at some other resorts, but the upcharge restaurant, Ismay’s ($50pp extra), was a big disappointment. We went for my wife’s birthday, ordered lobster, and both plates were so overcooked they were inedible. Even the replacements were tough, so we gave up. Service was inconsistent. The resort advertises beach and pool drink service, but in reality it barely existed. We saw someone on the beach only once (after calling guest services), and poolside button service worked once and then never again. We ended up just going to the bar ourselves. WiFi was also extremely spotty and barely worked most of the time, which was frustrating. Most of the staff were very friendly and helpful, but we did have one negative encounter with a housekeeper who rolled her eyes when we asked her to return later for turndown service while we were getting ready for dinner. For the price, we expected better consistency and value. Other resorts we’ve stayed at (for less money) offered more activities, evening entertainment, and more reliable service across the board. Overall: 3/5 The beachfront setting is truly stunning and that’s what makes this resort, but the lack of consistent service, poor WiFi, and value for money mean we wouldn’t rush back.

We’ve just returned from our third visit to Galley Bay, a resort we’ve previously adored. While we still had a lovely, relaxing week in this stunning setting, we left with mixed feelings and, sadly, some doubts about returning for a fourth time. The Positives: Galley Bay remains an island paradise. The beach is absolutely beautiful; immaculate, peaceful, and perfect for swimming every day. We loved having our own sun loungers right on the beach, and there were always plenty of sunbeds and towels available. The sunsets were spectacular, and the grounds are breathtaking, filled with tropical flowers and well-maintained gardens. We stayed in Room 11, a single-storey superior beachfront at the end of the block. It was gorgeous, with the added bonus of a private side patio and rocking chairs—a perfect spot for morning coffee or sunset watching. Housekeeping was efficient, and the in-room fridge was restocked daily. Most of the food was very good, and the spa experience was excellent; the treatment and the spa staff were both top-notch. Galley Bay continues to be a wonderful choice for total relaxation. The Negatives: That said, we couldn’t help but feel a general decline in the overall atmosphere compared to our previous visits. Perhaps it’s the low season, but the service felt noticeably less warm and attentive than before. On past trips (one also in August), we never felt this level of disengagement from staff. While not everyone was indifferent, the overall vibe seemed more lacklustre than we remembered. Not all restaurants were open daily during our stay, which was a bit disappointing and limits the meal options significantly. Fortunately, we did get to enjoy a lovely meal at Ismay’s for the repeat guests’ dinner. We also had an issue with the bed in our room, it was far too soft and uncomfortable, making sleep difficult. When we raised it with guest services, we were told it was a brand new mattress, and a topper was added, which helped a little. While action was taken, we were made to feel awkward for bringing it up, which was a shame, especially as we’ve always slept so well here in the past. Additionally, the bathroom was starting to show signs of wear and could benefit from some refurbishment. The coffee shop was another small let-down. We never managed to get a proper iced latte, and on more than one occasion they were undrinkable (including one made by simply adding ice cubes to a hot latte). One other unfortunate downside was the persistent noise from jet skis on some days, coming from a nearby resort. While this isn’t under Galley Bay’s control, the constant revving up and down the waterway just off the beach disrupted the peaceful atmosphere the resort is known for. At times, they came uncomfortably close to swimmers and snorkellers, which was both noisy and potentially dangerous. In Conclusion: We still have a deep affection for Galley Bay. The location is magical; stepping out onto the beach from your room is something truly special. But for the high price point, we left feeling a little disappointed this time around. As much as it pains us to say it, we may need to explore somewhere new next time.

This was to celebrate our wedding anniversary and although quite expensive we did our research and decided to go with Galley Bay. Really wished we hadn't. This is difficult to write as the resort itself was outstanding. The views and the grounds were beautiful beyond words. The sunset from the Teepee bar every night could not be missed and we would go early to enjoy a drink and just watch the sun go down. The gardeners do an amazing job as do the cleaners. The resort was immaculate. The beach was stunning and had some of the best snorkeling we have ever had and we have travelled! Some of the staff were brilliant and really interesting to talk to. That's about it for the good, I'm afraid. We stayed in the Gaugin suits. Absolutely cute and very Tolkien! However, the maintenance was terrible and had a lot of faults. Not good enough for the price. They did offer to move us but we couldn't be bothered to re pack and move again when the faults should have been picked up before we arrived. We just tended to stay more by the main pool. Will give a couple of examples but seriously not interested in doing the managers jobs for them. Outside pool had missing tiles and the hand rail moved as you tried to step in or out. The outside shower was full of limescale and obviously not been used in a while. Hairdryer was worst I have ever come across [take your own]. The list of faults could go on and on.......! The main criticism is not getting what we paid for. The TUI website and Galley Bay site boasts about the restaurants, rum shack and barbecues...... Forget them. We were told that they were under occupied so therefore they only opened some restaurants some of the time and you are constantly checking a sheet that they give you to see when the restaurants are actually open and then you have the palaver of booking the restaurants !! Food was only average and on a couple of occasions food was under cooked or even worse dried beyond redemption. Is Ismay's worth the extra charge...not in our opinion!!!! We did have the lobster and that was a real disappointment, not quite cooked towards the tail and the rest was dry. It is shocking that you are told what to expect, pay a lot of money for that to then not have the package.......outrageous!! Service was so hit and miss that you never knew what was happening from day to day! one minute you had to go and get your drinks from the bar and then they had staff doing your orders from the pool area for you !! consistency was terrible, on a couple of occasions there was only one person on the bar all day managing the bar, pool area, beach area and then lunch orders. Staff attitude was dreadful and this includes guest services [being sighed at when you have a simple question is not great]. Some were lovely and tried so hard but then you had to deal with some of the rudest staff I have ever come across. In all our travels this has never been an issue before and we were shocked at how we were responded to [or not!] and how we witnessed other guests being spoken to. Do not bother pressing the call button that goes to the bar...it goes unanswered most of the time. Why were the call buttons by the pool checked but you ignored the bits of crab that had been there for 3 days [including stepping over them??} Management is the biggest issue here. Stop walking around and ingratiating yourself with guests and start managing the site! You say you are under occupied so get out there check the accommodation, walk around and look for things that are out of place, need removing and /or changing. Would we recommend Galley Bay?? NO.. save your money and spend it somewhere where you actually get the package you are buying/paying into without the dreadful attitude.