The Inn at English Harbour

3rd time lucky in Antigua…a lovely hotel at last… We first visited Antigua back in 2009 staying at a supposedly great hotel called Carlisle Bay… I don't know why they built a hotel next to a swamp however the mosquito problem was severe and the hotel was not much better. I would have reviewed it but our stay was in 2009 just before I started reviewing on TripAdvisor. The general manager was a nice guy, he just didn't seem very good at managing. On our next visit to Antigua we stayed at Jumby Bay where there were also problems… it was the general manager from Carlisle Bay running it by then. That was just a few years ago. We have never been back. This year we needed to book a hotel in Antigua for two separates stays, fairly close together, either side of our stay at the excellent Rosewood Hotel in nearby St Barts (which I have reviewed). Where to stay was the conundrum. Friends told us about The Inn at English Harbour. The TripAdvisor reviews looked positive… as a result my wife and I stayed there twice last month. The Hotel at English harbour is lovely. Having read about the (albeit small) accommodation which is right on the beach just yards from the sea, we made sure we experienced it for one night having seen all the recommendations on TripAdvisor. I know the hotel are trying to obtain planning permission to make them bigger before they refurbish them, it was still a unique experience to wake up in the morning right by the sea. We also stayed in one of the top suites which was built quite recently, was spacious, beautifully appointed and right next to reception and their main restaurant. If it is available also try and book that. We dined at the hotel every night and it was absolutely lovely. Lunch in their beachside restaurant was also delightful. We saw no need to dine and outside of the property… that was a good decision. We met the executive chef who is beyond accommodating… a lovely dining experience. On our second stay we had a gorgeous spacious ground floor suite close to the main swimming pool and beach. On the Saturday night they had a terrific female singer entertaining guests at dinner which, along with lovely staff, great views and the especially comfy dining armchairs on wheels at the rear of the restaurant…combined to make this one of the most enjoyable dining experiences we have ever had in Antigua. All of the staff range from being lovely to exceptional and that starts from the top down, with the most excellent general manager, Fabio Giorgi. The hotel is family owned and much love has clearly been invested by the owners, management and staff. Everything was lovely. The main swimming pool hardly ever had anyone in it or sitting around it even though the hotel was full. The grounds are so extensive and the accommodation so well spread out that it felt extremely private. We took advantage of the hourly complimentary regular boat service to visit Nelson’s Dock nearby. When in accommodations at the lower level they sent a golf cart to pick you up to reach the main restaurant at night and at any other time required. When we were staying in one of their top suits with the private pool next to reception, this came with our own golf cart which was great fun. The last time we had one of those with a suite was at Rosewood in Bermuda. We have never stayed at a hotel quite like this… it did feel more like an INN than a hotel, welcoming and cosseting. Please take a look at the photos we took during our two recent stays… we will not hesitate to re-book. The staff are like family… I only came across one staff member who had attitude and that was at the beach restaurant during our final lunch. There's always one… we can cope with that.

My partner and I recently returned from a trip and have very mixed feelings about our experience. The resort has fantastic bones, stunning views, and some genuinely wonderful staff members, but several operational and maintenance issues significantly impacted our stay. ​👍 The Good Points ​The waiting staff at the restaurants were absolutely amazing—attentive, friendly, and a true credit to the resort. We want to specifically praise them. We also really enjoyed the good relaxing atmosphere overall, the pool loungers were comfortable, and the cocktails were very good. The food was generally excellent, with lunch being a particular highlight. ​A special thank you to Sasha for organizing a fantastic tour with Martin in the gardening team; he was incredibly knowledgeable and passionate. ​👎 Areas for Improvement (The "Bad" Points) ​Maintenance and Safety Concerns: • ​Persistent Toilet Issue: We reported a non-functional toilet in our room five times. Each time it was supposedly "fixed," it immediately broke again. This requires a permanent solution. • ​Maintenance Staff Training: The repeated, unsuccessful "fixes" strongly suggest a need for better training for the maintenance team. Trying the same thing 4-5 times when it fails is not an adequate approach. • ​Gym Safety: The gym's air conditioning was broken, and the treadmill band slipped frequently, which is bordering on dangerous and a serious trip/fall hazard. The gym equipment generally leaves a lot to be desired. • ​Lack of Bar Atmosphere: The bar in the evenings lacked atmosphere and sociability. It needs to be made more inviting to welcome guests after dinner. • ​Wasted Top Restaurant/Bar: The restaurant/bar with the best view is wasted, especially during the day when guests aren't encouraged to go there. • ​Dinner Menu Limitations: As someone with a fish allergy, the dinner menu, which already needs to change more regularly or offer more options, was extremely restrictive, leaving me with only 2 or 3 choices most nights. • ​Slow Beach/Bar Service: Service on the beach was very slow. Staffing levels need to be increased, and equipping the wooden beach bar with a mini-bar would certainly speed things up. To compound this, the checks we were given were often wrong and had to be re-printed, slowing things even further. • ​Subpar Afternoon Tea: The cakes offered at the afternoon tea were not great. ​Missed Opportunities (Suggestions): • ​Water Taxi: The water taxi to English Harbour is a great asset but could be maximized. A daily trip to the Pillars of Hercules should be offered. Guests should also be offered drop-offs at the other side of the bay for self-escorted snorkeling trips as a standard option. • ​Service System: A flag system on the beach and by the pool would be a great way to signal for service. • ​Top Restaurant Usage: Offer activities like a Library, yoga classes, painting, or talks in the underutilized top restaurant/bar to make use of the space and views during the day. • ​Buggy Wait: A simple bench outside the "roundabout" pick up point would be appreciated while waiting for a golf buggy. • ​A simple "Cocktail of the Day" would be a fun addition.

A strange experience somehow. A pretty disjointed establishment that is spacious, charming and beautiful in many ways but no one seemed to visibly care about the overall wellbeing of their guests. It’s very expensive! We don’t mind that if we’re getting value for money but this once beautiful place needs investing in for the future otherwise it won’t survive. The beds are soft/small/old, the bathrooms are tired (well ours was), the a/c is noisy and ineffective and above all else over6 days we weren’t aware of any management checking in on any aspect of our stay whatsoever apart from them ensuring we were checking out/paying on time at the end of our stay. Individual staff members were very lovely but somehow that didn’t feel enough. The food is ok but very repetitive. The afternoon tea is a nice touch but nothing feels very loved somehow. Disappointed.

I can't imagine that there is a better and more beautiful place to stay in Antigua than the Inn at English Harbour. That said, there are a few areas that could use attention: 1) The A/C struggled to work in our second floor suite. It could be that any A/C unit would struggle to work in this heat and humidity, especially in an upper floor room, but still, we had some trouble sleeping due to the warmth of the room; 2) our mattress was a bit soft and we were told there were no boards or replacement mattresses available. Perhaps it is time to replace them; 3) the gym is truly pathetic. The so-called elliptical is about 100 years old and the so-called bike only faintly resembles an actual exercise bike. There is a reason no one ever uses this gym. I have been told that new equipment is on order and all I can say is that the sooner it gets there, the better; and 4) they actually charge $3/cup for the in-room coffee maker. I have NEVER seen that before in any of the hundreds of hotels I have stayed at through the years. The in-room coffee maker does not produce great coffee...it is a convenience provided to guests until they can get a good cup of coffee at a restaurant or coffee shop. Really...is the hotel that desperate for cash??? But these are relatively minor complaints for a hotel/resort that is truly beautiful with perhaps the friendliest staff I have ever seen anywhere. If I were to return to Antigua, I don't think I would even consider staying somewhere else.

We had a great stay. The location allowed us to get off resort easily if we wanted to. The hotel also provided plenty to do onsite. We enjoyed snorkeling and kayaking multiple days. The included fast track through immigration and customs made arrival a breeze and very comfortable.