Antigua — an all year round destination?

Somehow, I always visited the Caribbean out of season — be it summer or autumn and thus a hurricane season. The weather can indeed be mixed but we were always spoilt with plenty of sunshine and only occasional rains. It wasn't any different on my recent trip to Antigua — I travelled mid-October for 8 nights and we only had two days when it rained for about 15 minutes.

It seems that many families shared my love for out of season travel as I spotted numerous Brits visiting Antigua for the October half term. In fact, one of the hotels where I stayed was at almost 100% capacity for the school holiday. I can certainly see the appeal — isn't it immensely tempting to pay much lower rates that do shoot up from November/December?

Antigua is often called an island of 365 beaches (one for each day of the year) and together with the sister island of Barbuda they are known as authentic Caribbean. Having been to more developed islands like Barbados and Jamaica, Antigua did welcome us by unspoilt terrain and colourful Caribbean cottages. I think the beaches were some of the best we have seen anywhere in the Caribbean — sandy, with turquoise water, some in smaller bays and some going for over a mile.

Hermitage Bay — adults only eco retreat

The first resort that I visited was the adults only eco retreat Hermitage Bay resort. A luxury boutique resort nestled on the hillside of a hidden, sandy bay. A true honeymooners paradise, so special and memorable. It is a real all-inclusive Caribbean luxury! The resort has only 30 suites, spread around tropical gardens or nestled on the beach — a luxurious, natural environment where mind, body and spirit can be nurtured and restored.

Each suite has a luxurious large bath and an outdoor shower. The resort is all-inclusive and the menu changes daily — even picky eaters will find something that will accommodate their taste buds. As the resort is so intimate, service is second to none — very personalised, with staff remembering names of guests and their dietary and other preferences. You feel like a part of a large caring family.

Carlisle Bay — a firm favourite

The second resort I visited was the iconic Carlisle Bay — well-known across the Caribbean and a firm favourite with the British crowd. A luxury resort looking out over white sand and turquoise water with a backdrop of emerald green rain forest. This stunning 87 suite resort is a member of the prestigious Leading Hotels of the World group.

I loved the spacious and bright suites with floor to ceiling windows, most overlooking the beautiful Caribbean Sea. The beach at Carlisle Bay deserves a special mention — the sand is golden and so soft, with no broken coral or sea shells. Ideal for little feet and making sand castles.

When it comes to couples, do not be put off by the family reputation that the resort has — they very cleverly try to house families and couples in separate parts of the resort. In addition, there is an adults-only restaurant and bar called the Jetty Grill. Carlisle Bay offers B&B with complimentary afternoon tea as well as All-Inclusive and you have four restaurants to choose from. A truly comfortable and classy resort with impeccable service!

Hodges Bay — contemporary and polished

Our last resort was Hodges Bay, a new property which only opened shortly before the pandemic. Very different from the resorts above with its casual, modern, and polished clean bohemian aesthetic. Our oceanfront suite was very spacious, sophisticated and contemporary with a huge terrace overlooking the sea. It was so enjoyable to sit there with a drink listening to the clashing waves and enjoying the sunset!

The resort is conveniently located only 10 minutes away from the airport yet there is no sound of aircraft. What I particularly liked is their Two, Three and Four Bedroom ocean front villas — a real home away from home option with plenty of space for everyone to spread out comfortably. Ideal for families or a group of friends staying together in a villa with resort facilities like a fitness centre, spa, tennis courts, kids club and water sports.

A very unique feature of Hodges Bay is access to their private island — the Prickly Pear. A speedboat runs between the resort and the island regularly and the journey only takes 5 minutes. There is a bar, where you can enjoy a rum punch or a cold bottle of white wine and a light lunch. The water colour is absolutely stunning and the sand bank with the white sand reminded us of the Maldives. There is also a reef surrounding the island, so you can snorkel right off the shore.