# TUG 4th Quarter Review Award Winner



## TUGBrian (Feb 28, 2008)

The winner of the Best 4th Quarter 2007 Review Award is Linda & William Geary for their review on Jolly Beach Vacations in Antigua. Congratulations to the Gearys!

http://www.tug2.net/resortreviewaward.htm


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## TUGBrian (Mar 4, 2008)

As a new idea brought up by our own review manager/volunteer/all around brilliant guy!  Keith!

We are going to start posting the contents of the winning awards in the public for all to view.

Here is a copy of the winning review award...all 4 parts of it!

Review Part 1 of 4
I apologize for the length of this review. But since it’s been such a long time, I thought tuggers might appreciate a thorough report. 

My family of five (me, hubby, our 2 teens & 22 year old), had a fabulous week at Jolly Beach Vacations (JBV) in Antigua.

---- Overview --------------------------- http://www.jollybeachvacations.com/newsite/ --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The resort is situated on the large and beautiful Jolly Beach on the west coast of the island about 15 miles from the airport. JBV actually shares the property of the all-inclusive Jolly Beach Resort (not a timeshare), and it occupies the north end of that property. I read on the net that JB resort was considered to be a 3-star resort, for what it’s worth. The location is wonderful. It’s both on Jolly beach and near the Jolly Beach harbor. This is important because the harbor area has a supermarket, restaurants, shops and casino, all within walking distance. 

------ Getting there -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The van taxi ride from the airport took about 25 minutes and cost us $30 dollars. It costs $24 for up to 4 persons and $6 for each additional person. So a party of 2 would still cost $24. It’s important to mention to your taxi driver that you are going to Jolly Beach Vacations and not Jolly Beach Resort because there are separate check-in areas for each, even though they are on the same property. 

Because of the proximity to the harbor shops, we did not feel it was necessary to rent a car. This was a first for us, because we are adventurous and like to explore everywhere we go. But we thought we’d start with no car and get one later if needed. Well, we got into the swing of … of … doing nothing, and never got a car! And we don’t regret it, either. Remember to tuck away $20USD or $50EC (per person ages 12 and over) in cash, to pay for the departure tax to leave the island! 

------ JBV Facilities ----------------------- http://www.jollybeachvacations.com/newsite/images/JBV/pages/Hotel_.html ----------------------------------------------------------------------

If you want a great aerial photo of JBV (red roofs) and JB Resort (white buildings) together, go to the link above. Yes, that beach continues on in both directions. 

The TS units are housed in four red-roofed buildings, each three stories high. There’s a mix of 1 and 2 BR units in each building. There are no elevators. All have huge furnished balconies facing the harbor side. Even though this property is considered ‘beach front’, only the end of one building faces the beach directly. Those units would be 101, 201 and 301. 

I believe this resort is quite new, perhaps less than 5 years. So the buildings looked pretty and clean from the outside. The grounds were clean and nicely maintained. The landscaping was nice but not luxurious. 



There is a small unimpressive lobby and offices made out of painted and roofed cargo trailers. On arrival, I was concerned when I saw the check in area. But I shortly realized that this is not indicative of the quality of the TS units themselves. In this ‘lobby’ was a central section with sofas and a small library. There were also 2 computers with free high speed internet access for use anytime. 

There was an ice machine in the building closest to the lobby. There are no swimming pools or restaurants at the t/s section itself. All guests use the pools and activities (not restaurants) of the JB resort, a short walk away. 

The only activity offered by JBV was a shuttle to Shirley Heights on Sunday night. But there are so many activities at JB resort that this didn’t matter. We didn’t go to Shirley Heights since we were only there one day, and were too busy at the beach and pool to leave so soon. 

We were charged for local phone calls. But there were no additional fees for electricity or anything else at checkout. 

------ The staff ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We found the staff to be friendly and helpful. On arrival we were greeted and were offered fruit punch, with or without rum. Check-in was fast and smooth. Our luggage was transported to our building using a golf cart, and carried up the stairs to our unit by a delightful porter. We two parents also rode in the cart, while our children walked the short distance. This same luggage service is offered on check out by calling the front desk. 

When we needed a taxi, we called the front desk and they arranged it. They were also very helpful in booking excursions and making reservations at restaurants. 

Security staff was visibly present everywhere, day and night. Every time we were out, we passed more than one uniformed guard patrolling the property and beach area. We felt very safe. 

We encountered no problems with our unit, and everything was in working order. So we had no need to report anything or ask for help. We were warned in advance, by a flyer under our door, of a planned 2 hour power outage mid day Wednesday. We appreciated knowing this. And the outage occurred as scheduled. 

We had one call from the JBV office asking if we were enjoying our stay, if we had any questions or problems. We half expected them to offer us the sales pitch, but it never came! 



----- The 2BR / 2BA Unit --------------- http://www.jollybeachvacations.com/newsite/timeshare/value_ofa_suite.html#Suite_floor_plans ----------------------------------------------

You can see all the floor plans for all units in the link above. 

This was an II trade into a 2 BR/2 BA unit. And as most trades go, you usually get whatever unit came up at the time the trade transacted. I emailed the property and was told unit 103 was on the first floor in the building closest to the beach. Keep in mind that none of the buildings are far from the beach. (See the aerial photo link above.) But we prefer to be higher. So I asked via email if we can be moved CONTINUED...


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## TUGBrian (Mar 4, 2008)

Review Part 2 of 4
higher for a better harbor view. We were told yes, and they would assign us an available upper unit upon check in. 

Then three days before arrival, we went one step further and emailed and asked if we can have a deluxe jacuzzi suite (there are only 8 deluxe units, all on the ends of the third floor), preferably the one in the building facing the ocean (Sunset Delight). We were told the 8 deluxe units were not included in the exchange contract with II. But if there was one available, we can opt to pay an additional fee. Since this was a celebration trip for us, we decided to go for it. 

Much to our delight, we were given the ocean front deluxe unit 301! It was by far the largest and most beautiful suite we ever stayed in. (For the record, we have been at 10 other resorts on II trades.) For us it was worth the additional $406 a week. We did see the inside of a regular 2 bedroom suite, and it was not much different, really, and was furnished similarly, just a bit smaller, and less bright because of no sliding door on the other LR wall. 

I will describe the regular 2 BR/2BA unit and add ‘deluxe’ differences when applicable. 

Upon entry of the unit we were met with fresh flower garnishes throughout, and a seersucker bathrobe in each bathroom for our use (could be only for the deluxe.). The décor is all tropical/bamboo and colorful. The unit was very clean. 

There was daily maid service. Sometimes they put away the dishes from the drying rack and washed what we left, and sometimes not. Beds were made, fresh towels replaced, bathrooms cleaned, floors swept and mopped daily. 

The Living Room is furnished with a futon sofa-bed (sleeps 1), love seat, 2 chairs, the usual end/coffee tables, stereo/CD player, small TV, DVD player, ceiling fan. The deluxe unit had a larger LR, but no additional furnishings.

There is no dining room, per se. But there is a round dining table that seated 4 between the LR and kitchen. I was surprised it only seated 4 when the unit slept 7. But we often dined on the patio set that seated 6, so this was not an issue for us. 

There’s a sliding door from the LR out to the huge covered harbor-facing balcony that had a table for 6, 2 lounges and end table. The deluxe unit had an additional sliding door on the adjacent LR wall, leading to the other balcony. The additional door made the LR brighter in the deluxe unit.

The extra balcony (deluxe unit only) is massive and wrapped around the unit to meet the other balcony and contained a very shallow whirlpool ‘bath’ tub. It was disappointing to see they didn’t use a full sized, deep hot tub there. There was certainly plenty of room. The upgrade to deluxe would not be worth it if you were interested in the private hot tub. But the view from our ocean-facing unit made it worth while for us. 

The kitchen is considered ‘limited’ since it lacked an oven, but had a full sized gas (propane) range top. It also lacked a dishwasher. But it had more than usual small appliances and kitchen supplies for 8. There’s a bar-like counter with 2 stools. The deluxe unit had a larger wrap around kitchen counter with 2 stools. I used it to serve buffet-style meals. All dishwashing items were provided. 



Extras: There’s an abundance of plastic storage containers which we used to tote sandwiches and snacks to the beach, and two nice wooden trays that we used often to carry meal items to the balcony. Missing: There was no sizable pitcher to mix up beverages. We always bring Kool-aid mixes, buy sugar there, and make sweet non-carbonated drinks to take to the beach. So we bought bottled water in gallon containers and used that as a pitcher. There was no ice maker. So we made ice and stored it in the largest plastic storage container in the freezer. 

There is an entire room devoted to laundry with a full sized stacked W/D, ironing board, iron, dirty clothes hamper and cleaning supplies (not needed because of maid service). Wow!

The Master bedroom had a king bed, 2 night stands, safe, sofa table, sofa, 2 chairs, small TV, Sony PS II game system (could be only for the deluxe), ceiling fan and cloths hanging rack. There is no furniture for clothes since the teak wood closets had built-in organizers with drawers. There was plenty of room for our belongings. The deluxe unit has a larger Master BR. 

The en-suite master Bathroom had 2 sinks, a tub/shower combination. The deluxe had a separate tub and shower and a longer counter. The towels were all plush, very large and plentiful. Both bathrooms were supplied with soaps, creams, shampoos, conditioners, bath gels. Did I mention the flowers and robes? It’s possible that was just for the deluxe units. 

The second Bedroom is much smaller and had 2 full sized (double) beds, 2 night stands, ceiling fan and small TV. There is no furniture for clothes since the teak wood closets had built-in organizers with drawers. The second bathroom did not have a tub, but a large walk-in shower and single sink. Both showers suffered from low water pressure. 

All furnishings were good quality and in good condition. Counter tops in kitchen and bathrooms were made of granite.

The indoor living space was very nice for a grown-up family of 5: regular unit was 1011 sq ft; deluxe unit 1166 sq ft. plus the large balconies. We could have lived there comfortably for a long time. 

----- Jolly Beach Resort facilities --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

First of all, the beach was huge and amazing with plenty of lounge chairs and shade. Some lounge chairs were dirty, so bring a paper towel in your beach bag. The water was warm and turquoise, but not as clear as in Grand Cayman or Aruba. There is no coral, so don’t bother snorkeling. But there’s also no sea weed or debris of any kind, just clean sand and warm calm water. We were approached several times by locals selling there good and services. A quick glance up saying ‘no thank you’ sent them on their way. 

When you check in, you get a colored wrist band to wear for the week, which entitles you to use the swimming pools, all entertainment, games and activities and all non-motorized water sports. 

The ‘fantasy’ pool was really bea CONTINUED...


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## TUGBrian (Mar 4, 2008)

Review Part 3 of 4
utiful and large with a separate section for water sports. There’s a second pool which we never used. Neither pool is ‘right there’ near the t/s units, though. It was about a 2 minute walk to get there. So we usually positioned ourselves on the beach under palm tress or huts, not far from the pool, so we can go back and forth easily. We did not consider the distance to the pool or not looking out of our unit over a pool, an issue. But then again, we don’t have young children. There were days that we didn’t use the pool at all. The ocean was close and just so beautiful. 

We were not provided with a schedule of JB resort events by the JBV staff. We had to go to the JB resort lobby to get one. I suggested on check out that it be included in our arrival packet. 

There were a couple gift and sundry shops at the resort. We never entered them. There were also several local ‘approved’ vendors on the beach. We purchased jewelry and clothing after bargaining with all them since that was all the cash I had at the time. 

We attended a couple of shows (brought our own drinks): steel drum band, disco night, and one ‘native’ bon-fire show on the beach. They were all just good. 

This was the first time we were at a resort where all non-motorized water sports were free. It made this vacation very special. We took advantage of free sailing and wind surfing lessons (given every day). Our oldest son became quite the sailor there. We sailed the Hobie Cats (easy to learn) and wind-surfers (very hard), paddled kayaks, and lounged on floating mats every day! We paid to rent jet skis, also. 

Other activities included were things like bingo (we won a bottle of rum!), tie-dye T-shirt making, Sudoku challenge, pool games, and many I can’t think of now. Certainly there was enough to do without ever leaving the resort! 



There was a dive shop on the property with the dive boat leaving from the beach directly at the JBV. There are also other dive companies and water based excursions that picked you up either at the nearby harbor, or directly on Jolly Beach. 

Since JB resort is all inclusive, there was an option for JBV guests to buy into that. If you didn’t, you could NOT buy anything a la carte, not even a drink. The restaurants are not set up to accept money. Here are the packages offered in summer 2007. Prices are per adult: 

• All Week: $511 ($73 a day for each additional day)

• One day all meals/drinks: $85

• One day drinks only: $27

• One day breakfast/lunch/drinks until 5 PM: $45

• One Evening dinner/drinks 5 PM - midnight: $54

Since there were 5 of us, it was out of the question to consider these options. Also, I was told by some guest that the food and drinks were just so-so. Let me remind you how GREAT this location is. You can walk to a good supermarket (The Epicurean) and eat breakfast and lunch in or at the beach. Even cook some light meals. We did this a lot. PLUS there are many nice restaurants all within walking distance that are not part of the JB resort. 

We made drinks in our room (great pina coladas and Kool-aid for the under aged) and transported them to the beach/pool in 24 oz sports bottles we brought with us, empty, from the USA. We also take a collapsible cooler. It was perfectly acceptable to bring these bottled drinks to the pool and other areas of the JB resort. 

----- Restaurants and other things around JBV -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Some of the restaurants we explored and can recommend are: 

• Coco's (at the south end of Jolly beach) -- This is part of Coco Bay Resort (all-inclusive). http://www.cocobayresort.com/food_and_drink.htm But they serve meals to non-AI guests. By far, they have the best food, menu, value, atmosphere and views. Do NOT miss this restaurant. They serve lunch, also. Plan on a 10 minute walk down the beach to get there. 

• Gladiator Sports Bar (in the Grand Princess Casino). They had buy-one get one everything from noon until 8 PM. Our big family of 5 ate and drank lots for $55! You must order by 8 PM and can stay later and still receive this discount.

• Peter's BBQ and Steakhouse (harbor side) – believe it or not, they serve a great breakfast here. 

• Mellini's Italian – also harbor side, near Peter’s. 

• Castaways (closest to JBV, on the beach) - this is a casual grill and was closed for refurbishing while we were there.

• Saffron, Indian restaurant (on the second floor of the Grand Princess casino). We didn’t eat there, but wish we had. It looked beautiful and smelled great.

• These, plus about 2 – 3 more I can’t remember the names of, are all walking distance from JBV. 

There are also small shops and stores at the harbor area. Included are: Numerous gift shops, a bank, the Epicurean supermarket, Grand Princess Casino, golf cart rental, car rental, news stands, DVD rental, nail and hair salon, etc. There was a golf course nearby also. 

Plan on around 5 – 10 minutes to walk to the harbor area shops and restaurants. 

----- Excursions ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We were so relaxed and enjoying the activities at this resort so much, we didn’t do many activities outside the resolrt and harbor. Our children wanted to take the Antigua Rainforest Canopy tour. http://www.antiguarainforest.com/index.htm

So we took a taxi that cost $70 round trip (5 of us) and our driver waited for us there for the return. This was really fun! We did the 9 zip lines and the kids did the challenge course also. We even brought our filled drink bottles here. And even though they had a café and bar, no problem, mon! 

We also went scuba diving. It was only so, so. The seas getting to the dive sites were very choppy and my son and a newlywed woman got sick. Don't go to Antigua for the snorkeling/diving. 

There are many other excursions that can be booked from the friendly staff at JBV. Also, many water excursions pick up at Jolly Beach or the CONTINUED...


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## TUGBrian (Mar 4, 2008)

Review Part 4 of 4
JB harbor area. 

----- Conclusion ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We never felt the need to rent a car and explore since there was enough at JBV and the surrounding area to keep us busy, rested and happy for the week. The island is beautiful, and there are other sights we missed out on. But, there’s always next time. 

I think JBV is a very good resort in a great location, with good quality units, very helpful staff, making it an excellent exchange. It is suitable for just about everyone: couples, families, relaxing or partying. 

Using the rating guidelines, I’m giving this an 8.0 rating considering the facilities and activities of JB resort being made available to JBV guests. If we return to Antigua we would want to stay here again. 



If you have any more questions, don't hesitate to ask.


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