We're searching for summer 2011 and Antigua is on our list. We're beach lovers that like to relax, swim, read, walk and are low maintenance but don't want to camp. We need a full kitchen. We're looking at Antigua beach club with RCI and Jolly Beach(now Tranquility) with II. If anyone has experience with either resort, could you give us updates and opinions. We were even considering a week at each. We like the tradewinds to come through for "heat comfort." Is one side better than the other for breezes? We're also considering St. Lucia or Tobago. All opinions are welcome! Thanks.
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antigua help?
- Thread starter rynker
- Start date
MRSFUSSY
newbie
we were so
disappointed in Antiqua. Pick somewhere else.
disappointed in Antiqua. Pick somewhere else.
Carolyn
TUG Member
- Joined
- Jun 6, 2005
- Messages
- 1,237
- Reaction score
- 10
- Location
- Carmel, Indiana
- Resorts Owned
- Westin St John
WJL St Lucia
St James Club Antigua
Charter Club Marco
Sheraton Desert Oasis
Same here...much better islands. Our favorites are St. Lucia, St. John and St. Barts (no timeshares). Unfortunately the first 2 are tough trades. Never been to Tobago.
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Weimaraner
TUG Member
Hey now the island can't be all that bad if Oprah, Eric Clapton, Giorgio Armani have homes there 
We went in February and stayed at Verandah and had a nice relaxing vacation. It was definitely worth at least one visit.
We went in February and stayed at Verandah and had a nice relaxing vacation. It was definitely worth at least one visit.
Antigua's gotten some bad press since a horrific murder of an Engliish tourist couple at a non-timeshare resort not far from Jolly Beach.
We enjoyed our week at Antigua Village Beach (the year before the murders - - in fact we had a nice, fancy dinner at the place where the murders were to happen). AVB is on a beautiful beach, next door to the Sandals Resort. We also drove all over the island, which took us to various beaches, historical sites, etc. There are no road signs so we got lost every time and local people were uniformly warm and helpful in setting us right.
Of course there's lots of poverty. Antigua was an English colony at the height of the triangular sugar/rum/slave trade that you learned about in middle school. There are still ruins of sugar mills throughout the island, and the big English naval station now a museum. I was struck by the friendliness of the people considering how their ancestors suffered.
We enjoyed our week at Antigua Village Beach (the year before the murders - - in fact we had a nice, fancy dinner at the place where the murders were to happen). AVB is on a beautiful beach, next door to the Sandals Resort. We also drove all over the island, which took us to various beaches, historical sites, etc. There are no road signs so we got lost every time and local people were uniformly warm and helpful in setting us right.
Of course there's lots of poverty. Antigua was an English colony at the height of the triangular sugar/rum/slave trade that you learned about in middle school. There are still ruins of sugar mills throughout the island, and the big English naval station now a museum. I was struck by the friendliness of the people considering how their ancestors suffered.
momala1
TUG Member
Hi, just wondering - those disappointed with Antigua - was it the island itself or the property where you stayed? We were there about 6 years ago - stayed at Antigua Village Beach. The property was definately NOT the best we've stayed at, but their beach was one of the best - so ... we were considering going back. Has anyone been to St. James Club(?) and is your opinion of Antigua in general any different? Thanks for any input!
St. James is at the opposite corner of the island from AVB. We drove there too (and I guess sneaked in). The housing looked good and the atmosphere was classy (afternoon tea, etc.). Although there's beachfront on both sides (oceanside and bayside) it's not that great a beach. Also the location is pretty isolated even if you have a car.
The best (deserted) beach on the island is a 20 minute drive from St. James Club - - Half Moon Bay
nickis
TUG Member
Beautiful Beaches
We stayed at jolly Beach with an II getaway in June 2008. The apartments are a nice size, clean and well furnished. The beach is really nice and we spent a lot of time there.
It's combined with a larger hotel/AI resort, with shared facilities such as the pool & evening entertainment. Didn't really care for that set up as we felt like second class guests, couldn't even pay cash for a drink or food you had to buy a day AI pass. Also, while the timeshare side is well maintained, the AI side must be quite a lot older and was definitely showing it's age when we were there. The pool didn't look very clean, and after the first day we didn't go in it again, we used the beach instead.
There is a beach bar/restaurant at the end of the beach which we made use of a number of times, and also a small shopping complex (like a strip mall) just outside the resort, with a well stocked supermarket. We bought all our groceries there.
We had a car and travelled all around the island to different spots and beaches. Be warned though...a lot of businesses shut down in May for the season. A number of the restaurants we had on our list were closed during our visit. I think it's a really naturally beautiful island, lots of nice beaches, mango tress lining the roads, plenty of natural tropical vegetation, etc. We visited a number of isolated/empty beaches and also a couple with the usuals tourist offerings; jet skis, kayak rentals etc. So there are both types of experiences there to be found.
There is a lot of poverty...really breaks your heart...especially in contrast to the hundreds of huge luxury yachts in the marina next to Jolly beach. I think they stopped a lot of agriculture to focus on tourism..a lot of people made a lot of money..but most are now suffering, and the tourism focus seems to have fizzled. The "out of the way" residential areas we drove through reminded me a lot of the rural areas in the Dominican Republic.
In summary, Antigua is definitely on my list of islands I would like to visit again. I guess it depends on what you like your vacation experience to be. We went to Aruba once, and don't plan on going again.
It was a couple of years ago that we visited, so things may have changed at Jolly Beach since then. However, given the choice, I don't think we would stay at Jolly Beach (Tranquility) again.
We stayed at jolly Beach with an II getaway in June 2008. The apartments are a nice size, clean and well furnished. The beach is really nice and we spent a lot of time there.
It's combined with a larger hotel/AI resort, with shared facilities such as the pool & evening entertainment. Didn't really care for that set up as we felt like second class guests, couldn't even pay cash for a drink or food you had to buy a day AI pass. Also, while the timeshare side is well maintained, the AI side must be quite a lot older and was definitely showing it's age when we were there. The pool didn't look very clean, and after the first day we didn't go in it again, we used the beach instead.
There is a beach bar/restaurant at the end of the beach which we made use of a number of times, and also a small shopping complex (like a strip mall) just outside the resort, with a well stocked supermarket. We bought all our groceries there.
We had a car and travelled all around the island to different spots and beaches. Be warned though...a lot of businesses shut down in May for the season. A number of the restaurants we had on our list were closed during our visit. I think it's a really naturally beautiful island, lots of nice beaches, mango tress lining the roads, plenty of natural tropical vegetation, etc. We visited a number of isolated/empty beaches and also a couple with the usuals tourist offerings; jet skis, kayak rentals etc. So there are both types of experiences there to be found.
There is a lot of poverty...really breaks your heart...especially in contrast to the hundreds of huge luxury yachts in the marina next to Jolly beach. I think they stopped a lot of agriculture to focus on tourism..a lot of people made a lot of money..but most are now suffering, and the tourism focus seems to have fizzled. The "out of the way" residential areas we drove through reminded me a lot of the rural areas in the Dominican Republic.
In summary, Antigua is definitely on my list of islands I would like to visit again. I guess it depends on what you like your vacation experience to be. We went to Aruba once, and don't plan on going again.
It was a couple of years ago that we visited, so things may have changed at Jolly Beach since then. However, given the choice, I don't think we would stay at Jolly Beach (Tranquility) again.
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Stayed a week at St. James Club, loved it
Thru SFX Exchange Company we got St. James Club about 7 yrs ago. We loved it and the unit was 3 stories high and on the Bay -- beautiful. They had several onsite restaurants, many amenities. As mentioned though, it is isolated at the far end of the island. One of our tours with them was to St. Kitts which we recommend doing.
We are now scheduled back to Antigua and staying at Sandals all-inclusive resort for three nights on a two week venture that ends up in Tobago. The island (Antigua) is unspoiled, lacks street signs but is soooo beautiful with all its bays and history.
Thru SFX Exchange Company we got St. James Club about 7 yrs ago. We loved it and the unit was 3 stories high and on the Bay -- beautiful. They had several onsite restaurants, many amenities. As mentioned though, it is isolated at the far end of the island. One of our tours with them was to St. Kitts which we recommend doing.
We are now scheduled back to Antigua and staying at Sandals all-inclusive resort for three nights on a two week venture that ends up in Tobago. The island (Antigua) is unspoiled, lacks street signs but is soooo beautiful with all its bays and history.