Antigua - Rex Halcyon Cove

[gretel]

I just held an exchange for a one bedroom sleeps six at the Rex Halcyon Cove in Antigua for New Year's 2010! I have never been to this resort or Antigua. I've read through the two reviews on TUG (favorable) and many of the numerous reviews on TripAdvisor (mixed).

Any advice as to whether I should confirm this exchange is appreciated.

 

[Larry]

Halcyon Cove

We stayed there a couple of years ago for 5 nights for Thanksgiving in a hotel room and had a great time. This is a very "funky" property and not close to five star but when we went the rooms had just been freshly painted after they closed the resort for several months to get it back in shape. The rooms are clean and functional.

The property amenities are OK with a pool that's nothing to speak about similar to a standard motel room. What this property has going for it is a great beach so that you don't need or want a pool. They have an all inclusive program that we passed on because we didn't think it was worth it and the first night we ate at the restaurant on the pier and it was just barely OK. We then walked on the beach past Sandals and found two really nice local places that had outstanding fresh fish every day plus the usual salads and burgers.

What was good about the all inclusive is that they had fun entertainment almost every night that we didn't have to pay extra for, High tea and cake every afternoon that we didn't pay extra for, coffee, cappuccino, la-tee and espresso machines by the pool bar that we just filled up for free plus we made friends with a group from England, that kept bringing us free drinks all day since they could get as many as they wanted with no questions asked.

Go for it and I think you will have a great time but I really would not pay for the all inclusive fee since the food was mostly buffet and didn't look too good. We made breakfast every morning with just fruits, cereal and free coffee by the beach bar and ate out for very reasonable cost by just walking down the beach. Didn't even rent a car.

 

[Sandy VDH]

It is not even close to 5*.

The Airline put us up here for a single night when our plane had problems and they could not get us out until the next day. My room was dirty, and the door would not lock properly. You could just apply some pressure and open the door. Not good.

The units look tired and badly in need of updating and painting. This was back in 2004, so don't know if it has gotten better or worse.

The grounds looked ok, but frankly I could not get over the security issue with the door. I can't really comment about the food as we were in late and out early the next day.

We had been staying at Sandals and it was a long drop down from that level.

 

[CatLovers]

The Dickenson Bay beach is fabulous!

We have not stayed at the Rex Halcyon so I can't comment on the property, but we have stayed twice at Antigua Village Beach Club just further up the beach. Personally I would not stay at the Sandals resort (big, loud and bothersome to the other smaller resorts around it, and just a personal general aversion to all-inclusives) so I can't comment on the earlier comparision either.

Having said all that though, the beach is FABULOUS! It's been rated in the top 10 beaches in expedia.com and rightly so. For more on the island and the beach, check our Dec 2007 review on Antigua Village Beach Club. Myself, I'd go to Antigua in a heartbeat!

 

[Larry]

It is not even close to 5*.

The Airline put us up here for a single night when our plane had problems and they could not get us out until the next day. My room was dirty, and the door would not lock properly. You could just apply some pressure and open the door. Not good.

The units look tired and badly in need of updating and painting. This was back in 2004, so don't know if it has gotten better or worse.

The grounds looked ok, but frankly I could not get over the security issue with the door. I can't really comment about the food as we were in late and out early the next day.

We had been staying at Sandals and it was a long drop down from that level.

We were there in 2005 after the resort was closed for about 4-6 months for renovations. All the rooms were freshly painted and very clean after the renovation and as others have said the beach at Halcyon cove was outstanding.

Yes it's not five star but we had a great time and I would recommend it now.

 

[gretel]

Sadly, I just released it. I think I would have been fine with the accommodations as long as the beach was outstanding but my mother who would be also coming might have some real issues. I'm sure that New Year's week is full and whatever room I was assigned would be mine (refurbished or not). The cleanliness issue is a big one.

Another deciding factor is the crime and island poverty. I've traveled to Bahamas, Barbados and Curacao and didn't feel comfortable going to casinos at night off of the resort property. This seems to be the same atmosphere in Antigua (based on the numerous reviews I've been reading). While on vacation, I really don't want beach vendors trying to convince me to buy things.

This is one of the reasons I travel to Aruba every year; it feels like home, but with gorgeous beaches and weather! (I would love to return to Hawaii but the air travel is horrendous.)

Thanks for the feedback! Maybe someday (at a different resort).

 

[Sandy VDH]

We stay at the Antigua Village Beach Club for a week too, but also had a couple free nights at Sandals.

Sandals was not loud, I am kind of surprised by that comment. It was rather peaceful, in most places at the resort. Sure there was music near the bar, but that is too be expected. The grounds are well manicured and really nicely laid out. The resort is spread out so that not everything is around a mega pool area. I liked the Sandals property. Of course I have not been there since Sandals added its addition to the resort by buying up and building on the vacant lots that sat between the Antigua Village and the Sandals property. Since that section is closer to the Antigua Village area perhaps that was the source of noise.

I actually felt that the Antigua Village pool area was a bit boring. I likely would not return to the Antigua Village Beach Club again. The rooms were clean, but nothing special. I have been to Antigua about 4 times now, it is nice, but there are places that I LOVE far more.

Given my choices I would take Sandals over Antigua Village. But isn't that what personal preference is all about. I like a little more luxury and a little more options. The Antigua Village was just OK.

I am an avid scuba diver too, and I just don't think that Antigua has any really good diving to keep me interested. Good for beginners but I am working on 300+ dives and Dickinson Bay area does hot have great diving.

My biggest complaint about Antigua, especially Dickinson Bay is the constant harassment to buy something from the vendors who parade up and down the beach really bothers me. It is really does border on harassment at times.

 

[Larry]

We stay at the Antigua Village Beach Club for a week too, but also had a couple free nights at Sandals.

Sandals was not loud, I am kind of surprised by that comment. It was rather peaceful, in most places at the resort. Sure there was music near the bar, but that is too be expected. The grounds are well manicured and really nicely laid out. The resort is spread out so that not everything is around a mega pool area. I liked the Sandals property. Of course I have not been there since Sandals added its addition to the resort by buying up and building on the vacant lots that sat between the Antigua Village and the Sandals property. Since that section is closer to the Antigua Village area perhaps that was the source of noise.

I actually felt that the Antigua Village pool area was a bit boring. I likely would not return to the Antigua Village Beach Club again. The rooms were clean, but nothing special. I have been to Antigua about 4 times now, it is nice, but there are places that I LOVE far more.

Given my choices I would take Sandals over Antigua Village. But isn't that what personal preference is all about. I like a little more luxury and a little more options. The Antigua Village was just OK.

I am an avid scuba diver too, and I just don't think that Antigua has any really good diving to keep me interested. Good for beginners but I am working on 300+ dives and Dickinson Bay area does hot have great diving.

My biggest complaint about Antigua, especially Dickinson Bay is the constant harassment to buy something from the vendors who parade up and down the beach really bothers me. It is really does border on harassment at times.

I just checked my records and we were at the Halcyon Cove Thanksgiving 2006 not 2005. So with all due respect Sandy we were there two years after your bad experience and after the resort was renovated and freshly painted.

Halcyon Cove was not 5 star but it was definitely clean and a lot of fun. In addition the beach in front of the Halcyon was far superior to Antigua Village which had a tiny sliver of beach and was very rocky in most places when entering the water. I never stayed in the units at Antigua village but walked around the property and was not impressed and I would never stay there because of the poor beach in front of the resort.

In addition I really don't recall being bothered by vendors on the beach at the Halcyon Cove. It certainly wasn't like the Mexican Beach resorts were they were really bothersome, but even there if you just say no most will usually stop.

As a scuba diver Antigua may not be ideal for you and since that's important for you I can respect it as a reason for you not to return, but there were many things about Antigua that certainly would not disqualify this resort destination for possible future visits and Halcyon Cove would be someplace I would consider even though we usually prefer more luxurious resorts.

 

[Sandy VDH]

I did admit it was a while since we were at Resort. So that fact that it has been upgrade is great news.

My decision to not activily plan a return to Antigua was purely based on SCUBA diving.