Good time at the JBR. Staff was ok - not overly friendly but not what I would term nasty. After all, dealing with us fussy Americans and Europeans day in and day out, what can we expect? Had some reservations about going after reading some of the reviews from previous guests (i.e., bats hanging around at night, lizards, bugs, power outages, etc, etc) - some of these were more true than others. We had at least 1 power outage a day - candles are in the night table if you need them.
No bats, some small chameleons on the beach, lots of no-see-ums in the rooms and on the beach -- take insect repellent if you are prone to bug bites. We must have killed entire colonies of ants that resided in our room - eeeewwww. Room was ok - it was ocean view, enough room for our family of 4. Nothing spectacular but liveable; be prepared, all the floors are tiled; probably to allow us to see the ants a little better.
Food was average to pretty good, depending on the day. Not a lot of variety - usually a chicken and fish selection for dinner with some local specialties thrown in. Coconut Grill had great grilled cheese, but you'll wait a while in the line. Food selection not exactly kid friendly -- we took our 2 children (ages 5 & 3) and they survived on the grill food (hot dogs, fries, grilled cheese) since the dinner meals were a bit "exotic" for kids. Views from the ocean view rooms were great. Beach was very large and nice and not crowded. Water was beautiful. Views of Montserrat were unbelievable. Try the water sports - most are included - and they will teach you how to use the equipment if you don't know how. Beach vendors could be a bit annoying - if you don't want to buy anything, don't look in their direction. They do have a little "vendor village" where you can go and look with a little less pressure to buy - prices are very, very reasonable; not much reason to haggle with the locals over price - most of the stuff is dirt cheap already. Get your beach chairs/pool chairs early in the morning - most people stake their claim when they arrive and don't remove their stuff until they leave. Liked the very casual atmosphere - didn't feel the need to "dress" for anything, everyone was pretty casual the entire week. Families do need to keep in mind that some of the guests do like to sunbathe and/or swim topless -- the kids will notice and will point this out to you, quite loudly, too. Might go again when the kids are older - the resort seems more geared for families with pre-teens to early teens and couples. Cost was reasonable for 8 days and all in all we had an enjoyable time.

Having read the reviews, we were a bit apprehensive about where we were headed. We have been to 7 islands and usually stay at high end resorts- ie the Royal Beach Towers at Atlantis, Bahamas. Unanimously, JBR beat Atlantis, for a family with young children. Check in was slow and our room was not right, but immediately corrected. We were on the first floor which was perfect for kids. We had a patio to sit on and the kids could run on the grass. Housekeeping did an amazing job- our room was always clean with fresh towels and fresh flowers. Breakfast was great, lunch at the pool was good, the jerk chicken was a big hit with our family - a little slow- but hey we are on vacation. Dinner was OK.
There was always something the kids would eat. Lydia's has great atmosphere - food is OK. Italian place has a nice salad bar. All in all, unless you are the pickiest eater you will not starve. Marcia at the pool bar was tops. She took care of us!!!! The entertainment staff was very enthusiastic. Our kids participated in most events, Rum Treasure Hunt, Bingo, Soccer on the Beach and had a great time. Awesome Sunsets - no need to go to Shirley Heights. That was a disaster with 5 kids!!! What made the trip great was the convenient location of the pool, bar, lunch bar and beach. We could always see our children with out having to pick up and move to the Pool/Beach- so unlike Atlantis!!
We found the staff very friendly and helpful. The sailboats, paddleboats, kayaks were all in great condition- like new. Staff working water sports were very helpful and willing to teach. Overall a great time with an absolutely gorgeous beach.

So my fmaily and I went to Antigua in Feb or last year and we ahve just been browsing for a new vacation spot for this year, but we all decided we loved the Jolly Beach Resort so much that we just might return!
First of all this was my first time being out of the US and seeing the ocean. When we arrived to JBR we were greeted by the friendly and well mannered staff. I'm seeing a lot of people complaing about their rooms, but yet...you are on vacation right? Why do you need a large room anyways? I shared a room with my brother, and my parents were in the room next door. We were there for 7 days..and so you know being a girl I had brought along a TON of things. The room was NO problem at all when it came to space. Second was the food. It was just amazing! I'm not sure why you are complaining about the food either. Its Caribbean food, of course its different from American..and although it was different..it was all delicious. We were there during Valentines day..and they had LOVLEY decorations and desserts for the holiday. Not only was the beach gorgeous, but everything in the resort was awesome.
Everything down to the little flowers left on our bed each day. I even loved seeing the little lizard things crawling around. People..you are on vacation..stop being to uptight and enjoy yourself. Oh no..the paint was a tad bit chipped? What do you expect? It rains nearly everyday there. Yes this was my first time at a resort and I would go back to Jolly Beach in a heartbeat! I would totally recommend this site to anyone..

Just got back from Jolly Beach. Since I read the reviews before I went, I felt it was my duty to write one also. The grounds are beautiful and clean. The beach was awesome, never crowded as was the pool. Wish they had more water activities i.e. jet skis. The rooms were small and made of ugly concrete, but you are never in them so who cares. The food was ok - typical all-inclusive fare. Make sure you book reservations right away as they do book up fast. Italian was the best, Indian pretty good, and Lydias was awful. Brunch on Sunday that everyone raved about was horrible, but there is always the buffet at hemispheres which was pretty good. You gotta get the omlets in the morning! I thought the staff was very friendly. Neil at the beach bar was the best bartender ever. Super nice. And Charlie at the pool bar was great too. Life is slower in Antigua, but thats ok, you are on vacation, why rush? The snorkling trips were great and well worth it as was the dolphin adventure. Quick tip, if you hang at the bar at night, wear bug repellent. Night life was non-existent, so if you want to party, this is not the place. However, the casino was fun and about the only thing opened past 12:30. Overall, we had a great relaxing time and met wonderful people. Shout out to the Fishwicks (skipper and lil buddy), Boston, and those crazy honeymooners. Oh yea, the airport is the size of a small apartment, don't get there too early if you hate crowds.