My husband and I booked a last-minute getaway for a week of R&R on the beach. Overall, the resort was average, not great.

Beach: It has the best beach on the island and terrific water sports. Always a Hobie cat available and free sailing lessons too. You can sign-out water floats too, but all water toys have to be returned by 4:30.

Room: We were disappointed with the room...it needed a makeover. Housekeeping was poor. I had to leave a note asking to clean the sink countertop.

Dining: We ate at the alternative restaurants four nights, but the meals at the buffet were all good too, especially the barbeque night. Be sure to ask for the daily ice cream. The pistachio was really good. We didn't find out until the end of our stay, but they set up a buffet off the lobby every afternoon around 3:00 with mini-sandwiches, cookies and coffee - enough to hold you until supper time.

Check-In: We arrived late afternoon on a Saturday - along with about 100 other people, so the wait to check-in was long. Suggest arriving early or another day.

We went to Jolly Beach Resort for our honeymoon in June 2006. We were hoping for the best, but really didn't know what to expect. We had a standard room, which is a bit small, but the patio was great! Why would you be spending time in your room anyways when you are in a tropical paradise? Jolly Beach really did exceed all of our standards.

The food was great! I don't know why so many people complain, there was always a huge variety. We found ourselves eating at Hemispheres nearly every night because the food was good, and so was the entertainment (The steel drum bands were AWESOME!)

The hotel was VERY clean, there was always somebody walking around cleaning the beach and grounds, our room was cleaned daily.

The beach was gorgeous and perfect for swimming and watersports. The vendors could be a bit annoying, but if you just say no, they'll leave you alone.

The landscaping was insanely beautiful. There were so many tropical plants and trees, you could even spot little lizards running around.

Don't go to St. John's, its just a lot of aggressive vendors. There is not much to do besides dodge the vendors who really don't take no for an answer.

DO take a snorkling trip on the Wadadli Cats. It was definately the highlight of our vacation, they take you on a catamaran to the other side of the island to an uninhabited island where there is a coral reef. It was the best snorkling I have ever done. After you snorkel you can climb to the top of the island for a stunning view of Antigua, the caribbean, and the Atlantic. On the way back, they feed you BBQ and its open bar. it was awesome.

I just want to say that Jolly Beach was a wonderful place to vacation, and Antigua is a beautiful island. The water is perfect. I do not see how anyone could have a bad time there, I know I had the time of my life.

I recently went to the Jolly Beach Resort with my partner and enjoyed it from the moment i left the plane to be greated by a steel band, to the moment of having a relaxing massage in the airport on departure.

Food - I wouldnt consider myself to be the most adventurous of eaters and this was a concern before i left (she's even pickier). I neednt of worried the food was superb. An elaborate choice every night including indian and italian. We only stayed a week but the buffet was something different daily and all was hot and looked fresh. At breakfast time my girlfriend mentioned to me how much she'd fancy some scrambled egg and without asking anyone a waiter had overheard and brought her some over, a nice touch. Dont even wory about birds, i was expecting to be dived bombed but it just doesnt happen. They are there but they're not going to steel a sausage off your plate. There're tiny.

Hotel - We were in a standard room and yes, these arnt lavished with carpets and wallpaper, but youre in the Antigua. The air conditioning in the room worked well and was kept on throughout the day without a maid turning it off, as sometimes happens, after servicing the room.

Bar - The bar is easy to get served, not waiting longer than a minute, and always greated with a smile. The measures are good and the strength of the spirits are good as my girlfriend bouncing off walls will testify.

Beach - Probably the best part of the resort - always space on the beach when we went in June and always an umberella. Locals do sometimes walk up and down the beach offering anything from a foot rub to a coconut. But at no point do they hassle you or bug you. Sometime after chatting can be a great source of local information.

I'd certainly go back and can only think the people who right derogatory reviews have had an individual reason to complain.

After reading some of the previous reviews of Jolly Beach i was very concerned. However my experience was completly different. After arriving we were shown to our room which we had upgraded to the standard room from supersaver at the recommendation of friends. The room was average size with a super king size bed, a balcony with views of pool and beach which was beautiful, air conditioning and a seperate toilet shower room. We also had a t.v with sky.

The room was very clean and the maids came in every day to change sheets and towels

There was a speaker which was outside our room which played a kind of bird noise at first we were unsure of its purpose but we later found out it was to keep away all the bugs.

The staff were so so so friendly nothing was too much for them and they went out of there way to help with any request. We mainly ate in the buffet resteraunt which had a great selection of food even for me a picky eater.

The pools were huge and we never once couldnt get a sun lounger there was plenty of availability by the pool and the beach.

The entertainment was good in the evenings.

All in all i had a brilliant week the weather was good and the beaches were amazing. I hope this re assures anyone who was worried about bad reviews as i was.