I have to say I worried for nothing. I booked Jolly Beach Resort back in September 06 for my wedding this July 4th. I struggled trying to find a resort that would accommodate the people that wanted to attend the wedding, everyone from a 3 year old to my grandparents and a few young singles. It was also very important that the resort be able to organize a beautiful wedding. All in all I think I made a great choice. 34 people attended my wedding and stayed for a week, they did offer a group discount so if you are thinking of having your wedding here be sure to check into that. Most of my group stayed in the Superior rooms and as mentioned in a previous review, only one had an issue with the airconditioner and was relocated promptly. Everyone had a really good time. There were a few complaints about the beer, their local brew is not very good but you can purchase american beer at the local market which is close by for about 46 USD per case. It is expensive but reasonable when you consider what you would pay at a bar. The only other very minor annoyance is the arm band that you have to wear all week for the all inclusive. My tip is to get them to make it loose fitting and you can take it off at night and whenever you are not eating or drinking. These very minor things are totally overshadowed by the fact that I had one of the best weeks in my life. I thought for sure there was going to be some type of issue with the wedding or the guests having a bad time but I was totally wrong. Beverly, her assistant and Sharlene were amazing. We rented the Hammock lounge for the reception, had dinner and a DJ there. We also had the steel band playing at the wedding, the videographer and the photographer. Everyone did an amazing job and we were able to share it all with our close friends and family. Most of the staff was wonderful and did everything to make our stay great. The pictures and video are amazing! In my opinion this is how a wedding should be, no stress at all. I even had a massage on the beach the day of the wedding (I can't remember the lady's name but she is at the end of the beach toward Lydia's and has a small place behind some vendors, totally awsome and very reasonable 60 USD for a 1 hr). I also would recommend bringing silk flowers if you are fussy about your wedding flowers. In my opinion there was not much selection for a tropical island but I liked the silks better anyway and it was way cheaper to get them done at home and bring them there. Feel free to email me if you have any questions. I would be happy to share more pictures with anyone that is thinking of getting married here or has questions about the resort. Keep in mind that my family and friends that came are all very easy going and this resort was great for them. If you are extremely picky and used to the finer things in life you need to stay at a 5 star resort and I would even recommend another island. We also went during the off season so that may be another reason everything went so well for all of us. When reading these reviews also keep in mind that people are more likely to take time to complain rather than spend time complimenting.

We stayed at Jolly Beach from June 30th to July 7th 2007. We traveled for our Daughters wedding where 34 attended and stayed at Jolly Beach. I traveled with my 3 yo and husband. We had a Queen supierior room and it was plenty big enough. The rooms were cleaned daily and housekeeping was there if something was needed.

Everything is spread out so be ready to walk. The restuarants could use a little help with their selections, But you won't starve.
The staff was friendly and very nice. Some reviews stated the staff was not nice, we did not see this at all at Jolly Beach. Treat others as you want to be treated and you'll be fine. There is a super market in walking distance if you want to have some snacks in your room. Bottled water is cheaper there and taste better. Now, there is where I found some rude people.

The wedding was on the Beach , Beverly the wedding coordinator did a great job. The photographer and videographer
gave us some wonderful memories of the wedding.

The Beach was beautiful. Alot of vendors,but as everyone says just say no thank you and they will leave you alone. We talked to alot of them and they are very nice. They are just trying to make a living. I stayed at the resort all week except for one day on a glass bottom boat and snorkel ride wich was alot of fun.

The pool was very nice too. My little one loved it. The beach is a stones throw away so you can have both if you wish.

I don't know what other people with the bad reviews were expecting ,Maby a 3 star resort with 5 star treatment,( Not going to happen ). Go with a 3 star resort in mind and you'll be fine. It's a nice place for the money. I would go again in a heartbeat, but the husband likes to go to different places we have not been before.

If you are used to staying at places like the Ritz or very luxurious accomodations, then don't stay here. If you are looking for a beautiful beach, rooms that are clean and comfortable, entertainment staff that keeps you laughing, and food that is perfectly fine, then you will enjoy Jolly Beach. Over 30 of us came for a wedding and only 1 couple had an issue with an air conditioner - they were promptly moved to another room. Maybe because we came at a slow time, we were really embraced by all of the staff and got alot of personal attention. We met the occasional cranky bartender but it was rare.

Yes, there are birds hanging around at the Hemispheres restaurant, but hello, you are on an island with food on tables, how in the world could they keep them out of an open restaurant. They don't pester, they just swoop on your plate after you leave. We only saw 3 feral cats and a couple of mongoose. The mosquitos weren't bad at all as long as you sprayed yourself down at night.

The vendors on the beach pretty much leave you alone. I will warn that a couple we met from Boston paid for a trip to ride horses from someone on the beach and they got totally ripped off...so, I would book anything through the resort. Also, if you meet Abdul, he is a wonderful person who is more than happy to take you for a tour of the island on his day off. If you buy a t-shirt, go to Cornell and his wife, they have been working the beach for over 25 years and deserve your business.

Yep, there are locals walking up and down the beach smoking joints...but it isn't blatant...I just happened to notice. Don't know what all the other reviews are about with regards to drug dealing.

What I really enjoyed was partying with people from other countries...that's what made the trip extra special. I made life time friends with people from England, Scotland, Wales and Norway...you guys rock! I honestly don't know how people can't have a good time at this place. My husband and I were literally in our rooms to sleep and shower, that's it!

Jolly Beach Suites - Antigua
Stay: 20 June 2007 - 4 July 2007
We decided to stay in the Jolly Beach Suites which are right next to the Jolly Beach Resort. They were fantastic! I was a bit nervous as we had read a mixture of reviews but was really pleasantly surprised. They were large, very clean and really well equipped. We have 3 children so there was plenty of room for all of us.
The beach was very close and must have been the prettiest beach ever! The views were spectacular and we spent most of our time there.
Being part of the resort was great, we could use the facilites, including pools and non-motorised watersports (the guys running this were really great). The only thing we found a pain was that we did not know that we could not buy anything on the resort. As an all-inclusive resort they did not have any tills so we had to take drinks in with us when we went to the pools or if we watched the entertainment. This did make us feel a bit second class! It was also very expensive to have the day or evening passes, which is what they want you to take. Having three young children who did not really eat very much, I was not going to pay $30 each for them per evening! We also did find the recption staff in the main part of the resort not overly helpful, but they were the only ones.
The swimming pools were lovely but did make anything you wore turn yellow - ok for darker colours but anything that was white has been ruined!
We were recommended to go to a local restaurant called Dennis's. This was a new place with beautiful views over the bay and really reasonally priced. A must if you are self catering as it was the best meal we had eaten all holiday.
Beware of the strength of the sun - it is really easy to burn and you need to pick a higher factor protection than you would normally use.

Overall we had a really fantastic holiday. We would all highly recommend it - there was plenty of security on the resort so we felt nice and safe. The kids loved it and so did we!