The Long Bay Hotel does all of the important things very, very well. Over the years, I have stayed at hundreds of hotels all over the world and this is the best experience I have ever had.

The setting is hard to beat: on a narrow peninsula between two bays, you have beach on one side and a bay with water sports on the other. Whichever way the wind is blowing on a given day, you can find a breeze for sailing or shelter, as you choose. All of the rooms have unbeatable sea views.

The food is outstanding. The chef of many years was originally the hotel gardener, but the hotel sent him to the American Culinary Institute and he is now superb. Menus are slightly ambitious and they invariably succeed, basically Continental with lots of fish and a Caribbean influence. Choice of hot or cold soup, followed by an appetizer (usually seafood) or salad, main course and dessert. Portions are modest by American standards, but with four courses, sufficient. Breakfasts are excellent and my eggs were perfectly cooked every day (a rarity among hotel breakfasts). Lunches are a la carte at the beach house, and once again, excellent.

The one area that will initially disappoint is the actual physical plant. Buildings and rooms are more than twenty years old and although they are well maintained, the hotel has not been refurbished and looks its age. Everything works and as I said earlier, this hotel does the important things well. So the beds are new and outstandingly comfortable (upstairs rooms have 6 foot wide beds). The rooms are large with excellent cross ventilation (there is no air conditioning but you don't need it). Housekeeping standards are high, and beds are turned down in the evening. You very quickly stop seeing how old the rooms are, because they work just fine.

In the end, a hotel experience depends upon the staff, and this is where Long Bay soars. The hotel is surprisingly small (about 25 rooms) but when we were there guest numbers varied between 12 and 19. With 24 full time staff, the ratio is excellent. Most of the staff have been there for many years. They seem to love the hotel and genuinely want you to enjoy your stay and return. Chris (the owner) and Dave (the manager) live on site and take an active role in ensuring their guests are happy. But all of the staff seem to follow their lead and will do whatever they can for you. It is this spirit which permeates your experience at Long Bay and makes your stay memorable.

No review of this hotel would be complete without a mention of the bartenders. Sam is an institution and I will remember him for years. Sandra is well on the way to stardom as well.

I could go on for hours, so much did I enjoy my experience at Long Bay. Do yourself a favor and go there too.

My husband and I (65 & 69) just returned to the snow of CT after a week of gorgeous blue skies and soft ocean breezes at Long Bay Hotel. The hotel is small and informal and perfect for "living without a schedule". The food is fantastic and the staff so helpful. You can tell that the hotel has been carefully tended. We learned that it has been run by the same family since 1966. There is a well stocked library game room to meet the other guests for games or conversation in the evenings if you want. The food is wonderful. The beach is very pretty with white sand and some snorkeling. Just enough to get you hungry for lunch. We did one small half day excursion to see the island but were really content to stay put. It was a wonderful vacation.

Can't say enough good things about Long Bay.

Hotel is absolutely beautiful, the staff very attentive to making your stay an experience to remember ... and the food fantastic.

Stayed during the Christmas break 2004. We took the Harbor House cottage. Parents in a closed off bedroom and the kids in the living room. First night the kids got a few misquito bites, but not to worry ... the staff provided netting the next morning.

Special thanks to Dave for greeting us every day with a smile, making sure we were well taken care of. Took two trips to Green Island with Arno (in charge of watersports), absolutely stunning scenery and snorkling/scuba. Strongly recommend the trip. Sailed the sunfish's provided in the bay, always a good breeze to power your way around. Took a trip to Nelson's Dockyard, nothing special, but enjoyed the ride with Kenneth (handles most transportation at Long Bay). Kenneth shared his knowlege of the island and his experiences.

If time away from TV, phones, newspapers, radios ... the outside world is in your plans, highly recommend this hotel. Kids enjoyed getting into Island Time, playing games in the game room or just reading/snorkling on the beach.

Jon and TJ

The Long Bay Hotel is in a wonderful location with the choice of a sandy beach with a reef for snorkelling within easy reach and a quieter bay with sailing and kayaks. The Hill House is away from the main block but not totally secluded with views of the quieter bay, A large room with a fan to keep you cool at night, a small kitchenette, a walk in wardrobe and a bathroom. The staff were great with special mention to Sam who knew when a Wadadli was needed! The waitresses were all characters in their own right and made us feel welcome from the outset. Dave donned his colonial masters pith helmet and made sure that the residents kept the best sunbeds and regularly kept the locals moving! My partner and myself had the best holiday. This little bit of unspoilt Antigua makes you happy you're not on the other (noisy) side of the island. We will return!!