Hawksbill is for us the most special place for a holiday!As we returned for our third visit in late November 2003 we were greeted like old friends by most of the staff who remembered us from our last visit two years ago and many from our first visit in 1987 when we celebrated our Silver Wedding Anniversary.THE WOW FACTOROn our first day we once again experienced the WOW factor - this really is a most beautiful and tranquil place with beautiful beaches, magnificent sunsets, friendly staff and comfortable accommodation.Richard the excellent new manager knows that there is work to do as in any hotel to keep at the top of the game. Little has changed at the hotel since 1987 which for us what makes it so special! But naturally there are improvements that need to be made.We are not looking for "flashing lights", casinos, all-night discos and I must say the booze swilling culture of many all-inclusive hotels. Hawksbill will become all-inclusive shortly and Richard knows my views on this - he is very receptive to constructive help and criticism and has assured me that the tranquillity will not change.The most important changes that are necessary to our minds are the introduction of a new pool and a close look at the quality of the food served. On occasions it is excellent but too often only average. For the hotel to continue to succeed it must strive to always be better than average to be consistent with the prices charged.THE "R" FACTOROne of the best selling points of Hawksbill is the number of guests who return year after year. At the excellent Repeaters' Party held each Friday evening during our stay there were over 20 couples many of whom had stayed as many as 20 times!This speaks for itself - it is the heavenly place for people like us who seek a lovely and tranquil place with beautiful beaches, magnificent sunsets, friendly staff and comfortable accommodation.At the end of our holiday we made a commitment to each other that we will return and now eagerly look forward to once again experiencing the WOW factor as R factor guests!We wish Richard and his staff continuing success and good luck with the task of addressing those essential areas of improvements that are always necessary in any hotel. Anne & Les Dymond

I have just returned from my 12th visit to the Hawksbill since 1990, when I was 32. I expect to return again next year and so on and on.
I've suggested the Hawksbill to two New York couples, both of whom loved it. It's a place I go to, most times alone for four to seven days, to read, write, swim, think, relax and to socialize with a number of guests who return year after year. For a romantic getaway, it can hardly be beat. The Hawksbill property is beautiful. Only one structure on the property is two stories high. Nature dominates. The Hawksbill has the best beaches on the island (four in all), according to islanders whom I've befriended over the years. Having circled the island a number of times by motorboat, I agree with that assessment. To me the staff is like another family. They are warm, down to earth, unpretentious, real. No "attitudes." There are rooms with air con and rooms without; rooms with phones and rooms without. I have no use for air conditioning: the ceiling fan plus the cross breezes cool the room quite well. The breakfasts are terrific and the lunches very good.
Dinner I usually have elsewhere, reached by my rental car (although the amiable Richard, who's been at the Hawksbill since 1963, and I'm not referring to the new highly regarded manager, will drive you anywhere and back), and only because I like to get outside the resort once and a while. That's just my style of traveling. The new all-inclusive system shouldn't affect anyone who also likes to experience other things outside the resort. As for water activities, one of these days I'll have Terry teach me how to windsurf. You can do that, or there are plenty of great sail boats, paddle wheel boats, snorkeling equipment is all there; if you want tennis, there's Edmund, a former tennis pro to teach you. It's a timeless place. If you want something unique and special, this is it. If you want a place with a disco, casino, etc., this isn't it.

The Hawksbill is not a resort for everyone, but it has a charm that doesn't exist at any other resort in the Caribbean. This was our 4th visit to the resort over the past 6 years and we have always found the staff more than friendly. True they have individual personalities but are warm and genuine people, definately not of the "have a nice day" types. I cannot agree with various reviews describing them as rude and unhelpful. These comments seem to reveal more about the holidaymakers themselves rather than the staff. If you are looking for a luxury hotel, tv, aircon, kids club, entertainments and late night action etc.
then please give the Hawksbill a miss. For us the only blot on the landscape is the new managers decision to make the resort all inclusive. This, along with price cuts, smacks of desperation to get bookings up and may have a severe detrimental imact on the huge number of repeat visitors. Many of the new first time visitors would be more at home in Cyprus, Mallorca or Crete and will judge the resort purely on the cocktails, entertainment, number of sun loungers, size of pool etc. They are unlikely to be repeat visitors.

Richard, please re-consider the all inclusive decision and save the Hawlbill from anonymity.

there is no better place in antigua than the hawksbill hotel excellent service throughout and a management team that care about their staff and their guests from mr & mrs menzies 1st time charity auction winners keep up the good work