We have just returned from a virgin all inclusive holiday at the grand pineapple, and had an absolutely fantastic time. It was just what we were looking for. An utterly idyllic location, gorgous beach, good snorkelling, if you're willing to swim out far enough, and a resort very much in a local style.

I feel this is the kind of place you either love or hate, and I met lots of people who fitted into one of the 2 camps, If you're looking for a total escape, with a laid back atmosphere, then this is for you. If however you're looking for an immacculate resort, with lots of entertainment, you'll be sorely disappointed.

I guess if I work my way through each aspect of the resort you can read what you're most interested in and ignore the bits you're not.

ROOMS - are a little shabby around the edges, but clean and totally functional, and to us added to the charm of the place. We were upgraded on arrival (for no obvious reason but low occupancy) and had an ocean view room, and these are quite definately worth the extra cost as are twice the size of all the other rooms in the resort (even the highest cost upgrade rooms - beach fronts), and have magnificant views, but do require a little walk up hill to access them.

FOOD - generally good and varied - the pineapple grill is very variable in the service given - totally depends how busy it is, and only has the one menu, but we liked it there most, though it's not open every day. The Topaz serves a good breakfast and lunch buffet and in the evening is sometime buffet and sometimes al a carte, it's best al a carte, as buffet seems very repeatative of an evening. The pelican snack bar serves burger and chips etc all afternoon and re-opens late night and is pretty good. The best food is at Mary's Outhouse which only opens for lunch and is up the hill behind the ocean view blocks. It is incredibly charming, has fantastic views, and serves amazingly good ribs and chicken off the BBQ, and little else. Well worth a the walk and what you don;t eat you can throw to the mongeese you hang out in the ungrowth near by.

STAFF - Almost all of the waiting staff are incredibly friendly and if you are relaxed and friendly you get incredibly attentive service. Everyone was incredibly friendly and welcoming and tried to do all they could for you, or suggest ways to over come any issues you might have ( e.g. one couple were a little too infirm to go on the tours but wanted to see the island, so one of the catering staff offered to hook them up with her son to take them around the island and show them the main sights.) Though there were 2 points within the resort where staff were obviously over worked (just too much for one person to do it all)- these being the pelican snack bar, and seating staff in the topaz and these 2 members of staff were invariably the one who were at times less than perfect in the manner - though as I say they were over worked so it was totally understandable.

ENTERTAINMENT - Excursions are very expensive, and there is not a lot going on either by night or day (if you have children you, you need to be wanting to enjoy your time together, rather than expecting a 'kids club' to be babysitting for you). That said there are watersports available to try as much as you like (with limited instruction), some activities pool side each day, lots of games to borrow from the activities centre, some form of entertainment each night, and the TV in room has lots of movie channels.

Excursions wise we went:
- shopping to St John, it's small and little more there than you can get in the huts nexts to the resort and pretty much the same cost - duty free are cheaper and there far more options here than at the airport - but you have to take your passport or a colour photo copy with you. We thoroughly enjoyed the trip though some people weren't keen due to the hassle from sellers in the markets - they are no cheaper than the shops, so just don't go near the stalls is my advice, unless of course you like haggling and people trying to sell you hideous tat your not even vaguely interested in.

- Eco-island safari, which incluudes a tour of the south of the island off road in jeeps- lovely to see it all, kayaking in the mangroves - interesting but not nearly long enough, and lunch and snorkelling at bird island - fantastic, but not nearly long enough snorkelling, if we'd did had time did have gone back on the trip to just bird island as this truely was the best snorkelling to be had on the island.

- Circumnavigation of antigua on the excellence - catamaran trip right around the island stopping for 3 hours mid way on green island for lunch and snorkelling. Great to see the island like this and a really enjoyable day, but not much to see snorkelling, mainly due to the sheer numbers going to the same place, but staff were very unimpressed by my swimming off from the group, and still there wasn't much to see.

GUESTS - Mainly the guests at the hotel were older (retired) or getting married/on honeymoon, and there were very few children. Most people seemed to be English or American, though there were a few other nationalities. Due to the friendly atmosphere generated by the staff, everyone was very chatty and friendly, especially when the hotel was quieter at the beginning of our stay. It was ever so saddening towards the end of our stay the lack of respect some guests showed by failing to clear away the cups etc, accumulated during the course of a day around their loungers, but there were staff cleaning around the pool and beach area constantly.

Finally I would recommend using virgin holidays for this trip as there service was great, including lounge at gatwick, transfers to and from the hotel, reduced price excursions, and check-in to the return flight from the hotel so time at Antigua airport was minimal (truely a bonus).