Got married here about 7 years ago and found the accommodation and staff basic but homely and friendly.

We moved to sandals next door for you honeymood - Different level of service al together.

But for the price this was good.

We were concerned about the mixed reviews before we went and I'm writing this to clarify the situation. It is a jaded 1970's hotel but the rooms are large and clean and the staff friendly. Dickenson beach is fabulous. I wouldn't recommend the all inclusive option as you'll miss out on some of the great restaurants that the island has to offer. It's not an upmarket exclusive resort - you can't expect that for what it costs - but it is good value for money and a great base from which to explore this lovely island.

Four of us (adults) have just returned from a 2 week all inclusive holiday at Halcyon Cove and I am mindful that in writing this review I should present a balanced summary highlighting the positives as well as the negatives and, even when the holiday has been a disappointment not to give into the temptation to list endless negatives. So how did it go?
When we arrived we were pleasantly surprised to find that we had been upgraded to poolside rooms (340 and 343). Spacious, with TV, fridge, AC, safe and coffee/tea making facilities. The rooms' decor was simple ('tired'in places) and the bathroom needed refurbishing. There was a problem with the 'hot water' - in fact it never got above 'tepid', oh and we didn't have a plug for the sink. Not a big issue you may think, but try shaving and/or soaking/rinsing small items of clothing in a sink without one! We did get a plug eventually (day 8) but it didn't fit so we gave up on that. As far as hot water goes - if you prefer bathing to showering forget it!
We did have a problem closing the door of one of our rooms (343) the locking mechanism didn't work properly and on 2 occasions the cleaner left our door open.
The restaurant, as I understand it was part of a one time gambling casino. The layout is 'open' to one side and set out on two levels with a view over the entrance/reception to the hotel with the sea in the background. Perfectly ok, however there are a few problems with the catering. Firstly, I defy anyone to find a table that doesn't rock (from east to west or north to south as the restaurant manager put it). The menu over the 2 weeks we were there was unimaginative (chicken and rice done every which way for example), it was repetitive and on a number of occasions the restaurant ran out of certain popular dishes. We rarely had enough salad, and tomatoes seem to be a rarity!
It appears to operate on the principle of a 'first come first served' basis.operated on the prin
One redeeming feature was the service of the 'egg man' at breakfast (Orlan Barton) who cooked the perfect fried egg and was never without a smile. He even managed to 'smuggle' us a couple of fried tomatoes to go with the eggs.
One of the particular issues we had with the restaurant and at the Carib bar (outside) was the quality of service. The waitresses and bar staff appear to work to their own timetable at a pace that suits them. Now this may be the 'Caribbean way' (as it was told to us) but it does grate when your table isn't laid or you are not offered tea/coffee at breakfast or a drink at lunch/dinner.
There were also occasions when the Carib bar ran out of tomato juice, tonic water, beer and coconut and banana liqueur.
I suspect that this is not so much the 'caribbean way' but more a lack of training and organisation. By contrast a meal on the Warri Pier (fine dining) is worth a visit, the food and service is first class and I should mention Julian Roberts (Supervisor) who couldn't do enough to help.
The general appearance of the hotel with its distinctive brickwork is pleasing and the gardens are well kept, however the outsides of the rooms do need some urgent remedial work. The veneer on the doors are split, some of the balcony doors are off their runners and of course there was our faulty lock (see above).
The toilets (beachside) and alongside the Arawak restaurant and Ciboney lounge urgently need refurbishment.
We were told that Dickenson Bay is the most populous beach in Antigua so be prepared, in some places you can be just a foot away from the next person on a sun bed!
Getting around the island - I promised to mention Glentis Cole ('Cole') the local 'taxi man'. If you need to take a trip round the island under his guidance - look him up, he's at the hotel's taxi rank. If you hire a car (as we did for 2 days) make sure you are back before night fall, the roads in places are atrocious and travelling at night could be a problem.
To sum up, the hotel, the food and service was a disappointment.
Bearing in mind we were all inclusive we ate out to the tune of US$800 (4 of us), which gave us the opportunity to look around at restaurants in the area. Here are some observations:
Pari's Pizzeria and Steakhouse (up the road from the hotel). Beautiful setting ('in house' waterfall) but terrible service for which we were charged some US$25 on the bill. We queried this and the response was that "we will do better next time". When we asked for the charged to be dropped we were met with the usual shrug of the shoulders, big smiles and shake of the head, which convinced us that we were not going to get anywhere so we paid and left.
The Beach restaurant at the side of Sandals (along Dickenson Bay) was expensive for what you got and was nothing special - for example King prawns (#4) with mustard mash at £17.
La Bussola (Italian) on Runaway Bay (US$6 by taxi) is well worth a visit. Beautifully positioned on the beachfront (not accessible from the beach) The two young lads and their sister who own it are extremely accommodating, attentive and really make you feel at home. The menu is terrific and reasonably priced.
In conclusion Halcyon Cove is a place we would not rush back to visit and consequently would not recommend to others.

We were based here for two weeks in January - having got a very good deal to go there, we only used it as a base for exploring the whole area, and actually only spent 6 nights in.

We had no problems. Room was spacious (I think we had a standard), lovely large comfy bed and plenty of wardrobe and drawer space. Balcony was a bit small, but okay. A safe in the room which was useful, a coffee maker, a hairdryer - all worked. Bathroom was tired, but clean. We had plenty of hot water.

Maid service was done each day - satisfactory. Towels were replaced each day. Only complaint about the room was the lack of mossie nets - there were gaps around ventilation flaps where they could come and go and will - and they did!!! Nets on the bed would be a good idea.

Food was okay, if not brilliant. Service in the dining room was excellent. The Warri Pier was either closed or "fully booked" when we enquired - they didn't try very hard for business.

Staff were generally okay - a little disinterested, perhaps, but not obnoxious.

But if you are looking for someone quiet and peaceful - go somewhere else! Although we found the hotel fairly peaceful, the beach is anything but - it was very very busy - jet skis, catamarans, motor boats - a lot of very intrusive noise. For us, too many people.

The rest of the island is beautiful and worth exploring. So is Barbuda.

Bikes can be hired in St Johns and on Barbuda at reasonable cost. Also, anyone going to Barbuda, go to Uncle Roddy's for lunch. Wonderful man, wonderful food - best of all our holiday.