If you could take all the negative things you read in all the reviews and lump them into one, you would have an accurate description of this place. We learned that this resort is in bankruptcy and is closing. We understood they will be refurbishing the place for the new owners. However, unless you bring professional people in to staff and run the place, it will not stand a chance. Service slow, most workers could care less about their attitudes which makes it hard for the few good employees. The real estate is superb with its location, nice beach, and seclusion. Entertainment was minimal and poor. Sandals was the only place to go for decent entertainment and that would cost you a night pass of 38 dollars american per person. Electricity kept going out for a brief period. Our friends who stayed in beachfront rooms lost their water for two days. NO TOILETS!!....Rooms were hot despite air conditioning. I would never go back to this resort again. You save and save your money to go on vacation just to throw it on a emotionless, uncaring, and uninviting environment. Oh well!!!!!!! I guess you get what you pay for...........

My wife and I have just returned from a memorable
two week stay at the Rex Halcyon.
It was our first visit to Antigua and I can honestly agree with most of the comments regarding the Rex.
We agree that the whole place requires refurbishment,but having said that we found our rooms on the beach front very clean for the whole
stay.
The staff were excellent,and we found the food on
an all inclusive fine with something to suit most people's tastes.
We passed by Sandal's next door on our first walk
along the beautiful beach and were amazed that
there was no convenient shade provided for their
guests on the beach!
We found out later that this was Sandal's policy,
as the beaches in Antigua are public and Sandal's
would only take responsibility for their guests inside
their hotel limits.
We encountered no problems and thoroughly enjoyed our stay.
Would recommend Eli Fuller's Eco Trip .A mine of information and a great day out with good safe snorkelling.

Rex Halcyon is a decent hotel (if you can stand feces-smelling foulness of their reclaimed water irrigation system.) Antigua, however, bites the big one. Antigua is a third-world culture of shiftless vendorspeddaling t-shirts and beads made in Taiwan. The beaches are public, that much is true, however the land bordering much of the beaches is private, preventing tourists from shore access unless from approach by sea. Even so, there is no public parking allowing for easy access to most of Antigua's 365 beaches, and roads are so poorly maintained that one may not want to risk venturing to such destinations (either at the risk of the crazy, pedal-to-the-metal cab drivers, or at risk of damaging the rental car from the pot-hole stricken roads.) Roads are not clearly marked, the locals drive like bats out of hell, and if you're used to wide lanes you are in for a rude awakening. And while we're on the subject of beaches, think about this. Any state bordering an ocean can divide its beaches into 365 separate beaches just by giving them all different names. This doesn't change the fact that there is really only one beach. This is what has happened to Antigua. There are not 365 beaches, but the nation needed a claim to fame to attract tourists. Don't fall for it. Also, there is no relaxing on Antiguan beaches. Since all beaches on the island are public, vendors are free to roam and pedal their goods to whomsoever they choose. Hotels can't stop them, no one can. And pedal they do. The vendors patrol the beaches like flies on dog crap, approaching everyone they can to try and sell whatever they can. It doesn't matter if you are sleeping, or reading or having a conversation. The vendors will interrupt you to show you their goods as if you had never seen an iron-on t-shirt before.
St Johns is a mess. The vendors attack customers, suffocating them before they are even able to enter the store. The whole culture is so obsessed with tourist money that most every vendor carries the same exact product, and will hound every tourist until someone buys something or walks away disgusted.
There is no craziness in Antigua. Most of the stores and shops close by 4:30 in the evening. The roads are not lit for night time travel, and there are wild dogs and hungry goats prowling the country side.
Save your money, go someplace else.

Wow! where do I start? We arrived at midnight and it took reception 30 minutes to check us in. Not a high flying start. The next day we got up a bit late and headed for lunch. Food was bland and boring. We finally head towards the beach at 12:30pm only to search for a beach towel for 15 minutes. We came to find the beach towel hut to be only open from 9-11am and 3-5pm. The reception people told us that 'towels are not available between those times' all the while I was staring at a pile of towle fresh from being washed stacked in the office behind her. I asked for two of those and she gave the same reply that 'towels are not available between those times' I guess they needed a nap.
A few suggestions for future Antigua vacationers:
If you stay at the Rex DO NOT go all-inclusive. You can get good food down the beach or at Sandals, yes Sandals!! We met a couple staying there at the Shirley Heights party and they clued us in! Just come over off the beach and enjoy what a resort should feel like! They dont check for AI bracelets or anything. Offer a room number and they seat you! You do need to make reservations for dinner (not casual dining) so we just ate down the beach at the various places.
The Warri Pier looks great in pictures, but looks in real life that it is about to fall into the ocean...poor food as well!
Go to Shirley Heights on Sun night if you want to party. Lots of tourists, but GREAT food, music, and view.
If you want a variety of pools to visit, again head to Sandals. 4 pools and 1 has a swim up bar with very happy and eager staff!
Lennox at the tour desk was ariot! Great guy and he has a lot of fun trips fairly priced. We saw him at The Beach restaurant on our 5th anniversary and he got on the PA and announced to all the patrons it was our anniversary and sent us a round of drinks. again..great guy!
I would visit Antigua again as the beach and island folk are wonderful. I would only stay at the Rex if I was forced to, although for the price it is ok since Sandals is right next door and 5 stars higher than the Rex.
To sum it up, the Rex foods stinks, service is shallow (except for Lennox and Horatio Scotland the taxi guru) the beach is beautiful, and the tour privces are affordable. Stay at the Rex for cheap lodging, but dont expect a 'resort' atmosphere. Think Motel 6 (no offense to Motel 6 by the way) with a beauty of a beach!