We recently got back from a 2 week stay at the Halcyon for our honeymoon. We had an absolutely wonderful time and though, yes, the Halcyon does need an overhaul, but who spends all their time in the hotel room anyway?? And personally, I'd rather spend less on the hotel and have more money for all the fun stuff there is to do! The people who worked there were absolutely marvelous and we enjoyed gettting to know how truly beautiful the Antiguan people are. Gardens are beautiful and well maintained. Having been there two weeks we got to know everyone quite well and here's our take on Antigua and the Halcyon.

Room: We were in a superior room that overlooked the pool. Prime spot to be near everything. Room was always clean and they accommodated any need we had. TV worked great, we got the 3 major network channels and 3 movie channels. Be careful, you do get charged for local calls.

Pool: Pool was great and very refreshing! Yes, there are families there, so the kids were in the pool often, but they were not a disturbance at all and quite amusing to watch!

The Beach: The beach is awesome!!! The little straw umbrella things were great to have, especially when you needed a break from the sun. The sun is out all day and can be relentless at times!! Wear sunscreen and reapply often. We had 45 on most days and still got very tan.

The Food: The food at the Halcyon is sub-par. The breakfast is probably your best meal of the day, though they do not change it up very much. Lunch is the same everyday, hot dogs, burgers, chicken, etc. Decent food, but got really old after 2 weeks!! Dinner was hit or miss. The buffets are nearly the same kind of food each night, they just call it something different each night...Jamaican Buffet, Bajan Buffet, Puerto Rican Buffet..you get my drift. The Warri Pier is great for lunch, but the dinners at the buffet are actually better than that on the Warri Pier. (they tend to overcook most of the food, esp. the chicken) The atmosphere and views are what make dinner at the Warri Pier though and Julian and Carl :) We would often go for a couple of appetizers and dessert if we weren't that hungry and that way we wouldn't go over our daily credit.

All Inclusive: All-inclusive is definitely the way to go if you are looking to be economical. Between alcohol and food, we definitely would have spent more than $60 each day per person. It is expensive to eat. Be aware though, as we felt slightly mislead. Even though you have 3 restaurants to choose from, you really only have 1 option for each meal. The Arawak Terrace is your only choice for breakfast and dinner. The Carib Bar is the only option for lunch. Though they make it sound like the Warri Pier is part of the deal, it really isn't. If you want to eat lunch or an afternoon snack there, you have to pay out of pocket. If you want to eat dinner there, each person gets a $50EC credit. However, all the meals cost over $50 dollars except for the pasta, so you end up paying out of pocket anyways. And alcohol is not allowed to be part of your credit. We would often go there for just appetizers and dessert and that way we wouldn't go over our credit. We would take turns going to the Carib Bar to get drinks as well!

The Vendors: Yes, you will get bombarded when you first get there!!! But they are very polite and if you say "No, thanks," they just walk away. We took the time to get to know the vendors and talk with them and in turn, one, we got to know what kind, wonderful people they are and two, they didn't bother us with their goods b/c we had taken the time to get to know them. Daisy has some great jewelry and say hello to Joseph, Eddie and Marvin!

Things to do:

Wadadli Catamaran Tours: An absolute must!! We did a circumnavigation and went all the way around the island. The crew rocks and they are a blast. Food was great and all you can drink after you go snorkeling. Snorkeling was great as well. We sailed for a good part of 2 hours on the Atlantic Side. If you get seasick at all, you definitely want to take your meds before hand b/c it gets pretty choppy on the Atlantic Side. I lost my lunch and I still rave about this trip!

Shirley Heights: Sunday night, you must go!!! Good food, though pricey, bring cash (about $10 for a burger). Awesome steel drum band, and then a reggae band comes on after. Views are absolutely incredible as you look down on English Harbour.

Horseback Riding: We went with Joseph, one of the vendors and one of the sweetest guys we met on the island. The ride was great, but this is not for a beginner rider. I highly recommend that you have some horseback riding experience if you go with Joseph, not b/c of the ride itself, but b/c of the horses. The horses like to run and if you don't have much experience on how to handle them, then they will take you for a ride as they did me!!! I've heard it's better to go through the hotel if you are a beginner.

Tour of the Island: We met another couple while we were there and hired a taxi driver, Gigi, to take us around the island for the day. Gigi was extremely knowledgeable about the island and he answered all of our questions and took us where ever we wanted to go. We spent the whole day touring the beautiful island of Antigua and it was absolutely wonderful. It's better and cheaper than renting a car for the day b/c the locals can share with you info about the island. And I would not risk driving there anyways, trust me!!! Must sees: Fig Tree Drive, Betty's Hope, Devil's Bridge, English Harbour, and St. John's Caterdral.

Restaurants:

Coconut Grove: 10 min walk down the beach. Absolutely fantastic. The food here is incredible. We ate there twice and I could have eaten there every night. Atomosphere is one of a kind and the people who work there are great. Cocount shrimp appetizer is a must.

The Beach: 10 min. walk down the beach. Good food. We weren't as impressed with this one. We felt it was over-priced for the portions we got, and when your spending a good amount of money on food, I'd rather eat at Coconut Grove. Sushi was very good.

Parri's Pizza: 5 min. walk out the front entrance of the Halcyon. Great pizza!! Our salads were fresh and not cut into strips like at the Halcyon! Atmosphere is great.

The Bay House at the Tradewinds Hotel: about a 5 min. drive from the hotel, definitely need a taxi for this one, it is all uphill! Wonderful!!! The views are beautiful and very romantic. It sits high up on the hill and you get to look out over the Carribean. Food was excellent. Get there before sunset for the amazing views.


Though the Halcyon does need an overhaul, I would go back there in a second. The people who work there are absolutely wonderful. And at such a great price to be on one of the best beaches in the world, there's really not much room to complain. Also, rumor has it that it will be getting an overhaul next year...though hopefully it won't send the prices through the roof. I've heard everyone say stay at Sandals instead, but for twice the amount of money and no little Palapas on the beach to get some shade, no way. Plus, we found the people at Sandals to be extremely snooty. Everyone, guests and staff, at the Halcyon were fun, warm, and welcoming. If you did not enjoy the Halcyon and especially it's staff, then not to be rude or anything, but the Halcyon's not the problem!!