booked with sandals uk direct, they promised all work is finished
and resort up and running 100%.
we booked at the mediterranean village(suite)
room small and smelly, wardrobe a disaster, concerge service appalling, never got us any of the booking times we asked for.
food from bad to terrible, worst was marios, freezing room, service very, very slow. left after main course could not wait any longer.
bayside lunch a disaster, got in at 1.40, hardly any food left, no sign of more drinks we ordered never came, when it came to sweet at just gone 2 all was taken away, staff could not care less.
elanors average to good food but badly supervised restaurant,
bar in village very poor no attention to service, wait ages every time we went there, spoke to senior management, they showed little interest, that is were the problems lies in that resort. no management presence, staff do not know what to do, no training or guiding absolute horrendous.
should have been our trip of a life time, ended up the holiday from hell.
a total waste of money, they even closed the watersport while we were there, so nothing to do, although we paid for it.
i hope, for the sake of future visitors there get it right, but under the present management this will not happen.
i will contact head office, but have no hope

I am really shocked about all the bad reviews on here about Sandals Antigua but I guess you can't make everyone happy. As far as us, WE ARE ALWAYS HAPPY AT SANDALS ANTIGUA!!!!!
Our first trip to Sandals Antigua (SA) was in Sept 06, it was also the trip we got engaged on. We spent 5 nights there and didn't have one complaint. The property is beautiful, the food and drinks are perfect , location amazing. This place really is paradise. The thing that stands out the most about S.A. is the staff. Never before have I met more wonderful people. They are accomodating and the friendliest I have ever encountered. They make you start to feel like family as soon as you arrive. When you come to S.A. be ready because the romance and fun 24/7 is in the air .
We loved our first trip so much we new we wanted to get married in the very same spot. As soon as we returned home we booked our Weddingmoon for 10 nights in Aug 07. We spent the whole year waiting just to get back there :). Upon our return we were greeted by the same friends we made on our first trip (how many staff remembers everything about you after a year). I felt like was going back to visit family.
The new med addition was almost complete and absolutely wonderful. We stayed in the caribbean village in an ocean front suite with butler service- it was great !!! The caribbean village is partially redone- now our room wasnt but it was still what we wanted and I hear it will be redone soon as well.
We had 16 guests with us some stayed in the new part some in the old. The new med rooms are outstanding but a little more like a "hotel" than a caribbean resort hence why we chose the village (to each their own).
Each one of our guests had an amazing time half of them have re booked S.A. for this upcoming year.
As far as our wedding- that could take me pages but to sum it up - it was the most beautiful stress free wedding I couldnt have imagined any better. Ali, Ezra and the whole wedding staff made our day magical. Some of them even came in on their day off to come see us married. We had a private reception, steel drum band and butlered cocktail hour (these are additional just a heads up , but worth it) I can go on and on about wedding stuff so contact me if anyone has questions about that or just trip related.
We were on the Island during carnival time. WOW this was amazing its a non stop party, but can cause crowded airports. If you do not like a crowd you may want to avoid this time)
We ventured out to different parts of the island and the locals were just as friendly as the ones we encountered in the resort. Never once did I feel unsafe or unwelcomed (which is a high concern of mine when traveling)
Basicly if your looking for a beautiful resort on a beautiful friendly island filled with entertainment if you like or a quiet getaway this is THE place.
We will be staying at Sandals Antigua this Aug 08 for our 1st wedding anniversary as well !!!

My girlfriend and I stayed at Sandals Antigua Grande Resort Dec 22, 2006 through Jan 3, 2007. Here is our review:

Antigua:
Even though we live in Southern California, it was a warm welcome to change latitudes for almost 2 weeks over the Holidays. The weather ranged between hot and mildly warm. The ocean water was somewhat cool. On the hottest day we measured it at 78 degrees Fahrenheit. This is to be expected on an Island on the Eastern end of the Caribbean at this time of year.

We had limited contact with the people of Antigua. This was partly due to the fact that my girlfriend was recovering from a newly broken ankle. Most of the people we met who lived on Antigua worked at the resort, so of course, we came away with the feeling that all Antiguans are kind, friendly and warm hearted people. We did take a taxi to the shopping district near the ports where the cruise ships dock. The shopping was good, but the atmosphere was typical of a commercial shopping experience. On our transfer from the airport to the resort, our driver had plenty to say about Antigua and its new government (not all good). On one hand, it gave the impression that all people of Antigua care about the country and expect a say in how it is run. However, after viewing the New Year’s day address of the Prime Minister, Mr. Baldwin Spencer, it seems that this new government was right on track to growing the country’s economy and improving the conditions for all citizens. Although the country is a beautiful vacation destination for many people, it is not your typical “party town”. The citizens really do care about their country and carry with them a sense of seriousness. Don’t worry though; the staff at Sandals Grande Antigua is there to ensure that you have a luxurious and relaxing time with plenty of raw fun thrown in.


The Resort:
The resort is large in terms of land but has a cozy feeling. This is partly due to the layout of most of the restaurants half-circling the central entertainment area and the beachside bar opposite the stage. We had a mix of entertainment which included live reggae, live steel drum, and a real fire-eater (and fire-blower) who helped some of us do a pretty good limbo. It is a relaxed atmosphere, very classy with a bit of the wild. Our favorite part of the nightlife was the piano bar. This is an upstairs air conditioned room where a pianist plays popular songs and the crowd sings along. It’s basically Karaoke, but more of a group effort. You’ll have many memories just from the piano bar. One of our pianists, Foster, provided us lots of interesting information about Antigua and his background before the crowd arrived. In repayment, while singing “Margarita Ville”, we all altered the lyrics to “some people claim that there’s a woman to blame, but I know, it’s all Foster’s fault”.

The rooms were very nice and spacious. We spent 7 nights in a Grand Luxe Beachfront Concierge Room, in the Frangipani Building. This building seemed older than some of the others, but the room was nice and the location and the view were wonderful. From our second floor balcony, you felt like you were right on the beach. We spent the last 4 nights in a Honeymoon Veranda Concierge Suite, in the Ixoria Building. This building seemed newer and more modern as well as the room interior and décor. There was a grass area between the building and the beach but we still had a nice ocean view from our 2nd story room. Both rooms were spacious and well equipped with a fully stocked bar and mini fridge, replenished daily. We definitely recommend the Concierge or higher category of rooms, if your budget permits. You’ll have special check in, and a Concierge office where they can handle all of your dinner reservations, as well as other special requests.

For us, the beach is the primary reason to vacation at a tropical resort. The main pool, and numerous smaller pools looked very nice, but we never spent any time there. The beach in front of Sandals was very clean. We walked down past the other resort and the beach was not as nice there. Also, although the other resort was expensive, it did not look nearly as well kept as Sandals. At the end of their bay some trash had accumulated on shore. Sandals obviously takes great care and cleans the beach as well the resort grounds. One complaint we had about the beach, which is out of the control of Sandals, is the occasional non-resort crowds at the beach. On Antigua, all beaches are public. On certain days, the cruise ships would transport their passengers to the beach. Most of the people congregated to an area to the left of the hotel beach, but there was some spill over. We met some nice people, but the additional adults and children diminished the private personal beach experience.

Overall the food was very good. The OK Coral has grilled entrees and if you’re lucky you’ll be served by a wonderful waiter whose name sadly escaped us. He is unreal in his enthusiasm, and will accommodate you in any way he can. For example, on New Year’s Eve dinner, he managed to get us an extra couple of lobsters and steak. Il Patio is somewhat Italian in theme but the Island flavors still come through. The Japanese restaurant is more of a social event. We met many interesting, fun people there. Just remember that Sake (rice wine) erases your memory, so watch out. The buffet restaurant was good as well, and had a variety of fresh and tasty choices.

The bartenders really kept the vacation spirit going, and flowing. They can recommend a good drink, or you can even ask them to make one of your own creations. We taught them the recipe for the “Antiguan Shark” which is Antiguan rum, coconut rum, banana rum, pineapple juice and lemon/lime soda. They assured us it would be on the menu the next time we visited. All the drinks were excellent with top notch ingredients. The bartenders were normally mellow and efficient, but we caught them getting pretty wild at times, especially at the New Years party.

The management and staff are what really completed the great natural atmosphere in a wonderful resort. What really impressed us was the hands-on approach that the General Manager, Mr. Franklyn Eaton, took. We had some last minute changes due to My girlfriend’s broken ankle, and we were not optimistic about the expected outcome. However, just talking to Mr. Eaton reassured us that our needs would be taken care of, and they were. He has an amazing ability to make you instantly feel at ease. He even surprised my girlfriend on her Birthday by sending her a beautiful flower arrangement and a bottle of Veuve Champagne. The front desk manager Ruth Horsford was also very amiable. Her help and friendly nature kept us feeling like we were on a luxury vacation. Some of the staff seemed a bit subdued to us, but don’t worry, sometimes you just need to ask for what you desire.

I surprised my girlfriend with a lobster dinner on the beach. If you can afford this, I highly recommend it. The food was incredible, and we had our own personal waiter. If you like lobster, splurge for the higher end package that includes it.

We also had a couples massage. Here you’ll have side by side beds. I probably would not do this everyday, but it was relaxing. Don’t drink alcohol before or after the message for several hours. You don’t need it and you’ll enjoy the massage much more. We opted for a private tent to block the sun and for a more intimate experience.

We were lucky enough to stay over New Years, and what a great party that was! The Prime Minister of Antigua, Mr. Baldwin Spencer, attended. This should be an indication of the quality of this resort. Franklyn and Ruth even introduced us to him! That was a great honor. We are attaching a picture of us with Mr. Spencer. During the party, bartenders kicked up the personality and entertainment, and the General Manager, Mr. Franklyn Eaton personally poured the champagne that we all toasted with at the start of the New Year. This followed by an explosive fireworks display.

Overall, our vacation at Sandals Antigua Grande Resort was wonderful. We highly recommend it to fellow travelers with discriminating tastes! We are looking forward to going back someday!

Over the past 6 years we have stayed at various Sandals resorts around the Caribbean and, until now, have enjoyed every single one. Hence the reason we booked Sandals Antigua for our third wedding anniversary. What a disappointment. Apart from the fact that the place was full of female Thomas Cook reps hogging the bars and resturants, and collapsing drunk on the beach in front of us (Thought I was on a hen night in Benidorm for a while there not in a ‘romantic couples only resort’). This place is dire. The hotel in the new Med Village is like a tower block. There are not enough sun beds and the pool is too small to accommodate every one in the tower block. The other accommodation around the resort is old and shabby and the other pools tend to get neglected, as they are not situated in the Med village. There is little or no entertainment (and no where to have it when it rains). The staff are obviously totally fed up, as they are all miserable, especially the new top bloke, Alfred, try to get a smile out of him if you can! And on top of all that the beer was warm.
Dickinson Bay is stunning and there are some fab bars and resturants there, but next time I would go to the Rex Halcyon next door.
Definitely do not waste your time or your money