You know, reading some of these reviews made me a little nervous about going on my trip but am I happy I went. I don't understand why some people have such negative things to say. From the minute we stepped out of the airport to the minute we left, It was amazing. They drove us to the Sandals resort. My boyfriend and I were greeted by a very sweet and kind staff. The entire time the staff was very accommodating as well as friendly. They knew us by name after the 1st day. The grounds are beautiful. The weather was beautiful.
So much to look at. The beach is gorgeous. Be prepared, woman walk around topless.
So much to do that you're never bored. From water skiing to Wave runners, sailing, A piano bar, a few restaurants. 5 pools. 1 which is a swim up and they have activities going on there everyday. Our room was right in front of the pool so it seemed as though it was ours. We were in it late at night. It was very private. They have a volley ball court.
The food wasn't bad at all. Breakfast was delicious with all they served.
I can't speak on all the restaurants because we only hit 2 but
Everyday it was a different menu. Also the grill is very good if you want to snack at any time. Other vacationers there were very interactive with us. We met a great couple that we know we'll keep in touch with. The room was clean and nothing to complain about unless you're planning on spending your entire time in there. I did see a cockroach but you're in the Caribbean. Everything is open so expects a few bugs. One thing girls, I got bit by gnats all over my legs and I wasn't the only one. It seems all the woman have bug bites. They itch like crazy so if you want to bring some bug repellant to put on to avoid being bit.
A few stray cats but they don't bother you. They're adorable. You are approached by many vendors on the beach but even they are kind. You say no thank you and they walk away. We of course made friends with them. The entertainment at night was so much fun. I can go on and on but I will write forever. If you're looking for a stuffy 5 star, top of the line entrée while in formal wear being waited on, don't go to sandals but to enjoy a beautiful island, a nice vacation to relax, good food and lots of fun, you will love it!!

Well, I will begin with stating that the resort, in whole is a great stay. My wife and I booked the trip 5 months in advance and planned it around our wedding anniversary and my birthday. We booked the lowest possible room. Upon arrival (9:30 pm) we were greeted with champange and a frozen hand towel that was perfect for cooling down. We completed a Sandals membership form and were taken to our room. We were greatly surprised that we were upgraded (for free and without asking) to a beachfront suite, conceirge level. The room was great. It was warm in the room, but the bellman turned on the AC unit and showed us the room and inroom bar. We got settled in and went out to seek food (10am flight from ATL to San Juan to Antigua with no dinner). We were a little upset to find that they required to dress in pants and polo/button up shirt for all the restuarants there, for we arrived in shorts and t's. Even with this, the only restuarant that would seat us, was the OK Corral. Modeled for Tex-mex food, it lacked the main staple of beans and rice, but offered French fries in their place. The food there was good, but having lived in AZ and UT, calling it Tex-mex is a real stretch. After dinner, we returned to the room and sleept.
During the trip, we ate at all the other places and found that the Japanese place was the best for dinner. The food was cooked by Sugar, and was perfectly prepared. The Itailan was sub-par. The portion was small (Not the problem), the lasagna tasted like rague meat sauce and the veal shanks were tiny. The breakfast buffet was the best food during the stay. There were 5 different choices for fruit, the omolettes were great. The only complaint is that the bacon was very undercooked during 2 of the days. I talking so under cooked, you could see through it. The other problem was the enforcement of the dress code. All 4 of the restaurants required males to be in atleast long pants. The Italian and Japanese and Buffet were no Jeans. This seemed just stupid. It is 90 degrees, 100 percent humidity and I have to put on pants and a polo for a buffet. I understand this for the Italian(Open Air) and Japanese(Indoors), but the for the Tex-mex and Buffet? Personally, I think that since we paided $3200 for the trip and airfare (5 nights), if I want to eat of the buffet in my underwear, it should not be a problem.
The drinks at the bar were great, although varied in flavor from one bartender to the other, and one seemed to be stoned for several days. Having not realized that it is the Holiday season for Europe, there were several couples from France and England. As a proud Air Force Vet and brother to an active duty Army Corprel, I wore my "My brother is a cavalry scout" t-shirt around the resort. I was greeted with dirty looks and sneers from a group of French couples. Oh well. The Public beach law is no topless women. Well, that went right out the door for the french visitors, and some of the brits, as well as a large number of older men in speedo's (Barf).After asking the front desk about the enforcement of the no topless law, I was advised that Sandals has a policy of not allowing it on property, but since the beach was public, they could not do anything about it. With that said, I did not see on police officer the entire time there. We moved from one side of the beach area to the other.
The other major problem was the room temp and the poor AC unit used. During the day, The room would get around 85 degrees, and that was with the unit on high. Although, I would have to return to the room after the maid staff went through, for they would turn the unit off and open the door to the bathroom, which had storm shutters for ventalation.
Other then that, there are several cats running around, which help to cut down on bugs and mice. The vendors are plentiful, but a simple no has them turn to the next person. St. John (The capital) is horrible. Unless you are shopping for gold, jewelry or suvenirs, stay at the resort.
The last thing, do not go without simple items like bug spray (Sand flies bite) sunscreen, band-aids and asprin. The nurse's station and the nurse are worthless. She is either not there, out to eat or just simply does not want to give out anything, e.i. asprin.

Stayed at the resort in August 2005 for 10 days. All in all, I would say the resort is at time good and enjoyable but can be a little inconsistent. The accommodation is fine, we were in a Honeymoon Beachfront, which basically faces the Ocean but is separated from the beach by a small garden and pool area. I would say the room had most of what you'd expect from a 4 star resort, was always cleaned well and the only complaint you could make is that it needed touching up (paint, new fabrics, etc). The setting of the resort is lovely; the beach is pretty and the water very clear.
The food on the whole is again good. Breakfast is a pretty standard buffet, though had a lot of options; the hot plate for fresh cooked eggs, etc was personally preferable to hot buffet (one negative; for an Island that has huge amount of fresh fruit, they chose to use concentrated Orange and other Fruit juices, which seemed silly!). Lunch I would say was one of the highlights of the stay. Despite again being a buffet, it changed the menu daily and you always had the option of having a freshly made sandwich or pasta dish. For dinner, we preferred the Bayside (the main restaurant), which serves a range of international dishes (menu rather than buffet). The Italian was a disappointment to us, no better than your high street type 'Italian' cafes! The Japanese Restaurant is more of a social experience than gastronomic, you sit in groups of 10 whilst the chef cooks and jokes around. It is a very enjoyable night and should always be a part of your stay. Chef "Dr Love" seems to be getting a fan club!!
With regards to service, I heard a lot of complaining whilst at the resort and at times we found the lack of attention and slowness a bit of an issue. However it depends what you are used to. We live in London and have stayed at several of the 'World-renowned" 5 star hotels, so you start to expect and get used to a consistent and alert service. You don't get this at Sandals Antigua, some of the waiters come across as a little disinterested and the service can be slow. I think this is particularly a problem for the American guests, as obviously service is the US is very attentive (eg. When you ask for a coffee at breakfast they take a couple of minutes, then don't refill you cup. Not a problem at all for us, but some found this bad service and a real issue!!!!!!). I think once you get used to it for a couple of days (and probably start to relax!) it becomes part of the experience.
The free drinks are obviously an attraction for people (this was our first time all inclusive). You can basically order what you like; the beer is Red Stripe plus a local brew (both are OK but a little ‘watery’). The cocktails are numerous and are good fun. A lot of people hang around the main courtyard (where the Bar is) before and after dinner, and this is where the evening entertainment takes place. The shows, bands, etc are all pretty low key, most nights it just provides some background whilst you have a drink (which we liked). The Piano Bar was always good (the singalong is not as bad as it sounds!!) and helped that it was very air conditioned (needed when it was 30 degrees at night!). The nightclub is a non-starter, no one goes.
I would say that the resort is really what you make of it. To get everything for your money, you would probably need to use the gym (which is actually very good), use the beach watersports (which anyone can try) and eat and drink a plenty! Attend the beach party and watch (or if inclined, join) in the evening entertainment. You can do this without worrying about the bills and tipping!! This is where the enjoyment is; I feel that those who are looking for sophisticated type stay (like the Four Seasons, Saint Gerain, etc) would feel that the resort falls short. The resort definitely needs a spruce up and some of the older parts need to be replaced (there is building work going on). Their marketing plan as a honeymoon resort seems to have worked well, as a good proportion of the guests were just that during our stay.

We spent 10 days at Sandals Antigua for our honeymoon, and had a wonderful time. If we were to do it all again, we probably would go elsewhere, but that is only because I wouldn't do an all-inclusive again, not because there was anything wrong with Sandals Antigua itself.

The rooms: average. Clean, cool, but nothing special. We found our bed extremely uncomfortable. However, our bar was well-stocked and replenished daily. And we had sliding doors which opened to a nice private little patio. We enjoyed relaxing out there in the late afternoons with a bottle of wine. Very nice.

The food: decent, but got repetitive after a while. For restaurants (dinner) we found the Italian restaurant and the Bayside restaurant the best. And the Bayside was nice because it didn't have a dress code, didn't require reservations, yet had a nice atmosphere at night, especially if you could get a table along the beach. The service was OK, but again, we weren't expecting 5-star, big-city service. The staff was generally pleasant, friendly, and accomodating, and that was all we needed. One note, the Japanese restaurant was fun, and is a good way to meet people if you are looking to socialize. We went on our 2nd night and met some fun people.

The drinks: mixed drinks are on the weak side, and don't expect top-shelf liquor. But the frozen concoctions are very tasty!

The Spa: highly recommend the couples' massage. They were great! And you need it after sleeping in that uncomfortable bed :)

Activities: Our favorite was the Wadadli cats catamaran trip. It was one of our best days in Antigua. Just be warned, it gets a bit rough and choppy when you cross over the Atlantic. But worth it--they brought us to a little island where we snorkeled and hung out for about an hour. At the end of the snorkeling, they give you lunch and rum punch. The crew is fun, and you meet some interesting people.
Wouldn't recommend the horseback riding. We did it, and wouldn't do it again. The horses were not very well-trained and there were a few scary moments!

All in all, we had a great time, and wonderful memories from our trip. As long as you are not expecting 5-star, luxury resort you will not be disappointed. You'll have a fun, relaxing, sunny vacation!