Just fantastic. The staff was great. Food wonderful. Bar staff were the best.

Anybody reading recent reviews of Galley Bay must be getting really bored with repetitive remarks on the beautiful location, wonderful food and friendly staff. The problem is that they are true! We stayed at Galley Bay between the 7th-18th June, quite a good time to visit Antigua as it is considered the start of the Low Season and is therefore cheaper, but it is before the rainy season has really got going. Incidentally, we have been to Antigua once before and stayed at Cocobay (also very nice).

If I can, I'll try and point out a few things not comprehensively covered in the last few reviews.

ROOMS: We originally booked a Superior Beach Front Room, as we wanted a room on the beach and this was the cheapest option. On arrival we were upgraded to a Deluxe Beach Front Room. Having had a bit of a 'nose' at the Superior rooms, I'd say that the Superior rooms are absolutely fine, but the Deluxe rooms are probably worth the extra money. They are more spacious, located in a more secluded part of the beach and are also fully glazed which is maybe an important consideration if you are a light sleeper. Having said that, there are actually not that many Superior type rooms at the resort (compared to Deluxe and Premier), so I would imagine upgrades are fairly common - especially, it would appear, if you are British!

ADVICE: Book a Superior room and see if you get upgraded - if you don't and would like a better room see what sort of deal you can get.
There are also Gaugin Cottages that are located 'inland' slightly.
These are so secluded we actually did not set eyes on them the whole time we were there! If you are not bothered about being right next to the beach, and really want some peace and quiet, then these rooms could be a good option as they are very private.

BEACH/SWIMMING: Obviously you will have seen photos by now, but as picturesque as it looks, they just don't do justice to how fantastic it is. We were a little concerned before we went about some comments about the sea being a bit rough, as we both love to swim and snorkel. It is true that there is a bit of a swell at Galley Bay. However, this is caused by the (fairly) steep gradient of the beach rather than weather conditions. If you are even the most moderately strong swimmer you will have no problems at all. If you are someone who just likes to stand up to your waist to cool off, then OK it's not ideal. The snorkeling to the left hand side of the beach where there is a reef is pretty good - again a little wavy but if you enjoy snorkeling no problem.

Also there are LOADS of sun loungers with plenty of shade.

ADVICE: If you enjoy swimming and snorkeling you'll have a good time at Galley Bay.

ALL-INCLUSIVE: If you are put off going to Galley Bay by the fact that it is an A-I, don't be. All meals are A La Carte, with a choice of 3 restaurants, and the drinks are all top branded. The quality of A-Is does vary, but Galley Bay is top of the Premier League!

Something else really worth pointing is how freely available water is at Galley Bay. There are plenty of soft drinks/water in your minibar, you can get free bottles from the bars and the staff will automatically refill your glass at mealtimes. If you have never been to the tropics before then I can assure you that you will drink gallons of water, so this was a very welcome feature of the resort.

ADVICE: Try the Rib Eye steak at Gaugin's, and the Goat Curry at Ismays - MMMM! Cocktails - Galley Bay Special & Banana Slide!

STAFF: The staff are excellent in all parts of the resort, but just a tip - do try and make a bit of an effort to be friendly and maybe have chat with them if they are not to busy. Antiguans are naturally very friendly and really appreciate it if this is reciprocated!

EXCURSIONS: If you've been to Antigua before you may be familiar with Eli's Eco Tour which is well worth going on, and he (Eli Fuller) also now offers a separate tour - Xtreme Circumnav!

A brilliant day out including String Ray City, a swim and lunch at Green Island, snorkeling at the Pillars of Hercules and another beach stop at Rendezvous Bay - me and the wife did some body surfing here but that's optional! Only about 20 or so people max. on the boat so you can really chill out.

Conclusion: Galley Bay is pretty expensive, but it is good value for money. You will not go away disappointed if come on holiday here. It is just so relaxing and I would go back there tomorrow if I could afford it!

This was our first trip to Galley Bay and we were trying to not get too excited in case it didn't live up to all good reviews we'd read. But after 13 restful days of eating, drinking, snorkelling, swimming, bird and mongoose watching, I'm happy to report it did indeed live up to the hype.

In atmosphere it was very like some of islands we'd been to in the Maldives - very peaceful and laid back. You feel very close to nature here. Every morning I'd stagger out bed (somewhat early due to jet lag), make a cup of tea and sit on the patio watching the pelicans and diving for fish in the sea. It's so peaceful early in the morning, with just the mongoose chasing each other and the tiny black humming birds feeding off the nectar.

Room - We booked a deluxe beachfront room and then were a bit concerned to read about the possible noise from the sea. But when we got there our fears were unfounded. The majority of the deluxe rooms now have glass in them, so there's no problem with noise. We had a ground floor room which we preferred, as we could easily go between the room and the beach, without having to climb the stairs for forgotten books, snorkels etc. We did have a look at one of the new premium suites, and whilst
they were undoubtedly very luxurious, they were set slightly further
back from the sea. Also GB haven't yet erected any beach umbrellas next to the new suites, so if you like shade you would have to go further down the beach to find a sun umbrella, or by the pool.

Sea/pool - For most of our stay ( 7th - 20th June) the sea was
perfectly calm, warm and very clear which made it lovely for swimming and snorkelling. There are plenty of small colourful fish to see a few yards off the shore. My husband is more intrepid and snorkelled out at the point near the Gauguin. Here he saw cuttle fish, a lobster and Barry the barracuda! The last 2 or 3 days the sea got a bit rougher, which meant the visibility for snorkelling wasn't too good, but it was still possible to swim every day. We also liked to go to the pool later in the
afternoon, when the lower sun gave plenty of shade. It was always very peaceful and the water was almost as warm as a bath.

Food - as good as everyone says, especially the fresh fish. We counted and had had 8 different types of fish by the end of the holiday. Our favourite restaurant was Ismays - a lovely framed view of palm trees and sea from there. My husband got hooked on the nachos at lunch and ate them nearly every day. We also liked the position of the tables at the Gauguin, especially if you got a front table which felt like you were literally eating right on the beach.

Drink - Certainly no shortage, with everything included, even the
champagne. Glasses were constantly refilled during meals and the staff's 2 favourite phrases seemed to be "no problem" and "Would you like a refill?" Try the tropical smoothies during the day - very good, like milkshakes.

Grounds - Were lovely. Full of lush tropical planting and birds darting in and out of the trees. We loved seeing all the different types of birds, especially the frigate birds soaring high on the sky and of course the humming birds with their iridescent blue spots in either side.

Slight niggles - and they were slight - Quite a few insect bites, but
these were eased with the use of cream. The sun beds didn't have padded cushions, but as we had a downstairs room we just moved the cushions from our patio recliners to the sun beds on the beach. Also there could have been a few more sun umbrellas on the beach.

In summary - A lovely restful holiday where we totally relaxed in
beautiful surroundings and felt at one with nature. I can see ourselves becoming like one of the many couples we met who come back year after year.

This is the perfect Caribbean resort, comfortable immaculate rooms set on a secluded beach, with a 5* dining experience. The staff go that extra mile to make sure you are well looked after. You won't find loud music, water polo etc for daytime entertainment, just the sound of the sea and the birds. My boyfriend and I fell in love with this place and will probably go back , it is very romantic and my advise to anyone planning a wedding in the Caribbean "choose this place" you won't be disappointed. We almost booked a Gauguin bungalow and were glad we didn't as the bathroom and bedroom are divided by an open walkway, sounds fun until its rains and the mozzies are waiting for you.
The sound of crashing waves!!!! was the only complaint we heard, that was from someone staying in a bungalow with shutters and not the soundproofed patio doors that are on the other rooms. I can't speak highly enough of this hotel, and like most people that have tracked it down i am very well travelled and don't usually go back to the same place, Im making an exception for Galley Bay.