the rex was a good vacation spot for our first trip together. However please be aware the resort is very quiet and tends not to be a hoping night spot. It offers the best beach in Antigua and you must take the public transportation to avoid high priced cabs that cost to much.
Their is a bus stop right outside the hotel. Due not book trips at the travel desk DUE YOUR reaserch before to avoid getting ripped off. I.E.
We booked a Jolly roger boat trip and were told the boat would pick us up outside on the beach in front of the hotel which was totally incorrect. We were out 50 dollars and could have saved much noney if we put the trip with them directly and tool a bus downtown and a cab to the hotel it left from.

I took a chance and went to Antigua alone, staying at the Rex Blue Heron was a delight. The staff at the hotel are very friendly and the service was 1st class.

The hotel sits right on the beach with excellent views of the island, every day was a dream. No problems with nabbing a sunbed, the pace was slow and relaxing which was just what I needed.

I met other single people at the hotel and friendly couples which made my stay even more enjoyable, by the end of our holiday everyone knew everyone because the hotel was so small and friendly.

I did travel around the island and would recommend the Tiami Cruise for a relaxed sailing trip, Shirley Hieghts which is held on Sundays is a must do! St Johns is also a good way to see the real Antigua and worth it just for the rum!

My holiday to Antigua was by far heaven on earth and I will return to the same hotel in the future.

We visited Antigua on the 4th Oct 2003 and chose the Blue Heron after reading all the reviews posted here. I would say the hotel is fairly basic but the setting is perfect and the small size of the hotel makes for a very friendly atmosphere (we were off season which meant it was probably quieter than usual). The staff were friendly and always willing to help. The entertainment was a little repetitive but the entertainers themselves were great giving everyone a laugh. The food was far better than I expected not the normal cold meat buffet or reheated food but very good variety over the whole 11 nights of our holiday and for an extra few quid you can order lobster. We tried scuba diving, which was a great experience, and if you fancy snorkelling go to the rocks at the end of the beach and you will see a variety of aquatic life. Also the catamaran trip around the Island really does show the beauty of the whole Island. No offence to any Americans but you can talk cant you! I thoroughly enjoyed the holiday and would recommend the blue heron to anyone who wants to just laze about most of the day. The only downer on our holiday was when 14 of us wanted to go to Shirley heights one of the resident cab drivers threw his toys out of his pram because we phoned and used another driver who under cut his price by half (from $280 to $140) so do shop and haggle. If you do go to St Johns get the bus outside the hotel for about £1 it is an experience in itself, as I could imagine someone getting on with a goat or chicken!! At the end of the day you get what you pay for and I found it excellent value.

My husband and I visitied Antigua October 16-21, 2003 for a late honeymoon. After much deliberation we decided on the Rex Blue Heron to stay, based on all the good reveiws on this web-site. However, we arrived there late (8:30 pm) on a Thursday evening and when we went to the restaurant to get dinner, we were greeted with frowns because they shut down dinner at 9pm. We arrived in jeans and had to take the time to go and change into "proper attire" for dinner! Dinner was "okay" at the very most. After dinner, we sat with other guests for a drink and they informed us that the bar closed at 11pm. (Hmmm...) Before we knew it, it was 10:30 and the bartender was already clearing everything away! (huh) We still got drinks after that, however, not from a friendly bartender! The next morning, we saw the SAME bartender opening. So, Rex Blue Heron is understaffed and overworked. Not very happy employees. HOWEVER: Saturday came and new guests arrived at the hotel and suddenly everything got BETTER...coincidence? I don't know...the food got better, the service was better, and the same bartender was smiling at us all the time. It was kind of weird how everything got better all of a sudden. LIke they were trying to impress the new guests? I don't know. Maybe we just got used to it? I don't know. The one thing that 'made our trip' was ELI'S ECO-TOUR. This tour is a MUST. No matter where you stay you must take this tour. For $90 a person it is the best "bang for your buck". Also, Shirley Heights on Sunday was a real good time. The best thing I have to say about Rex Blue Heron is the beach and the bartender named Mark. He was always pleasant. From the first day we met him he was very friendly and polite. If we were to go back to Antigua, we would stay somewhere else.
Antigua is a beautiful place and a must visit island. I can't forget to mention O.J.'s Restaurant. My husband and I went there 3 times during our 6 day-7 night stay, even though we were all-inclusive! It is just down the beach from the Rex Blue Heron. Owned by Oliver and Angie. Very small menu, but VERY good food. Lobster for $23! Delicious! THe first night we went, it was just the two of us. Under the stars with the ocean underneath us, with Lionel Ritchie in the background. Very romantic. A definate must in Antigua. I must also say that while we were at the Rex Blue Heron, we were only 2 of American couples. I know my husband and I are picky when it comes to dining and good service, however, I don't think that we were expecting too much to be served a drink while lounging by the pool or the beach. Don't expect that here...but maybe that only happens in the movies???