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Blue Waters Hotel: Traveler Reviews


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87% Recommend
4.5 of 5 stars 341 reviews
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Great but could be outstanding

Blue Waters Hotel

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3 of 5 stars
Grey_Ink 2 contributions
Gloucestershire
Jul 5, 2008 | Trip type: Couples
1/3 found this review helpful

My wife & I have just returned from 10 days in Blue Waters Hotel.

We chose the location as we wanted a quiet relaxing holiday and we got exactly what we wanted.

We travelled independently so needed to get a taxi from the airport to the hotel. I am always concerned about making sure that any taxi I use is official. At this airport, there is a taxi dispatch stand immediately outside arrivals who tell you how much your taxi will cost and direct you to a driver. Taxi's base their charges on a published list so you are not 'ripped-off'. see this link - www.antigua-barbuda.org/Agtsp01.htm#taxis

The hotel welcomes you with a rum punch and cold towels - very welcome. The whole booking-in process is very rapid and you are quickly in your room. We were changed and straight out again to look around.

We booked a Superior Hillside Room but I think that we were upgraded to a Delux Beachfront Room - nobody told us this but the description fitted the Beachfront. The position of the room was great as you could lie in bed and listen to the gentle waves lapping on the beach - what a great way to wake up in the morning.

We were on the All Inclusive package so this meant you could place an order for your minibar, except on Sundays - the day we arrived. Actually we rarely used the minibar but it would have been good to have had something waiting for us on arrival - maybe some snacks in there as well rather than having to buy them from the gift shop.

On arrival we tried to book restaurants, wanting to try Vyviens as soon as possible but it was full on Sunday and closed on Monday, so we had to eat in Palms both of these nights. I would recommend to any traveller to contact the hotel before arrival to book Vyvians in case the hotel is busy.

The location is great, the gardens are very well kept with some fantastic trees and plants. The sea is a gorgeous blue colour and everything is very calm and peaceful.

The main beach is small and not normally too busy. There are sufficient sun beds on the beach to cope with demand but the shadey spots are limited and in demand. There is only a few canopies on the beach and the best ones are reserved with towels by 07:30am - sometimes earlier. It is us Brits who do this so don't criticise other European nationalities. Beach towels are provided by the hotel so you don't need to take your own.

The best beds by the pools also get reserved by 08:30am so if the hotel is busy you need to get out early - don't lie-in and expect to get a good spot.

Breakfast is served in Palms Restaurant. It is very adequate with a good selection of fruit, cereals, cooked items and pastries. Unfortunately the selection nevers changes and the most exciting area is the egg chef.

Lunch is also served in Palms and could be from a menu or often was varied to include barbeques. Again the quality was fine.

Afternoon tea is served between 4-5pm (in the open air area of Palms). We only went to this once as we didn't enjoy the pastries being served and actually preferred to have a coffee from the pool bar.

Evening meals are served in either Palms or Vyviens. Although the food in Palms was fine, the experience in Vyvians is so much better. The only downside is that Vyvians only changes it's menu weekly and some items can run-out if you have a late booking (we could not order steak at 9pm).

The wine included on the All-Inclusive package is very average with a very limited selection. You pay extra for anything other than the house wines.

We went to the Cove Restaurant once but did not feel it was good value for money - you have to a subsidy if you are on the All Inclusive package. The best element of this restaurant is the position and views across the sea but it is dark by 7:30pm so this is no longer a benefit.

There is entertainment most nights. This was always a small group playing different types of music - no variation.

The water sports centre personnel are great, very welcoming and helpful. I went snorkelling and learnt how to sail, in both cases the staff were patient and helpful, allowing you to spend as much time as you wanted in the activities. When we went snorkelling, the Sandals boat arrived after us and left before us with our guide telling us to take as long as we wanted.

Nearly all the staff in the hotel were great and really helpful, obviously there was the odd exception.

The cocktails are great with an extensive menu but beware as some are so strong that they can ruin your evening. My absolute favourite was the BBC (Baileys, Banana & Coconut slush). Unfortunately they ran out of BAILEYS and were using an inferior substitute for 2 days.

There was a wedding most days which was great to see, although if you are planning a wedding, ask to be booked into Vyvians for the Wedding Evening meal unless you want to be sitting in the larger Palms restaurant with the majority of Hotel guests.

Our biggest annoyance in the area is the Mosquitoes. Almost everybody in the hotel had multiple bites from Mosquitoes on their legs. It took me a while to work out why this was and it was only after 7 days that I realised we were been bitten whilst using Palms Restuarant. After that we asked to be seated outside the main area when using the restaurant. I'm not sure if there is a time of the year when mosquitoes are most prevelant but make sure you take repellent for you and your room. We found that a very good repellent is ctually an Avon product called Skin So Soft -[--]
Overall, we had a good quiet vacation and although you will not be dissapointed with the Hotel, it really needs more attention to detail to make it an outstanding stay. We were compairing our stay at this hotel with a previous All Inclusive holiday at Legends in Mauritius in 2007 where we felt the whole experience was better.

  • Liked — Relaxed atmosphere
  • Disliked — Attention to detail
  • My ratings for this hotel
    • 3 of 5 stars Value
    • 4 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Location
    • 4 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 4 of 5 stars Check in / front desk
    • 4 of 5 stars Service
  • Date of stay June 2008
  • Visit was for Quality time with family
  • Traveled with Spouse / significant other
  • Age group 35-49
  • Member since July 05, 2008
  • Would you recommend this hotel to a friend? Yes
  • I recommend this hotel for An amazing honeymoon, A romantic getaway, People with disabilities, Older travelers, Families with young children, Tourists
  • I do not recommend this hotel for Young singles, Girlfriend getaway, Pet owners, Families with teenagers
  • I selected this hotel as a top choice for Beach / Sun
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
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Average price*: $703 (year-round)
Call now to book: 1-800-45-HOTEL from hotels.com
Fantastic place for my daughters wedding

Blue Waters Hotel

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5 of 5 stars
LillySuffolk 1 contribution
Suffolk
Jun 20, 2008 | Trip type: Family

We have just returned from a weeks stay in the Bluewaters Hotel.
My daughter booked her wedding there and we went for a week and they went for two. The hotel and grounds and views are exactly as the brochure, we could not believe how beautiful it was and i am very fussy about where i stay, the food was also fantastic in both restaurants, huge breakfasts, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner. All cocktails round the pool in the inclusive menu and free bottled water, def would recommend AI plan
The hotel staff went out of their way to make us welcome, and the wedding day was out of this world. Alicia the wedding co-ordinater was great and the wedding was really sincere and meaningful with a wonderul minister. It was only one of two in the week and everyone at the hotel watched and clapped it was great, what can beat getting married in paradise.
Will definately be going back one day when we have saved up.
Thank you Bluewaters!!

  • Liked — Friendly staff, pools, food, wedding arrangements and setting
  • Disliked — nothing
  • My ratings for this hotel
    • 5 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Location
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Check in / front desk
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
    • 5 of 5 stars Business service (e.g., internet access)
  • Date of stay June 2008
  • Visit was for Personal event (wedding, ...)
  • Traveled with Family (extended)
  • Age group 35-49
  • Member since June 20, 2008
  • Would you recommend this hotel to a friend? Yes
  • I recommend this hotel for An amazing honeymoon, A romantic getaway, Older travelers, Families with teenagers
  • I do not recommend this hotel for Young singles, Girlfriend getaway, Pet owners, Families with teenagers
  • I selected this hotel as a top choice for Beach / Sun, Great food / Wine
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
Check Rates
Average price*: $703 (year-round)
Call now to book: 1-800-45-HOTEL from hotels.com
Best holiday ever.

Blue Waters Hotel

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5 of 5 stars
rides 4 contributions
bournemouth
Jun 20, 2008 | Trip type: Friends getaway
1/1 found this review helpful

My fiancee and i have just got back from this little paradise. We travelled as Best man and Bridesmaid for our good friends wedding. Also with us were the Grooms parents.We all had a fantastic time. The wedding itslef was amazing , and the happy couple had an amazing ceremony which was very personel and moving. I'm sure for those who want wedding info the Bride , Liz will be writing her review soon!
Like others i cannot understand why people give negative feedback, in 2 wks there the group of us and i had absolutely nothing to complain about. I guess the people who do find faults are people who look for them and must be a little stuck up,it really is amazing here. The weather was great, the staff were amazing and always greeted you with a big smile or passed you with a hello. We went into ST Johns twice, the first time it absolutely hammered down for about an hour or so and was the only rain in the day we saw.You get a shuttle service which picked us up from hotel at 9.30 ish and picks you up in town at 12.30. There are an array of shops, mainly jewelers and Cosmetic shops which i suppose is the norm.. and plenty of gift shops.
The Cove restaurant was a beautiful setting. Food wise was still very good but we preffered The Palms and Viviens. We only ate in The Cove the once when in walked Lionel Richie ! We had heard rumours he was staying in The Rock Cottage but were'nt sure! We were sat eating while he was about 15 yrds away.Viviens has air conditioning , which did get a little too cold..listen to me moaning ( actually it was the ladys who were cold..)! Viviens menu changed only twice i think while we were there, and with not a great deal to choose from but we ate there 3 or 4 times and also after the wedding. The Palms was a little more laid back , one night would be A La Carte and the next a barbeque or Internatonal buffett. I have never eaten so much on hols ! The palms served u your breakfast and lunch, and also afternoon tea which was a very nice touch. We ordered a couple of pots of tea on first day and were then brought out a big plate of scones, sandwhiches ( crusts cut off ) ! and little cakes.
The beach was about 200 mtrs long and although is small there is plenty of room on a beach as there are 2 even smaller ones nearby aswell as 3 pools to choose from! The watersports guys are very helpful and in there hut at end of beach u can help yourself to snorkelling gear flippers etc. Also pedlos and hobby crafts but for the hobby craft u have an hour lesson which i think you have to pay for.
We went on 2 excursions, Stingray City and Shirley Heights. Both were very good and should be done, although Shirley Heights is a must and you do get some cracking pics, personally it did drag a little and was very hot but drinks are available. Stingray City was a good experience. You get picked up from hotel about 10.30 and set off. You get there and have a quick boat trip to where the Stingrays are and basically jump in ! It was a little daunting at first, and pretty much straight away i was getting asked to hold one for a photo which i'm glad i did and brought 2 when back at base. I also fed them with Shrimp which was especially nerve racking as i put my hand under and about 8 of them swim around you...but once your in amongst it and relaxed u have a good snorkel and see lots of fish and we even saw a lobster.
A great holiday was had and any questions at all please ask.
Oh and on the way home on our Virgin flight Richard Branson on bout half hour before landing walked up the aisle and said good morning to everyone! We then saw him collecting his own luggage , unbelievable.

  • Liked — Frindliness of staff, everyone of them were amazing.
  • Disliked — Hnad on heart absolutely nothing.
  • My ratings for this hotel
    • 5 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 4 of 5 stars Location
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Check in / front desk
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
    • 5 of 5 stars Business service (e.g., internet access)
  • Date of stay June 2008
  • Visit was for Personal event (wedding, ...)
  • Traveled with Friends
  • Age group 25-34
  • Member since June 19, 2007
  • Would you recommend this hotel to a friend? Yes
  • I recommend this hotel for Young singles, An amazing honeymoon, A romantic getaway, Girlfriend getaway, Older travelers, Great pool scene, Tourists
  • I do not recommend this hotel for Pet owners
  • I selected this hotel as a top choice for Beach / Sun, Great food / Wine
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
Check Rates
Average price*: $703 (year-round)
Call now to book: 1-800-45-HOTEL from hotels.com
If its good enough for Lionel!

Blue Waters Hotel

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5 of 5 stars
Whitsands 6 contributions
PLYMOUTH
Jun 20, 2008 | Trip type: Couples
1/1 found this review helpful

Bluewaters is terrific and I certainly would recommend the hotel if your looking for a relaxing holiday by the beach or swimming pool.

My wife and I spent our honeymoon at Blue Waters in the first two weeks of June. It was our first time to the Caribbean so we weren't sure what to expect. However the hotel exceeded our expectations.

We stayed on the first floor of Block 100 which was probably the best for views of the beach. There are other newly built suites called the Cove suites, which many staying at the hotel raved about, but we were happy with our room looking over the clear blue Antiguan beaches.

The first thing we noticed on arrival was how welcome we felt. As honeymooners we thought the staff were giving us extra special attention, i.e rum punch on arrival, cold flannel, welcome from the general manager, etc, etc, but all guests recieved the attention. This continued throughout the two weeks, with all staff being very friendly and attentive. Nothing was too much trouble.

The beaches, although small, looked stunning as did the swimming pools. I made an effort to use the beach to the south of the Cove Cottage which was always empty and good for snorkling.

There are 3 resturants, one of whch is air conditioned. All provide a set menu choice. There was so much choice at breakfast that we often didnt bother with lunch.

The weather was fantastic, mostly sunny for 2 weeks. Where other parts of Antigua were cloudy or rainy, Blue Waters had the best weather. This is probably due to the resort's position on the northern tip of Antigua which means the clouds build up to the south of the island. Its worth considering if your looking to ensure you have sunshine during your holiday.

With other hotels we have stayed in we often find a fault or two, or notice others with complaints. But not at Blue Waters, we were able to relax from day one, with only to worry about where to located ourselves by the pool or beach, and what cocktail to have. You also notice all the other guests are relaxed and chilled out, which gives the hotel a real cool, calm and chilled ambience. We met lots of couples and familes during the two weeks, all of whom were really friendly and were enjoying their trip. Im sure they are missing Anitgua as much as my wife and I.

In overview this was our best holiday ever and made for a wonderful honeymoon. Thanks Blue Waters.

So in summary the main positives are:-

Really friendly and attentive staff. All the staff were friendly, but special thanks go to the hotel reception staff, bar staff, and watersports guys.

Great beach - The beach was really clear and calm, great for swimming. We often spotted sting rays, others saw a small shark and turtle.

Watersports - the guys at the watersports were brilliant. They took us out snorkling, gave us lessons in sailing, and good for just a general chat and laugh on the beach.

Good pools - there were 3 pools, all of a decent size and great for a dip when it gets hot during the midday sun.

Food - The food was fab, very fresh, tastey and lots of choice (especially at breakfast, where some hotels can be a let down).

Hotel grounds - the hotel is set in lush attractive landscaped gardens, which gives the hotel an idylic setting (great for photos).

I dont have any negatives, other then to say I wish I was back their now, relaxing by the pool with a cocktail, or trying not to fall off one of the hobbycats.

One final point, Lionel Ritchie was staying at the hotel at the time, in the Cove Cottage which forms part of the hotel complex. If the hotel is good enough for Lionel, its certainly good enough for me.

  • Liked — Beach, pools, hotel grounds, staff.
  • Disliked — Nothing.
  • My ratings for this hotel
    • 4 of 5 stars Value
    • 4 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Location
    • 4 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Check in / front desk
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
    • 4 of 5 stars Business service (e.g., internet access)
  • Date of stay June 2008
  • Visit was for Honeymoon
  • Traveled with Spouse / significant other
  • Age group 25-34
  • Member since June 20, 2008
  • Would you recommend this hotel to a friend? Yes
  • I recommend this hotel for An amazing honeymoon, A romantic getaway, Girlfriend getaway, Great pool scene, Families with young children, Tourists
  • I do not recommend this hotel for Pet owners
  • I selected this hotel as a top choice for Beach / Sun, Outdoor / Adventure, Great food / Wine
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
Check Rates
Average price*: $703 (year-round)
Call now to book: 1-800-45-HOTEL from hotels.com
Wedding in Paradise

Blue Waters Hotel

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5 of 5 stars
JanPayne 21 contributions
Nottinghamshire
Jun 18, 2008 | Trip type: Family
1/1 found this review helpful

We stayed at Blue Water's for 2 weeks from the 2nd May and WOW how amazing. On arrival we were upgraded from a standard room to a split level villa which was like a home from home. The grounds were just beautiful, so clean and tidy along with views to die for.
The food was good, especailly the BBQ's however the waist line isn't agreeing even now!
Entertainment was varied Mon - Sat and ideal for the size of the hotel. No entertainement on a sunday so I would suggest the trip to Shirley Heights - TIP...Empty your minibar and take it with you. Great music and views when the sun is setting.
We went on a few excursions whilst there. The 4x4 jeep safari with kayaking in the mangroves which was ace. An island tour on a motorised catamaran, which again was fun. Best of all was the Island tours booze cruise with plenty of rum punch with great company and a brilliant BBQ with entertainement - Highly RECOMMEND.
Our wedding day was so stress free and out of this world - even when my husbands mobile phone rang during the ceremony...dont ask! We were married at 2.30 which was hot but there is a lovely breeze at the point. Steel band was brilliant.
At 4.30 a catamaran came to the hotel shore line to collect us and go on a sunset cruise. This made the day totally, we all had such a ball. Back to the hotel for food at 8.30 and dancing to the band till midnight...BRILLIANT!

The only negative I can say is the salon is just that, a salon. Not a spa in any way shape or form which does let the hotel down. My makeup for the wedding day was not good so I had to do again and my hair wasn't how I asked it to be done. Ask for a trial...I did and they said I wouldn't need one - Make sure you do.
The wedding photos were not up to standard as our eyes were closed and no photos of my husband family. Whilst the hotel were very reluctant to rectify the problem and not really that interested or understood how important the photos were to us we managed to see Jo the photographer who eventually sorted it out.....20 minutes before leaving for the airport!!! No Stress.

This was an amazing experience that I would recommend anyone to go here and get married. Nearly stress free and definatly out of this world.

  • Liked — IT WAS ALL FANTASTIC
  • Disliked — SOME OF THE STAFF!
  • My ratings for this hotel
    • 5 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Location
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 4 of 5 stars Check in / front desk
    • 4 of 5 stars Service
    • 4 of 5 stars Business service (e.g., internet access)
  • Date of stay May 2008
  • Visit was for Honeymoon
  • Traveled with Family (extended)
  • Age group 25-34
  • Member since May 28, 2008
  • Would you recommend this hotel to a friend? Yes
  • I recommend this hotel for An amazing honeymoon, A romantic getaway, People with disabilities, Older travelers, Great pool scene, Families with young children, Tourists
  • I do not recommend this hotel for Pet owners
  • I selected this hotel as a top choice for Beach / Sun, Great food / Wine
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
Check Rates
Average price*: $703 (year-round)
Call now to book: 1-800-45-HOTEL from hotels.com
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Blue Waters Hotel Also Known As

Address: Soldier's Bay, St. John's, Antigua