Hermitage Bay is by far the best resort in the Caribbean. My sister and I visited with my parents for their 50th wedding anniversary and all we can say is WOW! Firstly, the service is impeccable. Nothing is overlooked and the staff and management team goes above and beyond to make your stay exquisite. In all my travels to the Caribbean, I have never experienced so much attention from the staff.

FOOD: The food and drinks were fantastic. We are from Boston and have high expectations when dining - the chef was by far on par with any of our high end restaurants in Boston. Breakfast, lunch and dinner were all excellent.

ROOM: Absolutely gorgeous and of very high standard. We stayed in an oceanfront beach suite and an oceanview suite. The decor is simple yet elegant and evokes a very serene tone. The mini-bar was stocked daily or as needed and our room ambassador, Jerrylynn, ensured that the room was always impeccable.

BEACH: The bay is extremely private with plenty of umbrellas and beach chairs. Each day your "space" is arranged by the beach staff and you are able to take advantage of beach service throughout the day - drinks, water, whatever! Again, the staff is at your beckon call!

BOUTIQUE: For those women who like to shop, the boutique was stocked with beautiful high end clothing and accessories. Our friend, Keysha, was an excellent sales person who went out of her way to ensure that we had the opportunity to linger for hours to enjoy and then purchase a myriad of one of a kind pieces!

All in all, a very special resort, particularly for couples. Since the resort only opened in November, we were able to secure special rates, which I did not know at the time. Rates for 2008 are very high but for those who can afford it, you will not be disappointed, Hermitage Bay is a very special destination.

My girlfriend and I stayed at Hermitage Bay from the 5th to the 12th of May 2007.

The resort is amazing. We stayed in a Hillside Cottage suite with plunge pool. The suite was quite simply excellent. We had a huge rap-around terrace with a view over the ocean. The room was beautifully decorated with dark wood flooring and furniture. The plunge pool was fantastic and offered an infinity view into the Caribbean sea. The room was extremely well equipped. We had a 26” LCD TV, cable, DVD player, Ipod dock and a well stocked mini-bar.. The outdoor shower added a perfect finish.

The restaurant and bar sit right on the beach and also follow the same dark wood décor as the rooms. The white furnishings over dark woods really work well together and give the resort a feeling of balance and harmony.

It's important to say the service in this resort is quite simply the best I have ever experienced. Our room ambassador, Ruthlyn, was just amazing. We felt all the staff were extremely helpful and welcoming and catered for all our needs. But Ruthlyn really was superb.

The food was of an amazing quality and on a pa with, if not better than any high standard restaurant I have been to. The breakfast and lunch menu's had enough choice for us and the dinner menu changed every night giving us a choice of three starters and three mains.

As with any holiday there were some faults, though nothing of any real significance. The water went off one morning, but we were told about the issue at breakfast and it was resolved by lunchtime. I was unable to connect to the broadband in our room. Although I must admit I did not pursue this, as there is a laptop with internet connection for guests in the reception area. Besides I think my other half preferred that I was not glued to a laptop all holiday!!

After reading previous reviews, yes, the mosquitoes are the biggest issue. We were bitten from head to toe. No matter how much repellent we sprayed on, we still suffered!! I understand the resort are trying to deal with this problem. But this by no means distracted us from what a fantastic place this is.
The road to the hotel is basically just a dirt track. Although not as bad I was expecting. It is approximately a mile long and aids the isolation of the resort. Should the road be resurfaced it may well add a lot more traffic and I would prefer the resort to remain as peaceful as it is.

After returning from any holiday, there is but one key question; would you return? The answer is most definitely “Yes”!!

Well what can i say...absolute heaven!

From the minute you arrive (and the taxi driver calls to let them know you are nearly there so everything is ready) you feel like royalty. You get personally greated by the manager and freshly mixed virgin mojitos are waiting for you! You have your tour of the hotel then your 'room ambasador' takes to up to your room. Pure beauty! I would still be there if i hadnt been dragged out of my room...was going to claim squatters rights but didnt fancy an Antiguan jail!!

The rooms are beautiful and the ipod surround sound a wonderful idea.
The service is second to none you will never be without a drink in your hand. The food is first class...and you can eat it wherever you want they will set a table up for you.

If you can, try and have a chat with Keith the manager lots of hints and tips about the island.

Its true that it is not quite finished yet, they have all 8 beach cottages completed but are still working on the hillsides...we had room 32 half way up the hillside so not too far to walk (although we were lazy a few times and asked for a lift back in the golf buggy!)

The main pool area is lovely very clean and very quiet...you wont have any trouble finding towels as soon as they see you they dash over and ask if you would like a towel. Thats the thing about this place the service is just perfect.

If you fancy doing a few trips the helicopter ride to Monserrat is a must! We also did the boat trip to Cades reef which was lovely...and the circum trip...lovely if you like the 8ft waves of the Atlantic!! If you are a thrill seeker and have a iron stomach then i would recommend it...i however have not and didnt really love it! The french restaurant Le Bistro is lovely as is Cocos restaurant, a beautiful romantic atmosphere! Car hire is also fun! But get a 4x4 or you will get lost in the pot holes!

If you are going to stay here firstly you will have an amazing relaxing holiday...and secondly can i come with you! I would go back tomorrow if i could!

Have fun and relax in beautiful Hermitage Bay in the beautiful sunshine of Antigua!! [walks away from computer depressed she isnt still there]

My wife and I stayed at Hermitage Bay between the 6th and 21st April 2007 as a belated honeymoon. Upon arrival we were met with breath taking views of the caribbean and a warm welcome from all the staff, who are absolutely fantastic. We had a hillside villa complete with plunge pool and the rooms surpassed our expectations.

Every guest is assigned a room ambassador, who, if they were anything like ours, Ruthlyn, will make your stay memorable. The rooms are immaculately kept with fresh flowers replaced daily and the mini bar is always topped up for use. The restaurant served the highest quality of food, and the chef was more than willing to remove ingredients, or add them to dishes, if something didn't quite take your fancy.

The bar and pool area were extremely comfortable areas to while away the days, while soaking up the sun and the beach had a healthy supply of loungers and a great drinks service.

We did find the energy on a couple of days to partake in some water sports and found that Devon and Janice the instructors were only too happy to take us out on the hobbie cats or let us loose on the kayaks. The caribbean is a perfect place to do the activities, calm and warm with great cooling winds to combat the sun. if you are prone to burning ensure that no matter how short your stay in the sun is wear sun protection. The cricket world cup was in Antigua during our stay and we went to watch the England v Australia game. Only a ten minute walk from the shuttle bus to a fully covered stand and my wife got burnt by the incredibly strong sun.

The only small down side to our stay was the fact that minor building work was being done on a couple of days. A pool shower was being fitted which, if we were honest, we would have expected to have been completed before the hotel opened. Also various hand rails were being built, work starting at 8.15am. No lie in on those days! The hotel keeps the biting insect problems under control, however this didn't stop me getting bitten 15 times in one night while asleep. Ensure you take plenty of repelent and bite relief, just in case they find you tasty.

Overall, a fantastic holiday and we would definitely return....already started saving up!