We booked our room three months in advance. At arrival they showed us our room, The room was small but nice, with a nice view of Nelsons Dock Yard. The only attraction to see on Antigua. The Island of Antigua is just a run down dump with people of bad attitude. At check out they informed us they didnot have a room available like we had requested so they gave us a better room and now wanted $50.00 per night more. They said we should have been told but they slipped up and we had enjoyed the better room so they expected to be paid the full amount. They finally settled for only $25.00 per day more. So I say go some place other then Antigua and Ocean Inn

We arrived at Ocean Inn with a print-out of an email from them confirming our arrival dates, but they still weren't expecting us. As a result, we did not stay in the Inn itself, but in a basement room in another building just across the road. The room was quite tired, and not terribly clean. The only windows looked out into the car port and across the (small and murky) swimming pool, so we didn't have the wonderful views that rooms in the main part of the hotel enjoy. Breakfast was very disappointing – usually some sliced bread, stale-ish cereal, sometimes fruit, and cheap shop-bought banana bread. There are two pools, and each of them has fabulous views across the harbours.

When we came to check out, the management tried to overcharge us, as the room we stayed in was more expensive than the room we had originally requested. It took some time and persuasion to correct this, and they weren't very helpful or polite. The mosquito netting across the windows wasn't perfect, and there was a huge gap under the door, so you might want to take your own mosquito net.

We orignially had planned to spend just three days of our week-long vacation staying in and around English Harbour before moving on to the resort areas. However, three days in, we found both the Ocean Inn and the English Harbour area so charming that we stayed there for the duration. English Harbour is a yachting center with a year-round population of British ex-pats living the good life.

The Inn is not for everyone, but a good choice for those who are a little more independent in their travel tastes (fans of all-inclusive resorts should stay elsewhere). It reminded us quite a bit of some of the guest houses you find in the Mediterranean-- quaint little cottages staggered down a steep hillside, all with gorgeous (perhaps the best) views of English Harbour. The grounds are impeccably gardened with a variety of tropical flowers and mangos. The place is overrun by tiny lizards, tree frogs (whose chiping lulled us to sleep each night), and finches--the latter of whom gather to accept hand-fed gifts of toast and cereal over breakfast (included in the price of the room). We paid just $60US/night for our room, making it the best bargain on the island (it should be noted that we were there in the off season, and room rates go up 50% or more from January-April). There are also rooms in a main building, but call or email ahead to request a cottage.

The cottages are simple but clean, with firm beds, AC, cable tv, ceiling fans, etc. We opted to spend an extra $3 US a night to rent a lockbox (although, this was in large part due to the fact that I was secretly towing an engagement ring). Eustace, the proprietor, is an extremely gregarious gentleman who spent many years working for the now-defunct Eastern Airlines. He can make arrangements for taxis, sailing/snorkeling excursions, etc. There is a small, but lovely pool that we took a dip in after dinner each night (daytime being reserved for the beaches), we became engaged. Eustace maintains the Tree Trunk Bar--a nook off the main patio that operates on an honor system. We greatly recommend his pre-mixed rum punches, although recommend adding a floater of Myer's.

The Ocean Inn perhaps makes best sense for those planning to rent a car (which we did via Expedia for less than $200US/week), although it should be noted that driving on the island is not for the faint of heart--even to Bostonians. However, driving does give you a high degree of freedom to go visit Antigua's legendary beaches, and to see what you're not missing at the big beach resorts. Just drive slowly and defensively. We highly recommend driving to Long Bay/Pineapple Beach, and renting chairs from the Long Bay hotel (which along with Ocean Inn is another of the hotels on Antigua's list of "very intimate places").
The $10US fee for chair rental is deducted from the price of a verygood lunch overlooking one of the nicest beaches on the island). Other good beach bets include nearby Galleon (the far end of which has exquisite snorkelling), Half Moon Bay, and Hawksbill.

On Sunday nights, plan to go to Shirley Heights to listen to Calypso & Reggae and dine on barbecue (people take taxis from all over the island to attend, but it just a stone's throw--or $10EC/$3US taxi ride--from English Harbour). Great dining in and around English Harbour. Try: Life (a sailor hangout, and terrific value), HQ (maybe the best restaurant on the whole island), and A Taste of the Caribbean (the homemade ginger beer alone is worth the cost of the whole meal). Admiral's Inn is a great splurge for Barbudan Lobster Thermidor, lamb chops, and their famous rum punch.