CARLISLE BAY ANTIGUA

“Super Chill Out”  Reviewed July 10, 2012

We have just returned from a great 5 night stay with our 17 year old daughter. As a beach resort, Carlisle Bay offered us absolutely everything we could have wanted. A wonderful position, comfortable rooms, truly outstanding staff and visible, engaged management.

We took the chillout package which was genuinely and generously all inclusive. They don't offer this all year round but we felt it was really liberating to simply have what you wanted whenever you wanted it without having to count the cost. This even extended to our last day when they generously afforded us a late check out. (By the way, how classy is it when a hotel services your room properly even though you will be checking out later the same day? I always appreciate hotels that do this as they make you feel more like a guest than just someone passing through.)

We had a terrace Beach Suite. No issues with children noise that other reviewers have written about but also but also more privacy than those on the ground floor which are ideal for families with kids. The room was fresh and comfortable and had a second bedroom for our daughter. The second bedroom also contained all the wardrobe and storage space for the suite as well as the mini bar and the coffee maker. This is not ideal as we were constantly having to invade our daughter's privacy. Also the blinds on that bedroom let in far too much light. Whilst very comfortable and pleasant,some areas of the bedroom could have done with a bit of updating (the fabric headboard for example was quite faded) and the air conditioning, though effective, is of the old fashioned wall mounted kind.

The grounds and the beach were lovely and the waterfront staff were exceptional. They were always willing to help with sailing tips and hands on lessons and teh beach bar was something of a focal point - particularly toward the end of the day. My daughter was taught to water ski from scratch in 15 minutes which was great in itself. It is not a vast beach, and the sand is a little brown and gritty rather than soft white powder but with a turquoise sea and lush hills it really is a very pleasant place to be.On the beach you are spoiled with an iced contained of water bottles, and constant offers of refreshmnet, cold towels and fruit sticks.

Food wise, i can understand why there are some polarised views. We found the food to be adequate at all times, and occasionally very good. (We loved the breakfasts, in particular and I was even presented with some of their amazing homemade granola to take home) I can undertsand, however that it could lack variety for those staying longer. Service was inconsistent. Always friendly but sometimes incredibly slow and disorganised, and at other times, really good. Where there were problems, the superb management team intervened and got things sorted but you did feel that they shouldn't have needed to.

You go to a resort like this one to relax and go with the flow. For us, Carlisle Bay and its wonderful hospitable attitude hit all the right buttons. We will be very pleased to return soon.

One last postcript. When we packed up to go home, we deliberately left behind in our suite, an unwanted phone charger. The taxi driver taking us to the airport received a call from the hotel that they had found our charger and were sending a car to bring it to us en route. We told them that this wasn't necessary as we had left it behind on purpose but the gesture summed up the attitude of a really great resort whose management is still pushing it to be even greater.

 

Posted by Goooner from London, England. Click here to view this and more reviews of Carisle Bay Hotel & Blue Spa on tripadvisor.com.