This Antigua Resort Sets a New Standard for All-Inclusive Beach Stays

One thing, though, ties the country together — the friendliness and overwhelming hospitality of its people. And that’s what you’ll find at Galley Bay Resort & Spa as soon as you step out of your taxi and are greeted with a welcoming smile and a rum drink or celebratory glass of bubbly.

Galley Bay Resort & Spa opened in the 1990s with just one restaurant, Sea Grape, and a handful of guest rooms. Since then, it’s grown into a world-class luxury resort spread over 64 acres with 94 guest suites, three oceanfront restaurants, four bars, and a nice mix of activities. This expansion, though, has evolved without deviating from the resort’s mission: to offer a private, adults-only escape that combines romance with top-notch service, ambiance, and all-inclusive amenities.

We hope you love the Galley Bay Resort & Spa! Just so you know, Matador may collect a small commission from the links on this page if you decide to book a stay. Listed prices are accurate as of the time of publication.

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The Rooms at Galley Bay Resort & Spa

Every room at Galley Bay offers views of the water, whether it be the ocean or lagoon. It all depends on what you’re looking for in a vacation.

Paved pathways snake through lush landscape throughout the property as though guests are walking through a Gauguin masterpiece, thus the name of a string of cottages, the Gauguin Suites, that are “ultra-private” and feature their own plunge pools. The suites are perfect for couples needing to spend some time alone — honeymooners or those needing to reconnect with some romance.

Beachfront suites are housed in a number of multi-story units with a number of superior deluxe suites that open directly onto the beach with living areas, private balconies, a wet bar, two-person tubs, and oversized showers. Suites on upper levels offer the same amenities and stunning ocean views, but without direct beach access since they are on the second floor.

All rooms have luxury linens and premium toiletries. The resort offers daily maid service, and the mini-bar is restocked daily. A three-night minimum stay is required.

Dining Choices at Galley Bay Resort & Spa

Think of this all-inclusive as a cruise ship on land. There’s the main open-air dining room, the Sea Grape Restaurant and Bar, which is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner with amazing views of the sea. The dinner menu rotates every two weeks, so unless you’re staying more than 14 days, you won’t see the same menu twice. Galley Bay also boasts a small coffee shop with pastries for breakfast and a lunch menu with several sandwiches and ice cream. Barefoot Grill is another lunch option with burgers and sandwiches made to order. These three restaurants, plus drinks in the four bars — Tee Pee Bar, Rum Shack, Gauguin Bar, and Sea Grape Bar — are included in the price of your stay.

There are two specialty restaurants, though, that up the ante on dining at Galley Bay — Ismay’s and Gauguin, both offering dining directly on the beach. Gauguin is perhaps the most romantic restaurant on the island, with tables situated in their own small open tiki huts on the beach. Ismay’s offers more traditional dining in a large timber-framed restaurant near Shell Beach. Both feature steaks and seafood, such as a recent menu with fresh swordfish served with a delicate lobster sauce at Gauguin.

Reservations are necessary at each specialty restaurant and may be made through Guest Services. Ismay’s is an additional $45 per person; Gauguin costs $30 per person.

All eateries offer contemporary cuisines featuring farm- and ocean-to-table fare overseen by executive Chef Jeremiah Nathaniel, a native of Antigua who knew from a young age that he wanted to pursue a career in the culinary arts.

“My mother was a cook at Mill Reef Club and Half Moon Bay in Freetown,” he recalls. “I’d see all the chefs working at those places and admired them.”

A large percentage of vegetables and fruits are grown in the resort’s 13-acre garden, an expanse of land that will soon feature a hydroponic garden. This garden and the property’s other sustainability efforts earned it a Booking.com Travel Sustainably designation.

Activities Around Galley Bay

Guests with limitless energy can choose from complimentary activities such as billiards, tennis, sailing, snorkeling, yoga, sea kayaking, and stand-up paddleboarding.

Check out the calendar located near Guest Services to see what activities are on tap for the week. Maybe a garden tour of the colorful flowers and other greenery led by grounds manager John Bowen? Bowen is a Jamaican transplant whose love of the land comes alive when discussing his gardens. Or take a walk through his vegetable garden to see what may appear on your dinner plate. Each Wednesday, there’s a manager’s cocktail party at the Rum Shack.

There’s a well-stocked fitness center to work off some of the delicious calories you’ll consume during your stay. You can also enjoy a massage or other body indulgence at Indulge Spa, or just sit back and relax on the beach beneath the palms with a cold pina colada, a book in your hand and your toes in the sand.

Visit Guest Services to arrange off-property tours of the island by car or catamaran, or take a walk into Five Islands Village or over to Hawksbill Bay with its palm-fringed beaches. Or get your game on at Antigua’s newest casino, Casino Royale, sporting table games and more than 80 slot machines. It’s a quick taxi ride from Galley Bay.

Getting to Antigua and the Galley Bay Resort & Spa

During high season November through April, several carriers offer nonstop flights into St. John’s, Antigua, from Atlanta, New York and other major hubs. Year-round, American Airlines services V.C. Bird International Airport with daily direct service out of Miami.

Once landed, hail a taxi or, for more personalized service, contact Eagle Discovery and Tours (eaglediscoverytours.com) and a representative will be waiting for you as you exit customs.

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