Sandals Resorts have a reputation for being the world’s leading provider of adults-only all-inclusive Caribbean holidays. I recently had the opportunity to try out Sandals Grande Antigua, one of the group’s longest-serving hotels. Here’s a run-down of everything I discovered, which makes for a pretty convincing testament to the greatness of Sandals Grande Antigua. If you’re planning a long-haul holiday, this resort needs to be on your wish list.
Excellent accommodation
Sandals Grande Antigua has a tripartite accommodation system that offers a room for every occasion:
The Caribbean Grove
Most of the lead-in rooms are located in the Caribbean Grove, a winding collection of tropical gardens, flowers, and fountains that forms the main body of the resort. Each room awaits you with a mahogany four-poster bed, a private bathroom and loads of nice little touches like an iPod docking station and tea and coffee facilities. The Caribbean Grove is intelligently designed to create cosy spaces for a little peace in a cool pool with a refreshing drink, and I always felt free and unrestricted despite the size of the resort. The Caribbean Grove is an excellent demonstration of how quality services and smart formatting can make large resorts feel intimate and welcoming.
The Mediterranean Village
The Mediterranean Village’s biggest distinguishing factor is its suite of Club Sandals rooms that come packed with special perks that take your holiday to the next level. You’ll have a super-speedy iPad check-in accompanied by a cold glass of champagne, and your room comes with a free minibar stocked with wine, soft drinks, and spirits that are replenished daily. There’s even a concierge to help you make reservations for spa treatments, island excursions, and restaurants, and free room service 07:00 – 22:00. I had the pleasure of a club level room during my stay, and you really do feel the difference. It’s very calming to know that there’ll always be a cold beverage waiting for you.
Butler Elite Services
A prestigious collection of suites at Sandals Grande Antigua come with the services of a personal butler trained by the Guild of Professional English Butlers. These vigilant compatriots ensure that your holiday is effortlessly extraordinary, unpacking your suitcase, drawing your baths, creating your reservations, serving special in-room meals, and offering you little in-room surprises. The Butler Suites are the best rooms with the best service, and your butler will add a generous amount of smiles, quips, and personality. For me, one of the biggest selling points of the butler level service is getting to know your butler. They’re all brimming with personality, and they’re always willing to talk to you about the life and times of the island, and anything else that flows into the conversation. As your butler gets to know you, they’ll build personalised service around your tastes and routines, incorporating your favourite food, drinks, and amenities. The service is second to none, but it’s this human element that I feel adds the distinguishing factor.
Gourmet dining
Sandals Grande Antigua has 11 gourmet dining and drinking options, all of which are included in the price of your holiday. Something I think is underrated at Sandals Resorts is the dining coverage: you can find something to eat at pretty much any time, day or night.
My personal highlights were the Italian Restaurant Mario’s (try the Chocolate Lava Cake with a side of ice cream, it’s amazing), the teppanyaki theatre cooking at Kimonos (try the Sake Cruise house cocktail, it’s immense), and the all-day wood-fired pizza offerings of the Bella Napoli Pizzeria (try everything on the menu, you can’t choose a favourite).
I also found it hard to resist Cafe de Paris, which offers freshly ground coffee, high-grade patisserie morsels, and a refreshing range of sorbets (of which the soft and nutty pistachio was my favourite).
I could keep going on about the dining at Sandals Grande Antigua, or you could just have a look-see here for the full range of restaurants. The take away from this part of the blog is thus: good food is plentiful, accessible, and irresistible at Sandals Grande Antigua.
Fun-times all round
You’re always close to something fun and unique at Sandals Grande Antigua, in particular the resort’s diving programme. Sandals Resorts offer the most comprehensive diving programme in the Caribbean, and it’s all included in the Luxury-Included all-inclusive programme.
Even if you’ve never dived before, you can benefit form an Introductory PADI Resort Certification Programme for just $100USD per person. The waters around Sandals Grande Antigua are teeming with beautiful marine life and otherworldly corals, and Antigua is held in high regard as a Caribbean diving hub.
Of course, there are other water sports to get involved in, too. Here’s a little taste of a typical Sandals Resorts Aquacentre experience:
The trophy cabinet
The Sandals Resorts philosophy aims to provide couples’ holidays at the forefront of modern holidaymaking. Here’s just a handful of the prestigious awards bequeathed unto Sandals Grande Antigua:
• World’s Most Romantic Hotel 2 years in a row
• Antigua & Barbuda’s Leading Resort
• 5 Star Diamond Award for outstanding service
• 6 Star Diamond Award for the Club Level services of the Mediterranean Village
Resort overview
Here’s the official Sandals Grande Antigua overview, so you can see the lifestyle for yourself:
Feel the sand beneath your feet
Now that you know the basics for Sandals Grande Antigua, give it a spin to find out what all the fuss is about. Have a tap of that lovely orange button for more info, or leave your questions in the comments below.
Now is the time to live without limits, Holidaymaker.
Experience Sandals Grande Antigua from only £2,222pp
