The Caribbean has no scarcity of lovely, sunny island locations to flee the winter blues. The twin islands of Antigua & Barbuda have been on the high of my checklist after listening to Antigua’s declare of boasting 365 seashores, one for on daily basis of the 12 months, and being the situation of a earlier season of Bravo’s ‘Beneath Deck.’

Following an affordable and cheerful keep on the Royalton Punta Cana Resort & On line casino within the Dominican Republic a number of years in the past, I used to be eager to strive the model on one of the picturesque islands conceivable. What higher strategy to de-stress and profit from a tropical paradise than by not having to raise a finger?

This is my assessment of the Royalton Antigua, An Autograph Assortment All-Inclusive Resort — and what it is best to know earlier than reserving a keep there.

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Since opening in 2019, visitors can earn and redeem Marriott Bonvoy factors right here as a part of the Autograph Assortment.

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The property has an uncommon format on a protracted, skinny block of land because of restricted house in entrance of excessive elevation, which means every constructing and amenity is in roughly a straight line, fairly than being constructed round a central pool or social house.

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The good thing about that is that as you can not see the entire property from any vantage level, everyone seems to be unfold out, there aren’t any bottlenecks and it does not really feel very massive and by no means felt crowded regardless of the employees advising me of a 97% occupancy price throughout my keep.

How one can guide Royalton Antigua

Antigua shouldn’t be a price range vacation spot (you may wish to think about Mexico or the Dominican Republic if you wish to lower your expenses on this area), and lodging costs replicate that. Staying in an all-inclusive property is an effective way to make sure you know upfront how a lot your trip will value, as foods and drinks costs can shortly add up outdoors of the property.

All-inclusive charges with lodging, all meals, actions and most drinks (besides specialty wine and Champagne) for 2 visitors sharing a base-level mountain view suite begin from $373 per evening within the off-season (the place heavy rain shouldn’t be unusual), by way of to $742 per evening throughout the peak seasons, like many dates from December to April. The property is open year-round.

Diamond Membership VIP entry could be added for round $150 per room per evening, relying on the date.

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Bonvoy members can redeem 70,000 factors per evening on off-peak dates and as much as 115,000 factors per evening on peak dates, based mostly on double occupancy.

Listed below are the most effective playing cards for reserving Marriott Bonvoy properties, in addition to redeeming your factors without cost nights:

• Marriott Bonvoy Sensible® American Categorical® Card: Earn 185,000 factors after you employ your new card to make $6,000 in purchases throughout the first six months of card membership. Supply ends Might 1. Annual charge: $650 (see charges and charges)
• Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Categorical® Card: Earn 155,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus factors after utilizing your card to spend $5,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership. Supply ends Might 1. Annual charge: $250 (see charges and charges)
• Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit score Card: Earn three free evening awards (every evening valued as much as 50,000 factors) after you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first three months out of your account opening. Sure lodges have resort charges. Annual charge: $95
• Marriott Bonvoy Enterprise® American Categorical® Card: Earn three free evening awards after you employ your new card to make $6,000 in eligible purchases throughout the first six months of card membership. Redemption degree as much as 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy factors for every bonus free evening award, at lodges collaborating in Marriott Bonvoy. Sure lodges have resort charges. Annual charge: $125 (see charges and charges)
• Marriott Bonvoy Daring® Credit score Card: Earn 30,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus factors after utilizing your card to spend $1,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. Annual charge: $0
• Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful Credit score Card: Earn 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy factors after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first three months from account opening. Annual charge: $250

The knowledge for the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful card has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or supplied by the cardboard issuer.

Rooms are trendy, sensible and classy

I used to be assigned a spacious 452 sq. foot lagoon view suite on the highest flooring for my two-night keep, and it had every part I wanted, together with a snug king-size mattress, desk with chair, small couch and huge flat-screen tv. Slippers and fluffy bathrobes within the closet added an opulent contact.

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There have been loads of shops to cost units and every part simply labored.

The lavatory featured a double vainness, rain head bathe with glorious water stress and temperature, and was stocked with Royalton-branded toiletries.

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A small balcony provided spectacular views, notably throughout dawn and sundown.

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The design fashion was impartial and wasn’t more likely to win any cutting-edge design awards, nevertheless it supplied a number of nice pops of colours and nods to the native atmosphere. Being an all-inclusive property, the minibar included native beer, smooth drinks, water, chips, chocolate and a Diamond Membership welcome present of a bottle of glowing wine and recent fruit.

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Diamond Membership comes full of advantages

Diamond Membership members obtain loads of extra advantages, probably the most notable being:

Quite than examine in on the primary reception space, I used to be taken instantly by golf buggy to the Diamond Membership Lounge, which is way nearer to the guestrooms for check-in. This house has extra snacks out there all day for Diamond Membership visitors and extra premium spirits than on the common bars, together with Don Julio tequila, Gray Goose vodka, Hendricks gin and Hennessy cognac.

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The butler service throughout my keep was terrific, with a morning and night butler checking in with me by way of WhatsApp a number of instances per day to see if there was something they may do to help, and the seaside butler service meant I by no means wanted to raise a finger as I labored on my tan.

With the specialty eating places requiring reservations (and desire given to Diamond Membership visitors), having the Diamond Membership butlers organize reservations for every meal was an important perk.

You needn’t journey to the Maldives for an overwater bungalow

Royalton’s greatest lodging are the six Chairman’s Overwater Bungalows, a singular function within the Caribbean and the primary of its form in Antigua.

A staggering 1,442 sq. ft every, these bungalows do not come low-cost, ranging from $2,600 per evening in off-season.

They have been booked strong throughout my peak time keep, however I obtained to have a fast peek inside one between a checkout and check-in and was wowed by what I noticed.

The spacious bed room led to an enormous rest room with a sizzling tub that includes dreamy ocean views.

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Beneath the lounge espresso desk was a glass flooring to identify any native sea creatures coming to say good day.

My favourite a part of the overwater bungalows was the non-public deck with a plunge pool, solar loungers and a hammock to absorb the Caribbean sunshine.

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Should you fancy the bucket checklist expertise of a luxurious overwater bungalow however do not wish to journey to the Maldives or Bora Bora, you possibly can expertise this on the island of Antigua.

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Loads of eating choices with various meals

The Royalton Antigua has a variety of eating choices from a dawn espresso to late evening snacks and cocktails. Here’s what I used to be capable of check out throughout my two-night keep:

Gourmand Marche buffet

The lodge’s primary buffet restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and doesn’t require reservations. There have been loads of seating choices, and sitting outdoors was particularly beautiful to benefit from the heat, tropical air.

I sampled the meals right here for breakfast, and there have been many choices with loads of American favorites like bacon, scrambled eggs, pancakes, donuts, bagels and egg stations the place the pleasant cooks cooked omelets to order. Every thing was tasty, although not notably high-end — given the tropical location, I hoped to see extra unique fruit choices than simply watermelon, pineapple and oranges.

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Hunter steak home

Royalton Antigua featured the identical steak home because the Royalton I visited within the Dominican Republic, proper right down to the identical decor and menu. Reservations are required — it was straightforward to attain a reserving by way of my Diamond Membership concierge, and people with out Diamond Membership may safe a desk after only a quick wait.

Whereas I loved my combined grill within the Punta Cana location, my rib eye steak in Antigua appeared glorious and was served with a smile however was sadly very overcooked and difficult regardless of ordering it medium uncommon.

Grazie Trattoria

One other acquainted sight from my Punta Cana keep was the Italian restaurant Grazie Trattoria. I wasn’t wowed by dinner there beforehand, so determined to reap the benefits of the Diamond Membership perk of consuming breakfast on this lovely setting overlooking the water and the bungalows.

It was a beautiful begin to the day with glorious employees readily available providing espresso espresso, recent juices, smoothies and eggs how you want them.

I like to recommend breakfast right here over the principle buffet in case you have Diamond Membership entry.

Caribbean restaurant and grill

Hidden away behind Grazie is a Carribean restaurant I did not even notice was there till my butler pointed it out. This was the most effective meal of my keep, with a scrumptious acapulco-style ceviche adopted by a hearty native curried lamb stew, although the coconut shrimp appetizer was a miss, tasting just like the shrimp had been cooked from frozen.

Rating Brewhouse

I used to be excited to see a beer corridor marketed as one of many hospitality venues providing a variety of craft beers. First impressions have been good, with half a dozen beer faucets put in on the bar, and loads of beer-themed paintings selling completely different styles of beer from the world over.

Searching for to quench my thirst within the tropical warmth, I excitedly requested what beers the bartender needed to provide. Think about my shock when he sheepishly knowledgeable me just one beer, Carib, was out there, this being the identical beer out there on the pool bar, within the eating places and stocked within the minibar.

Whereas Carib was an appropriate lager, and I acknowledge craft beers could be tough to supply on a tropical island (although I did discover a real craft brewery on the island), this appeared like an enormous missed alternative for a premium all-inclusive resort to solely inventory one kind of beer in its purpose-built brewhouse.

The pool and seaside have a good time the most effective of antigua

The resort is situated on Deep Bay, and whereas Antigua boasts 365 seashores (one for on daily basis of the 12 months), Deep Bay was among the many greatest I noticed on the island. The image-perfect, white-crystal sand and heat, turquoise-blue waters have been heavenly and absolutely why individuals journey to this area.

All seashores in Antigua are public, and some instances a day, a ship tour would pull into the bay to point out some cruise ship daytrippers simply how lovely it was.

You understand your resort is on an excellent seaside when its a vacationer attraction for somebody with only some hours to see the island.

The pool setup in the back of the seaside was substantial, with loads of solar loungers out there regardless of the excessive occupancy throughout my peak-time keep.

I appreciated the vary of seating choices, from proper on the sand to subsequent to the pool to the non-public cabanas that may very well be rented for an extra value.

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The swim-up bar combined cocktails till sundown for the thirsty crowd, with Diamond Membership visitors provided sunlounger foods and drinks service. Do not count on bespoke, artisan cocktails, however the frozen strawberry daiquiri hit the spot on a sizzling day.

The vibe obtained fairly merry late afternoon, however I might not describe this as a celebration resort. Whereas households are welcome right here (and there’s even a children membership), I might say 90% of the visitors have been within the 30-60-year age bracket.

Nightly leisure is surprisingly good

I’ve witnessed loads of nighttime leisure at all-inclusive resorts, from low-budget superstar impersonators to a formidable acrobatic present within the foyer at Zoetry Punta Cana.

On the primary evening of my keep was a “Carnival present” at 9 p.m. with a neighborhood dance troupe introduced in for the event. This was a well-produced and enjoyable celebration of Antiguan music, conventional costume and tradition, full with some compulsory viewers participation.

Whereas I did not don a headdress, it created an important environment and was a enjoyable strategy to study extra in regards to the island’s historical past in an entertaining format.

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Service went above and past

This was the eighth Caribbean island I’ve visited and the most effective service I’ve skilled within the area. Everybody I interacted with had a broad smile and a welcoming demeanor and excelled at hospitality. There have been loads of light jokes about how my two-night keep on the property was far too quick to get pleasure from the most effective of the Caribbean.

I appreciated how customized the Diamond Membership expertise was, with my butler typically coming to seek out me within the public areas just like the pool and seaside to examine how I used to be doing, have a well mannered chat and see if there was something they may do to enhance my keep.

Although the meals was not faultless, the service at every meal was. I additionally famous how proactive the employees could be — I by no means needed to ask for something, which was not my expertise at different Caribbean locations.

Accessibility

Royalton Antigua’s lengthy, skinny format means you may get loads of steps in transferring from one finish of the property to the opposite. For these with mobility points, vast, flat paths linking each constructing and facility have been by no means crowded and supplied picturesque views throughout the seaside and lagoon.

Elevators can transport visitors between flooring of guestrooms although with solely two elevators for 300 rooms, there have been some delays.

As all the time, we advocate calling to substantiate accessible room varieties and accessibility options of any lodge or resort earlier than reserving and earlier than arrival.

Trying out

I completely loved my time at Royalton Antigua and located it a considerably extra luxurious expertise than the Royalton Punta Cana. The gorgeous property and the distinctive format cleverly made a 300-room, at-capacity resort by no means really feel busy.

Deep Bay is likely one of the most lovely seashores on one of the lovely islands I’ve visited. Royalton ought to be counseled for securing this location, which was undoubtedly a tough design and constructed as a result of form of the out there land.

The terrific employees appeared to genuinely get pleasure from their jobs, balancing heat with initiative, and I immediately felt at house. Whereas Diamond Membership is an upcharge to what can already be an expensive vacation spot, particularly in peak season, the perks are simple, and having a Whatsapp service day and evening to prepare something for you was actually worthwhile.

Meals may very well be improved with extra funding in high quality produce and chef coaching — it was the one actual grumble I heard from different visitors, however I might advocate Royalton Antigua as one of many higher all-inclusive resorts I’ve stayed in.

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