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Set on one of Antigua's many beautiful beaches, the Galley Bay Resort & Spa offers guests a fabulous combination of superior service, Caribbean cuisine and rustic luxury in a very natural setting. Much of the architecture here is inspired by the French artist Gauguin. The charming individual suites have their own splash pool and are surrounded by lush gardens and views of the lagoon. There are three excellent open-air restaurants, all beachfront, offering intimate, candlelit dining of excellent quality. Ismay's Restaurant offers a higher quality dining experience to be shared for that special occasion, whilst the more laid-back Barefoot Grill is a great place to enjoy a tasty quesadilla made with resort grown produce. At sunset, hors d'oeuvres are served at the bar which overlooks the sea from under its Tahitian-style roof. There are activities such as non-motorised water sports and a recently expanded gym, but reclining with a novel on the beachfront deck from the library is equally as popular.
Amenities
Bicycle Rental
Kayaking
Sailing
Snorkelling
Tennis
Wheelchair access
Honeymoon
Wedding
Bar
Evening Entertainment
Fitness Centre/Gym
Internet Access
Where is it
On a beautiful beach, adjacent to Hawsbill and Deep Bay. Transfer time from airport: 30 minutes.
Hotel information
98 rooms on 1 or 2 floors. All with balcony/terrace, air-conditioning, ceiling fan, TV, telephone, complimentary WiFi, coffee maker, safe, bathrobes and hairdryer. Deluxe Beachfront Rooms are on the upper floors, located right on the beach, Rooms are large and are well appointed with spacious bathrooms which have a walk-in double shower. Rooms sleep maximum 2 adults.
All Inclusive of: all meals, snacks and drinks by the glass (name-brand spirits, sparkling wine by the glass, Caribbean beers, tropical coolers and soft drinks, excludes bottled water). All activities and entertainment above unless otherwise stated. Restaurants open on rotation.
Superior Deluxe Beachfront Rooms are charming rooms on the ground floor, in the centre of the resort, with private patio located directly on the beach. Each with 1 king-size bed, sleeping maximum 2 adults.
Gauguin Suites are situated on the edge of the bird sanctuary lagoon, just 50 yards from the beach and consist of two wooden cedar shingle roof rondovals with an enclosed large air conditioned sitting area joining the two. The suites have cool and modern white tile flooring with stone accents, plus their own private plunge pool, sleeping maximum 2 adults.
Premium Beachfront Suites are in 2-storey buildings, these have a bedroom and sunken living room with wet bar, huge bathroom with twin sinks, large bath and double walk-in shower, plus ocean views from the balcony or terrace, making these the largest and most luxurious option with iPod docking station, slippers and WiFi access. With 1 king-size bed, sleeping maximum 3 adults. A full-size rollaway bed is provided for Premium Beachfront Suites to allow for triple occupancy. These rooms have direct beach access on the ground floor only.
3 restaurants and 1 beach grill: Sea Grape Restaurant (serves award-winning Euro-Caribbean cuisine; breakfast, lunch and dinner), Gauguin Restaurant (offers traditional local cuisine where you can dine in individual cabanas for romantic meals; lunch and dinner), Barefoot Grill (offers a relaxed and laid-back, beachside atmosphere, serving burgers and 'basket style' sandwiches such as the classic Cuban, all made using home-grown fruits, herbs and vegetables from the resort).For special occasions try Ismay's Restaurant* (International island flavours, open evenings only — a US$45 per person supplement applies, payable locally, subject to change). 4 bars: Teepee Bar, Lounge Bar, Gauguin Bar and Rum Shack Bar serving different rums from around the Caribbean and delicious curated rum cocktails. The coffee shop features specialty coffee, tea drinks and homemade pasties.
All restaurants are beachfront. Restaurant hours and availability are subject to change. Restaurants open on a rotation basis due to season/occupancy.
Regular entertainment several nights a week. Weekly beach cinema. Subject to Covid protocol.
Large freeform swimming pool with waterfall feature. 'Spa Indulge'* with open-air treatment cabanas, sun deck and splash pool. Fitness centre. Non-motorised water sports: Hobie cats, kayaks, paddle boarding and snorkelling. Bicycles. Tennis and table tennis. New yoga pavilion. Croquet lawn. Weekly cooking demo. Nature lovers will enjoy the garden tours (Tuesdays) to learn about the fresh grown herbs and spices onsite. On-site Diamonds international shop.Subject to Covid protocols.
Boutique*. Complimentary WiFi available in public areas. Internet room. Library. Cabana rooms can be booked for use on your day of departure. Rooms offer a great place to store your bags and you have access to shower facilities before the flight home. The cost is $35 for 3 hours.
This hotel has a resort fee of $24 including tax per room, per night, (payable locally, subject to change).Please note: a room levy of $5 per guest, per night (payable locally, subject to change).
Wheelchair adapted rooms with partially accessible amenities or facilities available on request. Please note that these rooms are subject to availability and may be restricted to specific room categories and bedding arrangements. Rooms and facilities vary between hotels so please check at the time of booking. To discover all the special assistance services we offer please see additional information below.
5 nights between 21 Dec-2 Jan.
* Denotes local charge.
Please note: this hotel is adults-only - children under 16 years are not permitted at any time.
Dress code: breakfast/lunch: shoes must be worn at all times and bathing suits must be covered and dry. Dinner: men are required to wear collared shirts with long trousers or stylish jeans. T-shirts, shorts, caprise and ripped jeans are not accepted. Women are asked to wear dresses, skirts, long trousers or stylish tailored shorts or jeans. No short shorts, tank tops or beach flip-flops are allowed.
For all guests in June, July and August: dress shorts can be worn (no short shorts or cutoffs). Standard dress code applies for Ismays.
Please note: guests are required to present a valid form of ID (passport, driving license, ID card) along with a valid credit card at check-in. A USD$350 pre-authorisation will be processed on the credit card at check-in to cover for any incidental purchases or similar expenses. Incidental purchases may include tours, excursions, gift shop purchases or dining in the speciality restaurant. We understand that not all guests incur additional charges during their stay, but this process assists the resort with fraud prevention. Upon check-out, the pre-authorisation is released, assuming there are no charges made.
Based on 4433 reviews
Rating summary
Location
Sleep Quality
Rooms
Service
Value
Cleanliness
Traveller rating
Excellent (3568)
Very good (618)
Average (169)
Poor (47)
Terrible (31)
Nice location, but below average food
Dec 6, 2023sylvainr372
The resort has the vibe of a boutique hotel, which is definitely what we were looking for. The resort location is great, and most of the rooms are right on the beach. Our room (Premium Beach house) was very nice, comfortable, and super clean. The mini fridge was well stocked, and the internet connectivity was excellent.
That said, we were…
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The resort has the vibe of a boutique hotel, which is definitely what we were looking for. The resort location is great, and most of the rooms are right on the beach. Our room (Premium Beach house) was very nice, comfortable, and super clean. The mini fridge was well stocked, and the internet connectivity was excellent.
That said, we were disappointed by the food. Before our stay, we read many reviews praising the food, and therefore, our expectations were high. We did not have a single good meal during our five-day stay. The breakfasts were all average. We go to all-inclusive resorts twice a year, and the general quality of food at Galley was below what we experienced over many years.
In any case, we enjoy our stay there but wouldn't return.
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In our top 2 favorite places
Dec 4, 2023Meg MGreensboro, North Carolina
We returned from a weeklong stay at Galley Bay in November for our 10th anniversary a few weeks ago and we are still raving about how wonderful it was. If you are looking for a quiet couples getaway, this is THE place to go. There was no pool bar with loud people doing shots, no loud music by the pool or beach - just a nice place with a slower…
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We returned from a weeklong stay at Galley Bay in November for our 10th anniversary a few weeks ago and we are still raving about how wonderful it was. If you are looking for a quiet couples getaway, this is THE place to go. There was no pool bar with loud people doing shots, no loud music by the pool or beach - just a nice place with a slower pace and exactly what we were looking for. There were, however, plenty of opportunities to stay active (more on that below).
The food was phenomenal, and the staff went out of their way to make our experience special and memorable. Perfect example, the second night we were there, we wanted to try an appetizer that was on the menu at Gaugin, even though we'd planned on going to Seagrape. Whilst at lunch at the Gaugin, we talked to Risa and asked if we could come during the early dinner seating and sit at the bar and order this particular appetizer (lobster fritters). She said "no problem, I'll write a note to the manager on duty tonight and they'll be expecting you." We arrived and Caryl took wonderful care of us--getting us drinks from the bar and two orders of the fritters. Just a lovely way to start the evening. We just adored Caryl and gave her a hug when we left. Other servers and managers that were always delightful: Sadi, Alec, and Jessica. I must mention Suzette - she made our very last meal (lunch at Gaugin) so special and took very good care of us. A note on the restaurants: Ismay's is an extra charge. We never went there, as we loved both Seagrape and Gaugin. The menus change each day, so it's like going to a different restaurant anyway. We ran into Chef Nathaniel a few times and he was always asking how we liked the food. And let's not forget the STAR of the show, Natasha, who is so beautiful inside and out and always took care of us at the bar. A ray of sunshine! Tarick was also very friendly and always took good care of us at the beach bar and Seagrape bar.
Now to activities! What an amazing watersports staff, especially Shilo!! He took us out on one of the Hobie Cats to the shipwreck around the corner and let us snorkel. What a great experience! He also gave us a history tour, and gave my husband sailing lessons, both fun. Tip: if it's nice when you go and you want to go on the hobie cat or kayak, don't delay. We were glad when we did, because the last two days we were there, the wind and seas were too rough to do any watersports. We also enjoyed checking out the bikes at the front desk and going for a ride on the trail around the property.
Annika, Bri and Elizabeth at guest services were always pleasant and helpful, and did whatever we asked. The only problem we had was that the A/C in our bathroom didn't work; the maintenance crew came and tried to fix it, but it still didn't work. It didn't matter because we spent little time in that area anyway and the A/C in the room was cold enough to cool both. We stayed in a Gaugin cottage and loved the plunge pool in the back. Pro tip: keep your ice bucket under your sink and ask for a bottle of champagne or wine delivered to the room in the morning (at guest services). Then go around the corner to the ice machine, chill your wine, and bring to your pool! It was delightful to swim and have drinks each evening after all of the pool bars closed and before dinner.
I could go on and on, but will wrap up and say a huge thank you to the AMAZING staff at Galley Bay for making our trip so, so memorable. Would love to come back for our 15th anniversary in a few years!
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Beauty Personified
Dec 2, 2023Sharon MLeicester, United Kingdom
A wonderful place to truly unwind and relax and that’s just what we did. All the staff are great and went above and beyond, particularly when we had a medical emergency resulting in a blue light ride to hospital. A special mention to Kenesha, she also works at the hospital and came to support us through the whole night; she was super helpful and…
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A wonderful place to truly unwind and relax and that’s just what we did. All the staff are great and went above and beyond, particularly when we had a medical emergency resulting in a blue light ride to hospital. A special mention to Kenesha, she also works at the hospital and came to support us through the whole night; she was super helpful and kept us calm and supplied with information. Cannot thank her enough; the management team led by Derrick Huggins who also stayed awake most of the night and made frequent calls to check on us, Carol Stephenson for acting quickly in getting an ambulance, Veneir and Tariq for helping my partner when he became ill… too many people to thank, you were all great. We were able to continue with our holiday and had a fantastic time. People are super friendly, the room was gorgeous, downstairs premium deluxe on the Ismay side which we decided was our favourite side of the beach. The food, the staff, the beach, the pool, the local ducks… just heaven and we will definitely be coming back. Thank you all at Galley Bay for a wonderful holiday. All the best Joe and Sharon
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Stunning resort, but felt let down on our last night
Nov 28, 2023Anne SSandhurst, United Kingdom
Overall our 8 nights here were thoroughly enjoyable. We stayed in a superior deluxe beachfront room which was beautiful, you literally were only a few steps away from the turquoise sea. Beware though the sea does get quite rough at times.
The food on the whole was very good with a varied choice and the majority of staff were friendly, although…
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Overall our 8 nights here were thoroughly enjoyable. We stayed in a superior deluxe beachfront room which was beautiful, you literally were only a few steps away from the turquoise sea. Beware though the sea does get quite rough at times.
The food on the whole was very good with a varied choice and the majority of staff were friendly, although at times this could feel a bit ‘false’.
Both restaurants had a lovely relaxing atmosphere, you do need to make sure you book the Gauguin first thing in the morning though as the places fill extremely quickly.
This review would easily have been five stars had it not been for the extremely disappointing experience on our final night.
We went to eat at the Sea Grape restaurant and were duly seated and asked what drinks we would like. These arrived promptly from the bar as usual and we ordered our food. We then requested some wine and were told that the sommelier would be with us shortly. We waited and we waited and then asked again, only to be told the same thing. Suffice to say the sommelier never did turn up, he was too busy chatting to a couple sat on a table next to us (who I might add were returning guests) and was totally ignoring anyone else in the restaurant, he was there chatting with them for more or less the entirety of our meal. I got so fed up waiting that I walked to the bar to get us some drinks. Having finished our main meal we ended up walking out without waiting for our dessert.
We felt extremely disappointed by the service we encountered on our last night, especially considering the price of our holiday.
We did make a complaint to the lady on the desk who said she would investigate and report back, but we heard nothing more.
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Very Good Getaway
Nov 26, 2023ocbussNew York City, New York
A great getaway to this idyllic stretch of paradise. We loved Galley Bay for multiple reasons - from the all inclusive aspect, the water sports activities and snorkeling, walking on the beautiful beach to Gauguins for dinner.
The rooms are nice although missing some decor to make it a little more comfortable and upscale (artwork on the walls, a…
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A great getaway to this idyllic stretch of paradise. We loved Galley Bay for multiple reasons - from the all inclusive aspect, the water sports activities and snorkeling, walking on the beautiful beach to Gauguins for dinner.
The rooms are nice although missing some decor to make it a little more comfortable and upscale (artwork on the walls, a coffee table or rug in the room).
Some of the staff are quite friendly while others are cold and always in a terrible mood.
Food at breakfast is the best and dinner at Gauguins is a beautiful atmosphere. Overall the food is fine but for a resort of this level I would have hoped for better seafood given that this is the caribbean afterall. Drinks were inconsistent with some being excellent and others being undrinkable (including the cheap wine).
Overall we did love our experience though and would recommend to others!
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Your holiday may be affected by travel restrictions or cancellations
We are continually reviewing our flying schedules, taking into account the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) advice against all non-essential travel. Depending on when you are due to travel, your holiday may be affected and we’ll email you to let you know as least 21 days before travel.
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Rest assured; we will notify you as soon as we know if your holiday has been affected by email.
We are continually reviewing our flying schedules, taking into account the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) advice against all non-essential travel. Depending on when you are due to travel, your holiday may be affected and we’ll email you to let you know as least 21 days before travel.
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Nice location, but below average food
