Hawksbill by Rex Resorts

Firstly I'd like to say that this review is during the time of Covid and as such allowances must be made for the strange times and service this brings with it. My wife and I travelled to Antigua on the 26th October 2020 and stayed for the first 6 days in another location (see Ocean Point review) before relocating to Hawksbill for our second week. This was our second visit to Antigua so we already knew what to expect from the Island. When we first arrived at Hawksbill a couple of things were pretty obvious: a) The hotel had only just re-opened and had very few guests (9 including us on that date). b) Without a car you will be pretty much staying in the hotel and grounds (aside from any trips you may take) as it is not within walking distance of anywhere or on the route of any public transport (although we cant actually fully verify this). First impressions of the hotel were that (like many other reviews say) the hotel is indeed in need of some renovation. Clearly some work was being done to get ready for any new guests, and our room in particular was very nice so we have no complaints there at all. We had a room set on top of a small cliff which overlooked the ocean. The room was clean, everything seemed to work with the air-con, fridge, sink, shower and loo all fine. We never used the kettle in the room and as you may or may not be aware there were no TV's in room (for us this doesn't matter as we have our own solution to this). Wifi was available across the resort and intermittently was available in the room (it was fine on the balcony so the signal is just not quite strong enough). The grounds of the hotel are all fine, odd seeing it all empty, and the wife found it a little eerie at night. A lot of the rooms were left with lights on and in quite a bad state of repair (none of the ones with guests in mind you), but all in all it was a pleasant place to be. The beaches are all nice and there are four of them to choose from with one of the beaches being the only clothing optional beach on the island, entering the sea from the beaches can be a little tricky on some of the beaches with the stones and rocks around so aqua shoes might be a good idea, also the sea during our time did get a little rough so could be challenging but it never stopped us going in. There is a small pool which we never tried (and it is very small more or a splash pool).. but at least that's an option is the sea is not your thing. As regards food well it was a mixed bag really, when we first arrived the food quality was pretty good and portions were reasonable too. The hotel was providing all meals as A la carte due to covid which choices made from a menu. After the first few days however we felt that quality, quantity and variation of the food suffered which was a little poor with so few guests present and we don't really have an explanation for this. The food wasn't actually bad at any point though, we'd like to make that clear. Being so far away from the main area meant that we didn't really have many drinks from the bar as only one bar was open (we don't drink alcohol in any case) but again what we did have was fine and we didn't hear of any complaints about the beer and drinks from others so assume that's all good too. It should be noted that there is a charge for bottled water!! During our visit there didn't appear to be any way of getting water either (unless having a meal) so keep that in mind as there aren't any super markets near by. None of the water sports etc were operating during our visit but we did see the paddle boards etc.. For the braver ones amongst you there might be some snorkelling off shore along a bit of a reef which seems to run the length of the resort, but for us the waves were a bit big and water too cloudy in any case (this didn't stop a local swimming and collecting something (presumably muscles or something? everyday). The staff at the resort all seemed to be very friendly and would help when asked, but they were clearly out of there comfort zone with the whole Ala carte thing and the service did reflect this being a little erm... random shall we say.. but it did make for some entertainment at meal times at least. We've seen lots of reviews saying this is a marmitie kind of resort you either love it or hate it.. and we kind of get where they are coming from. We totally agree the resort is a little dated, and could do with some attention is a little isolated etc.. yet it does have its charm.. To sum it up, we would return to Hawksbill as we enjoyed our stay assuming we had a car giving some flexibility to eat out etc, the value was just about right.. there are actually better value places but this isn't bad.. it depends what you want from it. If you want fancy hotels, staff on hand at your beck and call and pristine grounds, rooms and facilities this is not the place for you... and to be fair you will indeed pay two or three times the price of hawksbill to get that usually. If how ever you want a certain old charm and sort of family feel (think olden time butlins/dirty dancing sort of stlye).. and pretty good value then give hawksbill a closer look... this may well be right up your street. Read less

We stayed at Hawksbill in January 2020 so were there before the pandemic would have forced in new safety measures.. Hawksbill is great because: it has 4 gorgeous bays and plenty of space to relax the sunsets were magnificent the furthest bay is nudist so that it great for those wanting to hang out! the hotel has limited number of rooms which leads to there being a very friendly environment the beaches have a gentle slope so you are safe to swim the weather is gorgeous all year round breakfast was served in the main block, lunch by the beach and dinner in the main block. The food was quite good bearing in mind that if you want cordon bleu cooking then you need to go to a premium hotel. a whole room has been turned into a library so you never need be short of reading material. Hawksbill is poor because: there are a lot of steps and slopes so I would strongly discourage anyone with a physical disability from considering this hotel. the swimming pool is minute and shallow. Don't think I ever saw anyone in it. whilst the sea is safe to swim in there is a significant sand bar so getting out of the sea can be a challenge. the room we had was dated and somewhat shabby there are only two bars each by the restaurants there was no organised form of entertainment shortage of sun beds and the ones there are showing their age. WiFi was very hit and miss but worked in the main block but not in our room. We actually loved it and accepted the limitations. People we chatted to either loved it and came back year after year but others were less impressed and would never have considered returning. Read less

This hotel has a lot going for it. Great beaches and great food and an easy vibe. I would definitely stay here again. However, security is almost non-existent and there were groups of youths steaming through the hotel and past private rooms. Security turned up 15 mins after the youths had run off. Security at all other hotels is taken very seriously which indicates there are security issues. You don't have to be a nudist to stay here. There is one nice beach where they go. All the other beaches were for swimwear users. Read less

A great location for sunsets over the sea albeit a little remote. However it is in need of updating of rooms and more evening entertainment would be good. You will need a car if you want to explore the rest of the island as busses are few and far apart. The hotel has lovely gardens and beautiful beaches, with friendly staff. The food is generally good if a little plain at times. Overall, a good place for a Caribbean experience. Read less

This was our 4th annual visit. We love the peaceful and idyllic surroundings and feel this makes it excellent value .It I would be hard to find anything like this in the Caribbean at this price. As mentioned by other reviewers there are a lot of issues regarding some accommodations and food. Where are the cheese and biscuits? Although we found some improvement in quality of meals. I must praise the gardeners. The grounds looked well kept and not much goat droppings around. We also encountered some local w***ers on Eden beach while the security guards were having a nice snooze in the beach shelter. Very annoying. My only real complaint is regarding the ice used in the drinks. It is used to cool beer bottles and glasses. Not very hygienic and can cause upset tummies. We will return. Let’s hope it doesn’t get taken over and changed too much. Read less