The Cove Suites at Blue Waters

We came here on an all inclusive package as a group of 7 for 12 nights and we were all sad to leave! The staff are so friendly and we all felt really relaxed here. •Activities• What makes this hotel different is the variety of choice. Each week, you’re given a newsletter of the classes and activities available, most of which are complimentary. As a group, we took advantage of the yoga, kayaking, mixology class, wine tasting, rum tasting, sushi classes and some even went on complimentary 10 minute ride on the hobby craft. The gym was also well used to burn off all the delicious baileys coladas we consumed (yes, they are a thing and yes, they are amazing!). However, I would not recommend snorkelling on the reef with the staff here. The 3 guys in the watersports shed said the reef would be better then the neighbouring bay (which I think is the complimentary trip) but they would only take us out ‘if we showed our appreciation’ ($$). Our guy was really nice but was not experienced enough for this journey to the reef which is nearly 2 miles out via hobby craft. The journey there and back was terrifying. We nearly capsized twice and we scraped along the reef on the way back as he didn’t know the route. His manager (on a separate hobby craft) circled round him shouting ‘give me one of your guests! You don’t know what you’re doing!!’. The fish you see are not worth the horrible journey - go on a speedboat tour around Antigua and you will have two opportunities to snorkel in much better locations with experienced crew. •Hotel grounds• Unlike other hotels, you won’t feel the need to rush down and reserve seats by the pool/beach. The views are simply stunning here. The gardens are well maintained, the wildlife is abundant (hummingbirds, bananaquits, geckos, pelicans, the occasional stingray leaping out of the sea) and the staff will often come round with fresh fruit or homemade ice lollies, which is a nice touch. •Rooms• The rooms are lovely. We had a wonderful view of the sea with a balcony. We loved listening to the sound of the ocean at night and slept really well here. Our broken kettle was replaced really quickly and the beds here are huge! Would have preferred for our rooms to be cleaned earlier (we sometimes came back for a nap at around 3pm and it was being cleaned) but we weren’t too bothered by it. •Food• I have to agree with other reviewers, that the food isn’t five star, though we always enjoyed the breakfast selection at The Palm and when it comes to dinner, The Cove is fantastic and has the best service. If you are pescatarian, you’ll be fine, but if you are vegetarian or vegan you may struggle for choice at dinner. Puddings and cheese at The Palm are rarely chilled and really should be. My biggest problem with the food was, weirdly, the bread baskets! The hotel regularly serves bread that contain bits of bacon while not making it clear to guests that it contains meat. My boyfriend complained at Bartley’s as I was quite upset (I hadn’t eaten meat for 18 months before this) and the female server was really rude. The male server came over to apologise but throughout our stay, I had to keep checking with the servers if the bread contained bacon, which it almost always did, and then ask for a meat-free alternative. That said, they were very accommodating to the gluten-free guest in our party. •Staff• Overall, the hotel is incredible and Kevin and Jasper are clearly doing a great job. We loved chatting to Kevin at the manager’s drinks. The staff are very accommodating and our room attendants (Nikki and Amba) were fantastic and so friendly. We would come back here again in a heartbeat for the incredible staff and wonderful location ! Read less

We arrived at Blue Waters on a perfect sunny afternoon with barely a cloud in the sky. We were warmly received by the hotel staff with a refreshing Pelican Cooler and shown to our beachfront rooms with balconies overlooking the beach and the Caribbean Sea, just beautiful. We had a fabulous week. The weather was warm, the cocktails divine and the food delicious. There are many choices for dining for both lunch and dinner which we enjoyed alternating between the different restaurants. We took a boat trip form the hotel, the Eco tour which took in Hells Gate, some snorkelling and lunch. We also had Spa treatments which whilst quite pricey where to a very high quality with the therapists taking there time and not making you feel like they were in a hurry. We've already booked for next year!!! It is the Caribbean at its best, there service and the staff were a cut above anywhere else we've stayed. The management are visible but not pushy and we felt that we were being looked after. Read less

My wife and I recently ran away for five days to Antigua and booked our holiday at the Hotel not knowing what to expect. When we arrived we were asked to sit in an expansive and beautifully decorated lobby. Cold towels and refreshing drinks were provided. We didnt have to go to the counter to check in. The staff came to us and completed the process. We were led to our room overlooking the ocean and noticed a bottle of bubbly on ice with 2 chilled glasses. None of this was expected. Our room was comfortable. I love my morning coffee so i was thrilled to find a netpresso machine ( that worked well) with a variety of coffee pods on offer. Breakfast offered a wide variety of healthy and unhealthy choices ( like steak and eggs😊) The hotel offers several pools and beaches. The best aspect of the hotel though was the staff. Not only friendly but helpful eg my car rental wouldnt start the following morning. I went to the front desk to call the rental agency. They told me to leave the key with them and arranged a substitute car. I didnt have to lift a finger. The combination of the physical space and amenities coupled with the staff had an unfortunate effect. We didnt want to return home😊 Read less

Our friends in London suggested this resort. They were correct about the setting and accommodation. Our room was charming and as we were on the ground floor it was barely ten steps to the small but pristine swimming pool. A perfect view looking out to sea and the walk to the dining rooms was made pleasant since the large garden areas were full of lovely flowers, shrubs and palms. Buggies could be summoned to whizz you around. BUT.... The three restaurants could only serve dull, badly prepared and over cooked food. After a few bitterly disappointing meals we hired a car and found a variety of exciting and excellent places to have lunch. Dinner was a problem since driving at night in Antigua is a little foolish. On occasions we ended up hiring a taxi. Our hearts went out to the guests who were on full board and must presume that the hotel’s owners feel that they don’t have to be too concerned over the captive visitors. Until the quality of the meals improves it is impossible to recommend Blue Waters Read less