The Verandah Resort & Spa

What a beautiful and peaceful place. They entire staff from the grounds keepers to the EVENT STAFF,and mamagers,bartenders. Everyone goes above and beyond. The food is good ,and Nichols is a fantastic restaurant. . The beaches are absolutely Devine. You will love it so much you will book your next vacation back before you leave. This island is so beautiful..just like the people. Keep up the splendid work. Guys.. Janellee, Action, Everett, Dangelo, Andre angel ,kenny the chef and Michael. We love you guys,aND can't wait to see you next year. RICH AND SHERRY. :) Read less

Verandah had just opened up when we last visited Antigua. Because we had enjoyed such a great holiday, we decided to return this past January, and, it is truly a tropical paradise! The same laid back and casual feeling was still there, with really good food and so much to do right on the resort (and now so much more with the mini golf!!). We again enjoyed our room with the bonus of a large Verandah, and this year, we booked a Waterview suite and just loved our sea views. We remembered how great the staff had been to us and this time around - they were awesome! I still cannot get over the transformation of the landscaping and the vegetation. It really is amazing and fully added to our whole experience! Thank you Verandah! No doubt about it, we will return. Read less

My fiancé and I needed a winter getaway to unwind, relax and enjoy the sun. We chose to come to Verandah for several reasons. The first being that this resort separates itself from the rest by resisiting the temptation to go vertical. There aren’t any rooms, all suites, above anyone like most other multi story resorts. You get to enjoy the Caribbean on 3 of the 4 sides of your suite. That 4th side is the adjoining suite situated within the bungalow style building. You get to choose between a hillside, water view, water front or superior waterfront suite here. This is a huge deciding factor for us that enables us to fully unwind. The next reason for choosing Verandah was that I stayed here years back and loved the property. From the lush grounds, top shelf quality drinks, tranquility, customer service and more. Our stay was just as relaxing as my first but with some noticeable differences that caught our attention. It was these differences that resulted in my “average” rating. Had these differences not been so prominent, I would have selected “very good” or “excellent”. Please let me elaborate. First at check-in, the reception came off as cold and un-inviting. Additionally, the resorts welcome cocktail / beverage was absent. Once we received our key, Shawn transported us to our suite. From the outside, everything appeared as I remembered but once inside, the changes were evident. The suite appeared worn and dated. The tile floors were scuffed, chipped and tired looking. The balcony slider needed some attention along with the screen. Our side windows were missing screens forcing us to be aware of when we open them and how far we open them so the wild life stays out. You’re in the Caribbean in January, who wants to have the AC on instead of enjoying the gentle breeze and sounds of the ocean. Our next observation was the staff at the bar(s) and restaurants. It was evident that the resort was close to full occupancy and that the staff was attempting to keep up. As our stayed continued, we learned that there was a lot of new staff members mixed in with the seasoned staff. After conversing with a few of the veteran staff members, it confirmed our suspicion that the few were being challenged to make up the difference. One of the biggest pitfalls that we noticed, was in the middle of day for several hours, the “main beach” was without clean beach towels. Watching guest after guest inquire with the water sports staff about towels only to watch the guests expression of frustration grow more and more. I can’t fault the water sports staff because they were constantly calling in for towels without receiving any support. Mind you, the day before this, I witnessed the water sports staff carry five (5) full bags of dirty beach towels up the steps at the end of the day for cleaning. Another difference that we noticed was the menus at both Nicole’s and Buccaneers. The menus were intriguing the first time but quickly realized that they never changed. The same menu at both restaurants, every night became dull, boring and unappealing. We soon turned to the main buffet the last half of our vacation. Last but not least, we had to track down housekeeping those days we requested service to acquire towels that should have been replaced during service. A small inconvenience but definitely added to our observation. Two small gestures of hospitality by the housekeeping staff that was also missing were the fresh hibiscus flowers in the bathroom and the origami towels placed on the bed. Finally, the evening entertainment at the main bar by middle of our stay became stale and repetitive. There needs to be conscientious approach to the music diversity and the entertainment in order to keep the evening “alive” and engaging. Ever since my first stay here, I have boasted about Verandah to my friends and colleagues. I’m said to say that after this stay, I will be very cautious of my recommendation. Customer service and the staff’s ability to make this resort the best it can be need to be looked at in the mirror and an unbiased full staff meeting needs to take place to bring it back to the resort it once was. Read less

The end of January and early February in Southwestern Ontario can be gruesome. So, winging our way to Antigua couldn't have come at a better time. After a two hour wait on the tarmac at Pearson for de-icing and a bumpy, but still comfortable flight to the island we were thrilled to see a modern, attractive airport and feel the tropical breezes that we came for. And it was here, as we were coming through Antiguan customs, that we got our first taste of the famous Island friendliness. Lovely smiles and welcome all around. The Verandah shuttles its guests to and from the airport and this was an absolute "no-brainer". Again, the friendly driver knows you are here for quiet and relaxation so he was taciturn and efficient. The island is small but it still takes a while to get to the resort. We chose the resort because of the set-up of having most suites outlooking the beach and Atlantic. Each plantation style duplex has a large balcony for relaxing, sipping wine and enjoying the breeze and sea/sky. Ours was actually facing the large pool with just a glimpse of the water. After our first night and the party at the pool we decided to upgrade to one of the eponymous "Verandah"-style rooms; overlooking the Water Sports Beach. Just sumptuous. (I doubt you could find a better aspect. Rm. 186 Flamboyan). The rooms are a wee bit tired but still comfortable and large. They are all air conditioned though with temperatures of 27 hi and 23 lo, (YES. ALL WEEK LONG), you will hardly need it. The day we moved into our room a new, hi-def tv was installed but there is limited content. Who wants to watch tv in paradise? There are kitchenettes with microwave, dishes, toaster, kettle and a fridge. The beds are really comfortable and the linens clean and pillows perfect. There is an old fashioned safe in the room so be prepared to carry the key around. Also, there is plenty of room for clothes in the dresser and a large well-equipped closet. The bathroom has everything you will need but, as mentioned, is somewhat tired. Our shower was very nice, expansive with plenty of hot water. My one real criticism of the room, indeed the resort itself, was its internet situation. You can activate your rooms wifi but it is spotty and slow. I had a mobile plan before I came and basically stayed with that as the wifi in the room was very cranky. This wonderful resort should really update their internet connectivity. No, we shouldn't be a slave to our smartphones but my wife and I did have some work to do while we were there and we needed to use them at least part of the holiday. The resort itself is beautifully laid out. We were wondering whether there were any other guests the first couple of days but were told by all the generous and helpful staff that the Verandah was completely booked. The spacing of the villas is wonderfully done and you just never feel it is overcrowded. The gorgeous landscaping and tropical plantings make you feel you are somehow in a rainforest. The pool and pool bar was our favourite hang-out in the evening. The entertainment was hit or miss and the reggae never stops but we loved that. Even the lesser entertainers had a certain charm to their performances, while a few of them were unbelievably polished. Drinks at the bar were plentiful and quickly provided, my favourite being the house Hurricane; made with Scotch. The house wines were actually pretty good too. If you want a bottle, however, that will be an extra charge or you can buy a bottle at the shop in reception. Otherwise, drink as much as you want by the glass. By the way, you get 2 bottles of water when you arrive but you can refill them all week at water stations. That water is filtered and potable. Water from the taps in your room can be used when brushing your teeth but you may not want to swallow it, it contains chlorine. Also of note: there is cappucino/coffee/tea bar next to the bar that always has cookies, pastries and fruit if you get up later or feel like being a tea-totaler. There are a number of dining options. A general buffet-style option is open most of the time and requires no reservation. This is the Seabreeze, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. There was a cricket tournament on the island while we were there and so a large number of Brits were checked-in. Breakfasts tended to be geared towards an English-style palate. Nothing wrong with that. We found the other restaurants on the resort very satisfactory. These were the Buckaneer and Nichol's. Both require reservations and Nicole's, (extra charge of $40 US per person), being noted as the upscale option. Proper dress is required at Nichol's so make sure you bring a nice shirt and pair of slacks. There is a Beach Bar and Grill, (actually located right next to our room), where you can order things like pizza, burgers and such. The bar has a gorgeous view of the Sports Beach and this has a water station. Great little hangout and it requires a reservation for dinner. Once during the week the resort has a Barbeque on the Beach. This is located at the Rasta Beach near the reception. It is sort of the same food as you are used to but at a lovely table on the beach with moonlight, a steel-drum band and fairy lights. This is buffet-style too but very tasty. It's quite a romantic evening. (We missed the fire dancer). Tours around the Island can be purchased at Reception and we would like to shout out to our Air Canada representative at the Resort, Jillian, who took care of us and recommended her friend and colleague, Josee...who was a gifted guide with a plethora of Island Knowledge and a connection to everything. He was a real joy and I hope he remembers us as fondly as we do him. Also, and this is an impressive day or part of a day, you can request time at the sister resort, The Pineapple, which is adults-only and just a short walk down the road from the Verandah. At the top of the mountain is Mary's Outhouse, a shanty with truly amazing BBQ ribs. Your all-inclusive access to food and drinks applies to The Pinapple too so eat or drink your fill. Their beach is gorgeous. Though you should always take precautions Antigua and Barbuda are very safe places and, unlike some other Caribbean destinations, can be walked or biked with little to worry about. Also, unlike other destinations, this is a very clean island with little to no litter anywhere. AND everyone is so friendly. Nelson's dockyard and Shirley Heights are not to be missed. St. John's is a lovely city and worth a visit and by the time you return to the resort you will have seen the whole island. (My wife wanted to see the Donkey Sanctuary and we made a detour there and actually adopted our little, blind donkey, Stevie. When you adopt a donkey you are providing for him/her for a full year.) We really feel we were pampered, feted and relaxed beyond belief and the Verandah was a perfect place for all of this. Antigua is a place we will return to, that's for sure. It was just fabulous. Read less