You know when you keep going to the same destination again and again and it just feels so familiar? There’s definitely a reason we keep going back to Antigua, over and over and it never fails to disappoint. We always return to the same resort – either Elite Island The Verandah Resort or St. James Club & Villas, both of which we have made amazing memories over the last few years.
The funny thing is that when we visit these resorts, we also meet other people who say the same thing…they keep going back. Many of these people had kids who spent their summer holidays at these beautiful resorts and whose family shares incredible memories there.
This year we had the pleasure to return to St. James Club & Villas which is SO beautiful. There aren’t many resorts in Antigua where you can bring your child (as most are adults-only) so this is a beautiful resort for both adults and kids. And there are plenty of adults here that are child-free as well!
What I love about this resort is the space – there are two beautiful beaches on this resort – one (Coco’s Beach) is wild and the other is Mamora Bay, really calm and smooth. I love that you get the best of both worlds here. There are also so many activities that you can take part in – there’s a daily activity schedule that has everything from Caribbean dancing to games to yoga to pilates on the beach so you could never be bored. We also loved the tennis courts and there’s even pickleball!
You can also do water sports galore – so everything from paddle boards to taking a catamaran out into the bay, there really is something for everyone here.
Let’s talk about the food! There are several dining options at St. James Club & Villas so if you want a la carte dining (i.e. ordering off of a menu) then there’s several options as well as a buffet-style restaurant that does different themes each night. Our favourite option for lunch was the either the Beach Bar & Grill or Eleven/11. For breakfast it’s a buffet-style vibe but you can still get an omelette made to order or a fresh smoothie which I absolutely loved (also the French Toast is incredible).
For dinner we loved going to The Docksider which is a buffet-style restaurant and we also loved Coco’s Restaurant because they served Caribbean-style food and honestly that’s where I had the best Caribbean curry of my life! Everything is all-inclusive and it’s just such a relief not having to worry about budgeting for food, it’s all taken care of when you pay for your stay.
Another place I absolutely loved for iced coffees every day was Mamora Bay Café which is open 24 HOURS A DAY. They have cakes and coffees and also alcoholic coffee drinks if you so wish to indulge, all with beautiful views of the resort. Eating is always a highlight here and if you like fine dining you can also go to Piccollo Mondo which we visited a few years ago and is incredible (lobster anyone?).
And of course if you want to stay on the resort and chill, it’s totally up to you. What I like about St. James Club & Villas and the Elite Island resorts in general is that you can totally tailor your own holiday how you like it. If you want to lounge in a beach chair, read and chill all day and then party at night – it’s up to you. If you want to go for a morning swim, do yoga, drink smoothies and do water sports – that’s also totally up to you. The resort caters to every type of holiday maker and that’s what I love about it.
Now I love exploring off resort too and they make it so easy for you to do so with the Pink Panther tours and or boat/snorkeling day trips. You can even go out to see sting rays in the wild which is SO cool. I’ve done the Pink Panther safari trip which is a great way to see the island and learn more about the history and culture of Antigua. We just so happened to be there during Antigua Sailing Week which was incredible to see with the view of all the boats from Shirley’s Heights, a viewpoint I really recommend stopping at. We also stopped at Devil’s Bridge, Betty’s Hope and Nelson’s Dockyard and I really SO recommend this tour – it covers so much and you are back at the resort around 1:30/2pm for the rest of your day.
I also took a snorkeling day out with the Calypso Cat and it was so good! You spend a half day on the boat and they take you to Green Island – I spotted turtles, fish, a coral nursery and also DOLPHINS. It’s such a lovely day out and you have a delicious lunch on the boat as well. Honestly, I can’t think of much better than being in the water and it’s so clear and beautiful. Just don’t forget your SPF!
I can’t speak about St. James Club & Villas without mentioning the spa. The Tranquility Spa is so beautiful and at this spa you can get an outdoor massage, with just the sound of the wind blowing through the palm trees. Honestly once you get an outdoor massage, no massage can ever compare. The staff are well-trained and the massages are highly recommended. They do also have air-conditioned rooms if you prefer that but the outdoor massages are under a shaded cover so you still feel nice and cool.
The staff at St. James Club & Villas are also so lovely with children – at the restaurants especially. My daughter loved the staff at the restaurants – children really do feel welcome. There is also a kids club so you can take your child there for the most amazing activities if you need a break – they do painting, history lessons and more. As long as your child is potty-trained they can attend so this is less age-dependent and more on their potty-training skills which realistically might not be until around 3 when they really can fully do it on their own with no assistance.
We have visited St. James Club & Villas as adults-only (before having a child) and also with a child and both experiences have been incredible, in totally different ways. It’s so nice travelling somewhere but even more incredible to return.
*media stay but all views and opinions/words are my own