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Explore Antigua and Barbuda |
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| Jolly Beach Resort |
Jolly Beach Resort: Hotel Reviews |
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By Trip Type... |
By Traveller Type... |
| Based on 15 reviews |
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| A 3.5* hotel worth every penny |
| Hotel Jolly Beach Resort |
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Pat >
1 contribution(s) Canada |
| Feb, 2010 | Leisure | With Spouse/Partner
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Left feb 21 -28 2010 with wife. For those who want a luxury hotel and wants to pay for it, well it ain't here. Its a simple 3.5* hotel, clean and accomodating. Price quality is what you get. We came for the beach and weather, and we got both. Its quite hot and the beach was real fun. If you are a big shot, dont come to Antigua ( too many reviews critizied this hotel, go and pay the full dollar to quench your desires). If you are looking to relax and reconnect with nature, no stress environnement, this is it.
Good for young families as well. |
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| Your Arrival |
| Wow! After reading many reviews on the headaches regarding the arrival at the airport, well for us, no problem. Check in was rapid. The return however was surely an "Antiguan Experience". The security people check luggages individually ( open up and look throughout suitcase). You cannot bring back any opened bottles of liquor. Duty free shop, not worth it, buy your gifts either at hotel or at a local grocery store ( good prices). |
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| Rooms |
| As expected, I was prepared to get a small room ( booked a standard room). No real shock, cozy and simple, it does the job. Clean, no problem with room all week. Anyways, even if small, we basically just slept in the room (ok maybe just a bit more than sleep;).We passed our days outside most of the time...:) |
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| Restaurants and Bars |
| Book your restaurants early on. Loved the Indian restaurant. Buffet good, but tends to wear out on you given the choices are relatively the same every night. Great soups! We enjoyed the grill out on the beach, man, we miss the jerk chicken ! yummy! :) |
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| Beach/Pools/Grounds |
Beach: Great beach, clean with white sand. First time that we noticed lots of sea shells on shore. Out of 7 days, 4 had sea shells coming up to shore with the waves, the rest of the days, no problem. In the end, the shells were not really a big problem, got used to walking around it or on it.
Pool: Great pools. One quite pool and a second with action ( music, BBQ,activities). We loved the quite pool.
Grounds: very clean, nothing negative to say. |
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| Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel |
Activity is ok at the hotel. Dont come for the night life here, you will regret it. Its more of a relaxing place. Good for young families. Lots of Brits and Italians. We visited St.Johns. Very nice place and clean. Good shopping. Try the bus from the hotel ( number 20),its much cheaper than taxi or shuttle. As well, you will enjoy this experience on how the bus driver picks up, drops off and collects the fare ( it was real fun!)
The people from Antigua have to be one of the most polite, respectful people we have met in the Carribean. |
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| My New favorite carribean resort |
| Hotel Jolly Beach Resort |
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Bekka >
1 contribution(s) United States of America |
| Jan, 2010 | Leisure | With Spouse/Partner
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| This is truly the most memorable vacation I have ever had. The staff were indeed outstanding & friendly, the food was excellent, the ambience just abundantly "there". So what if our rooms were small and simple, we turn off the light anticipating our wonderful mornings on a resort big on 5 star beaches, food, and staff. This is what dreams are made of. Get out there and take walks. There are hidden coves and sunsets, just what poetry is made of. Awe inspiring natural sights in nature. Go to St. John's and check out all the vendors goods. You can pick up some nice deals. We loved it, absolutely loved it at JBR. We had the best vacation we have ever had at any carribean island. |
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| Your Arrival |
| Our arrival at the airport in Antigua was without any mishaps; went very smooth. The line moved surprising quick, without the commotion we have experienced at other carribean destinations or more money for this and that. I would say it took us roughly a half hour to get from point A off the plane to point B into our transfer vehicle. When we arrived at JBR the line in the lobby for check-in was long, we knew we would have a wait. A nice staff member was serving a mixed rum drink to sip while we waited. At the desk the staff were accomodating and very pleasant despite the numbers of people in line. They gave us our room and let us know if the room wasn't acceptable to us to come back and they would change our room if we desired. The room was fine, simple but very clean. Also we had internet service. The balcony overlooked the carribean to the left, and to the right the beautiful grounds with a wedding chapel. We caught our first meal at the Hemispheres all you can eat buffet; and eat we did. We saw our first beautiful sunset in Antigua and knew we were in heaven. |
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| Rooms |
| The room? I was expecting the worse after reading reviews. Instead we were both pleasantly surprised, we've experienced far worse in 4 & 5 star resorts on other islands. The room was clean and bright, the balcony... equipped with a chaise lounge, two chairs and a small table. But the view, the view was incredibly beautiful from that balcony. To the left we had glimpses of the carribean, to the right a beautiful view of the wedding chapel & the well groomed grounds of the resort. We even had free internet reception from our room. Best of all we were in a central location and our room had wifi service ; ) So what if our rooms were small and simple, we turn off the light anticipating our wonderful mornings on a resort big on 5 star beaches, food, and staff. |
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| Restaurants and Bars |
| The staff were indeed outstanding & friendly, the food was excellent, the ambience just abundantly "there". We enjoyed all available fares in food. My favorite was Ustav's & Bocciolo [Hi Elizabeth, and Carlos, the man...]. My hubby's favorite was Lydia's for seafood but he admitted Lydia's kinda tied with Ustavs. At lunch time we most often hit the beach grill, Coconut grill, for a great cheeseburger & fries, or mango dipped fried chicken, yum. For breakfast, lunch and dinner the all you can eat Hemispheres buffet is always open and really very good. Let me tell you, your wine glass is never half full or half empty, it was brimmed frequently LOL. The bartenders at Hemispheres, sing and dance, and make the evenings so much more fun. Hi Neil. Get to know the staff, they are warm and friendly people. |
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| Beach/Pools/Grounds |
| The resort grounds were well groomed, brimming with flora and fauna. Very lush and you could find paths for tranquility. There are two pools. My favorite is known as the quiet one. It sits off close to the terrace and is a good place for adults who want quiet and to read or just fall asleep. The larger pool has fountains and kind of winds around to a pool bar. Its the place to go to socialize in the daytime. The coconut grill is between the beach and the larger pool. The beach, well that beach is 5 star. Beautiful amidst the background of islands, Monserrat on the horizon, just gorgeous and what poetry is made of. |
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| Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel |
| Entertainment in the evening is more fun due to the friendliness of the Hemispheres bar tenders. They also sing and dance; they are good at that. Each evening was different types of entertainment. And you can choose to be part of the crowd or on the stage for that matter. You can take a van into St. Johns from JBR. Do some shopping, check out the cruise boats, take in the native culture. Or go to Shirley Heights right from the resort and enjoy a great barbeque and steel bands overlooking the harbor. There are plenty of excursions to indulge in. Dinner cruises, trips to Barbuda or Monserrat, scuba diving excursions, zip-lining, etc. We stayed pretty much at the resort because we met some nice new friends and found plenty to do right there. |
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| Other Comments |
| We had a great time and can't wait to go back ; ) |
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| Photos: http://travel.webshots.com/slideshow/576746528rcHKoj |
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| If we decide not to it will be because of the noise |
| Hotel Jolly Beach Resort |
| User Rating:
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Valerie05 >
1 contribution(s) Canada |
| Nov, 2009 | Leisure | With Spouse/Partner
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| During the first week we were there the hotel was fully booked up. Many of the guests were from a Canadian company. We were told by allot of those guests (this was their first time at JBR) that they were very disappointed with the small rooms and the noise, and said that they would not return again. |
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| Rooms |
We visited Jolly Beach Resort for two weeks Jan. 24 thru Feb. 11, 2005 and here is my personal review of JBR.
Rooms: The room that we had to spend the first night in had no ceiling fan but it did have an air-conditioner. Also there was a cockroach in the corner of the room. This was the very first time I had discovered cockroaches in any room. Others have written about bugs in the room at JBR but on our other trips to JBR we had never seen any bugs.
- The second room provided for us was just what we had expected and it was lovely. We only book a Standard room as there is only the two of us and a Standard room is fine for us as we only use our room to sleep in. I did kill a 1” spider in the bathroom and it was four days before the housekeeping cleaned it away. |
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| Food |
JBR is only a 3 star resort. But the food is wonderful. There is such a variety to meet everyone’s tastes. If one wants a “Nouveau Cuisine” meal placed before them then all of the ingredients are available for that type of meal in the buffet – assemble your own plate.
For breakfast the buffet had available hot omelettes, boiled eggs, fried eggs, scrambled eggs, sausages, bacon, fried potatoes, cereal, fruits of all types, cheese, yoghurt, breads, croissants, buns, and cakes. (We disliked the fried potatoes as they were all soft and soggy.)
For lunch there was a different soup each day (love their soups!), BBQ’ed meat and fish, hot food dishes, cold meat slices, tuna and egg salads, salads of very variety, a pasta hot plate with sauce, desserts of all types, buns. At dinner there was a different type of meat – turkey, ham, steaks, lamb, etc. and all types of salads, rice, potatoes, lasagne, stew, desserts, veggies. I think I ate so many varieties of fish: tuna, mahi, red snapper, swordfish, sole, grouper, salmon – and the list goes on and on. They were all fabulous. I cannot understand why anyone would ever complain about the food at any meal. |
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| Restaurants |
| There are three additional restaurants in addition to the buffet. An Italian; an Indian (Uvsak); and a Seafood (Lydia’s). Suggested clothing at these restaurants is long pants and shirts for men and appropriate dressing for women. We always eat at the buffet as it is more laid-back and easy. At the buffet you can wear shorts and t-shirts or cut-offs. |
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| Beach |
| Ahh.. the beach at JBR is so wonderful. At the north end of the beach is Jolly Harbour and the Marina and at the south end is Coco’s. The beach faces the Caribbean and the water was rough this year. Watershoes were needed in the Ocean as the shells are very sharp on bare feet. (There are lots of nice shells to collect on the beach). |
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| Pool |
| Very noisy: We never use pools but the visiting young children enjoyed it. The pool is where the very noisy “Entertainment” group is. Music blasts out and loud speakers yell all day long – there is no peace and quiet in this area – and unfortunately it is so loud that the noise covers all of the JBR beach area. Allot of people lay on the beach either to the far left or far right of the pool. I assume that like ourselves, they are trying to get away from the noise without leaving the JBR grounds. Only a small percentage of guests hang around the noisy pool/splash bar area. But the Splash Bar and Grill are very crowded with guests getting their drinks and burgers/fries. There is another pool and that is the old pool. But it is still noisy. |
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| Library |
| There used to be a very convenient free Library (situated in a small closet next to the Cyber-room). People would just leave books and pick up new books to read. We always take extra books to stock the Library with. Now the Entertainment group were told to keep the books in their office and that office is always locked so access to the books is now very hard. The sign over the old Library was painted over but people still left books there. What a shame to lose the Library |
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| Staff |
| It is because of the staff at JBR and in all of the resorts in Antigua that make Antigua so special. It is the Antiguan people. They are always smiling and so very happy and friendly. They will help you with any request. So many special people at JBR: Vellie, Sylvie, Chefs, Cooks, Housecleaning, Bar Staff, Security, and Watersport staff. |
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| Beach Hawkers |
| We love ‘em! They are proud Antiguans and we are their guests. Treat them with respect as they will always be respectful to you. Talk with them, get to know them – buy a bracelet or t-shirt. We have met so many nice locals this way. |
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| Weather |
| As others have mentioned the weather this January and early February 2005 in Antigua had more rain than normal. Usually the higher winds come on the Atlantic east and north sides of the Island. But this time the high winds came from the Caribbean west side of the Island which is what JBR faces. Many days it rained and was dark and cloudy but always warm. Only one evening was it really cold. My husband sails most days but on this trip he couldn’t sail on many days as the waves and winds were too high. |
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| Security |
| There is a room safe in each room and the rental fee for the lock is $15US each week. Security personnel patrol the grounds on a 24 hour basis. We feel very safe at JBR and we have not heard of any problems. |
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| Summation |
Will we return again to JBR? If we decide not to it will be because of the noise.
The staff work so hard to please the guests and in talking to many other guests it is peace and quiet that is wanted. The image of the Caribbean is one of sunshine, palm trees and sand – i.e. peace and tranquility. This resort lacks that peace now. We will miss our friends who work at JBR that we have made over these years. Again – this is no reflection on the Restaurant/Kitchen/Bar/Housekeeping/Watersports/Groundskeepers/Security staff – they are doing what they are instructed to do.
During the first week we were there the hotel was fully booked up. Many of the guests were from a Canadian company. We were told by allot of those guests (this was their first time at JBR) that they were very disappointed with the small rooms and the noise, and said that they would not return again. |
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| Photos: http://www.nt.net/valerieb/files05antigua/index.htm |
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| All the kids seems to play together and it was lovely to see. |
| Hotel Jolly Beach Resort |
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Simon04 >
1 contribution(s) United States of America |
| Nov, 2009 | Leisure | With Spouse/Partner
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| My girlfriend and I stayed at Jolly Beach for two weeks, but to be honest one week would have been enough. As we checked in (on 29th December) we were told that all the main restaurants except the main buffet were booked up for the next three days. So we had no choice but to eat in the main buffet which after three days became very dull. We were also told that the charm of this resort is that everything is "easy" and that life moves that little bit slower. Well, the 'charm' wears off very quickly when you have to ask four times for anything... and even when you do, you sometimes feel as though you've asked them to do you a huge favour. The majority of the staff except for the 'entertainment' people and one barman were just plain surly. |
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| Jolly Beach Resort |
| My girlfriend and I stayed at Jolly Beach for two weeks, but to be honest one week would have been enough. As we checked in (on 29th December) we were told that all the main restaurants except the main buffet were booked up for the next three days. So we had no choice but to eat in the main buffet which after three days became very dull. We were also told that the charm of this resort is that everything is "easy" and that life moves that little bit slower. Well, the 'charm' wears off very quickly when you have to ask four times for anything... and even when you do, you sometimes feel as though you've asked them to do you a huge favour. The majority of the staff except for the 'entertainment' people and one barman were just plain surly.
We found the food pretty sub-standard. The seafood restaurant was OK as was the curry place, but the Italian was dreadful. I would be embarrassed to serve up what they did. Anything to do with seafood has a supplement (ie. costs extra) and the biggest joke was when we decided to share a shrimp starter in the curry restaurant. $9 US for three small shrimp!
Hemispheres is the main buffet area. The breakfasts and lunches were pretty good it has to be said, but by dinner you were begging for some inspiration. There is also a snack bar / grill by one of the pools. The burgers and fries are good but you have to wait; one day we waited 45 minutes to get ours.
The house wine tasted like sherry (the red and the white!). We ended up going to the supermarket in the nearby marina to buy wine (which was cheap) and taking it to dinner with us. The bar was well stocked except for bar staff, so we frequently saw a lot of frustrated people waiting for service.
Hemispheres is the main buffet area. The breakfasts and lunches were pretty good it has to be said, but by dinner you were begging for some inspiration.
The rooms are basic... but then you don't want to be in your room with beautiful weather outside.
However the plus points are... an GREAT beach. We hired a car for a couple of days to escape the cabin fever you get at all-inclusives and aside from Half Moon Bay Jolly beach has the best beach. We also realised that it is perfect if you have children. They all seemed to be having a ball and the parents looked very relaxed and happy. The buffet is great for the kids as they can have bits of this and that and experiment with different foods. All the kids seems to play together and it was lovely to see.
Basically if you are food snobs (like us) or good cooks at home... you will be disappointed by the food especially if you've paid a lot of money for an all-inclusive. If you like basic food you'll be fine. If get offended by staff who clearly would rather be somewhere else... you'll get annoyed. It has ben pointed out to me that the majority of the staff there work long hours and probably on minimum wage. I know that sucks if tourism is pretty much the only industry on the Island... but it also sucks if you are a paying customer at the receiving end of their attitude. It is always nice to tip people... but then you tip for good service not to bribe them to break a smile.
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| The drinks were wonderful and tasty at all the bars |
| Hotel Jolly Beach Resort |
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M&M >
2 contribution(s) Canada |
| Jan, 2009 | Leisure | With Spouse/Partner
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Just returned from one weeks vacations at the Jolly Beach Resort in Antigua, stayed there from Janl.4th to 11th 2009. One of the best all inclusive vacations we have ever had!
The process at immigration was very slow, as the previous people wrote, but coming from Canada we had not travelled as long as coming from England, and we did not travel with children, so it was not as big of a deal, although I agree they could open more wickets to pass through. The Jolly Beach Resort is located on one of the most beautiful white sandy beaches of the whole island, a little piece of paradise to look at everyday. |
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| Our review |
We had just booked a standard room, and were a bit shocked at first at how tiny the room and bathroom were, but the private balcony with the fanatasic view made more than up for it, and after two days we had gotten quite comfortable and it did not bother us at all, after all your a basically only in your room to shower change and sleep and as long as it was clean,which is it was, who really cares :)
The resort was barely half full for the week that we spent there, so there were never any line ups anywhere, lots and lots of beach lounges were always available.
Not too much variety in the food, the buffet was basic but always good, it was all good for a week, I'm not sure if I would want to eat it for two weeks, it might get abit much.
Three specialty restaurants to book, Indian (very good) Italian(exellent) and seafood( good also), you could book these as often as you wanted, but always just two days ahead. We enjoyed them all:)
Beach and water absolutely out of this world, just great for beach and ocean lovers. There were also two pools, one large and more geared for the families, and a smaller one with mostly adults.
The pool grill and bar were great for lunches, we chose to eat our lunch there every day as opposed to going to the the buffet resautant.
Tea was served everyday at 4:30 pm, which included open faced sandwiches, a variety of teas and coffee, we enjoyed this every afternoon after a hard day at the beach.
Lots of different excursions offered, we found them very expensive and therefore did not go on any.
We took the chuttle bus into ST.Johns one morning, the cost is $12.00 us per person, they pick you up at 9 am in front of the hotel, and pick you up in town at noon again.
We found St.Johns extremely dirty, with raw sewage running through the gutters and all into the bay, abit smelly and obviously not very sanitary, the markets were fun to visit and we did some duty free shopping, but three hours were more then enough to spend there.
On the whole we had a great, relaxing vacation, met some nice people, and the staff at the resort were always friendly and serving with a smile.
Most evenings there was nothing going on after 11 pm when the shows or music ended so if you are looking for nightlife and partying this place is not for you, the last bar closes at 12:30 am, the drinks were wonderful and tasty at all the bars, personally I loved the Hummingbirds and BBC's but most other drinks were really good too.
My husband is a scotch and water guy, and he said he had no problem with what they served him.
There are bugs around during the day and in the evenings, so bring bugs spray and use it all day long, and you won't have a problem.
Antigua is a beautiful island and we hope to return one day:) |
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| The apartments were extremely comfortable |
| Hotel Jolly Beach Resort |
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IrisAlbert08 >
1 contribution(s) United States of America |
| Jan, 2008 | Leisure | With Spouse/Partner
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We just returned from a vacation at the Jolly Beach Vacation. The apartments were extremely comfortable, clean, well stocked, with pristine appliances, right on the lovely beach.
What is atrocious is the immigration on arrival: Imagine hundreds of passengers from several planes arriving at the same time lined up to pass through 3 windows with extremely slow employees (slow in every sense). It took well over two crawling hours, with children, and this after spending practically the whole day traveling since there are no direct flights from New York or other major US cities. I definitely will not go through this experience again. |
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| The only downside is the water is to cloudy to snorkel |
| Hotel Jolly Beach Resort |
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Roland05 >
1 contribution(s) Canada |
| Jun, 2005 | Leisure | With Spouse/Partner
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My wife and I visited the Jolly Beach Resort in May. Let me start with the bad. The AC in our room hardly worked. Had we complained I'm sure they would of changed us. A few people we met had the same problem. But, we do not vacation to stay in a room.
The island was having a heat wave while we were there. I was coming from Maine. Even the locals were sweating. It was great. Spent all our time on the beach in the shade with a nice breeze.
The hotel staff was great. From reception to restaurants to laborers, they all get an A+.
The food was excellent, great deserts. The Italian restaurant does enforce the dress code. A+
The bars were great, they even had pre-mixed frozen drinks and if it was not strong enough for you they had liquor bottle there for you to add as much as you want. The bartenders also made got mixed drinks. A+
The beer got warmer as the day went on. B-
The beach was large, clean and full of nice seashells. The water was warm, had a very clean bottom, you could walk out a ways before the water was over your head. I was concerned at first when I saw vendors set up on the beach. They were polite and when you said no they politely left. They would return the next day, not to sell but to chat. Very nice people. The only downside is the water is to cloudy to snorkel. A
At night we visited the nearby casino, the front desk would call the casino and they would pick us up in a golf cart, they returned us to the hotel when we were ready to return. Very nice casino.A+
I will definitely return there and I do highly recommend the resort. |
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| You didn't have to be up at the crack of dawn to get a good spot |
| Hotel Jolly Beach Resort |
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Patti05 >
1 contribution(s) |
| Jan, 2005 | Leisure | With Spouse/Partner
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My husband and I just returned from 10 days at the Jolly Beach Resort in Antigua. Just about everything was great.
Our room was a little smaller than were use to but if was just fine for the 2 of us. It was also very clean.
The pool area was very nice and the pool grill was good and had a good selection of food. Everyone there is very nice. This is one island you can feel very safe on.
The beach was great. You didn't have to be up at the crack of dawn to get a good spot. You could get there around 10:00 and still get a good spot. There were some really nice views on the beach as well. The water wasn't as clear as the other islands we have been on but it you go to another part of the island is was clear. I think because the beach is so long it never seemed to be to full. It was great.
The only problem I had with Jolly Beach was there buffet. It was a very small buffet. They did not have a lot the choose from. They really do need to add more of a selection there. My husband and I learned to fill up at the grill by the pool around 4:00 so we wouldn't be that hungry come dinner time.
Other than there buffet everything there was excellent. Antigua is a very beautiful island. Everyone at the resort was very nice and also the people outside the resort was nice. It is a very friendly island. I would go back to Antigua. |
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| Do upgrade to Superior Room |
| Hotel Jolly Beach Resort |
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SueRich04 >
1 contribution(s) Canada |
| Oct, 2004 | Leisure | With Spouse/Partner
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| I would definitely return to Jolly Beach. This resort is about 20 years old and is now owned by the Bank of Antigua. You can see how they are constantly working on the upkeep. It is very, very clean and well maintained. That said, in the Caribbean, all properties--unless at the highest $ and luxury level--are going to show some wear and tear. Seems to be a given. But at Jolly Beach, I feel with all the amenities, wonderful staff, beautiful grounds, beach, pool, and good foods make this resort a very reasonably priced vacation and great value. I didn't wish for anything while I was there and would return again--although we're off to Mexico in January.
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| Pleasant surprise |
| Returned from a lovely stay at Jolly Beach. I was pleasantly surprised with almost all aspects of the resort.
We upgraded to a Superior room and were about 10 feet from the beach, which was great. Room was 101 in the St. John building. Great Air, plenty of room to move around and plenty of storage. Room had coffee station, hair dryer, small refrigerator -- which was great to store cokes in. There was also an in-room safe that we never used and a iron and ironing board. The water pressure and heat is iffy at best---but we were out in the sun all day so a cooler shower was no problem. Very quiet at night. Sleeping was good. Patio to sit on if you choose. Yes, definitely bring some insect spray for dusk & night. I got about 5 bites during the week, but didn't hear a lot of complaints. |
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| Food |
Above average for an all inclusive. Love the buffet dinners in the evening. The Coconut Grill for lunch had awesome burgers and fries, jerk chicken and other items to choose from. Self-serve soda, juice, coffee, and drink stations by restaurants. Wine offered with lunch and dinner. I'm not a wine snob, but enjoy wine and felt both red and white were good.
Breakfast - the buffet eggs were icky/runny, but could have made to order omelets, French toast and pancakes in addition to the buffet staples of bacon, sausage, juices, yogurt, oatmeal, cold cereal, fruit. Really all food offering were varied enough that could always find something to enjoy. Italian restaurant was very good. Indian was fairly good but bland. Didn't make it to the seafood. Men do need collared shirts and no sandals, jeans or athletic shoes in the restaurants that require reservations.
The store/boutique has a very good selection of items ranging from gifts to clothing to essentials to cold drinks and cold drinks. Beach vendors so/so, but pleasant and not pushy.
Dawn on the beach braided by hair--$1 a braid, which didn't seem too much to me. Turned out great. Had a heck of time getting them out when I got home. They definitely will last a couple of weeks. |
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| Massage |
| Alex on beach did a back massage (30 minute) for $30 which was to die for. He did a great job. I'd highly recommend Alex. He'll do reflexology, as well. |
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| Shopping |
| Shopping in St. John--Not the best I've been to for sure--but only spent a short time there, so didn't waste a lot of time. |
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| Casino |
| Princess Casino across the street--was fun to go to, but talk about dead. The night we were there I think there were about 10 other people there. It's nice to have the option to go and have it be so close. My hubby enjoys that, while I enjoy the hair braiding and massages. |
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| Grounds |
| Jolly Beach grounds are very nice. The sports hut has a lot of non-motorized things such as hobie cats, kayaks, etc. Had big blue foam floater mattresses, which I loved to use to float in the calm sea foam green ocean or in the pool. That was a favorite. Pool is huge and wonderful. Pool bar is really fun. |
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| Staff |
| Employees were just the best. Loved Janet, Charlie, Vance, Robin, Beverly (yes, all the bartenders). They were excellent, but so was everyone else. I never encountered any employee who was not friendly. Even the timeshare people were great and weren't high pressure. Almost purchased a week in the "Vacation Club" but our wits returned just in the nick of time. If you take a tour of the new area of the resort, which is part of the "Vacation Club" get a free weeks logging in a variety of places and a $25 certificate off a tour booked at the tour desk. The tour isn't high pressure. We went during a small rain shower, so it killed some time. They are very nice units. |
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| Beach |
| Beach was very beautiful and great for walking. Nice sand. Some shelling opportunities. The ocean water was beautiful, warm and calm. Views very peaceful.
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| Resumé |
Being from America and due to the War in Iraq, I didn't know what I'd think about the Brits or if they would be friendly or not. I met so many wonderful people. They were all very, very friendly and warm. That was a special treat.
I would definitely return to Jolly Beach. This resort is about 20 years old and is now owned by the Bank of Antigua. You can see how they are constantly working on the upkeep. It is very, very clean and well maintained. That said, in the Caribbean, all properties--unless at the highest $ and luxury level--are going to show some wear and tear. Seems to be a given. But at Jolly Beach, I feel with all the amenities, wonderful staff, beautiful grounds, beach, pool, and good foods make this resort a very reasonably priced vacation and great value. I didn't wish for anything while I was there and would return again--although we're off to Mexico in January.
Please, please do some tipping. Didn't see a lot of tipping going on. We tipped all throughout the week and the staff was very appreciative. You still get great service regardless--but the hotel employees definitely could use a little extra recognition.
Don't hesitate to book Jolly Beach---but do upgrade to Superior Room--if a tiny room is going to bother you during your stay.
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| Cold champagne and flower petals on the bed |
| Hotel Jolly Beach Resort |
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Rachel06 >
1 contribution(s) Canada |
| May, 2004 | Leisure | With Spouse/Partner
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I just discovered this site as I'm planning a trip to the Dominican Republic in a few weeks but thought I'd share my experience at JBR.
We went to Antigua for our honeymoon in May 2004. We arrived the last day of a 10-day rain-fest. The place looked a little worse for wear since the island isn't used to much rain all at once. There were large puddles on the sidewalks, in the streets, in the grass, etc. But the JBR staff was working hard to clean up - pumps were draining the water and they were showing guests how to get around flooded areas. That evening the sun came out and shined brightly for the remainder of the trip. |
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| Rooms |
| we booked a standard room and we were a little taken aback by the concrete furniture. basically a concrete desk and some concrete shelves for clothes inside the closet. However the room was clean and the maid left fresh flowers, cold champagne and flower petals on the bed since it was our honeymoon. One night our air conditioner started leaking and maintenance came immediately to fix it. Also, the bathroom window is just a screen, and there are screens with plantation blinds on the doors, so if other guests are noisy returning to their rooms at night, you definitely hear it. That is the only part of the room that I really did not like - everything else was fine after the initial shock, but I didn't like being able to hear everything outside. |
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| Grounds |
| beautiful. The landscaping, flowers, trees, beach, pools, etc, everything was great. The beach was beautiful and clean, the pools were clean and cold and everything on this end was perfect. |
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| Food |
the food was really good, but if you stayed longer than one week I think it would get tiresome. We did the Italian two nights (I had the shrimp encrusted snapper both nights and it was excellent). The antipasti bar was also great in our opinion. We also did the seafood restaurant two nights and I had the surf and turf both nights. The steak and lobster were outstanding, and I didn't mind paying the meal supplement for this meal. We also did the Indian restaurant one night. I'm not into Indian food so I didn't enjoy it but my husband thought it was good. We didn't eat breakfast except for the mornings we were going off property and it was fine - typical breakfast fare. And for lunch we did the poolside grill every day. Again, I was done with burgers and chicken patties at the end of the week but it was so convenient to climb out of the pool, eat in a wet bathing suit and hop back in. In addition, the bars were good and they made lots of fun frozen drinks to try!
The people of Antigua truly made our vacation so special. Many people on staff would ask how we were enjoying their country and ask what we had done so far. If we told them we booked a tour they'd give us tips and things to look for. And it seemed like they really cared that we had a good Antiguan experience, which was amazing to us. |
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| Off-property |
| we booked Eli's Eco Tour (adventure antigua) and the ferry trip to Montserrat. Both of these tours were absolutely amazing and worth every penny.
Please feel free to e-mail me with any questions you might have at rachel thomas grinch @ yahoo.com (take out the spaces). |
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| The pool was the best I have experienced |
| Hotel Jolly Beach Resort |
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Alice04 >
1 contribution(s) Canada |
| Apr, 2004 | Leisure | With Spouse/Partner
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I felt I had to write this review after reading so many negative ones. We went to Jolly Beach last November and had a FANTASTIC time. I have been to brilliant All inclusives in the Dominican (Bavaro and Juan Dolio) and Cuba (Veradero) so I know what people are comparing this to.
OK, so the buffet is far smaller than most large all inclusives, but I never ate the same thing twice and thought the quality of the food was great. I enjoyed eating the local cuisine (when in Rome etc). The Italian and Seafood restaurants are lovely if you want a change from the buffet.
As for the service we thought it was wonderful and were treated very well by ALL members of staff - maybe if you treat them with a little respect and manners and have a laugh with them that makes the difference. We always had our wine refilled (several times!) at dinner and our drinks at the bar were poured before we even asked for them once they knew what we wanted. And no this was not because of tipping, we tipped in a lump sum on the last day.
The pool was the best I have experienced with a breathtaking beach and backdrop - how anyone can complain about being somewhere as Paradise-like as this I have no idea.
Your holiday is what YOU make of it. |
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| Out of this world !! Have fun |
| Hotel Jolly Beach Resort |
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N-N >
1 contribution(s) Canada |
| Jan, 2004 | Leisure | With Spouse/Partner
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My husband and I and one other couple stayed at The Jolly Beach Resort last Feb and have a nice time. It wasn't quite as fancy as some other places we've stayed but still very nice, clean and there was good food.
Our favorite day was the day we hired a cab and traveled to a beautiful Italian restaurant called Harmony Hall. It's an outdoor restaurant and well worth the trip. WE were fortunate to have an interesting taxi cab driver who gave us lots of history of the island. He drove us through his neighborhood on the way and through the rain forest on the way back. We shared the trip's expense with our friends so it wasn't really expensive......maybe $30 or $40 a couple. If you arrive early at the restaurant, they provide you with a boat ride to a little island where you can snorkle or just lie on the beach. They set a time to pick you up, return you to the island for lunch.....and what a treat it was. A very wonderful meal with great wine and gracious staff. If you go, be sure to order the sampler appetizer...............out of this world !! Have fun. |
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| Good Holiday Jolly Beach is definetly the place |
| Hotel Jolly Beach Resort |
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Karly03 >
1 contribution(s) United Kingdom |
| Jan, 2004 | Leisure | With Spouse/Partner
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The Food and Drink was excellent, all types of food to suite eveyone and every type of drink u can imagine from 'sex on the beach' to a 'mud slide' ! ! ! The Beach was like paradise, the sea was just proper terquoise and you could see right to the bottom, and the sand was soft and white (from our room in the Bermuda Block, our room looked just like a picture postcard ! The Pool was very clean althought very cold, with lots of entertainment throughout the day which was excellent, but if you jus wanted to relax around the pool there was a smaller pool where you could do so. The Entertainment was Great there was always something tho do from water vollyball to pool cometitions. And at night there was always a steel band or some competitions to amuse you. There was loads to do for children aswell, Kids club run all through the day and a pool room with two pool tables, table tennis and a few computer games. The Entertainment Crew and the Bar Staff made the holiday for us all though. There were all soo luvley and friendly especially Alex, Terrence, Alburn, Ann-marie, Kelsey n all da rest.
I think if you looking for a Good Holiday Jolly Beach is definetly the place, you wont regret it... Trust me ! ! ! |
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| Mental Note: Don't travel to Antigua in April. |
| Hotel Jolly Beach Resort |
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B&WBrockville >
1 contribution(s) Canada |
| Jan, 2004 | Leisure | With Spouse/Partner
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My husband & I decided in January of 2000 to invite our son and daughter-in-law as well as our daughter and our son-in law on a one week vacation to our favorite place in the world Jolly Beach Resort.
This was to be a trip of a life time and as we left Toronto International Airport we were all very excited about the week ahead of us. My husband and I were very anxious to show our children the island that we fell in love with 10 years before and why we loved to came back to this resort. This was our thrid trip to Antigua and Jolly Beach Resort. |
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| Jolly Beach Resort Review |
My husband & I decided in January of 2000 to invite our son and daughter-in-law as well as our daughter and our son-in law on a one week vacation to our favorite place in the world Jolly Beach Resort.
This was to be a trip of a life time and as we left Toronto International Airport we were all very excited about the week ahead of us. My husband and I were very anxious to show our children the island that we fell in love with 10 years before and why we loved to came back to this resort. This was our thrid trip to Antigua and Jolly Beach Resort.
We love the island of Antigua and the people are genuine and very friendly. It's a very comfortable feeling to return to a resort and have people call you by name, how they remember who you are is beyond me, but makes you feel at home. We had never been to Antigua in April, our trips were always in February so this was going to be a little different for us. We hoped that the Warm Antigua Sun would be out and the resort and the Caribbean Sea would be as wonderful as we had remembered. We arrived in Antigua to sunshine but by the time we had checked through customs it had started to rain and rain hard. We decided to call it Liquid Sunshine as it rained the majority of the time we were there.
Mental Note: Don't travel to Antigua in April.
The resort was as beautiful as we had remembered, a few changes do to storms they had had, but the rest fo the resort was beautiful and I was thrilled to be back.
I know that you get a lot of reviews about Jolly Beach and as a return guest I'm not going to dwell on the food because it's always very good and there is a large variety to choose from. If you can't find food there, then your just not looking for it. We booked Super Saver Rooms which are small,but I don't go to the Caribbean to spend time in my room. We were on the second floor as were our children and we all had a wonderful view of the Caribbean. They had installed air conditioning, telephones and TV'S..,again the ceiling fan was always fine before..at night you could leave the balcony glass door open (screen closed) turn on the ceiling fan and you'd get a wonderful breeze all night and NO BUGS. Again I don't go on vacation to watch TV and since my work involves a lot of telephone calls the last thing I needed in my room was a telephone. I feel the prices that they are charging for a one week All Inclusive vacation from Toronto to Jolly Beach if far too High. Jolly Beach is not a Sandals or 5 star resort it is 3 stars. The price keeps going up and I don't feel the changes that they have made warrant the prices they are charging. Also while we were there the US Army was staying at the resort, they were on a manover of some sort. It was very annoying to have 3-4 helicopters flying over the beach area during the day while you were suppose to be relaxing. Also they took over the bars, restaurants the disco and the entertainment everyday and night. I do not know why the hotel or the travel group did not inform guest that the 300 army personnel were staying at this resort. It really took the enjoyment out of our 2 year long planning and saving for a once in a lifetime family vacation. I felt like I was in some sort of war zone.
Please don't get me wrong we do love the island of Antigua, the Antiguan people and Jolly Beach Resort. I would recommend the resort under normal circumstances to anyone. (perhaps not in April)
Happy travelling |
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| The food was excellent |
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Angela03 >
1 contribution(s) United Kingdom |
| Jan, 2004 | Leisure | With Spouse/Partner
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| We have just returned from a two week stay at the Jolly Beach resort. It was the best holiday we have ever had ,the food was excellent we stayed in the Barbuda block on the third floor and the view was amazing you only had to lift your head off your pillow in the morning and you could see the amazing turquoise sea view.We upgraded to the standard room and it was Fine.We had no complaints at all and would recommend this resort to anyone we saw a few of the other hotels whilst on some trips and have to say the Jolly Beach looked the best of all.
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