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Carlisle Bay beach

Carlisle Bay

Antigua

This stylish and luxurious, yet understated, resort offers a secluded location along a lovely stretch of beach. While you may not see the vibrant Caribbean decor of the more traditional resorts at this sophisticated, modern hotel, you will certainly enjoy the genuine West Indian warmth and beautiful setting of golden sands, palm trees and turquoise waters.

While the spacious suites and villas make this a great option for families, there are also separate areas for adults only so the hotel appeals to a wide variety of guests.

OUR OPINION:

If you’re looking for modern, spacious, well-equipped suites, plenty of facilities and top-notch service to match, Carlisle Bay is the ideal choice.

OUR RATING: Deluxe

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Rooms

There are 87 ocean-facing suites in total, each with a private balcony or terrace. The spacious Garden, Bay and Ocean Suites for couples are quite separate from the family-friendly Beach and Carlisle Suites.

All air-conditioned suites are meticulously appointed with a sophisticated, contemporary style and include ceiling fans, full HD LCD Satellite TV, docking station, DVD, CD, Wi-Fi, minibar, espresso machine and daily fresh fruit. Floor to ceiling windows open onto your own private balcony or terrace with comfortable daybed.

Location

Tucked away on the south coast, just outside a local village, Carlisle Bay sits on its own beautiful expanse of beach and bay in a peaceful and secluded location.

The restaurants, cafés and shops of English Harbour are about 20 minutes’ drive away via the scenic Fig Tree Drive.

Food and drink

Carlisle Bay offers some of the best food in the Caribbean in its four restaurants.

Indigo on the Beach is the relaxed heart of Carlisle Bay where bare feet are welcome at any time of day and lovely sea breezes fill the open sided terrace as you dine. Expect fresh, healthy grilled seafood, salads, homemade breads and pastas.

Ottimo! serves Italian classics by the pool for lunch and occasionally dinner, whilst East offers delicious pan-Asian cuisine in the evenings.

The Jetty Grill provides adult-only dining by the beach, offering light lunches, as well as grilled meat and fresh seafood.

There are also four bars in the resort, including Coconut Grove, a pretty swathe of shaded sand behind the main beach where chairs and loungers offer couples a quiet place to hang out with a drink. The bar service here is available at any hour and they also serve a lovely afternoon tea here each day.

Families

This resort caters very well for families with children of all ages, and due to the accommodation offered and the wide range of facilities, we think it’s a perfect choice for multi-generation family vacations.

There is an excellent kids’ club ‘Cool Kids Club’ and the resort also runs an activity program for teenagers during school holiday time.

Children can also enjoy the flexible dining menus designed just for them.

Facilities and activities

Carlisle Bay offers a wide range of activities. Choose from a comprehensive and complimentary range of water sports including kayaking, sailing, windsurfing, paddleboarding and snorkeling. Try the complimentary snorkel trip that the hotel runs to Cades Reef several times a week.

On land there are nine tennis courts (four floodlit), a library, a luxurious 45-seater private cinema, fitness center, yoga and Pilates pavilion and a large swimming pool.

Inside this fabulous wellness facility, there is also a state-of-the-art fitness center, two plunge pools, wet room, sauna, juice bar and salon.

Carlisle Bay offers PADI certification, as well as one-day Discover Scuba courses if you’re just looking for a taster. All of the pool training is done on resort and reef diving is possible in their bay. One of Antigua's best-known offshore sites, Cades Reef, is only five minutes by boat. If you have children of eight years and older, they also offer a PADI Bubblemaker program which introduces children to diving, to a maximum depth of two meters.

Local excursions

The hotel can arrange many different excursions, but being out on the water is the best way to experience the island’s 365 beaches, coves and historic harbors. Carlisle Bay has its own catamaran that can do half day trips or sunset sailings.

Deep sea fishing is also popular, with marlin, king fish, wahoo and barracuda all common in the waters off Antigua.

Nelson’s Dockyard and English Harbour is also worth a visit, whether in a local taxi or in one of Carlisle Bay’s luxury cars.

Diving

Carlisle Bay offers PADI certification, as well as one-day Discover Scuba courses if you’re just looking for a taster.

All of the pool training is done on resort and reef diving is possible in their bay. One of Antigua's best-known offshore sites, Cades Reef, is only five minutes by boat.

If you have children of eight years and older, they also offer a PADI Bubblemaker program which introduces children to diving, to a maximum depth of two meters.

Spa Facilities

Carlisle Bay's award-winning CARA Organic Beauty Spa has six treatment rooms, including one for couples, where an extensive range of treatments are offered, from massages to scrubs, and facials using products from ESPA.

Inside this fabulous wellness facility, there is also a state-of-the-art fitness facility, yoga and Pilates pavilion, two plunge pools, wet room, sauna, juice bar and salon.

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