Galley Bay Resort & Spa

Soaking tubs big enough for two and double walk-in showers provide a clue that this beachfront all-inclusive, located less than 20 minutes from the airport on a peninsula just to the southwest of St. John’s Harbour, encourages families to look elsewhere. And while only the Premium Beachfront Suites have those particular romance-inducing amenities, there are other features, such as hideaway tropical dining, that will convince honeymooners and other couples that they have stepped into their own Gauguin landscape. Hence, the most secluded rooms, each with its own plunge pool, are called the Gauguin Cottages. Even among Antigua’s 365 beaches, Galley Bay’s is a visual standout that is longer and less crowded than most. The ocean here can get too rough for swimming, but the beach seldom fails to please for sunsets. Guests with limitless energy can choose from complimentary activities such as tennis, sailing, and stand-up paddleboarding. Or they can save their energy for honeymooning.

With three-quarters of a mile of white sand beach, 40 acres of gardens, and three open-air restaurants, Galley Bay also includes an air-conditioned gym, a spa, and equipment for all kinds of water sports. Choose a beachfront room or suite, or a secluded Gauguin cottage.

Galley Bay Resort and Spa is a luxurious, uncommon mix of intimately delivered authentic experiences played out over 40 acres of lush gardens and nearly a mile of perfectly sun-soaked white sand. This is not your run-of-the-mill all-inclusive stay. Is it the aloe garden providing all natural relief for sun-scorched guests? Maybe it’s the acres and acres of land set aside for the garden that provides nearly 50% of the produce used on the property—from the mint in the mojitos to the black pineapples for breakfast to the lettuce in the salads? Or it could be the 50 pound tarpon guests can fish right out of the central salt water lagoon. The truth is, it’s all those qualities plus the capable, but easy-going staff and more that make the Galley Bay Resort and Spa such an uncommon all-inclusive.

Peace. Quiet. Private. Personal. I found myself soothed by these sensations wherever I went at Galley Bay Resort and Spa. It’s very subtle. In fact, you don’t even notice when you first start feeling this way. It just happens—your guard goes down, the tension drains away, and you feel like you have space to just be; to just breathe. One of the ways it pulls this off is by making every experience feel like it’s just for you. This seclusion continues at the spa. Instead of simply providing private treatment rooms, the appropriately named Spa Indulge grant provides you personalized pampering in one of three completely free-standing tranquil tree-houses perched on stilts overlooking the lagoon. Definitely try the Tropical Harmony Treatment. You’ll be a pile of fragrant mush after your papaya-pineapple crème fraiche exfoliation and wrap.

Some may say that atop Shirley Heights is the best place to get your Caribbean sunset fix on Antigua, but Galley Bay Resort and Spa definitely gives it a run for its money. On a wooden deck jutting out onto the properties pristine westerly facing beach, they’ve set up a couple dozen brightly colored rocking chairs just for this daily treat. The Sea Grape at Galley Bay restaurant provides the rum cocktails, the lapping waves provide the soundtrack, and mother nature provides the spectacle. Nearby islands lay backlit in the distance, far away clouds paint streaks across the sky, and the sinking sun’s rays burst through the gaps. Magic. Linger in the twilight for another round of rum or Wadalis, and maybe quick game of Scrabble before drifting off to dinner.

The Gauguin is one of three distinctive open-air restaurants at The Galley Bay Resort and Spa. Here each table sits upon its own little clay-tiled platform on the beach beneath its own thatched umbrella—complete with its own tiny, winding walkway set between swaying palm trees. The moment you’re shown to your seat, a subtle seclusion sets in and you get the feeling it’s your own personal beach dining experience. Try a roti of the day with a side of banana chutney, the fish of the day battered and fried in Wadadli (a popular local beer), green curry with coconut and vegetables, Antigua bread pudding with rum sauce, or a salad with local ingredients.

Set along a beautiful beach at the west end of Antigua’s Five Islands Peninsula, the Galley Bay Resort & Spa is the ideal spot for couples looking for an adults-only escape. Romantic retreats include beachfront rooms with private terraces steps from the sand, or Tahitian-themed bungalows set amid tropical gardens with private plunge pools. Experiences designed especially for couples include outdoor massages at the spa, and candlelight dining in private cabanas at the Gauguin restaurant.