Galley Bay Resort & Spa — Hotel in Antigua

We have recently just returned from our 11th visit to Galley Bay Resort and Spa, and to no surprise, it was as lovely as ever. After initially first going there for our honeymoon in 2014- we knew this will always be our go-to ‘R and R’ place where its hospitality-team remembers your name and always greets you with a smile. The resort’s beauty, wonderful and accommodating staff, relaxing rooms, made-to-order meals, and fabulous drinks- always have my husband and I coming back year after year, to which we feel, it deserves the highest of praises. I wanted to share some tips and a few photos from this recent trip, particularly for those that are considering booking, or have a planned upcoming stay for the first time. Due to the resort having less than 100 rooms- it has never seemed crowded, but with enough guests to give some fresh faces to meet and chat with at the main resort bar, should you want to mingle a bit. The resort is not too small and not too big, and can provide you variety for your week or several weeks stay. On all our trips to Antigua, we have always felt safe should we want to do some excursions and activities off the resort. However, Galley Bay Resort and Spa, does a great job at giving you plenty of activities to do onsite, should you decide you do not want to venture out. A majority of these resort activities are shared with you upon arrival, as well as posted at the Guest Service’s desk for reference throughout your stay. Examples of their planned activity options are; the Caribbean BBQ luncheon, Manager’s cocktail hour on the rum-shack greens, Caribbean cooking lessons, garden and floral tour, yoga classes, a romantic movie night on the beach with individual wireless Bluetooth headsets, and live local nightly entertainment. Other activities you can enjoy are; free paddle boarding (which my husband always enjoys), sunfish sail boating, kayaking and snorkeling, (we like to bring our own snorkel masks as our own personal preference), a peaceful walking trail around the resort farm and gardens-where a majority of the resort’s fresh produce comes from for its onsite restaurants, the adorable air-conditioned café for cappuccinos, tea sandwiches, fresh baked cookies and ice cream (the rum-raisin ice cream is out of this world!), fitness center, and the bespoke spa with wonderful massage and couples massage options for an additional way to spoil yourself while you are staying here… there are so many special touches that GBR offers to its guests, I won’t tell you all of our favorite things- you’ll have fun discovering those on your own. You will most undoubtedly be super impressed with the lovely staff- who will make you feel like family, and will look to try to accommodate any special requests you may have. If you go, please, please, please- be respectful to the service team here. This is a resort that has some staff members that have been there over 10 and 20 years- they know how to make you feel special, and like so many other GBR guests who are known as ‘Repeaters’, we choose to book Galley Bay Resort and Spa- because of the fabulous staff that work there. It has been lovely over the many years we have been visiting GBR, to also be greeted by the newer staff coming up under the guidance of the other tenured team members. For most of our stays, we have opted to book the second floor Premium Beachfront suites, enjoying the sounds of the ocean at night since they are directly on the beach but also having the option of relaxing on the lounge chairs on our balcony and having a glass of champagne with the water views. |Some additional guest tips you might want to know if considering booking GBR: There is a very good sized safe in the closet- large enough for two to three standard laptops or more items, if you need. With that being said, we have never had any concerns of crime while there, but since I can work remotely and usually travel with my laptop, I just always appreciate the use of a safe in a room for additional peace of mind. The guest rooms are stocked up daily with local beer, wine and bottles of water with option for more, upon request/need. There are ice-machine stands along the walking paths to the rooms, that you can readily help yourself to. The room has a wet bar with nice sink and decent sized refrigerator- which can store plenty of beverages and different sized bottle types. Although we liked to go for a morning walk to the resort café to get some cappuccinos to-go, there is a small coffee/tea maker with coffee and teas in the room too. The rooms do have an ironing board and iron in the closet- which comes in handy if you are traveling with linen clothes. The bathrooms also have a hairdryer if you need one, and use the same voltage and electrical outlets as the USA (for anyone traveling from the states wondering about compatibility). There were also USB plugs on both sides of the bed as well- always a nice convenience and we never had any issues with the wi-fi in the room being slow or unavailable. High-quality full-size body wash, shampoo and hair conditioner are also provided in the bathroom, so you can opt to not bother packing those items. You will not have to get up early to claim your beach chairs and shade umbrellas- as all are allocated and clearly marked with room numbers. I recommend bringing aqua-sock shoes for wearing in the ocean. You'll be glad you have those to walk out around the coral right in front of some of the beachfront. Additionally, there is an adequate gift shop on the resort, that does have miscellaneous OTC travel items, snacks, gifts, some beachwear, resort branded clothing, hats and jewelry etc. *Don’t forget to bring your preferred insect repellent AND a bug-bite hydrocortisone cream. GBR will do nightly fogging about 2 times a week- however, this is a tropical island. Expect to get some mosquito bites. If you are prone to get bitten by mosquitoes a lot, with proper planning and a little diligence on your part, you can still enjoy your stay. We were there in late May/early June and got only a few mosquito bites as expected- but we also always sprayed insect repellent on ourselves when going about the resort after dusk. I also recommend packing a medium sized purse or small tote bag you can bring with you to dinner (something bigger than a clutch purse), because I always find it handy to have one to throw in a small travel sized bug repellent spray, my husband’s kindle, card game, phones etc.– that way after dinner, we would already have those items with us and could just head over to the central resort bar and stay out and not have to go back to the room for those things. Don’t forget to pack a strong sun screen with a high SPF (ie, 50), if you don’t want to buy it at the resort’s sundries store and definitely put on sunscreen- no matter how much you are used to being out in the sun. If you are new to traveling to the Caribbean, I recommend being cognizant of the amount of sun exposure you are getting in or out of the water- particularly in your first few days. I have literally seen people jaw-droppingly red and sun-burned from head to toe on their second day of their vacation- and can only imagine how unpleasant it must have been for them to have to stay in their room for the rest of their trip. Just be smart about protecting yourself from the strong Caribbean sun, even on cloudy days- better to safe and build up your vacation tan-glow slowly. Galley Bay is a very romantic resort and it’s nice to see all couples and guests welcomed. We have met couples that have been there well over 20 times and they still light up when sharing their stories of coming to Galley Bay Resort and Spa. Most guests I would say, are over forty years old, and all seem to cherish the tranquility the resort offers. We are so glad we found this special paradise that has remained on our favorite destinations list over the past decade, and extend our appreciation to its wonderful staff and management-and wish them much...

My Mom and I returned from Galley Bay Resort on April 1st, 2024. We went there to celebrate her 85th birthday. It is now April 27th and we are still missing it all. From the moment we arrived until the moment we sadly departed, we experienced pure peacefulness, indulgence, beauty and a customer care approach like no other. I am happy to write this glowing review of our experience there for others to learn about Galley Bay Resort and to express our gratitude to the staff who made our stay extra special. We had great expectations of this resort, and they were all greatly exceeded. ||Arrival at Galley Bay: We hired a taxi from the Antigua airport. It is a short 25-30 minute drive to Galley Bay and approx. $30 US plus tip for the taxi. It was very interesting to see the different views along the way of life and landscape in Antigua. Our arrival at Galley Bay was absolutely stunning, as the lobby itself is open air and very welcoming. Colina, the front office supervisor and her staff made our check in experience very special. The welcome drink of rum punch was excellent and a great “kick” off to our time there! We would like to personally thank Colina for all her help before and during our stay at Galley Bay. She is excellent at her job, a true professional, she is caring and fun and we so appreciated all of her help. ||Shuttle drivers: Taking the shuttle from the front desk area to Galley Bay Resort itself makes you feel like you are going to a secluded Island paradise. I will leave the rest of the experience description for your first arrival, as it is very special. When I first saw the beach from the entrance near the Tee Pee bar, I was actually brought to tears by the beauty and feeling of peace and serenity there. It is a feeling I will never forget.|Mom and I would like to send a HUGE thank you to Kenya, Alfred and Richard, our shuttle drivers throughout the week. We so appreciated their extra care, fun loving ways and prompt service whenever we needed them. These guys are true professionals, polite and kind, and we were very sad to say goodbye to them. ||Our Premium Beachfront Suite: Upon entering our suite, we were speechless. It was absolutely beautiful, pristine, welcoming and so so much more than we could have imagined it would be. From our patio we could step right onto the sand and steps away were our lounge chairs, umbrella and front row view of the beautiful beach and ocean. The room amenities were all that we could have ever needed. Linens, towels, lotions, soap, etc. were lovely. We so enjoyed hearing the ocean waves from our room as we went to sleep each night. ||Beach: The beach is simply beautiful! The color of the water when the sun is shining is the most perfect turquoise. I enjoyed my walks from end to end throughout the day. Be sure to watch for the flags with regards to the waves. There were calm days and some were more waves and breezy. We saw some spectacular sunsets while we were the too!||Housekeeping: Veneshia was our amazing housekeeper during our stay. She took such great care of making sure our room was spotless and beautiful each day. Thank you so much Veneshia for your hard work to make us feel so pampered and well taken care of. |Special mention and thanks also to Michael for keeping our fridge stocked with our favourite beverages of water, sodas and wine. You were very kind to us, and we always enjoyed talking with you.||Food and Beverage Services: |We were so impressed that Sadi (Senior F&B Manager), Stuart (Food and Beverage Manager) and Nathaniel (Head Chef) took the time to speak with us to ensure that all our needs/expectations were being met and that we were enjoying ourselves. This is outstanding service to have experienced from a management level. ||Breakfast: Breakfast was served in Sea Grape Restaurant each morning. So many delicious menu choices and a buffet of fresh fruits, pastries, cereals, and so much more! Our servers of special mention: Vaughn, Samantha, Dasani and Jahquan. These servers stood out to us with the extra care, attention and conversations that they had with us to make us feel so special there. ||Lunch: We had our lunches mainly at the Barefoot Grill which was delicious! Always a fresh salad or fish, burgers and fries to choose from. We also had some of our lunches at our lounge chairs by our room, after I went to the coffee shop (by the gift shop) for fresh sandwiches and cookies which were delicious too! The Beach BBQ on Thursday at Sea Grape is not to be missed!||Dinner: We ate most of our dinners at the Sea Grape, which was our preference. The wait staff there are excellent and food always delicious. Special mention to Chesley, our sommelier. He became one of our favorite staff members with his dazzling smile, humor, kindness and attention to us each evening. |We spent 2 evenings having dinner at Gauguin restaurant at the far end of the beach. |Hint: Be sure to get up at 7am to make your reservation for the next evening. It is definitely worth it! This is a special dining experience with individual palapa covered tables on the beach. Thank you to Anita and Pearl who gave us wonderful service on our evenings there. ||Tee Pee Bar: Each day there is a different cocktail of the day which were fantastic and tropical. It is a lovely place to have a drink through the day, a pre-dinner cocktail or nightcap. Our fav was rum cream on ice. Yummm! Our special mention from this bar goes to Caryl who always had a smile, a hug and took the time to talk with my Mom each time we walked by. ||Beach bar service: It was wonderful to have waiters come by our loungers on the beach throughout the day to take our drink orders. Aphique was our guy! He was amazing and made delicious drinks for us. He went out of his way to always make us feel special and had a spectacular smile too!|Entertainment: Our absolute favorite band during our stay was Flash Drive on Tuesday evening. This band was fantastic and sang all the old hits and had us all on our feet and singing away. We wished we could have seen them again.||Landscaping: This was my Mom’s favorite part of each day to enjoy, as we walked along the pathways. The lush trees, shrubs and flowers were beautiful. The grounds are stunning to say the least. We spoke with Kemar, one of the gardeners and he was happy to talk with us about the types of flowers, shrubs, and trees. He was very proud of his work, and we were happy to have had this time talking with him. ||Management:|The management/leadership team of Galley Bay are truly outstanding. We had the opportunity to meet several of these people and were so impressed by their presence around the resort, their approachability, kindness and professionalism. Our special thanks to Antoine, Derrick, and Carol. You all left a lasting impression on us with your care and attention, as well as the very evident results of your leadership throughout the resort. ||Summary:|The Antiguan people touched our hearts. They are kind, happy, hardworking people that are very proud of their country. We learned that Happy Birthday there is “Happy Earth strong. More life, more blessings and more prosperity.”|Galley Bay Resort provides just the right amount of formality and pure relaxation. A unique balance for a tropical island all-inclusive experience. | We met and became friends with several returning guests during our stay and our plan is to return next year to this incredible slice of paradise. Many many thanks and see you soon...

This review was a tough one, as it took almost two weeks to compose. I totally agree with Wine Wally's last review in every way. I could almost cut and paste his review. Galley Bay is a three-and-a-half-star hotel. It needs work and, more importantly, new management. ||The average age, which does not matter to me, was probably in the mid- to late sixties. The non-beach grounds were beautiful and well-kept. The weather was excellent. Our room was a non-renovated Premium Beach Front, and it was great—right on the beach. We sat outside every night and just enjoyed the location. ||Staff: They need a massive amount of training....and I mean massive. Most had an attitude, never smiled or said hello, and had no idea what they should be doing. I have never seen this type of service and confusion in an island resort and I have stayed at numerous Caribbean resorts as well as other resorts in Antigua. Just a lot of unhappy and confused workers. To be fair, there were some notable mentions, such as Anya at the front desk, Aphique from the beach, and Rose-Ann in housekeeping. They did their best to accommodate. My wife, who always looks at everything with a glass half full, commented on more than one occasion how unprofessional and unfriendly the staff was. There is definitely a major need for training. ||Beach: Yes, the water is rough, but we knew that going in. If you want to spend your time in calm waters or relax on a raft, this is not the place (during this time of year). The water is beautiful and warm but rough. There is no beach service. Every once in a blue moon, someone came to ask if we wanted drinks, but most of the time, they never came back. The beach is also not well-kept. It just was never in a pristine condition. Hard to imagine this as there is nothing to do at this hotel but spend time on the beach (or pool). This should be a hotel priority. The beach/water sports staff did not start their day until 10/10:30 am. It took two days to remove the seaweed that I was told had been there for almost a week. They had one person...yes only one person tending to the beach. I watched as he raked for ten minutes and then disappeared for the rest of the day. Why aren't there more workers for the beach? Why are they not out at 6 am like every other hotel, cleaning the beach and beach chairs, etc.? Why do guests have to wait until 10/10:30 to get a beach towel, and why do we have to walk the length of the beach to get one? I am aware this was a complaint that many guests had. Why couldn't housekeeping bring beach towels when making up the room? We had to use dirty towels more than once and our dirty glasses took days to be removed. I don't expect ice face towels or cold sorbet served but I didn't expect our beach chairs to have bird droppings on them the entire week. There is definitely a lack of management oversight, as we never once saw management on the beach.||Pool: It's clean but definitely needs an update. How about this: There are no towels at the pool. I had to walk back to the beach to get a towel. Whose idea was this? It's just another confusing management idea.||Housekeeping: Our morning service was excellent. She cleaned the room well and we had zero complaints. Turn-down service, on the other hand, was absolutely useless. No mopping or sweeping. There was no replenishment of towels or anything missing. They just folded the bed down and left. I don't expect chocolates or a weather forecast card on the pillow, but how about a quick sweep? Another lack of management oversight. ||Food: Let me say this right off the start....the food was far from excellent. It was OK at best at all three restaurants and this is a very fair assessment. We had some good meals and some meals we barely could eat. I know this is an all-inclusive resort, so I didn't have too high expectations of the food going in. In any event, the service at the restaurants was usually super slow and, unfortunately, usually without a smile. It really seemed as if they weren't sure what to do. There were some workers outside the norm, but not too often. One night, they took our order and never came back. We waited for forty-five minutes and then had to reorder. The menu changes but only creatively. It's hanger steak one night, then flank steak the next. It's lamb chops one night, then lamb shank the next. For an all-inclusive, the choices were very, very minimal. As much as I hate to say it this hotel would have been better off with buffet service. Regarding the coffee shop, the coffee/espresso, etc., was excellent. The problem was they served the same four jars of cookies the entire week. Cookies for an adults-only resort? Besides just barely edible ice cream and small bite-sized pieces of cake, there was basically no dessert, and nothing at all after 10 pm. Completely inexcusable. ||Bar and Entertainment: I never ordered a drink, but the choice of alcohol, etc., looked satisfying for most guests. The nightly entertainment/music was fine.||Spa: The message palapas were nice, but the whole spa definitely needs a makeover. The spa-wading pool is borderline an eyesore. ||I give very few excellent ratings and very good ratings only to hotels that need just a little tweaking. When I compare Galley Bay to other hotels I have stayed at for the same money and the same expectations, Galley Bay doesn't compare. It's not even close. There is just too much that needs to be corrected. I attribute this failure solely to management. ||It's important to note that my wife and I had a great time. We always have a great time when we travel, and we never expect more than what is to be expected. I always compare apples to apples when writing a review, and I have been to plenty of island resorts, and Galley Bay does...