Galley Bay Resort & Spa

Let's start with the positive, amazing rooms , beautiful and nicely decorated. We had the beach front premier room , with amazing views . Rest of the hotel , especially the pool and sea grape restaurant really run down. staff, very much a mixed , staff gugin excellent, bar staff everywhere excellent. Sea grape not so good , younger staff good, the older ones , well they behaved like they are doing you a favor when serving you, not even a emile and quite frankly you felt like you were not welcome. After such experience we at majority of time at Gauging. Food very basic , lacking in quality and variety. We have stayed at several all inclusive in Asia and Europe. I can say that even a basic 4 star in Turkey and other places served far superior food . Drinks , have to say that other than couple of times when bar ran out of bloody Mary etc, quality drinks were available and no issues getting drinks . Service at the poolside was good and on the beach was random . Beach is beautiful but sea is very rough , out of 7 days we had 3 days red flag and 4 days yellow. Water sports center , staff are amazing when you could use the facility on yellow flag day. Gift shop and spa way overpriced and definitely not worth it. Coffee shop was okay , nothing to get excited about Overall to conclusion would be that is a far from a 5 star resort and certainly not worth the money we paid over New Year. Majority of client are repeat clients of pension age and it serves those well. Have travelled at several luxury resorts around the world I would say in my opinion this is a 3 star resort.

Sadly this was exceptionally disappointing for the price we paid and the fact we were on honeymoon and this was never acknowledged neither were we made to feel special. This is extremely expensive and I have stayed at other Caribbean hotels for less than or sandals and had much more for my money including swim up bars, multiple pools, free upgrades for special occasions or extra charges waived but this did not happen here. Despite being our honeymoon there was an extra charge at ismays restaurant but the food was awful. We had lobster but it wasn’t a whole lobster in a shell, it was chunks of lobster that was chewy and sinewy. The basic restaurant had much nicer food. There also was a lot of return guests surprisingly. However, they seemed to get preferential treatment, meaning they would get served before you despite you having ordered before them. Staff were friendly on occasions but sometimes came across unfriendly. The hotel describes itself as cashless to protect guests and staff so no tipping. However, I heard a member of staff giving a talk to newcomers and telling them that they do take tips. Despite the opulent price tag there is nothing opulent about the hotel. It is more shabby chic. I would describe it as a bit like the emperors new clothes. Everyone cooing over his naked body saying his clothes were magnificent when in reality there was nothing there and this is the same of the hotel. Pluses, if you have more money than sense and the price tag is just small change to you then you are paying for a small hotel which equals a tranquil setting. There are no buffets at lunch or dinner and it is all table service. There are international drinks but these are not used to make the cocktails. The only thing we were offered as honeymooners was 25% discount at the Spa which we didn’t use as they were charging $500 for a couples massage. The excursions in Antigua are equally as expensive so we opted to spend our money on these rather than a massage. When on checking out we asked if they could waive the charge at the restaurant as we had not used this they refused until we said how disappointed we were. They did not waive the charge which was $50 per head (certainly not worth it) instead they refunded $25 which is an insult. So if you are looking for an extra special wedding or honeymoon do not choose here unless of course as I say money is no object. If it isn’t then you will be thoroughly disappointed. We for sure, sadly despite this being our honeymoon, will not return.

As someone who typically doesn’t gravitate toward resorts, I arrived at Galley Bay Resort in Antigua with cautious optimism, hoping for a relaxing and enjoyable getaway. Unfortunately, my experience fell short in several key areas, leaving me with a sense of disappointment. The biggest letdown was the food. While beautifully presented (as my photos show), the taste often didn’t match the appearance. Some meals were enjoyable, but others were so underwhelming that one bite was enough. The inconsistency, coupled with dishes that lacked flavor, made dining feel like a gamble rather than a highlight. The one reliable option was the Barefoot Grill, which served decent burgers and fries. Another frustrating aspect was the unreliable WiFi, making it difficult to stay connected. The drinks from the bar were typical resort-style—weak and uninspiring—which was especially disappointing when hoping for refreshing, well-made cocktails. Customer service was also not up to par. While a few staff members were friendly and welcoming, the overall experience felt indifferent. Out of the numerous interactions I had during my 8-day stay, only two staff members stood out for providing excellent service—not the level of hospitality I expected from a resort with this reputation. Operationally, the resort had a few inconveniences that added up. The daily requirement to make dinner reservations felt like an unnecessary hassle. While there was an alternative dining option that didn’t require reservations, it wasn’t enough to offset the inconvenience. Additionally, when I ran out of the two beach towels provided in my room, they weren’t automatically replenished—I had to go to the water sports center to request replacements. My accommodations also had some issues. The garden view suite had holes in the roof, which led to rainwater seeping in and an influx of mosquitos—far from ideal. Toward the end of my stay, breakfast service became painfully slow, with wait times of 45-50 minutes after being seated. To make matters worse, I encountered a significant issue during my stay that could have been prevented with better communication. While it was eventually resolved, it required too much back-and-forth, creating unnecessary stress during what was supposed to be a relaxing vacation. Overall, while Galley Bay Resort has some positive aspects, it didn’t live up to its reputation or the price tag. The inconsistent food, lackluster service, and various operational hiccups made for a disappointing stay. I had higher expectations and, unfortunately, left feeling underwhelmed.

The resort is nice with beautiful beach. The issue had was how they tag a 17% fee for any extra charges you incur. Nobody could explain exactly what the fluff was for. The people staffing the place for the most part were friendly. Some seemed irritated or annoyed that you were asking them for an item or service.

Galley Bay is splendid. The location, staff,food and the wonderful premium beach suite cannot be faulted in any way. However it is impossible to look past the rough seas and the red flags that were in place for 90% of our stay. There were no water sports, swimming was simply not on and it was even difficult to paddle. This is not what a holiday in this part of the world is all about. If these things are important to you don’t go to this resort. There are plenty of alternatives in Antigua and we wish we had picked one. Not the resorts fault of course but not enough warning given. We will not be returning.