The Inn at English Harbour

I appreciate and recommend nykwilkyins’ recent review. Looking for a high quality small hotel on a beach, but without being expected to take the “all inclusive” feature of some of the more recognizable names that would keep us from wanting to go off property to try the local restaurants, I found the Inn at English Harbor on TripAdvisor and slh.com. Glad I did. It’s everything I need or want in a vacation hotel, including their restaurant, Terrace, at which my wife and I dined on our first night. Location-wise, if that’s a word, it’s basically around a (rock) corner from a well known and active tourist area, but seems isolated except for the occasional watercraft cruising in or out of English Harbor.

The Inn is as good as it gets for a stylish, boutique Caribbean hotel, with the majority of its guests of a certain age, with a sprinkling of younger Americans and maybe some honeymoon couples. Our Junior suite was pretty good, white, light and airy, with discreet housekeeping, a Nespresso machine, but bring your own favourite capsules…. and I took the precaution of requesting a machine before arrival) and an iron and board on request to freshen up clothes. A nice touch was complimentary vacuum flasks to fill up with cold filtered water from various locations. The tap water is totally drinkable, so I was amazed that, apart from breakfast, the only table water was imported still or sparkling at a price reflecting the air miles, storage and recycling costs. I can understand the sale of sparkling water, but not to make tap or filter water available seems a shame for a clearly environmentally concerned operator…… if the Ritz in London can do it….. We enjoyed the food, a high standard, we’ ll really miss the lobster, and the willingness to ta produce off menu items, such as gazpacho. We were on an interesting meal plan of breakfast, tea and dinner, but no drinks (not even water….!), which meant we could go out to Nelson’s Harbour for luncn, not for any better food, but for a chance to see some quite amazing floating boy’s toys, and soak in a bit of history. Activity on the tennis court was sadly lacking for us, and the only sailing activity was 2 Lasers. Vern, who ran the very efficient shuttle to Nelson’s Harbour, warned me that the wind in the bay was flakey, and I duly managed to capsize , but he helped me back up, all that was damaged was my pride. I had been told that there was a Sunfish, but apparently it was not available, and given the unreliable breeze, a small Hobie would be a far better option than the Lasers, plus something else more stable. Moving on, Reception was professional and vey pleasant, and the shuttle from the rooms up to the Terrace for dinner was pretty reliable. In fact just about everyone seemed to be enjoying making our stay a memorable experience. In summary, we had a great 10 day holiday, the location is superb, most people will not be disappointed if they are looking for style, comfort and atmosphere, as good as anywhere in the Caribbean.

This is a beautiful hotel with a luxurious old world feel. Two lovely restaurants, breakfast by the ocean is a real treat and dinner with a view equally stunning. The staff were welcoming, kind and looked after us really well. Thank you to everyone at the hotel for some excellent hospitality.

The Hotel has a nice British-colonial style. The staff is really friendly. The view from the restaurant is beautiful. Unfortunately the food could be sometimes better. So the lobster was overcooked and not good to eat. The Tea time-sandwiches were great.

Complete is the word I think best describes our stay at The Inn. This was the most pleasant vacation experience we’ve ever had, with every need and whim met with enthusiasm. Cabin 9 is right on the beach, just yards from the sea and the private jetty. The room, while not huge, has all the features you would expect. The Reef cafe is also just a few yards away. There, you enjoy breakfast, lunch, and tea served by a friendly staff. Dinner is a wonderful experience at The Terrace. The food is outstanding and they have special nights like the Italian night and a barbecue night. The highest praise I have is for the staff. To a person every one was friendly and eager to help, and seemed to genuinely enjoy engaging in conversation. Another bonus is the fact that this is a small, boutique hotel. We got to know several of our fellow guests and enjoyed seeing them each day. I really can’t say enough about The Inn. I’m very hopeful that we will be visiting here again.