Sandals Grande Antigua Reviews

This was the second time visiting Antigua but our first staying at a Sandals resort. It was pricey but very nice! We were greeted with champagne and hors d'oeuvres and very friendly staff who showed us to our Portofino Suite. The room was very nice size with a great walk in shower and separate whirlpool tub. There were two sinks that sat atop a marble vanity with plenty of space. And for us women and maybe some men who need to see a little closer, there was a lighted mirror that was retractable from the wall. Sometimes, it's the little things that matter, or shall I say the bigger things. Anyway, the amenity kit included shampoo, conditioner, lotion and aloe get that was enough for our whole stay and not those little bottles you see elsewhere! Also, in the closet was golf-sized Sandals umbrella for those brief showers you may encounter on your way to dinner. Nice! Our private walk-out terrace had a beautiful hibiscus tree that was frequented by a hummingbird each day! The pool was great! I am a morning person so I did get up early to get a spot and I stayed there to just take in the atmosphere like watch the sunrise, listen to the birds sing, the cooing of the pigeons and the sound of the waves from the distance. Although the property was booked to capacity, you didn't feel like it was AT ALL! I would watch people place their towels down to save their spots but I actually witnessed on more than 2 occasions that it would be around 0830-0900 before pool-side chairs were gone. Also, FYI...the Butlers will come down and save spots ant the pool and on beach for their guests too! Sandals has staff working the grounds and the pools all during the night ensuring a nice clean environment for us all to enjoy when waking to start our day. Our room, service areas, pool, grounds, everything were always immaculate!! Security works each entrance to the beach and they will ask you for your room key to verify that you are a Sandals guest. We were asked a number of times and watch others get asked just as frequently, day or night. So make sure you have your key! Teandra at the pool bar would come around and take your drink orders by the pool! Wonderful lady and wonderful server! We had no problems with the bar or the service either! No lines and they worked very efficiently! The drinks were excellent and they didn't seem to mind if you requested a "double". Everyone at this resort greets you with a smile whether you make eye contact or not. The nice thing is...it's GENUINE. Sandals really does a nice job in training their staff. They are friendly, courteous and engaging in conversation. The best food we had during our stay was the Beach BBQ, OK Corral, Eleanors, Barefoot By the Beach and Kimonos. We didn't get a chance to try Marios for dinner but the pizza they serve during lunch/snack time is awesome! The beach seems to have eroded some, it doesn't seem as wide as it once was and therefore not a lot of room for chairs and/or palapas especially by the Mediterranean Village side. If you are looking for any of those, you will need to move further down. This was a great get-away for my husband and I. We truly had a nice stay at Sandals Grand Antigua and look forward to another Sandals/Beaches vacation.