Royalton Antigua, an Autograph Assortment All-Inclusive Resort assessment

The Caribbean has no scarcity of lovely, sunny island locations to flee the winter blues. The twin islands of Antigua & Barbuda had been on the high of my listing after listening to Antigua’s declare of boasting 365 seashores, one for on daily basis of the 12 months, and being the situation of a earlier season of Bravo’s ‘Beneath Deck.’

Following an inexpensive and cheerful keep on the Royalton Punta Cana Resort & On line casino within the Dominican Republic just a few years in the past, I used to be eager to attempt the model on one of the vital picturesque islands conceivable. What higher approach to de-stress and profit from a tropical paradise than by not having to elevate a finger?

Here is my assessment of the Royalton Antigua, An Autograph Assortment All-Inclusive Resort — and what it is best to know earlier than reserving a keep there.

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Since opening in 2019, friends can earn and redeem Marriott Bonvoy factors right here as a part of the Autograph Assortment.

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The property has an uncommon format on a protracted, skinny block of land as a consequence of restricted area in entrance of excessive elevation, which means every constructing and amenity is in roughly a straight line, quite than being constructed round a central pool or social area.

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The advantage of that is that as you can not see the entire property from any vantage level, everyone seems to be unfold out, there are not any bottlenecks and it does not really feel very massive and by no means felt crowded regardless of the employees advising me of a 97% occupancy price throughout my keep.

How one can e book Royalton Antigua

Antigua shouldn’t be a price range vacation spot (you may wish to take into account Mexico or the Dominican Republic if you wish to lower your expenses on this area), and lodging costs replicate that. Staying in an all-inclusive property is a good way to make sure you know upfront how a lot your trip will price, as foods and drinks costs can shortly add up exterior of the property.

All-inclusive charges with lodging, all meals, actions and most drinks (besides specialty wine and Champagne) for 2 friends sharing a base-level mountain view suite begin from $373 per night time within the off-season (the place heavy rain shouldn’t be unusual), via to $742 per night time through the peak seasons, like many dates from December to April. The property is open year-round.

Diamond Membership VIP entry could be added for round $150 per room per night time, relying on the date.

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Bonvoy members can redeem 70,000 factors per night time on off-peak dates and as much as 115,000 factors per night time on peak dates, primarily based on double occupancy.

Listed below are the very best playing cards for reserving Marriott Bonvoy properties, in addition to redeeming your factors without cost nights:

• Marriott Bonvoy Good® American Specific® Card: Earn 185,000 factors after you utilize your new card to make $6,000 in purchases inside the first six months of card membership. Supply ends Might 1. Annual payment: $650 (see charges and costs)
• Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Specific® Card: Earn 155,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus factors after utilizing your card to spend $5,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership. Supply ends Might 1. Annual payment: $250 (see charges and costs)
• Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit score Card: Earn three free night time awards (every night time valued as much as 50,000 factors) after you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first three months out of your account opening. Sure lodges have resort charges. Annual payment: $95
• Marriott Bonvoy Enterprise® American Specific® Card: Earn three free night time awards after you utilize your new card to make $6,000 in eligible purchases inside the first six months of card membership. Redemption stage as much as 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy factors for every bonus free night time award, at lodges taking part in Marriott Bonvoy. Sure lodges have resort charges. Annual payment: $125 (see charges and costs)
• Marriott Bonvoy Daring® Credit score Card: Earn 30,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus factors after utilizing your card to spend $1,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. Annual payment: $0
• Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful Credit score Card: Earn 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy factors after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first three months from account opening. Annual payment: $250

The knowledge for the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful card has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.

Rooms are fashionable, sensible and trendy

I used to be assigned a spacious 452 sq. foot lagoon view suite on the highest ground for my two-night keep, and it had all the pieces I wanted, together with a snug king-size mattress, desk with chair, small couch and huge flat-screen tv. Slippers and fluffy bathrobes within the closet added an opulent contact.

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There have been loads of retailers to cost gadgets and all the pieces simply labored.

The lavatory featured a double vainness, rain head bathe with glorious water stress and temperature, and was stocked with Royalton-branded toiletries.

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A small balcony supplied spectacular views, notably throughout dawn and sundown.

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The design fashion was impartial and wasn’t more likely to win any cutting-edge design awards, but it surely offered just a few nice pops of colours and nods to the native atmosphere. Being an all-inclusive property, the minibar included native beer, smooth drinks, water, chips, chocolate and a Diamond Membership welcome reward of a bottle of glowing wine and contemporary fruit.

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Associated: 7 lodges with superior (and free) minibars

Diamond Membership comes filled with advantages

Diamond Membership members obtain loads of extra advantages, probably the most notable being:

Slightly than test in on the fundamental reception space, I used to be taken instantly by golf buggy to the Diamond Membership Lounge, which is way nearer to the guestrooms for check-in. This area has extra snacks accessible all day for Diamond Membership friends and extra premium spirits than on the common bars, together with Don Julio tequila, Gray Goose vodka, Hendricks gin and Hennessy cognac.

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The butler service throughout my keep was terrific, with a morning and night butler checking in with me by way of WhatsApp a number of occasions per day to see if there was something they might do to help, and the seaside butler service meant I by no means wanted to elevate a finger as I labored on my tan.

With the specialty eating places requiring reservations (and desire given to Diamond Membership friends), having the Diamond Membership butlers prepare reservations for every meal was an incredible perk.

You need not journey to the Maldives for an overwater bungalow

Royalton’s greatest lodging are the six Chairman’s Overwater Bungalows, a novel function within the Caribbean and the primary of its form in Antigua.

A staggering 1,442 sq. ft every, these bungalows do not come low-cost, ranging from $2,600 per night time in off-season.

They had been booked stable throughout my peak time keep, however I obtained to have a fast peek inside one between a checkout and check-in and was wowed by what I noticed.

The spacious bed room led to an enormous toilet with a sizzling tub that includes dreamy ocean views.

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Beneath the lounge espresso desk was a glass ground to identify any native sea creatures coming to say whats up.

My favourite a part of the overwater bungalows was the personal deck with a plunge pool, solar loungers and a hammock to absorb the Caribbean sunshine.

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For those who fancy the bucket listing expertise of a luxurious overwater bungalow however do not wish to journey to the Maldives or Bora Bora, you may expertise this on the island of Antigua.

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Loads of eating choices with various meals

The Royalton Antigua has a variety of eating choices from a dawn espresso to late night time snacks and cocktails. Here’s what I used to be capable of check out throughout my two-night keep:

Gourmand Marche buffet

The resort’s fundamental buffet restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and doesn’t require reservations. There have been loads of seating choices, and sitting exterior was particularly pretty to benefit from the heat, tropical air.

I sampled the meals right here for breakfast, and there have been many choices with loads of American favorites like bacon, scrambled eggs, pancakes, donuts, bagels and egg stations the place the pleasant cooks cooked omelets to order. The whole lot was tasty, although not notably high-end — given the tropical location, I hoped to see extra unique fruit choices than simply watermelon, pineapple and oranges.

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Hunter steak home

Royalton Antigua featured the identical steak home because the Royalton I visited within the Dominican Republic, proper all the way down to the identical decor and menu. Reservations are required — it was simple to attain a reserving via my Diamond Membership concierge, and people with out Diamond Membership might safe a desk after only a brief wait.

Whereas I loved my combined grill within the Punta Cana location, my rib eye steak in Antigua appeared glorious and was served with a smile however was sadly very overcooked and difficult regardless of ordering it medium uncommon.

Grazie Trattoria

One other acquainted sight from my Punta Cana keep was the Italian restaurant Grazie Trattoria. I wasn’t wowed by dinner there beforehand, so determined to make the most of the Diamond Membership perk of consuming breakfast on this lovely setting overlooking the water and the bungalows.

It was a stunning begin to the day with glorious employees readily available providing espresso espresso, contemporary juices, smoothies and eggs how you want them.

I like to recommend breakfast right here over the primary buffet when you’ve got Diamond Membership entry.

Caribbean restaurant and grill

Hidden away behind Grazie is a Carribean restaurant I did not even notice was there till my butler pointed it out. This was the very best meal of my keep, with a scrumptious acapulco-style ceviche adopted by a hearty native curried lamb stew, although the coconut shrimp appetizer was a miss, tasting just like the shrimp had been cooked from frozen.

Rating Brewhouse

I used to be excited to see a beer corridor marketed as one of many hospitality venues providing a variety of craft beers. First impressions had been good, with half a dozen beer faucets put in on the bar, and loads of beer-themed paintings selling completely different kinds of beer from internationally.

Searching for to quench my thirst within the tropical warmth, I excitedly requested what beers the bartender needed to supply. Think about my shock when he sheepishly knowledgeable me just one beer, Carib, was accessible, this being the identical beer accessible on the pool bar, within the eating places and stocked within the minibar.

Whereas Carib was a suitable lager, and I acknowledge craft beers could be troublesome to supply on a tropical island (although I did discover a real craft brewery on the island), this appeared like an enormous missed alternative for a premium all-inclusive resort to solely inventory one sort of beer in its purpose-built brewhouse.

The pool and seaside have a good time the very best of antigua

The resort is situated on Deep Bay, and whereas Antigua boasts 365 seashores (one for on daily basis of the 12 months), Deep Bay was among the many greatest I noticed on the island. The image-perfect, white-crystal sand and heat, turquoise-blue waters had been heavenly and absolutely why folks journey to this area.

All seashores in Antigua are public, and some occasions a day, a ship tour would pull into the bay to indicate some cruise ship daytrippers simply how lovely it was.

You already know your resort is on an impressive seaside when its a vacationer attraction for somebody with only some hours to see the island.

The pool setup in the back of the seaside was substantial, with loads of solar loungers accessible regardless of the excessive occupancy throughout my peak-time keep.

I appreciated the vary of seating choices, from proper on the sand to subsequent to the pool to the personal cabanas that could possibly be rented for an extra price.

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The swim-up bar combined cocktails till sundown for the thirsty crowd, with Diamond Membership friends supplied sunlounger foods and drinks service. Do not anticipate bespoke, artisan cocktails, however the frozen strawberry daiquiri hit the spot on a sizzling day.

The vibe obtained fairly merry late afternoon, however I’d not describe this as a celebration resort. Whereas households are welcome right here (and there’s even a youngsters membership), I’d say 90% of the friends had been within the 30-60-year age bracket.

Nightly leisure is surprisingly good

I’ve witnessed loads of nighttime leisure at all-inclusive resorts, from low-budget superstar impersonators to a formidable acrobatic present within the foyer at Zoetry Punta Cana.

On the primary night time of my keep was a “Carnival present” at 9 p.m. with an area dance troupe introduced in for the event. This was a well-produced and enjoyable celebration of Antiguan music, conventional costume and tradition, full with some compulsory viewers participation.

Whereas I did not don a headdress, it created an incredible ambiance and was a enjoyable approach to study extra concerning the island’s historical past in an entertaining format.

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Service went above and past

This was the eighth Caribbean island I’ve visited and the very best service I’ve skilled within the area. Everybody I interacted with had a broad smile and a welcoming demeanor and excelled at hospitality. There have been loads of mild jokes about how my two-night keep on the property was far too brief to take pleasure in the very best of the Caribbean.

I appreciated how personalised the Diamond Membership expertise was, with my butler usually coming to seek out me within the public areas just like the pool and seaside to test how I used to be doing, have a well mannered chat and see if there was something they might do to enhance my keep.

Although the meals was not faultless, the service at every meal was. I additionally famous how proactive the employees could be — I by no means needed to ask for something, which was not my expertise at different Caribbean locations.

Accessibility

Royalton Antigua’s lengthy, skinny format means you may get loads of steps in transferring from one finish of the property to the opposite. For these with mobility points, huge, flat paths linking each constructing and facility had been by no means crowded and offered picturesque views throughout the seaside and lagoon.

Elevators can transport friends between flooring of guestrooms although with solely two elevators for 300 rooms, there have been some delays.

As all the time, we advocate calling to verify accessible room sorts and accessibility options of any resort or resort earlier than reserving and earlier than arrival.

Trying out

I completely loved my time at Royalton Antigua and located it a considerably extra luxurious expertise than the Royalton Punta Cana. The attractive property and the distinctive format cleverly made a 300-room, at-capacity resort by no means really feel busy.

Deep Bay is among the most lovely seashores on one of the vital lovely islands I’ve visited. Royalton must be recommended for securing this location, which was undoubtedly a difficult design and constructed because of the form of the accessible land.

The terrific employees appeared to genuinely take pleasure in their jobs, balancing heat with initiative, and I immediately felt at dwelling. Whereas Diamond Membership is an upcharge to what can already be an expensive vacation spot, particularly in peak season, the perks are plain, and having a Whatsapp service day and night time to prepare something for you was actually helpful.

Meals could possibly be improved with extra funding in high quality produce and chef coaching — it was the one actual grumble I heard from different friends, however I’d advocate Royalton Antigua as one of many higher all-inclusive resorts I’ve stayed in.

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