Review of Sandals Grande Antigua: Honeymoon on Antigua’s best beach
One of the two primary islands that comprise the nation of Antigua and Barbuda, which is located in the Caribbean, Antigua is the larger of the two. This stunning tropical paradise in the Caribbean is particularly well-liked by couples on their honeymoons and people who adore the beach. It is famous for having 365 beaches, which means that you could go to a new one every single day for a whole year! Antigua is home to a thriving arts community in addition to numerous historic landmarks, meaning there is plenty to do while you’re not at the beach.
Sandals Grande Antigua, a resort that caters exclusively to adults and has been awarded the title of “World’s Most Romantic Resort” year after year, can be found on Dickenson Bay, Antigua’s most beautiful and well-known beach. Visit the Caribbean Coastal Village, a delightful garden oasis by the water that is characterized by winding pathways, towering palm trees, and the calming influence of the Trade winds. Next proceed to the Six-Star, all-suite Mediterranean Oceanview Village, where you will be transported to a world of elegant sophistication, where the grandeur of Europe unfolds from the hillside to villas by the sea. Come and unwind on the silky-soft, pure white sands of this Caribbean island while allowing the warmth of the region to permeate your senses. On the most romantic vacation of your entire life, you can write your own version of a lover’s legend. The best of both worlds. Antigua is home to a single luxurious resort. Everything is included.
Sandals Grande Antigua was voted the “world’s most romantic resort,” and it is an excellent location for a getaway for two people in a loving relationship. Sandals Antigua features a stunning beach, opulent accommodations, and a wide variety of complimentary activities in addition to being encircled by 27 acres of lush tropical landscape.
Sandals Grande Antigua: An Overview
Sandals Grande Antigua is on the most famous and best beach in Antigua, which is a long stretch of white sand along beautiful Dickenson Bay. This beachfront, adults-only, all-inclusive resort in Antigua has a Mediterranean Village with a view of the ocean and a Caribbean Village right on the beach. The Mediterranean Village is elegant, while the Caribbean Village is laid-back and luxurious.
Where do flights land for Sandals Antigua?
You will fly into VC Bird International Airport to get to Sandals Grande Antigua for a vacation or honeymoon with your partner. How far is Sandals Antigua from the airport? It only takes about 15 minutes, so you can start your vacation quickly. And getting to Sandals Antigua is easy because they give free rides to and from the airport.
Sandals Antigua Rooms and Suites
Sandals Antigua has a variety of rooms and suites in either the Mediterranean or Caribbean Beachfront villages. The Mediterranean Villa with Private Pool Sanctuary is a great place to stay for a honeymoon. It is a large one-bedroom villa with a private patio with a pool and whirlpool and a view of the water. The villa also has a separate living room and a bathroom with a walk-in rain shower and a Roman whirlpool tub. There is a butler service for this villa.
Sandals’ unique Rondoval Suites are available at Sandals Antigua as well. The ceilings are vaulted, and the roofs are made of thatched grass. The Caribbean Honeymoon Rondoval Suite with Private Pool Sanctuary has a garden patio with a private pool. You can also stay in a Caribbean Beachfront Rondoval, which is just a few steps from the sand and has a private, fully furnished patio. Butler service is included with both of these suites.
There are a lot of other suites and rooms with or without butler service that have a view of the beach, ocean, or garden.
Sandals Antigua’s Food and Drink
At Sandals Grande Antigua, guests can choose from 11 restaurants. Several are on the beach and have views of the beautiful Caribbean. The beach for breakfast? Yes, thank you! International, Caribbean, Italian, Seafood, Asian, Tex-Mex, Sushi, Pizza, and Pastries in the Style of Paris are among the food options.
At Sandal Grande Antigua, there are 7 bars, such as a swim-up bar and a tiki bar.
As at every Sandals resort, your stay includes all of your meals, snacks, and drinks, so you can eat as much as you want! There is also room service.
How to Spend Your Time at Sandals Grande Antigua
During your stay at Sandals Antigua, you won’t run out of things to do. Relax on the almost 2 miles of soft white sand and look out at the bright turquoise water of Dickenson Bay.
The water at Sandals Antigua is calm and great for water sports. Snorkeling, paddleboarding, canoeing, kayaking, scuba diving, windsurfing, and Hobie Cat sailing are all free water sports that you can try. There is even professional instruction in water sports (except for scuba diving). For more information please read our article about the best diving sites in Antigua.
If you want to stay on land, you can play beach volleyball, basketball, day and night tennis, table tennis, croquet, take a yoga class, or work out at the state-of-the-art fitness center.
You can relax by one of the 6 pools or 4 whirlpools, go to the spa, or walk around the beautiful grounds, which are full of quiet places for couples to be alone.
There are parties, talent shows, dance lessons, chocolate parties, karaoke, a piano bar, beach parties, and live music every day and night. Make sure to watch the sunset over Dickenson Bay, which is a beautiful sight from Sandals Antigua.
You can also leave the ship and go to Antigua. Book an excursion like a Jeep tour of Antigua’s best sites, ziplining in the rainforest, hiking, deep sea fishing, a cultural tour, a sunset cruise, and more.
Sandals Grande Antigua has a spa.
If you want to get the most out of your honeymoon or other trip to Antigua, book a couples massage or another luxurious spa service. The Red Lane® Spa at Sandals Grande Antigua has facials, massages, body services, and a steam room, but they are not included in your room rate.
What comes with a Sandals Antigua stay?
When they say “all-inclusive” at Sandals resorts, they really mean it. You don’t have to worry about what’s included and what’s not when you get to the resort. At Sandals Grande Antigua, these things are included:
Unlimited Fine Dining
You can eat at any of the restaurants or in your room. Your stay includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and drinks.
Free drinks with alcohol
Sandals only serves premium brand liquors as part of the 5-Star Luxury Included® experience. You can order anything you want, like a Pina Colada, Margarita, Blue Lagoon, or Bahama Mama, which are drinks you might find at a tropical resort.
Every room has a mini-fridge with water, juice, soda, Robert Mondavi Twin Oaks Wine, and local beer. A coffeemaker with Jamaican Blue Mountain Blend coffee is also in every room.
Tips
At Sandals resorts, most of the services for which you would usually leave a tip are included in the price. You don’t have to worry about tipping the bartender, the bellhop, or your server at one of the specialty restaurants.
If you stay in a suite with a butler, he or she can and will take tips. We recommend tipping a butler $20 a day, depending on how often you use their services.
You should also tip spa therapists and drivers who take you to and from the airport.
Transfers to and from the airport are free at Sandals Antigua, both to and from the airport.
Some of the things you can do at Sandals Antigua
You can do as many water sports as you want, and scuba diving is one of them. If you are a certified diver, you can dive with two tanks up to twice a day. Scuba courses are not included, but they start at $120. You can also do a lot of things on land, and there is a full fitness center.
Entertainment
In addition to these great things to do, there are many ways to have fun, such as theme nights, live music, performances, and more.
A Wedding at Sandals for Free
If you stay at any Sandals resort for 3 nights or more, your wedding is free. This is why Sandals resorts are perfect for weddings at a special place.
Help in the room
If you book a room that comes with butler service, you can get room service at any time. Room service is available from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. at all other places to stay.
WiFi is available everywhere in the resort.
Package for a honeymoon at Sandals Grande Antigua
Sandals will give you a free honeymoon package if you get married and then spend your honeymoon here, or if you come within 30 days of your wedding date. This includes a bottle of chilled sparkling wine, a special turndown service with flower petals on your bed the first night of your honeymoon, and fresh flowers and a luxurious breakfast in bed one morning of your choice. Read more: best sandals resorts for honeymoon.
What time of year is best to visit Antigua?
From May to November, when the island is less busy, is the best time to visit. The prices are definitely lower, and while there is a small chance of hurricanes, the temperature rarely goes above 80 degrees. March and April are also great months to visit Antigua because the weather is nice.
Is Antigua a safe place to visit?
Yes, it is safe to go to Antigua. Antigua is one of the safest islands in the Caribbean, but some parts of it are not as safe. Some parts of St. John’s can be dangerous, so if you don’t feel safe somewhere, just leave. But for the most part, you can have a safe vacation in Antigua, especially if you follow the tips below.
When you leave the resort to explore the island, just take the usual safety precautions, like traveling in groups or with at least one other person, keeping your valuables out of sight and in a safe place, like a hotel safe or a locked suitcase, and being aware of your surroundings.
Don’t carry around a lot of cash, and keep any cash you do have, along with your credit cards and passport, in a purse or travel pouch with a zipper that you can hide under your clothes. Make sure you keep a copy of your passport, driver’s license, and credit cards somewhere safe in case any of these are stolen.
Keep yourself safe if you go to bars or nightclubs in Antigua, just like you would at home. Don’t go alone—always go with a friend or in a group. Stay on main streets and in well-lit areas, and keep an eye on your drink at all times. If you consume alcohol, do so responsibly so you can stay alert.
What you should bring to Sandals Antigua
When you stay at a Sandals Resort, you don’t have to bring much with you because so much is already there for you. You don’t need to bring a hairdryer, for example. There is a gift shop on site in case you forget something important.
The dress code is casual during the day and resort elegant at night. This means a mix of shorts, t-shirts, tanks, lightweight short-sleeve shirts, sundresses, casual slacks, and swimsuits, as well as dressier outfits (including shoes) for dining in the nicer restaurants. If you want to play golf, make sure you bring the right clothes. If women get cold in places with air conditioning, they might want to bring a scarf, shawl, or light jacket.
Bring a few swimsuits, because you’ll probably wear one every day. Women can bring a cute cover-up to throw on for walking around the resort, and may also want to pack some shorts to pull on over their swimsuit if doing any watersports. A rash guard will also be helpful for water sports.
The type of shoes you bring will depend on what activities you want to do while in Antigua. You will probably want to bring water shoes, flip-flops, and sandals. If you plan to walk a lot or play sports, you may also want to bring tennis shoes.
Make sure your passport has at least 6 months left before it expires, and if you want to rent a car, you’ll also need a valid driver’s license. (But remember that in Antigua, people drive on the left!)
You should also bring a credit card (not that you’ll need it at the resort, since everything is included, but in case you want to add extras like spa services or go exploring in Antigua) and some cash for tips at the airport, taxis, and local shops that don’t take credit cards. If it’s not included in your plane ticket, you may have to pay a departure tax in cash at the airport. Make sure to find out ahead of time.
Tip
Bring two cards and hide one somewhere safe in case you need it. Also, make sure you keep track of your credit card numbers and know how to reach customer service.
As with any trip, you should bring any medicine you need. Put it in your carry-on bag so you won’t have to worry about your luggage getting lost. You can also bring over-the-counter drugs like aspirin, ibuprofen, stomach medicines, seasickness medicine, and antihistamines in case you need them. But if you forget, you can buy these kinds of medicines at the gift shop.
Tip
To avoid problems, keep all prescription drugs in their original bottles when you fly.
Bring everything you need for the beach, including a bag to carry everything in (choose one that can get wet and sandy). These include sunglasses, sun hats, and sunscreen—the higher the SPF, the better when you’re in the Caribbean! Make sure your sunscreen is reef-safe if you’re going to dive or snorkel. You won’t need to bring beach towels, though, because every Sandals Resort gives them away for free.
You might also want to bring a camera, especially a waterproof one if you plan to do water sports, a waterproof case for your phone, and your phone charger.
Some other things to think about are insect repellent and bite relief cream, bandages, antiseptic wipes, antibiotic ointment, prescription snorkeling goggles if you wear them, a backpack for day trips, and a waterproof bag if you’re going on a boat.
But you don’t have to bring toiletries like shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and lotion if you don’t want to. At Sandals Antigua, these items are included in your room and come from the spa, so you know they’re good.
The Sandals Grande Antigua – All Inclusive Resort and Spa – Couples Only is in Saint John’s, just a few steps from Dickenson Bay Beach. It has rooms with an outdoor swimming pool, free private parking, a fitness center, and a garden. The property has a restaurant, as well as a shared lounge, a sauna, and a hot tub. The property has a front desk that is open 24 hours a day, transportation to and from the airport, room service, and free WiFi all over the property.
Each room has sits and the rooms have air conditioning.
Tip
Make sure all of your bags have clear tags on them, and add something bright like a ribbon to make them stand out at the baggage claim.
Now that you know everything there is to know about Sandals Grande Antigua, are you ready to start planning your honeymoon or romantic getaway today?
