Antigua and Barbuda: New for 2010
Sugar Ridge Antigua is a contemporary, boutique four star resort, situated on the west coast of the island. Each of the sixty hillside rooms offer spectacular views of the azure Caribbean Sea and the neighbouring islands of Redonda, St Kitts and Nevis.
Rooms are furnished in a modern style, yet retain the elegance of the Caribbean and its colonial influences. The muslin draped four poster beds are the centre piece of each room, complimented by state-of-the-art amenities including a flat screen TV, iPod dock, electronic safe with a sound frequency key card and mini fridge. The large verandah includes a day bed whilst the ground floor rooms feature their own plunge pool. The hotel also features two restaurants and two swimming pools.
The 6000 sq ft Aveda Concept Spa provides guests with an extensive range of facilities including treatment and relaxation rooms, holistic and massage therapies as well a beauty treatments, a full air conditioned gym, aerobics and yoga studio plus a shaded chill out area with lap pool. Sugar Ridge is offering a 20% discount on all bookings until 9th April 2010. Prices start from $US240 (approx £150) per room per night based on double occupancy (room & breakfast). To book visit sugarridgeantigua.com
Twenty minutes from historic English Harbour, the new 40-acre Nonsuch Bay resort is made up of 62 luxury apartments built around a secluded beach with 18 waterfront and hilltop villas. It is the only luxury resort in the Caribbean to offer specialist sailing facilities. The architecture is inspired by the local Georgian Colonial style with white washed walls, wood shingle roofs and traditional verandahs.
Decorated in a clean luxurious style, with hardwood floors white walls and contemporary furniture, each apartment and waterfront villa comes with a modern well-equipped kitchen featuring Viking appliances and Kohler hardware.
Prices start from £425 per person for seven nights, based on two people sharing a one bedroom apartment on a room only basis. A week in a one bedroom apartment with the half board package and inclusive sailing starts from £800 per person. The price includes airport transfers but not international flights. For more information visit nonsuchbayresort.com.
Jumby Bay, a Rosewood Resort set on a 300-acre private island two miles off the coast of Antigua, has undergone a complete $28 million transformation. New additions include Sense, a Rosewood Spa, offering treatments with indigenous natural ingredients which are performed before dramatic ocean views; plus the opening of 28 new suites and enhancement of 40 Guest Rooms.
New restaurants include the open-air Verandah Restaurant where hands-on gastronomic classes from the Jumby Bay Culinary Experiences cooking school will be available, as well as the new Bistro-style restaurant Pool Grille, serving cocktails and mocktails to sunbathers. Along with the redesigned resort, two new Estate Homes valued at $22 million apiece and stretching at least 9,750 square-feet will also debut. Each has distinct design style which compliments classic Caribbean, with unique pools, state-of-the-art kitchens, expansive outdoor space and use of resort services and amenities.
Stay seven nights from £4,265 per person. Price based on two adults sharing a Rondavel Room on an all-inclusive basis, economy flights from London Gatwick with British Airways including boat and car transfers departing on 17 April 2010. For further information visit elegantresorts.co.uk or jumbybayresort.com.
If you want to learn to cook and eat fresh Caribbean food with celebrity TV chefs in the Caribbean this year then head to rex resorts on 2 – 10 March for the ‘Taste of rex resorts Food Festival’. Using locally sourced ingredients, celebrity chef Greg Wallace will be providing food demonstrations and tastings alongside chefs from Hawksbill and Halcyon Cove to present delicious Caribbean inspired dishes, such as Banana & Rum Tartin.
For further details or to make a direct booking visit rexresorts.com.
Wadadli Animal Nature Park is the ultimate wildlife experience for visitors to Antigua and Barbuda. The park sits on ten acres of lush green forest land where visitors on the 45 minute tour can expect to see exotic and indigenous animals such as deer, iguanas, monkeys, parrots, pigs and cows. Each visitor in entitled to a complimentary drink of a choice between fruit punch or rum punch. The park is open daily 8am - 5pm.
Barbuda sees popular beach front restaurant, It’s A Bit Fishy Seafood Grill and Bar, revamped for 2010. The laid back family run beach restaurant specialises in seafood, caught fresh that day by owner and chef Arthur (also known as Speedy). Expect to find sumptuous Barbudan dishes such as conch chowder and fresh steamed fish served with vegetables grown in the back garden, and for chilli lovers owner Rosalind’s homemade hot sauce, made from a variety of 18 different home grown chillies is a must try! This romantic Caribbean venue is decorated with local bamboo and palms to blend in with the surroundings.
Karaoke is the usual Friday night attraction with interludes of music ranging from reggae and calypso to Jazz and R&B. Open only at weekends, however dinner reservations can be made any night of the week on request. For more information visit itsabitfishy.com
For the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority website, visit antigua-barbuda.com.
