Carlisle Bay

Customer ratings & reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

1415 reviews

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  A Dream

  Carlisle Bay is a dream. The people are so genuinely kind and we had the best service the entire time we were there. We traveled with our toddler and stayed in a beach terrace room which made potty breaks, naps, snacks, etc super easy. No need to pack a bag or lug things back and forth - just open the door and go. Most times it felt like we were on a private island. We never had to battle for chairs at the beach or pool and there were plenty of beach toys and boogie boards for all the kids to enjoy. The ocean rafts were an huge hit with the toddler and adults alike and again were always available. Everything at the resort was just a quick walk away which added to the ease and convenience. We did some of the included water sports and played some tennis while we were there and again it was all so easy. No lines or hassle. We are picky about food but enjoyed every meal. We didn’t utilize beach service until halfway through our trip and I wish we would’ve done it sooner because everyone was so attentive and quick. We cannot wait to return.

  May 05, 2025
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  Beautiful beachside location and outstanding service!

  Absolutely wonderful, relaxing and fun family trip at Carlisle Bay. Our room was literally on the beach, with a large balcony and amazing view. The beach was immaculate and calm. Never felt crowded, and always lounge chairs available. Free water sports available and quick and easy to take out SUPs, kayaks, sailboats. Great 7 min boat ride to the reef for snorkeling ($50pp). The beach and pool were both perfect for our kids (age 7 & 1). As others have mentioned, the property is in need of some updating, but that is currently underway. While our room was not yet updated, we did get to view an updated room and it was lovely. Breakfast at Indigo and dinner at Jebby's were our favorite. Food was great at these meals but most of all, the service was incredible. The nightly live music was a great touch as well- excellent talent. The hotel really stands out with its service. I have never stayed at a hotel in which my name (and my kid's names) were used in every interaction. It was as if we'd been friends for years. This service is what would bring me back to this particular property again and again. I'd specifically like to recognize Ganga, Myrleen, Adicia, Leanne, Darleen and the manager at Jebby's. Thank you for making our stay so special!

  May 02, 2025
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  Brutally Honest Review

  **Honest & Brutal Review of Carlisle Bay Resort** I have to start by saying that I love Antigua. This is my fourth visit, and my first time traveling with kids in tow. The people here are incredibly friendly, and I always feel safe, which is why we decided to bring the kids for spring break. My previous visits were to Pineapple Beach Club, Galley Bay, and Hermitage Bay. **Room Category: 2-Bedroom Beach Terrace** **Travelers: 2 Adults, 2 Kids (Ages 11 & 13)** **Pros:** - **The Staff:** The team at Carlisle Bay is super sweet, friendly, and mostly helpful. - **The Food:** Although we didn’t choose the all-inclusive option, the food was decent for a hotel that offers it. - **The Beach:** While I expected the water to be more turquoise like the other properties, the beach itself was clean, with very little seaweed and no sargassum during our stay. We never had trouble finding lounge chairs, and it never felt overly crowded. **Cons:** - **The Room:** The description of a “2-bedroom” is misleading. There is one actual bedroom for the kids with two twin beds and a door, but the so-called master bedroom is just a king-size bed in the middle of the living room—no door, no closet, and definitely not a bedroom. - **Privacy Issues:** None of the doors have locks—not the kids' room, the bathroom, or even the toilet! Additionally, there’s no fan or ventilation in the bathroom, which is quite unpleasant. We had to change in the kids' room or in a steamy bathroom, leading to a terrible design experience overall. - **Cleanliness:** The rooms were not cleaned with care and appeared run-down. It’s in desperate need of renovation. Anyone who labels this as a luxury resort clearly hasn’t experienced true luxury. - **Bugs:** The mosquitoes were terrible—infesting our room and bothering us at dinner. This was my first April visit to Antigua, and I’ve never encountered this issue at the other properties. They do provide bug spray, but it was ineffective. My daughter ended up having an allergic reaction to her bites. - **The Price:** The cost was exorbitant—$8,000 for five nights at a rundown hotel is outrageous. Normally, I’m all for all-inclusive, but that would have been almost another $6,000… charging my 13-year-old adult prices, despite her not drinking . - **Lack of Activities for Teens:** The resort isn’t great for teens or preteens, as there were no activities tailored to their interests. While there were many younger children, which was cute to watch, it may not suit all families. Given these experiences, I will not return to Antigua with my kids. In the future, Hermitage Bay will likely be the only resort I consider when returning to this beautiful country.

  Apr 26, 2025
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  Fabulous Holiday

  Following a very very pleasant flight from the UK we were greeted by an enormous smile as soon as we departed the plane, fast tracked through customs and arrived effortlessly at Carlisle Bay were we received a very warm welcome to the resort and a refreshing cocktail. Check in was seamless. Our beachfront villas were extremely roomy and comfortable, directly overlooking the beach and immaculately clean. All restaurant food was cooked to order and served immediately were nothing was over looked, the attention to detail was superb and all the staff were extremely professional. From the early morning coffees, breakfast service, attendance on the beach to exquisite meals served in all the restaurant's the quality and service was fabulous. Ben at the beach hut bar was a hoot and a special thank has to go to Jay Eisse who was a proper gentleman to the ladies and pointed us in the right direction for attractions outside the resort and excursions. he was very personable and extremely professional a credit to the hotel. If the resort is looking for someone to fast track to a management position this young man is worthy of a chance. A truly wonderful holiday filled with very happy memories, relaxed, luxurious and fabulous, we would highly recommended this resort for all travelers. The owner Pat was in resort at the time and what a very nice chap he was also. Met at the bar and did not have a clue who he was until a member of staff asked if were with the owner's party!!

  Apr 12, 2025
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  Five star prices with three star amenities and one star service

  I don't believe I've ever written a negative review but the disparity between what Carlisle Bay charges and what it offers compelled me to share my experience. My wife and I stayed at the 'hotel' for what was supposed to be a five night stay where we were joined by my brother, sister-in-law, and their children. However, we left after three nights, incurring additional airfare fees, and parting from our darling nephew and niece prematurely, because we just could not stand staying here. The issues began small. Upon arrival, we were surprised by how dilapidated the property appeared and the lack of attentiveness of the staff. We were initially told our room would be available shortly upon our arrival, only to have to wait three hours to be shown to our room. And when they did show us to our room after a three-hour delay, they managed to misplace one of our bags. The first suite we stayed in reeked heavily of stale cigarettes. When I brought this to the attention of the staff and the general manager, Rajiv, they at first admitted the foul smell and attempted to air out the room while they looked for an alternative room. In the meantime, upon returning from the beach and wanting to take a shower, we found that there was no running water in the room at all. We called the front desk and after being left on hold for far too long, were told that there was a problem on the property that was being addressed. I get that things can go wrong unexpectedly but when you're paying more than USD1,000 per night, failure of running water simply should not happen. We had to wait for over an hour for the water to return and the only explanation we were given was that the hotel was "at capacity". A hotel of any size or quality should only have the number of rooms and book the number of guests that they can accommodate. To be fair to the maintenance staff, the hotel is dilapidated and is in desperate need of investments in renovation. The problem is that they are charging post-renovation fees without putting any investment into the property. When the water did come back on, it was barely a trickle of water pressure. When I asked if that was what the water pressure was supposed to be, the maintenance staff shrugged and said there were too many guests with children staying at the resort. Incidentally, this water outage recurred twice more during our shortened stay. After the first night, I told the General Manager that I could not stand to spend another night in the room that still reeked of stale smoke. Throughout the day, he told me he was seeing to it personally. When he came to check in later in afternoon he asked that we wait to be moved to a new room the next morning. I said that was unacceptable, that the room's smell was simply intolerable. He then changed his tune from at least admitting that there was a smell, claiming that after "airing it out" the smell was gone. I assured him that I had just been back to the room and the smell was still very much there, to which he replied "with all due respect, perhaps there is a problem with my nose." I have stayed at all kinds of hotels, from the most elite to the most humble, and I have never been spoken to in such a manner by any staff manager let alone the resort's general manager. In response to his snide remark I suggested with "all due respect" that perhaps he shouldn't be working in a service industry, to which he was quite offended (the truth can strike a nerve I suppose). In any case, we were eventually moved to a recently re-furnished room, for which the only notable refurbishments were a heavy fresh paint smell (which was at least preferable to stale smoke) and a bed that was made out of rock. At this point I could see that our stay was beyond repair so I simply notified them that we would be checking out the next day. With inflation, I understand that sub-USD1,000/night rooms are becoming a rarity, but if you're going to brand yourself as a luxury hotel, you must be prepared to offer a modicum of comfort and ease to your guests. Rooms that don't smell bad and water that flows are not outlandish requests. One more note on the food. It was meh at best. The fish was decent, everything else was barely edible. Most disappointingly, the fruit was completely tasteless despite unbelievably delicious fresh fruits widely available on the island (our driver on the way to the airport couldn't believe we weren't served fresh mango which was in season and was shocked that all the hotel offered was juice concentrates rather than fresh juices). I urge readers to look for accommodations elsewhere.

  Apr 06, 2025