HAWKSBILL RESORT ANTIGUA

Hawksbill Resort Antigua occupies a forty-acre point at Five Islands, on the west coast, with a little over a hundred rooms and bungalows and, rare in the Caribbean, four beaches on one property. One of them, Eden Beach, is the island's only clothing-optional beach. The plan is all-inclusive and the resort is built for adults and older teenagers. This is an old-school address, low buildings and generous gardens, where guests come for quiet rather than activity, and where part of the clientele has been returning for decades.

Hawksbill at a glance

Four beaches, one property. Hawksbill Resort Antigua sits on a forty-acre point at Five Islands, on the west coast, with a little over a hundred rooms and bungalows scattered through the gardens and along the sand. It takes its name from the rock offshore, shaped like a hawksbill turtle's head.

This is an old-school address in the best sense: low buildings, generous gardens, no tower, no crowd. Part of the clientele has been coming back for decades, and one guest was on his hundredth stay. That detail says more than a rating does.

The plan is all-inclusive, and the resort is built for adults and older teenagers rather than families with young children.

Is Hawksbill all-inclusive?

Yes. The rate covers buffet meals, house wine by the glass, local beer, house-brand spirits, soft drinks, wifi, kayaks, snorkelling gear and yoga sessions.

Premium spirits, bottled water and spa treatments are extra. Nothing unusual in the Caribbean, but worth knowing before you go: a guest attached to a particular brand of gin will pay for it separately.

One point to confirm rather than assume: the minimum age varies from one source to another. Some list twelve, others sixteen, with an exception window over the holidays. Your AquaTerra advisor will get the rule in force before you book, which spares you the surprise at the front desk.

Four beaches on one property

This is Hawksbill's central argument, and it is a rare one. The property fronts four separate coves, so you can change beach according to the hour, the wind and the mood without leaving the grounds.

The fourth, Eden Beach, is the only clothing-optional beach on Antigua. It sits apart from the other three, and nobody ends up there by accident. Worth saying either way: some guests are looking for it, others simply want to know it exists and is easy to avoid.

The other three coves are sheltered, on the Caribbean side of the island, where the water stays calm and clear most of the year. The west coast escapes the trade winds and Atlantic currents that hit the east coast, sargassum included.

Which room should you book?

The categories differ mainly by position on the grounds and by view.

• Garden View Bungalows: set back in the gardens, the best value.
• Superior Seaview: the ocean view without the sand at your doorstep.
• Beachfront Bungalows: front row, what most guests come for.
• Great House Rooms: in the main building, close to the services.
• Honeymoon Cove and Royal Palm Beach Bungalows: the most secluded, built for couples.

An honest note on condition: the resort has been refurbished and a new area with an infinity pool was added, but the buildings are those of an older property. Anyone who needs new will be better served elsewhere on the island. Anyone after character and quiet finds something here that no longer gets built.

Where do you eat on property?

Two tables, and that is deliberate.

The Tamarind Tree serves breakfast and dinner buffet-style, with a weekly barbecue. Sea Grapes Bar & Grill takes over at midday and for snacks. The Tamarind Bar rounds it out.

That is not much, and it is the main trade-off to accept. A two-week stay calls for some flexibility, or a few dinners out. Service in the dining room takes its time, particularly at dinner: the guests who cope best are the ones who come early and are in no hurry.

What is there to do?

Not a great deal, and that is the programme. Kayaks and snorkelling are included, the gear is on the beach. Yoga runs in the morning. A tennis court, an infinity pool and a spa round things out, treatments charged separately.

The boutique occupies a former sugar mill, one of the plantation-era remnants found all over Antigua. There is also a television lounge and a library, which sets the tone: this is a place where people read.

No kids' club, no resort animation, no evening show. The main entertainment is the walk from one cove to the next at sunset.

Where is the resort on the island?

At Five Islands Village, on the west coast, southwest of St. John's. The capital and its cruise port are close by, putting markets, restaurants and shops within a short taxi ride.

Antigua is about 21 km across and nowhere on the island is far. That said, road times quoted for Five Islands vary widely from one source to the next: rather than give you a figure reality will contradict, your advisor will confirm the transfer with the ground operator.

Two local points that matter. Driving is on the left, British style, and the international permit is not recognised: renting a car requires a temporary local permit, issued at the counter on presentation of your Canadian licence. And lighting is limited outside built-up areas, which makes night driving inadvisable.

Who is it right for?

A good fit for:

• Couples and solo travellers after quiet rather than activity.
• Anyone who likes the older Caribbean, with no hotel tower and no poolside music.
• Beach people who appreciate having four of them to choose from.
• Repeat guests, the kind who return to the same place and know the staff by name.

Less suited to:

• Families with young children: the minimum age rules it out and there is no club.
• Anyone who wants choice at dinner. Two restaurants is two restaurants.
• Anyone who needs recent rooms and quick service in the dining room.
• Anyone after lively evenings: those happen elsewhere on the island.

The score sits at 4.1 out of 5 across more than 2,800 TripAdvisor reviews, which reflects the product well: a loyal, satisfied clientele, and travellers who came looking for new and left disappointed. Knowing which group you fall into is the whole question, and that is exactly the advisor's job.

If what you actually want is a large, lively resort with several restaurants, Royalton Antigua sits in neighbouring Deep Bay and plays the opposite register entirely.

What to know before you book

• Documents. A passport valid at least six months beyond your return date, no visa for Canadians, and a paid return ticket that may be requested on arrival. Check current requirements on travel.gc.ca.
• Mandatory entry form. ArriveAntigua is completed online within 72 hours of departure and replaces the paper card. You need a device with a camera. Beware of third-party sites reselling this government form.
• Currency. The East Caribbean dollar, pegged to the U.S. dollar, which circulates everywhere. Banks close at 2 p.m. Monday to Thursday, so carry small U.S. bills.
• Taxes and fees. The advertised rate is not the final rate. Accommodation tax and a per-person, per-night tourism levy are collected on property.
• Electricity. Voltage varies from one property to another on Antigua. Have yours confirmed and bring an adapter.
• Swimming. Beaches are rarely supervised. The west coast is calm, but caution still applies, particularly with teenagers.
• Travel insurance. Medical care is expensive and payment may be required up front.

Booking Hawksbill with an advisor

Three things are better settled before departure than at the front desk: the minimum age in force, the room category that actually matches what you are after, and the airport transfer. An AquaTerra advisor confirms all three with the ground operator and assembles the complete file.

To compare, see our Antigua vacations page, our Antigua and Barbuda travel guide and all of our all-inclusive destinations.

Call 1 866 628-6241 or use our online form.