Galley Bay Resort & Spa

Dining

3 restaurants and 1 beach grill: Sea Grape Restaurant (serves award-winning Euro-Caribbean cuisine; breakfast, lunch and dinner), Gauguin Restaurant (offers traditional local cuisine where you can dine in individual cabanas for romantic meals; lunch and dinner), Barefoot Grill (offers a relaxed and laid-back, beachside atmosphere, serving burgers and 'basket style' sandwiches such as the classic Cuban, all made using home-grown fruits, herbs and vegetables from the resort).For special occasions try Ismay's Restaurant* (International island flavours, open evenings only — a US$45 per person supplement applies, payable locally, subject to change). 4 bars: Teepee Bar, Lounge Bar, Gauguin Bar and Rum Shack Bar serving different rums from around the Caribbean and delicious curated rum cocktails. The coffee shop features specialty coffee, tea drinks and homemade pasties. All restaurants are beachfront. Restaurant hours and availability are subject to change. Restaurants open on a rotation basis due to season/occupancy.

Entertainment

Regular entertainment several nights a week. Weekly beach cinema.

Fun and Games

Large freeform swimming pool with waterfall feature. 'Spa Indulge'* with open-air treatment cabanas, sun deck and splash pool. Fitness centre. Non-motorised water sports: Hobie cats, kayaks, paddle boarding and snorkelling. Bicycles. Tennis and table tennis. New yoga pavilion. Croquet lawn. Weekly cooking demo. Nature lovers will enjoy the garden tours (Tuesdays) to learn about the fresh grown herbs and spices onsite. On-site Diamonds international shop.

Handy Stuff

Boutique*. Complimentary WiFi available in public areas. Internet room. Library. Cabana rooms can be booked for use on your day of departure. Rooms offer a great place to store your bags and you have access to shower facilities before the flight home. The cost is $35 for 3 hours.

Resort Fees

This hotel has a resort fee of USD $24 including tax per room, per night, (payable locally, subject to change). Please note: a room levy of USD $5 per guest, per night (payable locally, subject to change).

Accessibility

Wheelchair adapted rooms with partially accessible amenities or facilities available on request. Please note that these rooms are subject to availability and may be restricted to specific room categories and bedding arrangements. Rooms and facilities vary between hotels so please check at the time of booking. To discover all the special assistance services we offer please see additional information below.

Minimum Stay

7 nights between 21 Dec-2 Jan.

Additional Information

* Denotes local charge.

Please note: this hotel is adults-only - children under 16 years are not permitted at any time.

Dress code: breakfast/lunch: shoes must be worn at all times and bathing suits must be covered and dry. Dinner: men are required to wear collared shirts with long trousers or stylish jeans. T-shirts, shorts, caprise and ripped jeans are not accepted. Women are asked to wear dresses, skirts, long trousers or stylish tailored shorts or jeans. No short shorts, tank tops or beach flip-flops are allowed.

For all guests in June, July and August: dress shorts can be worn (no short shorts or cutoffs). Standard dress code applies for Ismays.

Please note: guests are required to present a valid form of ID (passport, driving license, ID card) along with a valid credit card at check-in. A USD$350 pre-authorisation will be processed on the credit card at check-in to cover for any incidental purchases or similar expenses. Incidental purchases may include tours, excursions, gift shop purchases or dining in the speciality restaurant. We understand that not all guests incur additional charges during their stay, but this process assists the resort with fraud prevention. Upon check-out, the pre-authorisation is released, assuming there are no charges made.

TripAdvisor traveller rating

Rating summary

Location
Sleep Quality
Rooms
Service
Value
Cleanliness

Traveller rating

Excellent (3712)
Very good (655)
Average (184)
Poor (51)
Terrible (36)

Good but not great

Dec 27, 2024 Carol T

The resort is nice with beautiful beach. The issue had was how they tag a 17% fee for any extra charges you incur. Nobody could explain exactly what the fluff was for. The people staffing the place for the most part were friendly. Some seemed irritated or annoyed that you were asking them for an item or service.

Spoilt by the seas

Dec 26, 2024 DavidMotts

Galley Bay is splendid. The location, staff,food and the wonderful premium beach suite cannot be faulted in any way. However it is impossible to look past the rough seas and the red flags that were in place for 90% of our stay. There were no water sports, swimming was simply not on and it was even difficult to paddle. This is not what a holiday in… Read more

Galley Bay is splendid. The location, staff,food and the wonderful premium beach suite cannot be faulted in any way. However it is impossible to look past the rough seas and the red flags that were in place for 90% of our stay. There were no water sports, swimming was simply not on and it was even difficult to paddle. This is not what a holiday in this part of the world is all about. If these things are important to you don’t go to this resort. There are plenty of alternatives in Antigua and we wish we had picked one. Not the resorts fault of course but not enough warning given. We will not be returning. Read less

Wonderful relaxing holiday

Dec 21, 2024 harlequin110 London, United Kingdom

We had the most wonderful relaxing holiday at Galley Bay and would thoroughly recommend it. It was our first time to the Caribbean and we could not have chosen better. We arrived in the early evening and were welcomed with a drink. It didn't take long to check in and be shown to our room. The room was great, right on the beach with an amazing view… Read more

We had the most wonderful relaxing holiday at Galley Bay and would thoroughly recommend it. It was our first time to the Caribbean and we could not have chosen better. We arrived in the early evening and were welcomed with a drink. It didn't take long to check in and be shown to our room. The room was great, right on the beach with an amazing view of the sea. You could hear the waves crashing from the room. It was a large room with great facilities including a walk in wardrobe and large bathroom. All the hotel staff were so friendly - the reception team, guest services, all restaurants and bars, the garden and room teams. Everyone greeted us with a friendly smile. The food was great. Breakfast cooked as you wanted and then lunch either at a restaurant or the Barefoot Grill. We enjoyed dinner at all three restaurants and can recommend them all. I celebrated my birthday and we had a meal at Ismays - we were not disappointed. The team there even greeted me with a birthday song to make it a memorable evening. In my room on that day I was left champagne and a platter of fruit - a really lovely gesture. We spent most of our time at resort. The only disappointment was the sea was a little rough on several occasions which was a shame as when it was calmer it was incredible with many fish to see as you snorkelled. We did manage a trip out on the kayaks which we enjoyed. We also took part in the garden tour and went to see the hydroponics - you can see why the salads are so fresh as they grow them on site. We booked an island tour through the hotel and had a lovely time seeing the sites. There is entertainment every night - different bands - if you want a lively night life scene then this isn't the place for you. We liked to have a drink at the bar. One of the nice things is the coffee shop. We visited there throughout the day to pick up a cappuccino. The cakes looked delicious and there was ice cream too if you wanted. It would be good if the hotel had diet lemonade as well as the diet coke on offer as this would have opened up a greater selection of drinks for those that cannot have sugary drinks and don't like coke. The drink selection is one of the best that we have seen and the rum shake had many rums for you to try. The pool, gardens and beach were kept spotless. On rough days it could be hard to find a sun bed near the pool. The hotel should perhaps consider having a policy of not allowing beds to be reserved if the people are not there as I am sure there would have been enough during the day. You have guaranteed sunbeds on the beach so we used to sit there and then walk to the pool for a swim. The gardens were immaculate and the team do a great job keeping them tidy. The animals were great. The humming birds, lizards and frogs. Thank you Galley Bay team for such a great stay. An amazing holiday and lots of lovely memories. Read less

Another Wonderful Romantic Getaway

Dec 21, 2024 c g Chicago, Illinois

My husband and I just returned from a wonderful week long stay at Galley Bay Resort, needless to say we cannot wait to return. When we first visited this gem in 2015, we declared that Galley Bay was and will be our special place where we go to escape life’s hassles and celebrate our relationship, just us. This remained the case when we visited in… Read more

My husband and I just returned from a wonderful week long stay at Galley Bay Resort, needless to say we cannot wait to return. When we first visited this gem in 2015, we declared that Galley Bay was and will be our special place where we go to escape life’s hassles and celebrate our relationship, just us. This remained the case when we visited in 2019 and we are pleased to reaffirm this declaration in 2024! Our stay was amazing! Of course the beach and the grounds and the rooms are top notch, but in my opinion what sets Galley Bay apart is their wonderful staff. The staff is a true team and family and as a guest you are welcomed into this family, whether it is your first stay or like us you’re a returning guest. The staff is warm, friendly, caters to your every need and gives you the space and privacy to enjoy each other’s company. I will take the time to acknowledge several members of the team who made our return stay so memorable. We were greeted warmly by Bri at check in who made sure to acknowledge our special milestone and checked in on us during our stay. Phonocio transported us to our room, highlighting points of interest along the way. When we arrived at our room (the one we requested by the way) we were greeted with a lovely welcome note and champagne. A special shout out to Bettina (our Elite Island booking agent who noted and communicated our special requests to the property). It was wonderful to see general manager Antoine and resident manager Cedric again. They remembered us and welcomed us “home” and would greet us and chat with us whenever we ran into them around the resort. It was a pleasure to meet and get to know manager Nadia in guest services this time around. Speaking of guest services, I also want to acknowledge Joan who helped with dinner reservations and any questions we had. Our room was attended daily by Dacia from housekeeping who also left us beautiful towel art and the always inspirational Galley Bay bed notes, which I like to collect to remember our trip. The food, the restaurants, and bar services at Galley Bay are in my opinion spectacular. It is true authentic Caribbean inspired food, well seasoned, and exceptionally tasty. (Definitely, pack the flowy dresses ladies, you’ll need the extra space.) Chef Nathaniel and his culinary staff are creative and talented. Their food and menus are well conceived and very delicious. Chef is also very present and we often saw and chatted with him in the restaurants as well as with other guests. The service in all the restaurants is wonderful. The seaviews and intimate setting of Gauguin Restaurant where each party gets their own gazebo is so special. The Seagrape Restaurant also has a beautiful beachfront setting. I want to acknowledge some of the staff, Samantha, Vaughn, and Sadi, but please note that the whole team is wonderful. At the Teepee bar, special shout outs to Aaliyah and Liyah who made the best GBCs with rum, our go to drink on this trip. The resort feels intimate and private, the beach is beautiful, and the pool is cool and refreshing. The resort allows you to be as active and relaxed as you wish, this trip we did both. We rode bikes, played tennis, we even found time for the Spa, and my husband fished. I want to share that this third trip was the charm for my husband, he caught an elusive tarpon in the lagoon as well as a snook. Thank you again Galley Bay family, we can’t wait to see you again. Read less

Not For Solos

Dec 20, 2024 Tour11789536410

I returned from Galley Bay a few days ago and I’ve got nothing but praise for the resort and the staff. All the staff looked after me so well especially Joan and the other Guest Service managers who were there to answer my constant queries and always with a smile. How patient they were! My deluxe upper floor room was all I needed and huge for a… Read more

I returned from Galley Bay a few days ago and I’ve got nothing but praise for the resort and the staff. All the staff looked after me so well especially Joan and the other Guest Service managers who were there to answer my constant queries and always with a smile. How patient they were! My deluxe upper floor room was all I needed and huge for a solo traveller. I couldn’t fault housekeeping and my mini fridge was stocked with everything I requested. I saw the “beach cleaners” out at first light and I had no problem with the state of the beach or the loungers. The food was excellent and I was looked after promptly at every meal. BUT, and for me a big but, the resort is so beautiful that I desperately wanted to share it with someone special. I wouldn’t recommend it as a resort for “solos”. The sea was mostly yellow flagged and I didn’t want to make the dash through huge waves to calmer waters on my own and with no-one looking out for me. So if you are super self confident and don’t mind eating on your own that’s fine. But I would say that it’s definitely not a resort for solos. Read less

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