Jolly Beach Antigua

The feeling I had when I first entered the gates of the jolly beach hotel was “what did I purchase”. The hotel lobby staff were not the most pleasant when explaining where things were at the hotel. It wasn't a long talk as there are only 3 places to eat and one of them can't be used two nights in a row. The buffet was ok but nothing special, we did like the lobsters at the pizza factory. The rooms are terrible. The toilet flusher was on the wall and wouldn't work half the time, we only had a sheet for bedding which wouldn't be bad since it's hot there but the air conditioning was stuck on full blast until someone came and changed our room. There is only one public toilet and two stalls were out of order. It stinks and needs major updating. The pool/ beach chairs need updating. One of the pools was recently painted the larger one is brownish not bright blue. Not enough entertainment. Staff overall were friendly, they make the hotel. I would not stay at this resort again. I would pay the extra to get a better experience. [Details]

My recent stay at the Jolly Beach Antigue left much to be desired. From the moment of arrival, it was evident that there were significant shortcomings throughout the property.

First and foremost, the room provided was incredibly small and outdated. The lack of space made it challenging to comfortably accommodate luggage and personal belongings. The bathroom facilities were equally disappointing, with a cramped shower that was difficult to use.

In addition to the subpar accommodations, the staff appeared disinterested and unfriendly. It was clear that many were not happy to be working, which created a negative atmosphere throughout the hotel.

The quality of the food was another disappointment. The menu options were limited, and the taste did not live up to expectations. With only one à la carte restaurant offering two different menus, guests were left wanting more variety.

Throughout the hotel, it was apparent that management was not responsive to guest concerns. Numerous complaints were voiced regarding the room size and overall condition of the property, yet little action was taken to address these issues.

The outdated decor, particularly in the small lobby with old couches, further detracted from the overall experience. Even the coffee, with only one type available, left much to be desired in terms of taste.

Despite these shortcomings, the highlight of the Jolly Beach Resort was undoubtedly its beautiful beach. However, it seems that the property relies heavily on this feature to attract guests, neglecting other aspects of the guest experience.

In summary, I would only recommend this hotel to those solely interested in enjoying the beach and who are willing to overlook deficiencies in service and food quality. I strongly advise against booking the "super saver" room category, as it is misrepresented on the website and resembles a motel room in terms of size and condition. [Details]

I have travelled to many islands in the Caribbean and have never experienced a resort like this one. First, the rooms were so outdated...doors falling off or not closing properly, dressers seem like they were from 1970. Very small bathroom (couldn't even put toiletries on the ledges). They do not clean the rooms if you are there for a week. Have to ask for extra towels and toilet paper. Food was ok...nothing special. There was no entertainment in the evenings (steel drum band during dinner...then nothing). In our room by 9:00pm. Thought maybe New Years Eve might have some festivities...absolutely nothing. Quite comical. Main swimming pool had stains and chips at the bottom and looked green. The second pool was very nice though which we stayed in the whole time. Only 1 restaurant (other than the buffet) which you had to reserve at 7:30am and could only go there twice in that week. Staff seemed like they didn't want to be there. Not overly friendly...just ok. On a positive note...the beach was outstanding...one of the best I've ever seen. [Details]

Had a good week at Jolly Beach. Staff was friendly and for the most part helpful. Weak staff area was front desk. There's no place to get canned pop ( except gift shop but you had to pay) it should be available anywhere to take to rooms etc. if truly all inclusive. We were surprised rooms were not made up daily with new linens as expected for all inclusive. Hotel is a bit tired looking but it appears there are updates being done all the time. [Details]

I travelled as a solo female traveller and would highly recommend this location. The resort went above and beyond to always make me feel safe, secure and welcome. Although the rooms could be described as “tired” they are very clean. I was given a complimentary room upgrade upon arrival without requesting it which was a wonderful surprise. They are working very hard to bring the resort back to what it once was before covid. The resort employees were extremely kind and helpful and worked endlessly to make improvements to the facilities. I would most certainly rate it as currently being a 3 star resort however it does have the potential to be a 5 star and they are working hard in that direction. The resort manager Clinton has big plans for upcoming changes and is consistently walking the grounds and mingling with the guests to gather their input as to what they would like to see come to life [Details]

Jolly beach is gorgeous, and a-lot of fun. The resort could use work. My sister, my mother and my self stayed a week at jolly beach resort. We did the jeep tour/ sting ray swim excursion, and the catamaran that takes you snorkelling and around Antigua island. They were both amazing and worth every penny.
The resort isn't very un- organized when you first arrive. The food options for vegans and vegetarians is minimal. 3 nights out of my 7 day stay we ate at the Italian restaurant. The first two nights were great, however, the 3rd night my gnocchi was raw and my steak was brought out to me raw as well, this is also after having to wait and hour and a half. Lunch at the coconut grill is alright but make sure to check all meats to make sure they are cooked all the way. I was given a raw burger.
The staff is very polite and friendly but not very experienced. They have a karaoke night we enjoyed but the night life at the resort is not it. [Details]

Hôtel desuet , aucune animation, le personnel est. Gentil
Belle plage. Il y a beaucoup de pluie. Au déjeuner le matin c est tout les jours la même chose.
Les deux seules fruits disponibles sont les ananas et le melon d eau. Aucun vrai jus n'est disponible sur le resort.
De plus il faut marcher beaucoup pour se rendre aux restaurants et aux chambres
Mobilité réduite s abstenir
La musique au snack bar est horrible du gros boum boum pas rapport ca tombe sur les nerfs
Ce n'est pas de la musique de vacances
Bref venez pas ici sauvez vous
Moyenne d age 60-75 [Details]

This property is very old and outdated. The rooms are very small with no dresser or night tables to put things in. I have stayed at many 5 star resorts and paid less than I paid for this vacation. Not to mention that they had booked us in a super saver room for two people which is very very small and no where to even put your suitcases. We had to upgrade to a standard room as soon as we got there and had to pay an additional $294.00 U.S. for the week which is the room that two people sleeping in separate beds should have been put in the first place. The only good thing about the room was that the shower pressure was good. The food was only just okay. There was not a big selection at the buffet every night. The a la cartes were nothing to write home about either. The night we went to the Italian restaurant the special for the night was roast beef dinner. There wasn't even an Italian option on the menu!!! We met many many tourists who had been to the property many times. I am not sure what keeps brining them other than the beautiful beach (Jolly Beach). The quiet pool has more patches in it than not! If you are just looking for a quiet vacation without all the perks then I guess you would be fine here. [Details]

January 2-9

The Beach is stunning. The staff was great!

The resort is very outdated. And I was expecting that. I was prepared for it to be older. I am not a super fancy person, after reading the reviews online I was expecting it to be outdated. But this resort didnt meet my minimum standards.

As soon as I walked into the room I was hit with a smell of must and mold. It had to be bad for my health. I'm not an airconditioner type person. I run it just to cool off a bit at night for about an hour then it is off the rest of the trip. But this AC didnt work. it tryed its best but it didnt work. The bed was so uncomfortable. It should have been replaced 5 years ago. The springs were broken and it wasnt even, you sank in it and couldnt sleep. I think the owners are concentrating on their other property and this one has not gotten ANY attention.

I would not reccomend it, I would not return.

The Italian restaurant was great! but waiting in line 1 hour everyday to book it was not the way I like to spend my vaction. [Details]

Upon arriving at the Jolly Beach Resort & Spa we were greeted with welcome drinks - the "Blue Bomb" was amazing. All of the staff were courteous, friendly and helpful upon our arrival. We arrived at the resort around 1:30p.m. and were told that our room would not be ready until 3:00p.m. We were advised to leave our luggage at the front entrance way. There was no technical bellhop, just hundreds of luggage bags lined up along the entrance way to the resort. I will be honest, I was not entirely comfortable with doing this, but didn't have much choice. We were told that we could go to the buffet for lunch and then explore the resort... Due to the fact that this was not my first time traveling I had a change of clothes in my "carry on" luggage for myself and my partner that included a bathing suit. This was essential as it was very warm and beautiful. Many people were trying to find something suitable to wear in their check luggage on the drive way. We had a bite to eat and then walked around the resort. A bit of a mess, seeing as we did not have vouchers for pool towels, because they come in your "check in package". Luckily, we also brought our own travel towels. We were able to cool down in the water. We then returned to the lobby around 2:45p.m. and waiting in a separate line to "check-in" We were handed a package that included our room keys. We then went to our room, which was not far from the lobby. When in the room, it was apparent that the air conditioning did not work, and the bed felt as though it was just a board with no mattress. The room was also very dirty. We went to the lobby to explain the situation regarding the room and were moved to a different room. The air conditioning at least worked in the room, and the bed was a little more comfortable. The room was cleaner, but not exactly "clean". There was black hair all over the bathroom sink, toilet and shower. The shower door was fall off of the shower. The toilet worked sometimes, and other times would "back fire" so you would only want to flush the toilet with the lid closed. There were water pressure issues at times in the room. Our room was infested with misquitos. We had to ask several times at the front desk for them to spray the room for mosquitos. The staff were always very helpful. We did ask to pay an upgrade fee to upgrade to a suite. We had spoke with several other couples that did this in advance or after they got there and were happy with the room upgrade. However, due to the fact that we were there at Christmas they said that the hotel was completely booked up. The food at all of the restaurants was fantastic for an all inclusive. The Beach Grill was our favourite because we could get our food and eat in our lounge chairs on the beach or by the pool or at one of the tables above the pool bar. The hotel itself is very outdated, but the grounds are very clean! The pools were clean but could use a new paint job and some refreshing. From what we saw the rooms need a complete overhaul. What the hotel lacked itself the staff surely made up for! These were the friendliest crew I have ever encountered. At this resort they do offer the locals a "day pass" where they can use the ammenities but not get a room, so on weekends and holidays there is an influx of people using the pool and the lineup was quite long at the beach side grill. The beach at this resort was phenomenal. I had read that there was decent snorkeling, however, the water was murky as apparently a storm had just passed through prior to our arrival so there was no visibility in the water. The vendors on the beach can be a little persistent, but if you tell them that you are not interested they will generally leave you alone. Most of the beach vendors are selling tours, just be careful because they are not all legitimate tour companies and you may end up experiencing a tour that you were lied to about. [Details]

Hotel was quite dated but very clean. View of the ocean was fantastic and nice private balcony with a day bed. Bathroom needed a plug for a hairdryer and sometimes the shower was not really hot. These little issues are very minor as we didn't spend a lot of time in the room. The courtyard was very nice and they had tea time with little snacks late afternoon. Overall very happy with our choice and would return. [Details]

Small rooms and very outdated. In bad need of an overhaul. [Details]

A beautiful trip for my husband & I: check-in at the airport very quick; hotel room: forget the super-saver room unless you don't mind living out of your luggage: no bureau or desk to unload. We survived the one week, but would not rent a super-saver for two weeks. I must mention how clean our room and frankly the whole resort is: yes renovations would be welcomed, yes the shower is so old, but as so many have said, you do not go to Antigua to stay in your room. The beach and grounds are simply breathtaking.The buffet has something for everyone: fish and veggie lunch and supper...fresh pasta...and the desserts..wow!

Now to the staff: big hugs to Christie at the buffet and all of the others staff who have served us with such grace and always with a smile...my lil angel Furleesha with the entertainment team, whom we met on our first night and who made us feel like we were already part of their wonderful family..love you Angel! To all the entertainment team who work so hard to keep us happy on our vacation: thank you for all of your dedication at preparing your shows... The night manager Trevor, who greeted us every night with a handshake and a smile...thank you!

Yes we will go back...not to a supersaver room but back to our family at the Jolly Beach Resort
francine and carl [Details]

Great vacation. Staff very friendly. Food good. Bar unlimited. Good location, major food store, pharmacy and bus stop only 5 minutes away. Bus is a 20 minute trip to St. Johns for about $1 US. One of the best beaches in the Carribean. Resort is old but well maintained, neat and every room is facing the waterfront and has a balcony. Housekeeping is great. [Details]

Needs up dating in some areas and that's why it's a 3 star [Details]

The Beach was extraordinary and the food was great , no complaints . [Details]

Even though it is an old hotel I would return in a minute. The beach and entertainment were my favourites. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to a friend. [Details]

We had read previous reviews on Trip Advisor that said the Resort was dated and food was repetitive so we were prepared for that.
However we found the room standard King to be very nice. Sure it could use some updates, but we were not there to spend the day in the room. Very clean and comfortable. The staff were amazing constantly asking if we needed anything. The food was delicious and the beach was amazing . They defiantly could use some more shaded areas but all in all I score this an 8 out of 10 [Details]

We enjoyed the beach . We went on a Catamaran tour around the island which was great. The food was adequate. The alacart restaurants were designed to accommodate the staff ,not the patrons. As a result we were not able to get into any. The Sunday brunch which we enjoyed the last time we were there we were able to get into,despite the false information from the concierge. [Details]

My wife and i had one of our best beach vactions ever. Jolly beach was truly a great choice. You need to understand the resort is older. It is well maintained with the best staff that i have encountered. Evelyn in the restaurants and Neil at the bar were amazing. The rooms were made up spotless and in good time daily. Always hot water with great pressure in the showers. I am an Expedia agent and was very impressed with what Jolly Beach offers. The foood was fantastic. All 3 a la cartes were great. Try the lobster add on. The pool grill made excellent jerk chicken. It was all good. 3 star price for a 5 star experience. Ill be back. 100% [Details]

Staff friendly and always helpful, food amazing especially New Years Eve....WOW!!
Beach a 5 [Details]

We bought our vacation package because it was inexpensive and at the moment weather was the best among all discount packages. Then we began reading reviews and were shocked by so many negative ones, some included photos of rusty tables and dirty washrooms. However, all was very clean and looked like the entire hotel was renovated not so long time ago. We got so-called Super Saver room and it is very small indeed but it was clean. I have made several YouTube videos about this resort and catamaran cruise around Antigua: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8yfjMJr4lU&list=UU9Hrg9c9NI2vAv4SUVoFqqA&index=3 [Details]

This hotel sure does need to be updated, it probably wouldnt have bothered us so much if it was clean. They cleaned our bathroom Once for the entire week, sheets were changed because I stripped the beds
The food was below average, and repeated everyday. the staff did not go out of their way to make you happy, we saved a lot of money on tipping
The only positive thing was the Beach!! It was breath taking!
We were able to go off the resort and felt very safe exploring the island
Antigua should be on everyones bucket list.. Just find a better resort! For the price, you would expect to be pampered. Or at least be treated like they would want you to return [Details]

the staff is awesome as always.... the location and our room is great facing the sunset view. [Details]

Although the hotel décor was somewhat outdated and the rooms much smaller than we have experienced in other countries hotel had many other redeeming features. Food was of a very good quality although selection was sometimes limited. Facilities were kept very clean, and staff was very polite. Like the layout of the resort with every room having waterfront view and a decent size balcony to sit on. A very good selection of excursions and none varied drastically in price. Beach on site was very nice and fairly long with hobby cats, kayaks and other water sport equipment available to try for free. Was a very nice surprise. The thing we loved the best was how clean and safe we felt every where we went. We never once had any issues wondering off the resort to go shopping at a local store or take a city bus to St. John's to wander the markets for souvenirs.

We were part of a group of 12 adults and was a nice size to be able to do your own thing or find some of the group to hang out with. Even nightly entertainment was pretty good for a smaller resort.

Only complaints would be need to have bathrooms closer to the large Pool and beach area as you had to walk fair distance to main buildings. Also, main pool and bar area only stayed open until 5pm and I thought they should keep it open until at least the sunset. Same with Evening entertainment bar area only stayed open until 11:30 with nothing organized if you wanted to go out beyond that to dance or have a few drinks; not that we lasted most days beyond that but would have been a nice option at least once or twice during the week.

Overall not bad for the money we paid overall. [Details]

We enjoyed this resort very much. It is very dated,but despite that it is very clean, the people are friendly. The service and the food are great.The beach is spectacular the two pools could use to have more umbrellas foe shade. [Details]

The hotel is very dated. Strange enough how no one seems to notice how old and desparately in need for a makeover this place is. The rooms are very very small, way below what a real standard room is supposed to be. If you're looking for a regular standard room for a three star hotel, you should book superior rooms which cost more money. The bathroom is below standard as well. They have no proper windows to shut off the outside noise mostly from million crickets all night long let alone people talking or walking by your door. The restorant is very dated, old broken stuff hanging everywhere. The beach is very nice but hardly any maintenace from the resort stuff. Not enough umbrellas for shade either at the beach or around teh pools. The best front beach area of the resort is occupied by locals selling their crafts and make te place look like really ugly and overcrowded with piles of rusty broken junk spread all over the place. Lots of mosquitos and sand flies, really bad. [Details]

This hotel is really old and needs to be knocked down and re-built. Having said that, my husband and I enjoyed our stay because fortunately, we aren't that fussy.

The rooms are dated with no refrigerators in the standard rooms. We didn't mind that the rooms were dated but a mini fridge is each room is pretty standard (especially in the Caribbean, since it's so hot!) I mean, you need easy access to water, even at night.

Maid service was so-so. We tipped every day but getting fresh towels was always a major production. They would take the dirty ones and never give us new ones unless we called front desk.

The Indian resto is awesome: both food-wise and service-wise. The buffet (Hemispheres) is disgusting. It needs more food variety and the entire area itself is old and gross. If you sit outside you are pestered and dive bombed by a thousand crows (and I actually got pooed on by a passing crow whilst UNDER my table umbrella!). There is bird poo everywhere and the noise is super annoying. There was bird poo on chairs, my place mat, etc, etc,. YOU MUST DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE BIRDS IF NOTHING ELSE.

The mosquitoes and sand flies are relentless so bring bug spray or be prepared to buy it at the gift shop. I am still itching and have been home 2 days already. The flies around the beach bar were gross - a bug lamp might help there.

The staff were very friendly and helpful. The beach is very nice (with the exception of the beach vendors who harass you day and night).

Stay away from a guy named CLAUDE on the beach. He's been in prison. He's also very aggressive and we heard a lot of bad rumours about him. He'll give you a bad vibe anyway so just go with your gut.

We did a day trip with Lawrence all around the island and he also took us to Shirley Heights which was great too. The hotel will warn you about going with them but they want you to book trips with them. If you arrange with Lawrence, you will be fine. He's not from the hotel but is a great guy and a man of his word.

After seeing all of this island (which was beautiful), we would definitely come back but I would stay elsewhere for sure...maybe Pineapple Club or Verandah!

Make sure to check out: English Harbour, Shirley Heights, St. John's, Devil;s Bridge and some other beaches.

Finally, there are 2 restaurants we went to in the Jolly Beach area: The Crow's Nest and Castaways. Their food and ambiance are amazing so I highly recommend if you need a break from Jolly Beach (which you will).

Despite all this, we still had a good vacation. We loved the country but would never come back to this resort. [Details]

We had a great time visiting Antigua!We knew what we were getting when we booked this resort,so no real surprises.Beach was amazing! Service was good! Very friendly!Bartenders at the beach bar and night bar,were understaffed but they did a great job trying to serve everyone!It's a shame,there is a beautiful pool,but I found it colder then the sea,and no service at the swim up bar.You get what you pay for.But I do think there are a few things they could do to make it at least a 4 star. Washrooms! Not enough of them around the resort!A fridge in the room,especially since they close everything down at 1230am! A coffee maker would have been nice in the room.Loved the balcony and the view!Always short on towels,but would come to our room late afternoon,early evening to give us fresh ones.Invest in more beach,room towels. Food was just ok,breakfast was great! Seemed like it was the same potatoes all week.Desserts were very blah. The Italian restaurant was awesome! Jerk chicken was not good at the beach grill ,but the fried chicken and burgers were good!The beach is public,the locals were ok,but I prefer a beach where I don't have to be bothered by someone bothering me to buy something.If there was a spot on the resort that they would be able to stay and we could go to them if we needed something would be much more enjoyable. [Details]

The hotel was actually pretty nice. Besides the hard pillows and not enough selection at the buffet, I would highly recommend this hotel. The staff were amazing and very friendly, couldn't have asked for more. [Details]