Jolly Beach Resort & Spa

Have had a wonderful 12 days here at the Jolley beach. Yes the hotel is dated but so am I. The rooms are basic and need an upgrade but the beds are comfy and all you need is somewhere to shower and sleep. The food has been great especially the breakfast and the lunch at the coconut grill was delicious. What really stands out with this hotel is the staff. I found that they were all so friendly and always ready to help. Special shout out to Joanne and Winsome for the omelettes and Patrick at the long bar for the drinks. Margaret at he tour desk was really helpful. From the moment I checked in and the staff realised I wouldn't be able to manage the stairs to the original room and they went above and beyond to get me a ground floor one I knew we had made the right choice and I can see why there is so much repeat business. Would return in a heartbeat.

My wife and I brought our 2 grown children (21 & 18) for a week. The resort was dated and could use some TLC but it still exceeded our expectations. We knew it was cheaper than most resorts, but we really wanted to be on jolly beach. The beach is one of the best I have ever seen. Calm water and soft sand with no rocks to dodge in the water. Always a place with shade to sit on the beach. Pools were clean and the food was basic but good for the most part. More options on the dinner buffet would be nice, but breakfast buffet had everything you could want. Pizza Factory restaurant was very good all 3 times we ate there. The staff was very friendly and fun to interact with. There was no sargassum at all and I don’t believe it is an issue due to the location. Would I stay again?? Definitely, but there are a few other resorts in this location that I would probably try first. The beach is so nice that nothing else really mattered.

We went to Jolly Beach for our honeymoon!||Firstly, the beach is incredible - it truly is. The pools are great, swim up bar is great, the service at the swim up bar and the bar near the coffee station is great, there are definitely some diamonds in the rough when it comes to the staff, as sadly not all staff members are welcoming, or seem to care at all - if anything a lot of the staff act like you’re an inconvenience- which is something we’ve never experienced before.||The fact this is a 3 star hotel shouldn’t mean that it acts like it, stars can increase - they shouldn’t be on the cusp of decreasing!! ||So pros: (let’s start with the positives!)||It is in a beautiful location, the beach is right at the hotel, and the water is so clear, the sunsets are incredible!!|The breakfast is the best meal, you know what you’re getting |The swim up bar is great and staff are always lovely |Again - a small handful of staff are so lovely, but it is so hit and miss|Margeret who works the tour desk is amazing, as is Judith who greets you for breakfast |You will always find a sun lounger, the pools are spaced out so not overcrowded at all ||Cons (sadly)|In no other reviews did I see anyone mention this and I am so surprised! The beach vendors. They will harass you every single day. The second we walked onto the beach the very first morning, we were approached and they even asked for our room number (which is what happens a lot on the resort from staff, so we actually thought he was part of the hotel) but he isn’t! They are relentless. For some part they aren’t too bad, but the majority will shout at you, stand on the skirts of the hotel on the beach and watch to see which tourists they can jump on the minute they leave the resort. ||The staff just dont seem happy you’re there, like a very small handful are so lovely and organised, whereas the majority honestly seem like youre annoying them by saying goodmorning to them!||The power goes out a lot, and so does the water mains - which is not ideal||You have to book 24h in advance to have your room cleaned which you have to pay for||We had housekeeping enter our room unnannounced and swapped our balcony chairs for different ones, we thought this was very invasive as we hadn’t booked a cleaning and they left the door unlocked||Honestly, overall we wouldnt return to this hotel but we would return to Antigua . I think the hotel thinks because they have a 3 star rating, theyre then allowed to give you 3 star service, but price the hotel at 4/5 star..||As it’s our honeymoon, i had communicated via email to the reception weeks before we came. Id asked for rose petals and bubbly to be put into our room as a surprise for my husband. They even asked what colour petals I wanted in the emails. Upon on arrival to our room, nothing was done and it was quite sad.

Travel with my fiancé July 13, 2025. We spend four days and three nights. Thad a wonderful time on the resort. From checking in to checking out, all the workers were polite. Paulette at the front desk was amazing, Keon was great, he welcomed us with drinks, explained the check in process, and drove us and our luggage to the room. Dinner at the Palm, Jason was great, making sure we were satisfied and refilling our drinks for us.|Food was delicious especially BBQ night at the Palms. The gym is a perfect size and enough equipment to workout with.|Only thing I suggest is a ice cream, over all 10/10.

Jolly Beach Resort, Antigua – A Caribbean Gem Jolly Beach Resort in Antigua stands as one of the island’s most iconic and well-known resorts, often recognized as the first and most mentioned by travelers worldwide. Situated on the stunning southwest coast of Antigua, it boasts a prime location along one of the island’s top three beaches. The long, powdery white sand stretch meets the crystal-clear waters of the Caribbean Sea, offering breathtaking views and unforgettable experiences. This budget-friendly resort is highly recommended by guests for its unbeatable combination of affordability, natural beauty, and relaxing atmosphere. The Resort itself is rated five stars for location, price, and scenic charm, making it a favorite among couples, families, and solo travelers alike. Guests can enjoy a range of amenities including jet skis, kayaks, beach chairs, and umbrellas, ensuring comfort and fun under the sun. Local vendors set up near the resort, offering authentic souvenirs and crafts that reflect the island’s culture. Additionally, nearby local restaurants serve up delicious Antiguan cuisine and international favorites. Whether you’re lounging on the beach, exploring the clear waters, or shopping from friendly local vendors, Jolly Beach Resort delivers an unforgettable Caribbean experience. Its reputation, value, and stunning surroundings continue to make it a top choice for visitors from around the world.

In general, I had a good time at the Jolly Resort. Best things there are the beach, plenty of shadow and space in any part of resort. The resort beautifully kept. Staff is very friendly. All rooms have a sea view. I liked white stones walls interior in the room and buildings. I was a solo, so, not perfectly closing door in the room was not bothering me and size of the room with spacious balcony was also good. More important that AC was working great. Unfortunately, there was only one place where I could charge the phone located high on the wall. The all-electrical switches were in bad condition, so my small travel kettle was broken on 3rd day. I had it to have a coffee in the room since you need to go for coffee outside which is inconvenient as first things in the morning for me. By the way coffee they have is literally awful, the worst I have ever had. They also do not have any kind of sparkling wine. But still I would really complain only about the food - this need to be improved. Breakfast and bakery food was ok. All other food was very poor in choices, no meat, small, strange chicken cuts. Pizza Factory restaurant is also no good, in spite they were trying to serve better. I found the great solution with food getting this at Coconut Grill - it was very good. You can comfortably eat on the 2nd floor at the hut under shadow with a lot of space, looking at the blue sea - that was a pleasure. So, except of the food and coffee all other things were very good. There were also a lot of fun at night with dancing, live music and singing. People of all ages were dancing and having fun. It was not boring at all in the evenings. In general, I still can say I had a pleasant time, and I would recommend Jolly beach resort, especially considering very budget price.

Rating: ★☆☆☆☆ (1 out of 5 — only because zero isn’t an option) Our experience at Jolly Beach in Antigua was extremely disappointing. The customer service was virtually nonexistent — unhelpful and inattentive. The food selection was very poor, and items frequently ran out with no effort to restock. To make matters worse, the cleanliness was unacceptable. Our blanket had visible mildew spots, and my husband had to kill small bugs in the room. That alone made it hard to feel comfortable. Even basic amenities were missing — we had no lotion or proper toiletries. When we requested lotion, we were told it wasn’t available. For a resort, that’s completely unacceptable. We only stayed one night, and that was more than enough. I absolutely do not recommend this place to anyone. It fell far below even basic standards of hospitality.

Real talk from an avid traveler. I have been all over the world and to many all inclusive destinations. I know we got a great deal on this last minute vacation getaway to Jolly Beach on what people would say a "beer budget". So my expectations weren't extremely high, I read the reviews, didn't see anything about bed bugs (super traumatized from past experiences), so I thought, let's try it. And we went with a group of family members.|The Pros:|The beach is absolutely phenomenal. It is that picture perfect, white sand beach with no seaweed anywhere and gorgeous sunsets. I could have lived on the beach every day. The food: It was decent for an all inclusive. I cannot complain about the food, it was pretty good. The Pool: Fantastic, I loved the swim up bar area and the music played at the pool every day. It was never crowded and you always got a seat, several seats for a family of 7.|The Cons:|You get what you pay for in the building condition. Jolly Beach is a very old building and it is really showing in the rooms. I felt like I was staying at a Super 8 motel or Roadway Inn. The handle to the bathroom sink fell off in my hand, the air-conditioning was broken and not working well (in 90 degree weather) so it made it very uncomfortable to sleep at night. They literally give you 2 towels and 2 pillows, barely a blanket to sleep with. It's bare bones on amenities in the room. You have a beautiful view from any room and a balcony, but don't expect much. Popcorn ceilings and walls if you see my picture.|The Service:|I always want to give people the benefit of the doubt. We tourists coming up in here taking all of the water resources of the island when locals have to rashion for water on the island. But it is not our fault that the government is run that way. People who worked at the resort were pretty nasty and uncomfortable to us. First day on arrival, I asked for pool towels when we arrived so that we could enjoy the pool. The woman at the front desk said "pool cabana is closed after 5pm", but the pool is open until 7pm. I had to beg for pool towels and she said that I should go to my room and use my own room towels (WTH). Luckily, a security guy opened up the cabana and brought me 4 towels. I shouldn't have to beg for towels at an all inclusive, especially when I have just arrived and the food was closed as well until 6:30pm (we checked in at 4pm). The people at the buffet also looked pissed off at you when you just walk up! The woman seating us looked as if we asked for her first born child when we asked to be seated at a table. I just don't understand the attitudes. If you don't want to work there, don't work there.|Restaurant Hours: This was very strange to me. There are about 3 restaurants on the premises that rotate breakfast, dinner and lunch hours. But it rotates every few days? Nothing is really open between 4-6:30pm (when most people check in) including the Beach Bar Grill with burgers and hot dogs and there is no room service option if you were starving for something after hours. Everything closes at 10pm. Only the Long bar was open until midnight.|Entertainment: It was almost non-existent on this resort. There is a band or a DJ that plays for a few hours from like 6-9pm at the long bar and that is it. It is 1 area and you are lucky to catch it after dinner.|Overall: I would recommend it to those seeking a vacation at minimal costs. College kids, families who just want a quick getaway, those on beer budgets. I would actually even consider coming back just for a quick time on the beach (because that beach was worth it). But I would set my expectations very low. Knowing what I am getting into. Jolly Beach, you have to spend money upgrading the resort buildings and infrastructure and fire your workers who are just angry at the world. Customer service is EVERYTHING at a resort and it is not the tourists fault for what the government is or isn't providing for you.