Jolly Beach Resort & Spa

The beach, the sea and the views are the reason to come here, it’s beautiful here. We were greeted by friendly staff and delicious rum punch drinks on arrival, check in was quick and we were on our way to our room, we chose to stay on a higher floor because we don’t mind stairs and like the view from a higher floor. We could easily walk to the beach, restaurants and pool. ( I wouldn’t recommend this for older persons who cannot easily climb stairs ) But they do have ground floor rooms. This beach is beautiful, perfect for long beach walks and a very relaxing environment. I do think they could add more of the in water rings that you can lay in and relax, because those do get busy and people tend to stay in them for hours at a time. I would also suggest having pool noodles and other items guests can enjoy during the day at the pool. ( no one wants to buy these items because you can’t take them with you) There are plenty of loungers and built in shade shelters, we never felt like we had to fight with others for a spot on the beach. ( which is the worst feeling when your trying to enjoy your vacation ) There are two pools, one shallow pool, the quiet pool for a cool down and reading area. Then there is the main pool with a swim up bar, fountain, hot tub, volleyball area and a restaurant right at the pool. The pool restaurant offers a few hot options during the day if you don’t want to leave the beach area for lunch at the buffet. The one thing I would recommend is that they offer fresh fruit as well at this restaurant because it would elevate the experience. The beach bar is busy, but the staff are friendly and service is fairly quick. I would bring a travel drink container with a lid ( Stanley Cup) so you can avoid getting sand in your drinks on windy days. Breakfast was definitely our favourite meal and they had omlet and pancake stations at the buffet to order yours with the toppings of your choice. My honest opinion is that if you came for the beach, you will love Jolly Beach!

Our 7th visit and again we had a truly wonderful stay at this Jolly Hotel. We had been for three weeks in December and when we got home to the miserable weather in England we decided to return for another three weeks and also celebrate a Birthday. |The views from the rooms look out on that ever changing sea with shades of turquoise and azure blues. It is wonderful to swim in the warm waters and the long beach is definitely the best on the island. |At 8am in the morning when going for our swim in the big pool the beach was almost empty except for someone from Security and a local.|One of us is Vegetarian and no problem with the choice of food, and with a live cooking Station also. We wish the outdoor kitchen by the Swimming Pool Bar served sandwiches as the choice is mainly meat burgers, chicken wings, etc., although there is a Veggie Burger with chips and salad. It is nice to be able to stay in swimwear and have lunch instead of getting ready for the long walk to the restaurant.|From the General Manager to all the other staff we have always found them very pleasant and helpful. Need to remember that they are actually working and sometimes things don't go right, and being polite to them helps. We see staff who have been there years and a few from Cocobay where we went twenty times.|Our room had a lovely view and was very clean. Room towels are available daily if you need them but we are well aware of the water shortages locals experience so don't change ours every day as we are clean when we get out of the shower and they dry quickly outside on the rack. Same with the sheets on the bed. |Evening entertainment varies and we heard an amazing male singer one evening. |Meals can be taken Inside the restaurant or outside. |So looking forward to our next longer trip in a few days time.

The room we had was small (supersaver) but as we only showered and slept there it didn't matter- complimentary toiletries supplied. It was ground floor and had a lovely patio with views of garden down to the beach - beautiful sunsets every night. The beach is amazing - one of the best on the island. The 2 pools are great with plenty of beds and sunshades. The buffet food was lovely, fresh made omlettes for breakfast and different themed buffets in the evening. The snack bar by the pool was great during the day. Make sure to visit Pizza Factory a la carte dining. The cocktail menus were endless, so much choice. Only downside - I've gained half a stone. I would recommend but don't expect luxury.

Kind and friendly staff. Property is dated. Rooms are very small and it didn’t come with a fridge. We didn’t choose house keeping option because you had to pay an extra fee. Food choices are limited in options and times. The pools were nice and the beach was beautiful. The spa was shut down for maintenance. The water was completely shut off during parts of the day and other times the cold water worked but not the hot water. This was a huge inconvenience because we couldn’t shower and use the toilet. There was not a huge crowd so I didn’t understand why the water was so impacted. The onsite gift shop was very bare and what they did have was so over priced. I enjoyed the greenery and flowers, it was well kept. Live entertainment was not available every day. Everything shuts down at 11pm. So there were no night life options on the property. Shuttle service to and from the airport is not included.

Great value for money! Staff were all lovely, really hard working people! The room I was in was basic but very clean, and the bed was so comfy! Considering I spent hardly any time I'm the room it was perfect! Location is amazing - it's right on the beach front, I could walk from my room to the sea in less than 2 minutes. Tea and coffee and water seemed to be available at all hours. There was pretty much always a bar open for drinks, and the swim up pool bar was pretty cool. Different food options were available at lunch time (and some dinner times). Some reviews say the food is bad but it really wasn't! There was so much choice, and each night the themes were different, e.g., bbq, indian, Italian, carribean, etc. But it's worth noting carribean food was available during each meal if you want to immerse yourself into the island's foods. Sun loungers were always available, kayaks and paddleboards available in 30 min slots, but you can do multiple bookings in a day (it just depends on demand, but demand was very low). Considering the all inclusive nature, comfy beds, cleanliness, and staff attentiveness, not to mention the location, it's great value! As a young solo female, I felt very safe which was great. Reception was manned at all hours, and security was posted down on the boarder between the beach and pool. Rooms had air con and a fan, which kept me nice and cool whenever I was in the room. A tour desk is available on-site and beach towels & bag are provided.||What I will say is this isn't really a party hotel - if you're looking for on-site nightlife (anything after 11pm), this probably isn't the place for you. Bare in mind it is budget friendly - it isn't 5 star, but it exceeded my expectations by far considering some of the reviews I've read on here.||A few tips that would make the resort instantly 5x better: |- Resort could benefit from is timetabled activities, e.g., beach yoga class, beach/pool water aerobics, beach volleyball, tennis sessions you could just show up to and play with whoever else shows up, or even a designated slot for games (could make use of the pool tables/facilities on site, cards, etc) - that would really boost what the resort has to offer, and will make it even easier to settle in and meet people. |- it would be great to have a broom in the room or some brooms in a communal space that could be borrowed, so that it would be possible to sweep the sand in the rooms, as I had to wipe my feet down before putting on sandals or getting into bed - I tried to wipe it down with the floor/hand towel, but it seems like poor use of a fresh white towel.||A few minors:|- If you are a young, single female, be prepared for some attention from a couple of the younger local guys - they can be a bit pushy, but most of them are lovely - the younger guys might try their luck, but I still felt safe as I met quite a few people (the long bar layout made it easy to meet people). Just have your wits about you, that's all!|- Mosquitos! I don't think I saw or heard any, but I got a lot of bites. However, I dont think this is necessarily down to the resort itself, I think its the nature of travelling abroad to a hot, exotic location, and depends on your blood type - they just seemed to love me. Definitely recommend bringing spray!|- No mini fridge or kettle is available in the rooms; however, I have to say this really didn't bother me, as coffee/tea was readily available a few flights of steps away whenever I wanted it (the earliest I headed out was probably 6.30, and it was available already). Also, bars are open long hours, and iced water dispensers are available at a number of locations at all hours, so I didn't feel like I needed a fridge.||These are minors though - I will definitely return!! ||The electricity might knock out here and there, but I noticed that seemed to happen all over the island when I was out on excursions. Water was out temporarily in the room once while I was there (as some maintenance was being completed), but that was in the middle of the day when everyone is usually out of their rooms enjoying the island.||Wish I'd booked to stay on a few more days, as a week didn't feel like enough! :) yes the rooms/ bathrooms and interior dining room is a bit outdated, but it's all clean and perfect for a budget friendly holiday that won't break the bank. If you are planning to spend a lot of time in your room, then I would strongly recommend you just stay at home and save your money, because the amazing location will be wasted on you.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ Overall – A Great 3-Star Stay on a Fantastic Beach|Jolly Beach Resort in Antigua gets mixed reviews, but after staying there ourselves, we can honestly say it’s a lovely hotel in an absolutely unbeatable location. The beach is stunning, the sea is beautiful for swimming, and the pool area is fantastic with plenty of sun beds available.||The staff are genuinely wonderful—friendly, helpful, and always smiling. The food is very good as well; while it’s not gourmet, there’s always something tasty to suit your preferences. The bar and evening entertainment are excellent and add a fun atmosphere to the resort.||The rooms themselves are definitely dated, but they’re very clean and the beds are extremely comfortable. You will need to look after some of the tidying yourself, and room towels are changed on request, but none of this bothered us. The air conditioning is fantastic, and what’s really impressive is that you don’t even need it on at night—the rooms stay naturally cool, which must be down to the building design.||At the end of the day, this is a 3-star resort at a 3-star price, and if you’re like us and don’t mind making your own tea and coffee or keeping your room tidy, you’ll find plenty to enjoy. After all, with such a gorgeous beach and pool area, why spend your time in the room anyway?||We also met several returning guests who stay year after year—and after our experience, we can see why. We would definitely stay at Jolly Beach Resort again.

When we arrived to check in we were charged 168 US Dollars for tourists tax for 2 people for 1 week. We were then informed that they wanted another 200 Dollars US as a deposit, Wow!!! Then upon reading the small print I realised that if you wanted your room cleaned it would be another 10 Dollars US a day, not a good start for a so called all-inclusive holiday. During our stay most of the staff were really nice but unfortunately some are really rude and don't deserve to be working in hospitality. We liked the food, especially the burgers by the swimming pool. The rooms are very basic with a small double bed which to be honest was very comfortable. The best thing this hotel has going for it is location, the beach here and scenery are world class to say the least. The hotel swimming pool is also very good. Be warned that from Dusk until Dawn and some you will be attacked endlessly by mosquitos, they especially like ankles. Plenty of spray and bracelets mostly does the trick

Excellent value for money - staff are all very friendly and accommodating. Rooms are basic but clean, and the beds are comfy so you will sleep well which is the main thing! Beach is right on the doorstep and there is an outside bar/ pool bar. The food is actually quite decent - way better than I originally thought it would be, which is great! Its close to rhe harbour and supermarket too, in case you want to venture out. Really enjoyed my stay here and will definitely return :)