Galley Bay Resort and Spa - All Inclusive

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

4699 reviews

• 

  A beautiful place we’ve loved – but not quite the same this time

  We’ve just returned from our third visit to Galley Bay, a resort we’ve previously adored. While we still had a lovely, relaxing week in this stunning setting, we left with mixed feelings and, sadly, some doubts about returning for a fourth time. The Positives: Galley Bay remains an island paradise. The beach is absolutely beautiful; immaculate, peaceful, and perfect for swimming every day. We loved having our own sun loungers right on the beach, and there were always plenty of sunbeds and towels available. The sunsets were spectacular, and the grounds are breathtaking, filled with tropical flowers and well-maintained gardens. We stayed in Room 11, a single-storey superior beachfront at the end of the block. It was gorgeous, with the added bonus of a private side patio and rocking chairs—a perfect spot for morning coffee or sunset watching. Housekeeping was efficient, and the in-room fridge was restocked daily. Most of the food was very good, and the spa experience was excellent; the treatment and the spa staff were both top-notch. Galley Bay continues to be a wonderful choice for total relaxation. The Negatives: That said, we couldn’t help but feel a general decline in the overall atmosphere compared to our previous visits. Perhaps it’s the low season, but the service felt noticeably less warm and attentive than before. On past trips (one also in August), we never felt this level of disengagement from staff. While not everyone was indifferent, the overall vibe seemed more lacklustre than we remembered. Not all restaurants were open daily during our stay, which was a bit disappointing and limits the meal options significantly. Fortunately, we did get to enjoy a lovely meal at Ismay’s for the repeat guests’ dinner. We also had an issue with the bed in our room, it was far too soft and uncomfortable, making sleep difficult. When we raised it with guest services, we were told it was a brand new mattress, and a topper was added, which helped a little. While action was taken, we were made to feel awkward for bringing it up, which was a shame, especially as we’ve always slept so well here in the past. Additionally, the bathroom was starting to show signs of wear and could benefit from some refurbishment. The coffee shop was another small let-down. We never managed to get a proper iced latte, and on more than one occasion they were undrinkable (including one made by simply adding ice cubes to a hot latte). One other unfortunate downside was the persistent noise from jet skis on some days, coming from a nearby resort. While this isn’t under Galley Bay’s control, the constant revving up and down the waterway just off the beach disrupted the peaceful atmosphere the resort is known for. At times, they came uncomfortably close to swimmers and snorkellers, which was both noisy and potentially dangerous. In Conclusion: We still have a deep affection for Galley Bay. The location is magical; stepping out onto the beach from your room is something truly special. But for the high price point, we left feeling a little disappointed this time around. As much as it pains us to say it, we may need to explore somewhere new next time.

  Aug 17, 2025
• 

  anniversary

  This was to celebrate our wedding anniversary and although quite expensive we did our research and decided to go with Galley Bay. Really wished we hadn't. This is difficult to write as the resort itself was outstanding. The views and the grounds were beautiful beyond words. The sunset from the Teepee bar every night could not be missed and we would go early to enjoy a drink and just watch the sun go down. The gardeners do an amazing job as do the cleaners. The resort was immaculate. The beach was stunning and had some of the best snorkeling we have ever had and we have travelled! Some of the staff were brilliant and really interesting to talk to. That's about it for the good, I'm afraid. We stayed in the Gaugin suits. Absolutely cute and very Tolkien! However, the maintenance was terrible and had a lot of faults. Not good enough for the price. They did offer to move us but we couldn't be bothered to re pack and move again when the faults should have been picked up before we arrived. We just tended to stay more by the main pool. Will give a couple of examples but seriously not interested in doing the managers jobs for them. Outside pool had missing tiles and the hand rail moved as you tried to step in or out. The outside shower was full of limescale and obviously not been used in a while. Hairdryer was worst I have ever come across [take your own]. The list of faults could go on and on.......! The main criticism is not getting what we paid for. The TUI website and Galley Bay site boasts about the restaurants, rum shack and barbecues...... Forget them. We were told that they were under occupied so therefore they only opened some restaurants some of the time and you are constantly checking a sheet that they give you to see when the restaurants are actually open and then you have the palaver of booking the restaurants !! Food was only average and on a couple of occasions food was under cooked or even worse dried beyond redemption. Is Ismay's worth the extra charge...not in our opinion!!!! We did have the lobster and that was a real disappointment, not quite cooked towards the tail and the rest was dry. It is shocking that you are told what to expect, pay a lot of money for that to then not have the package.......outrageous!! Service was so hit and miss that you never knew what was happening from day to day! one minute you had to go and get your drinks from the bar and then they had staff doing your orders from the pool area for you !! consistency was terrible, on a couple of occasions there was only one person on the bar all day managing the bar, pool area, beach area and then lunch orders. Staff attitude was dreadful and this includes guest services [being sighed at when you have a simple question is not great]. Some were lovely and tried so hard but then you had to deal with some of the rudest staff I have ever come across. In all our travels this has never been an issue before and we were shocked at how we were responded to [or not!] and how we witnessed other guests being spoken to. Do not bother pressing the call button that goes to the bar...it goes unanswered most of the time. Why were the call buttons by the pool checked but you ignored the bits of crab that had been there for 3 days [including stepping over them??} Management is the biggest issue here. Stop walking around and ingratiating yourself with guests and start managing the site! You say you are under occupied so get out there check the accommodation, walk around and look for things that are out of place, need removing and /or changing. Would we recommend Galley Bay?? NO.. save your money and spend it somewhere where you actually get the package you are buying/paying into without the dreadful attitude.

  Aug 14, 2025
• 

  Wonderful Resort… But Unexpectedly “Unwelcome” After 17 Years

  We have always considered Elite Island Resorts to be among the very best in the Caribbean. This was our second visit to Galley Bay, and what was already good became excellent. The location is breathtaking, and the staff are among the warmest and most professional in Antigua. From management to housekeeping, activities, pool staff, bar, and restaurant teams, the service is consistently outstanding. The cuisine is exceptional, and the overall resort experience is truly first-class. As loyal guests for over 17 year, spending more than £250,000 on over 20 visits across their Caribbean properties we were completely shocked to receive a personal email from the CEO when trying to book a return visit to Galley Bay in 2026. Not only was that booking refused, but he also authorised the cancellation of our October 2025 reservation at Hammock Cove (Antigiua) , with no explanation other than a brief note from our booking agent saying that out booking had been cancelled. We also received an email for the COO saying that they strongly believe that our resorts offer guests a wonderful all-inclusive island experience, and the vast majority of our guests have a terrific time with us. That being said, there is no one size fits all when it comes to holiday travel, and no single resort or resort group is perfect for everyone. To that end, we simply feel that our resorts are not the best fit for your future holidays… We wish you the very best with your future travels—even though those travels will not include our resorts. After years of loyalty, this response left us stunned. In my personal opinion, Elite Island Resorts might be engaging in some form of customer profiling, possibly using social media, and if you don’t fit their preferred profile, you might suddenly find yourself uninvited to return. That said, I cannot fault the quality of their resorts, as they are truly first-class.

  Aug 10, 2025
• 

  The beauty of the place was as good as it got

  Galley Bay is beautiful to look at and most staff was very nice. But, my experience was terrible. I waited weeks to write this review as management had reached out to me and said they would get in touch with me that week to right their wrong and all now I have not heard from them and my stay was almost a month ago. I am a local and I am not sure if that contributed to my treatment. I am not sure if the hotel has quick turnover but it seems like different staff have different views on policies. If I knew some of the policies I would not stay there. And when i told management I kept being told different policies, I was talked down and the hotel never held accountability. Until the end when they said they would right their wrong and never did. I also told them about my diet, which is very limited and they did not seem to consider that at all. I came with intentions to make content to show off the hotel and get away as work was very stressful so I paid big money to get away. I left even more stressed than I was, got spoken to disrespectfully by management (even though most of the staff was lovely), I was hungry most evenings due to my diet restrictions not being paid attention to and overall no reach out as promised to right their wrong. I am sure a tourist would get better treatment staying here as I have visited a tourist here and can automatically see the treatment was better but as a local I would highly recommend not to go. I staycation often in Antigua and this was by far the worst treatment I’ve gotten at a staycation. I was hoping they would reach out to me to right their wrong but clearly they had no interest on doing so. Like I said before, beautiful aesthetic but I would not recommend otherwise.

  Aug 09, 2025
• 

  Best Honeymoon Ever! Just book it!

  This resort is 5 stars. After being a little worried we were too young to honeymoon here, all I can say is don’t worry, just book it!! Everything at this resort is out of this world, from the food, to the beach, to the spa, to the employees. The food here is the best food I’ve ever had. We never had a bad meal. They are very accommodating if you are picky eaters, like we are. We loved their caesar salad and they made it for us several times when it wasn’t even on the menu. Every dinner was fantastic, always a good option. We also loved barefoot grill for lunch. Their burgers and fries are delicious! I do think our favorite meal was breakfast, especially the banana bread!! I’m still dreaming about it. Their breakfast “Galley Bay Potatoes” too! Omg so good. The drinks were delicious and strong. I’m still dreaming of the “fantasy” drink of the day. I should have gotten the recipe. There was beach service. Make friends with him and he will come back! Make sure to bring your cups, they will fill them up! The beach was beautiful, blue, and calm. We spent lots of time snorkeling the reef and the sunken ship. So many fish! The water sport boys are so fun! Bring floats to relax in too! We stayed in a premium beachfront room. It was clean, huge, and so cute! The housekeepers do an amazing job. It stayed spotless. Our favorite thing ever was turndown service. We loved the bed notes. We did struggle with all the light switches and fan remotes, but you do eventually figure it out. The rooms really are as big as they look. Lastly, the spa was spectacular. Definitely opt for an outdoor couples massage. It wasn’t hot at all, as the fan was blasting! We both wanted to get another one! To end our amazing, perfect week, we got to watch sea turtles hatch on our last night. This was the most amazing experience. I hope everyone gets to meet Ashton and hear his story. We were so sad to leave but are counting down the days until we can return. We love Galley Bay!!

  Aug 06, 2025