Royalton Antigua, An Autograph Collection All-Inclusive Resort

My wife and I booked the Chairman’s Overwater Bungalow Diamond Club package at the Royalton Antigua Autograph Collection Resort to celebrate our 10 year wedding anniversary. We wanted it to be special and we had the experience of a lifetime. The overwater bungalow experience was exactly as advertised and we were happy and relieved to see that this place looked just as it did in the online pictures - even better actually. It is really breathtaking. We were in bungalow 6 which is the last one at the end of the bungalows, so we had probably the best view and a little more privacy. The room was incredible and had everything we needed. TV, AC, 2 showers, large bedroom, glass floor in the living room, a little kitchenette, fully stocked soft drinks, beers, and top shelf booze. The deck is where we spent most of our time - in our plunge pool, on the hammocks, in the beach chairs, and we would take dips in the sea water when we felt like it. What made this trip even better was the friendly and warm service from our butlers Earl and Zo. These guys are incredible! I can’t say enough about them both. They were super friendly, very knowledgeable and accommodating, and easy to communicate with, usually via WhatsApp. They would come check on us throughout the day, but never too much as to interfere with our alone time. Anything we needed, they were there to help. They booked all of our dinners, arranged mixology sessions, romantic in room dinners, drew us a warm sunset bath in our room, took care of room service for us, got us life jackets, booked a private cabana on the beach for us, and so much more that I’m probably forgetting already. Earl and Zo, thank you guys so much for your incredible hospitality. You both made this trip exceptional and stress free. We didn’t have to lift a finger. They really took care of us and if you have the pleasure of meeting these gentlemen, consider yourselves lucky. Top notch and class acts all the way! Also deserving of a shout out are our maids, Nekita and Sashalee. Like Earl and Zo, both were very friendly and helpful throughout the trip. Our rooms were always clean and kept in immaculate condition. They were very nice to talk to and get to know. The only downside to the resort was the food. We didn’t leave our bungalow very often but when we did, we found the rest of the resort underwhelming. The food was decent but nothing great. The steakhouse was probably the best restaurant, followed by the Caribbean one. The Sports Bar (Score) was cool but didn’t blow us away. We didn’t go in the pool much since we had our own. The cabana experience was nice, our servers were great (we didn’t get their names). The beach is beautiful and never too crowded, so that’s a plus. The water is crystal clear and picturesque. The buffet was average and there was a coffee shop/cafe that was nice. So overall, this is a decent resort. Not amazing but not bad either. We had the privilege of the Overwater Bungalow package so our experience was different than those staying in the main resort area, so we can’t speak too much on that. If we had just booked the regular all inclusive deal, I might’ve given this resort a 3 out of 5. But the Overwater Bungalow experience was incredible and the service we got from Earl and Zo, Nekita and Sashalee was what made our trip truly amazing. If you are able to, I would highly recommend booking the Overwater Bungalow package. You won’t be sorry. Read less

This hotel is in a beautiful location on one of the best beaches I’ve been to in the Caribbean. The hotel overall does need some updating but the resort grounds are clean and well maintained. Was concerned by the initial reviews as alot of negativity written. And made contact before our trip and initially had no response so it led us to think some of the reviews were accurate. However when we finally did get responses to our emails and requests these were dealt with promptly and professionally with a special thanks Matika and kelesha who helped with our email correspondents but always welcoming and helpful upon our arrival. They went above and beyond to assist us with our requirements making sure we had the room choice was met. The hotel is not perfect but our experience was a real positive one. We upgraded to diamond club and would highly recommend. Both our butlers Coniah and Shauna were excellent and made our stay so enjoyable taking care of restaurant reservations and birthday Celebrations. Food and drink were all adequate and we all enjoyed the meals we had at the restaurants. There could be more restaurants as could see many seemed to have difficulties getting bookings. Some items food and drink were not available but did really affect us. We also had breakfast and lunch in the buffet restaurants. The Cafe was very good and great to visit for coffee, ice cream or post meal dessert. The staff we encountered were all friendly and willing to do what they could for especially the guys waiting around the pool and beach. Always polite and friendly, Read less

Firstly this is a tired hotel complex that could do with a good overhaul, especially the swimming pool tiles missing all over the place in the pool also cracked paving on the ground. Albeit the whole pool area is kept very clean and the upkeep of the surrounding grounds is superb. Didn't use the beach but looked beautiful just not a sandy beach person. The rooms were actually very spacious and kept clean no problems, if any occurred our butler was there to sort it. We did use the Ala Carte restaurants for evening meals and had lovely meals in all restaurants. We did use the Buffet for breakfast and Flies are a big problem, the food is not covered at all and felt with no Electric Fly Zappers in the building, I felt uncomfortable eating anything uncovered, also I witnessed a staff member double dip a spoon into a drink to test it, I immediately walked away. The staff were hit and miss if in good moods, how they treated you, many eye rolls just for asking for a drinks at the bar, running out of Straws daily, and no chocolate sauce for Mudslides, and many others waiting too long 30 mins sat at bar not good. Big shout out to Coco and Conroy our Butlers who made our stay wonderful. Read less

The Good Let’s begin with what truly saved the trip. First, the weather was absolutely beautiful—sunny skies, warm breezes, and the kind of tropical climate you hope for when booking a getaway. But more than the weather, it was the incredible butlers, Brandon and Shanice, who went above and beyond. Their attentiveness, professionalism, and care added a layer of comfort and enjoyment that was otherwise missing throughout the stay. A special thanks to Shanice for recommending a wonderful restaurant to celebrate our 33rd wedding anniversary. It was one of the few places where both the service and food exceeded expectations. Additionally, the excursion to Shirley’s was genuinely enjoyable and gave us a glimpse of the area’s charm—even if the 40-minute drive there was long, rough, and very uncomfortable. The Bad While the hotel structure wasn’t terrible, there were clear signs of neglect and disinterest. The cleaning crew appeared disengaged—we had to call to have certain areas cleaned again, which should not happen at a resort of this level. The food was overwhelmingly average, with few dishes standing out. For a place that markets itself as a luxury experience, the culinary execution fell short. Most disappointingly, getting anywhere was a struggle. The roads around the area were in very poor condition—shockingly bad for a place so dependent on tourism. Each trip to and from the resort was jarring, uncomfortable, and at times felt unsafe. The Ugly Sadly, the staff experience overshadowed much of the trip, and not in a good way. It became abundantly clear that many employees dislike their jobs—their attitudes ranged from indifferent to outright rude. Requests were met with eye rolls, long sighs, or flat refusals. “We’re out” or “We don’t have that” became the go-to phrases, even when the item in question was visible or easily accessible. It felt as if staff were trained to discourage guests from making reasonable requests. Worse yet, management seemed powerless—or unwilling—to correct these behaviors. Despite tipping generously, there was no improvement in attentiveness or attitude. At every turn, we were met with a lack of basic hospitality. We've stayed at many resorts, and this was by far the worst in terms of staff interaction and attentiveness. As for the dining experience, the outdoor restaurants were rendered unusable due to a disturbing overpopulation of stray cats. Staff seemed resigned to the problem, claiming, “Guests feed them,” as a justification for inaction. And while I understand the presence of bugs in tropical settings, the fly situation here was extreme. At times, it felt like the flies wee served first. We’ve visited other tropical resorts where pest control is clearly a priority. Here, it simply wasn’t. This was a trip of stark contrasts. The weather and two outstanding butlers offered glimpses of what the experience could have been. Unfortunately, the overwhelming sense of staff apathy, average food, poor infrastructure, and lack of basic hospitality made this one of the most disappointing resorts stays we've ever had. We came to celebrate a special milestone. Thankfully, Brandon and Shanice made that part memorable, but the rest of the experience left much to be desired. We hope you guys will strive to do better. Read less