About this hotel
General information
Carlisle Bay wraps around a horseshoe-shaped bay of white sand and turquoise water on the south-west coast of Antigua, with slopes of untouched rainforest rising directly behind it. The setting shapes the whole resort, a member of The Leading Hotels of the World known for understated luxury and an easy, genuinely Caribbean warmth.
All 87 rooms are suites, with floor-to-ceiling windows and generous terraces or balconies furnished with daybeds. Interiors are light and quiet, with bespoke furniture, hand-carved details and local artwork that bring the island's heritage and landscape indoors. Beyond the suites lie four restaurants and four bars, CARA Spa, five tennis courts and two pickleball courts, a yoga pavilion, a water sports centre, a library and a private screening room. The adults-only Bay Suites sit at the quietest end of the beach, while families have kids' clubs and suites with separate bedrooms.
Location
The resort lies by the village of Old Road in the parish of St Mary, on Antigua's south-west, Caribbean-facing coast. V. C. Bird International Airport (ANU) is about 21 km away, roughly 40 minutes by car. The Simply All Inclusive plan includes fast-track assistance at the airport on arrival and departure, and Bay Suite stays of four nights or more include return private airport transfers.
Spa
CARA Spa (also styled CARA Organic Spa) offers facials, deeply restorative massages and holistic therapies, and with the Irish brand GROUND Wellbeing a series of rituals aimed at sleep, stress relief, hormonal balance and skin health. Guests have a sauna, experience showers, a chill-out area with herbal tea after treatments, and a beauty salon for manicures, pedicures, waxing and hairstyling. The spa also runs regular yoga classes, personalised health retreats, private yoga and Pilates sessions and personal training.
Sports & leisure
- Complimentary non-motorised water sports from the beach: kayaking, sailing, windsurfing, paddleboarding, snorkelling and raft-building, with tuition and equipment
- Motorised water sports in a neighbouring cove to keep the bay quiet: waterskiing, wakeboarding and tubing (charged)
- Scuba diving with Indigo Divers: daily dives for beginners and experienced divers, courses in Carlisle Bay, and pick-up from the resort for certified divers
- Five tennis courts, four of them floodlit, and two pickleball courts; equipment is provided and complimentary tennis clinics are part of the weekly programme
- An air-conditioned fitness centre with Technogym equipment next to the spa, an open-air workout pavilion, and a yoga pavilion in a quiet corner of the gardens for group and private yoga and Pilates from sunrise to sunset
- Charters on the resort's FJORD36 motor yacht: snorkelling at Cades Bay, sunset cruises and half-day trips with a beach picnic
- A 45-seat screening room with blue Italian leather seats for movie nights, a library, the Bay Boutique and guided rainforest walks
- Further afield: hiking trails including Mount Obama, the Antigua Art Trail, Stingray City, a rainforest zip line, horse riding near English Harbour, kitesurfing, helicopter tours over Antigua, Montserrat and Barbuda, and the giant Aldabra tortoises of Laviscount Island
For children
Kids' clubs run by qualified childcare staff are open daily from 9am to 12pm and 1pm to 4pm: Cool Kids Beginners for ages 2–3, Cool Kids Club for ages 4–7 and Crew Blue Club for ages 8–12. Babysitting is available for little ones from six months to two years. OTTIMO! has its own Little Ottimo! children's menu, the beach suites have a separate twin bedroom for children, and cots are provided on request. The Bay Suites are for adults over 18 only, and The Jetty Grill welcomes guests aged 13 and over.
Restaurants & bars
The kitchens work with local produce and ingredients from the chef's own garden, and afternoon tea is served daily on the house.
- Indigo on the Beach — Mediterranean cooking with a Caribbean accent in an open-sided room and terrace that run onto the sand; breakfast, lunch and sunset dinners, with a barbecue night on Thursdays
- East — Japanese, Thai and Indonesian dishes behind tall carved Indonesian doors, in a dark-wood and red interior
- OTTIMO! — relaxed Italian by the pool: wood-fired pizza, antipasti, salads and gelato
- The Jetty Grill — Caribbean grill overlooking the jetty, for guests aged 13 and over; local singer-songwriters perform by the fire pit on Friday evenings
- Pavilion Bar — a bright lounge at the heart of the resort beside East and the pool, from morning cappuccino to pre-dinner cocktails
- Indigo Bar — open to the beach, with rattan chairs, fruit punches, cocktails and wine
- The Coconut Grove — a secluded spot on a quiet stretch of sand behind the main beach, under palms and tiki torches
- The Jetty Bar — on the sand by the jetty, with a fire pit made from an old copper once used to boil cane juice
- In-room dining, including breakfast in the suite
Alongside room-only and bed-and-breakfast rates, the resort offers the Simply All Inclusive plan: full breakfast, a three-course lunch at Indigo on the Beach, OTTIMO! or The Jetty Grill, afternoon tea, and a three-course dinner from the à la carte menus of any of the four restaurants, plus drinks including cocktails, spirits, beers, soft drinks and wines by the glass. Premium spirits and wines are charged separately. The plan also covers non-motorised water sports, tennis and pickleball, the gym, the kids' clubs, the pool and guided rainforest walks.
Swimming
The resort has its own white-sand beach along the calm horseshoe of Carlisle Bay; ground-floor beach suites open straight onto the sand, and the Bay Suites occupy its most secluded end. Behind the main beach is a second, quieter stretch of sand by The Coconut Grove. There is also a large free-form swimming pool.
Rooms
The resort has 87 suites of 68 to 150 m², from suites for two to three-bedroom family suites. All have floor-to-ceiling windows onto the sea or the tropical gardens, a terrace or balcony with a daybed, and calm contemporary tropical décor with bespoke furniture and local artwork.
Every suite has complimentary bottled water, a stocked minibar, an espresso machine, a hairdryer, bathrobes, bath products, turndown service, express overnight laundry and dry cleaning, a smart TV with secure streaming, complimentary Wi-Fi and afternoon tea.
Bay Suite
An adults-only (18+) split-level suite at the most secluded end of the beach, with direct beach access, an open-plan bedroom and lounge, a king-size four-poster bed and a marble bathroom with a freestanding tub, double vanity and rain shower. In-suite check-in, a personal bar and a Service Ambassador; stays of four nights or more add a personal concierge and private airport transfers. Two adults.
Ocean Suite
A split-level, open-plan suite with wide views of the Caribbean Sea, limestone floors and a marble bathroom with a freestanding tub and separate rain shower. King-size four-poster bed for two adults plus one child of any age; suites can interconnect.
Garden Suite
A split-level, open-plan suite opening onto tropical gardens, in earthy tones with natural stone and timber, and a marble bathroom with a freestanding tub and separate rain shower. King-size four-poster bed, up to three guests including children of any age; suites can interconnect.
Windward Carlisle Suite
A category of two individually named oceanfront suites, Rendezvous Bay Suite and Signal Hill Suite, each with interiors inspired by an Antiguan place. Each has three en-suite bedrooms (two king, one twin), a large open-plan sitting area and an L-shaped terrace over the bay; butler service, up to six guests.
Leeward Carlisle Suite
A category of two individually named oceanfront suites, Fig Tree Drive Suite and Great Bird Island Suite, each with interiors inspired by an Antiguan place. Each has three en-suite bedrooms (two king, one twin), an open-plan sitting area, a large terrace above the sea and a private kitchen; butler service.
Signature Beach Balcony Suite
On the upper level of the beachfront collection: a king-bedded master bedroom open to the lounge and a beach-facing balcony with daybeds and outdoor dining, plus a second bedroom with two twin beds at the rear. Up to four guests (maximum two adults and two children); cots on request.
Signature Beach Terrace Suite
At ground level, with a terrace that steps straight onto the sand, furnished with daybeds and a dining area; the king-bedded master bedroom flows into the lounge, with a twin-bedded second bedroom at the rear. Up to four guests (maximum two adults and two children); cots on request.
Classic Beach Balcony Suite
A two-bedroom suite on the upper floor with sea views: a king-bedded master bedroom, a twin-bedded second bedroom and a balcony with a daybed and outdoor dining area. Up to four guests (two adults and two children); cots on request.
Classic Beach Terrace Suite
A two-bedroom family suite on the ground floor with direct beach access: a king-bedded master bedroom, a twin-bedded second bedroom and a terrace with a daybed and outdoor dining area. Up to four guests (two adults and two children); cots on request.
Photos are for illustrative purposes only. Actual room layout, furnishings, décor, views and amenities may differ from those shown and may vary between rooms of the same category. Hotel and room descriptions are based on information provided by the property and are believed to be accurate at the time of publication, but are not guaranteed. The hotel may renovate or change its rooms, facilities, restaurants and services at any time without notice. The final details of your stay are confirmed at the time of booking. See our Terms of Use.