About this hotel
General information
Hermitage Bay is a small adults-only resort on the west coast of Antigua, set in a quiet cove in the parish of St Mary’s. Around 57 hectares of tropical gardens slope down a hillside to a white-sand beach, and its 31 free-standing villas sit either close to the water or higher up among the trees, looking out over the Caribbean. Each has its own entrance and a broad timber deck, and most come with a private pool.
Interiors pair natural wood, pale fabrics and island touches with a pared-back contemporary feel, and every villa has an outdoor shower. The spirit of the place is summed up by ‘Ubuntu’ – ‘I am because you are’ – and the team is largely local, with many staff here for more than a decade. A member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, the resort runs on an all-inclusive basis, and much of what reaches the kitchen grows in its own organic garden.
Location
The resort lies by the village of Jennings in St Mary’s parish, on Antigua’s Caribbean-facing west coast, around 30 minutes by car from St John’s. V. C. Bird International Airport (ANU) is roughly 45 minutes’ drive; for stays of three nights or more the hotel arranges a private transfer, and fast-track immigration can be organised on request. Barbuda is reached by boat or by helicopter in about 10–15 minutes.
Spa
The open-air Garden Spa sits among frangipani on the hillside above the sea, so treatments come with the sound of the waves and a sea breeze. It works with the skincare brand ESPA: massages, body scrubs and wraps, facials and longer signature rituals that combine several therapies. Treatments can also be taken in the villa, and ESPA products are sold in the spa boutique.
Sports & leisure
- Included – snorkelling, windsurfing, kayaking, paddleboarding, Hobie Cat and Sunfish sailing
- At extra cost – water-skiing and jet skis, deep-sea fishing for marlin, wahoo and barracuda, and skippered trips on the resort’s old schooner and motor boats: to Nelson’s Dockyard (a UNESCO World Heritage site), to hidden coves for snorkelling and swimming with stingrays, or to Barbuda for lunch at Nobu and Princess Diana Beach
- Complimentary morning Pilates, yoga and meditation on the Spa Deck overlooking the sea; private sessions in the Garden Spa at extra cost
- Fitness centre with Technogym cardio and strength equipment, plus personal training
- Weekly cooking demonstrations with the chefs, sushi demonstrations, organic garden tours with the gardeners and hiking
- Local farm tours with fruit tasting, historical tours of the island and scuba diving; golf on nearby championship courses and floodlit tennis courts with lessons
For children
The resort is designed for adults: teenagers are welcome from 14, though there are no dedicated programmes for them. Guests must be 18 or over to stay in a villa on their own, and some villas take a third guest aged 14–16 on a rollaway bed.
Restaurants & bars
Every venue is part of the all-inclusive plan; menus change daily and mix Antiguan cooking with international dishes.
- The Restaurant – the main dining room, with tables on a timber deck above the bay: Antiguan breakfasts of cinnamon toast and saltfish, dinners of crab cakes, curried goat and mahi-mahi
- Beach Club – a grill right on the sand serving lunches of lobster, fresh fish and meat to live calypso and soca
- Tree Bar – a beach bar built around the trunk of an old tree, with sunset sushi (by reservation) and the house rum punch
- Lounge Bar – the main bar above the pool: morning coffee, light bites by day, cocktails and local musicians in the evening
- A three-course dinner for two at the water’s edge and in-villa dining – at extra cost
The all-inclusive plan covers breakfast, lunch and dinner, afternoon snacks, canapés and sushi at cocktail hour, premium branded drinks and house wines, French Champagne (rosé or white) in winter and Prosecco in summer, and a minibar replenished daily. Deluxe brands, the full wine list, private dining and picnics are charged separately. Bed-and-breakfast rates are also offered, and there is no minimum stay.
Swimming
The resort opens onto the bay’s sandy beach, which runs for about 1.6 km; beaches in Antigua are public, but few outsiders find their way here. By the beach is a shared pool with white parasols and loungers, and most villas have pools of their own.
Rooms
The resort has 31 villas, each a stand-alone cottage with its own entrance: some sit on the beach or in the gardens by the sea, others on the hillside looking over the bay, with golf buggies running between them. Decks come with sun loungers, double daybeds and plantation chairs, and some with swings.
Every villa has a canopied king-size four-poster with a mosquito net, air conditioning and a ceiling fan, a desk, a separate wardrobe, a double vanity with a separate bath and shower, an outdoor shower, a TV, a safe, a coffee and tea maker, a hairdryer, a telephone, free Wi-Fi, a minibar replenished daily, turndown service and Champagne, fruit and pastries on arrival.
Hillside Ocean Pool Villa
A villa high on the hillside among the trees, with sweeping views over Hermitage Bay and a private pool screened by flowers. Roll-top bath, outdoor shower and a spacious deck with sun loungers and a double daybed.
Beachfront Villa
A split-level villa right on the white sand with direct beach access and sea views; a shaded deck with a daybed, many with a swing. Mosquito nets, ceiling fan and outdoor shower, close to the pool, beach bar and restaurants.
Beach Pool Villa
A split-level villa in tropical gardens a few steps from the beach, with a private pool and garden views that catch glimpses of the sea through the palms. King-size bed, a large veranda with a double daybed, a freestanding tub indoors and an outdoor shower set in greenery.
Hillside Garden Pool Villa
A villa on the hillside wrapped in dense garden planting, with garden views and a private pool, an easy walk from the main pool, restaurant and beach. Shaded deck with a daybed and chairs, and an outdoor shower.
Two Bedroom Villa
A secluded villa with its own garden entrance: two bedrooms with king-size four-posters plus a further king bedroom without an en-suite, a living room, a shaded terrace and a cedar-roofed jacuzzi pavilion with a sun deck. A timber-clad soaking tub beneath a garden window and an outdoor rain shower.
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.