Hermitage Bay

Rooms and decor

Picture a resort tucked away on a quiet bay on Antigua's west coast that you could once reach only by speedboat — that is Hermitage Bay, the adults-only luxury resort that Conde Nast Traveler voted World's Best Hotel in 2023. Spread across the slope and the beach are just 30 suites, a deliberately small number so every couple feels like they have a private island. Each suite mixes a Balinese and Caribbean look — high thatched roofs, dark wood floors, clean white linen, a big king bed facing the sea, and a part-open-air bathroom that lets in the breeze and the sound of the waves. The key detail is that every suite comes with its own private plunge pool on its wooden deck. You choose between a Hillside Suite up on the slope with a wide sea view, or a Beachfront Suite a few steps from the sand. Plenty of reviews say walking in for the first time feels like stepping into a magazine — nothing more than it needs, everything clean and calm. The design deliberately avoids hard modern fashion, which is why the place still has charm years on, and each suite has enough private space that you never have to see another couple if you do not want to.

Food and amenities

The all-inclusive package at Hermitage Bay is one of the few in the Caribbean that is genuinely all-inclusive, going well beyond meals and drinks. It covers good wine, champagne and cocktails all day, chef-level meals at every sitting across the resort's two restaurants — one serving Caribbean fusion, the other Mediterranean — plus daily yoga on the seafront deck, sailing on the catamaran, snorkeling trips, kayaking and paddle boarding, and even some treatments at The Spa, an open-air spa set in a tropical garden. Reviews from Conde Nast and Travel + Leisure praise the food and wine as high enough to rival European fine dining, with the head chef rotating new menus each season, using local island produce and serving a chef's table on some nights. The morning yoga on the deck comes with teachers who adjust each guest one at a time, and many reviews call it the best yoga in the Caribbean — a lovely view and cool, comfortable early-morning air. A popular late-afternoon move is taking the catamaran out to drift in the next bay and watch the sunset with champagne, included in the package but worth booking ahead since seats are limited.

Location and getting there

Hermitage Bay sits on Hermitage Bay on Antigua's west coast, about 30 minutes from the capital St John's and roughly 45-60 minutes by car from V.C. Bird International Airport (ANU). What makes the setting special is that it was once reachable only by speedboat from Jolly Harbour, a 10-15 minute run across blue water past small bays with no other resorts. A new road now lets you drive in, but many guests still arrive by boat for the experience. The upshot of being hard to reach is a genuinely quiet bay — no other resort shares it, and no outside restaurants or bars are within walking distance, so everything happens at the resort. For honeymooners and couples marking an anniversary, that is exactly the point, helped by the fact that it is strictly adults-only, taking only guests aged 18 and over. By day you hear the waves, the wind in the palms and the odd bird; after sunset the sky fills with stars because the bay is far from city light.

Things to know before booking

Straight talk to help you decide. First, the price: Hermitage Bay is genuinely ultra-luxury at $1,500-4,000 per couple per night. Even though it is truly all-inclusive, some reviews feel the rate does not suit anyone who does not drink and does not do any of the water activities — if you do not use what is included, the per-night cost looks too high. Second, the location is very remote, with no outside restaurants or bars within walking distance; anyone who likes exploring local spots needs to rent a car or use the resort car to reach St John's, about 30 minutes away. Third, it is strictly adults-only, so families with children have to rule it out, and the calm can feel too quiet for anyone who wants buzz, live music all night, or a bar and club. Fourth, getting to Antigua from Asia means at least 1-2 connections (via London, Miami or New York) and nearly 30 hours in total, so plan a long stay of no fewer than 7-10 nights to make the long flight and the price worthwhile.

Our take

From reading the real reviews and unpacking what makes this place tick, Hermitage Bay sells deep quiet, island-level privacy, and luxury that does not need to show off better than almost anywhere in the Caribbean. If the trip in your head is waking up to step into your own plunge pool on the deck, heading to a seafront yoga class in the morning, eating chef-level food by the beach at noon, drifting out on the catamaran to watch the sunset in the afternoon, then sleeping under the stars in an open-air bathroom — with no children or tour groups around — this is the answer. The reason it landed World's Best Hotel in 2023 speaks for itself. But if you want buzz, a range of bars and restaurants, live music, or you are travelling with children, this is not the place. Overall we give it 9.5/10, best for honeymooners, couples marking an anniversary in their middle years, and luxury travellers who value privacy, quiet and quality above everything.