Accommodation
For many years the yachting sector and the hotel/villa rental sectors could be seen as totally separate parts of Antigua's tourism industry. However, the two areas have become blurred as more and more yachtsmen rent accommodation or stay in hotels during their visits to the island particularly during events such as the Charter Yacht Show, RORC Caribbean 600, Classic Regatta and Sailing Week.
Visiting yachtsmen tend to go for the more traditional style hotels or self-catering apartments and villas, many of which have their own websites and can be found on the internet. A good place to start is www.antiguaholidayrentals.com or www.antiguanice.com The best villas are always booked early so it pays to make your choice as soon as you can. Also, the longer you wait the further you will be from the action.
Visiting yachtsmen tend to go for the more traditional style hotels or self-catering apartments and villas, many of which have their own websites and can be found on the internet. A good place to start is www.antiguaholidayrentals.com or www.antiguanice.com The best villas are always booked early so it pays to make your choice as soon as you can. Also, the longer you wait the further you will be from the action.
 | Within English Harbour/Falmouth there are a number of hotels which include the very upmarket Inn on English Harbour, Antigua Yacht Club Marina Resort and the Ocean Inn covering a range of facilities and prices.
More traditionalist is the recently refurbished Admiral’s Inn, within Nelson’s Dockyard, with its quaint surroundings, historical background and view over the harbour. The Admiral's Inn is one of two Antigua hotels located in the historic Nelson's Dockyard and dates to 1788 when Lord Horatio Nelson was in charge of the dockyard. Like several buildings in the Dockyard, the Admiral’s Inn was built using bricks brought over from England as ship's ballast. During the time of Nelson, the building served as an engineers' workshop for the Royal Naval Yard. |
The other unique hotel situated in Nelson’s Dockyard is the Copper & Lumber Store . The style, finish and furnishings of this hotel transports you back to the days when Nelson’s Dockyard was full of the wooden warships from the Royal Navy. The Copper and Lumber Store was built as a storage facility in 1789 of bricks and hand-hewn wooden posts and beams. Today, it serves as an hotel and its massive brick arches, central courtyard and wooden beams create an atmosphere of quiet comfort and gracious eleganc. The hotel has 14 suites, named after one of Admiral Horatio Nelson’s ships or Captains in the Battle of Trafalgar. Antique period furniture and paintings decorate the fully air-conditioned rooms which have ensuite bathrooms, TV and internet.
Book early if you are planning to take part in one of the major regattas as all the convenient locations close to the harbours are booked up well in advance of the events. Further out is cheaper but the price of bus fares, taxis or car hire should be factored into cost.
Use a map of Antigua to find the location of any accommodation which may be of interest. Sometimes, ‘walking distance’ may be a little further than you think particularly in the midday heat. If you plan to be within walking distance of one of the harbours, enquire about hills, they can be a little steep. A fair bit of ‘half a mile’ can be near vertical. |  |
Few hotels in English Harbour and Falmouth have direct access to the beach, exceptions being the Inn on English Harbour, the less expensive but very commodious Catamaran Hotel. Not only does the Catamaran Hotel have its own beach but it also has a pool. Quietly located, it is very convenient to the Catamaran marina and only a short bus, taxi or car ride into the centre of English Harbour/Falmouth. It comes highly rated by those who have stayed there. The Catamaran Hotel caterers specifically to yachtsmen
Some room only accommodation is available in places such as The Anchorage or The Waterfront and Harbour View Apartments which has a very small beach. If you are attending a regatta or just on holiday and don’t mind a short drive, there is plenty of choice of good hotels on the north end of the island.
Christmas and New Year are popular times to visit Antigua and many a yachtsman, first coming to the island for the sailing, has returned for the Christmas and New Year festivities. Not as busy as during the regattas, accommodation is generally reasonably easily available.
Villas or apartments are available from agencies, such as Island Rentals, which have a fine selection of properties to suit all sizes of pocket. Also Take a look at websites like www.antiguanice.com and www.antiguaholidayrentals.com. Prices vary according to the time of year and some bargains can be obtained out of season. You can rent anything from a 2 bedroom apartment starting at US$1,500 per month (long term) to a 4 bedroom villa at over US$5,000 per week. A few high end villas are offered privately and a search of the web will produce some very attractive products many of which will be negotiable.
Some room only accommodation is available in places such as The Anchorage or The Waterfront and Harbour View Apartments which has a very small beach. If you are attending a regatta or just on holiday and don’t mind a short drive, there is plenty of choice of good hotels on the north end of the island.
Christmas and New Year are popular times to visit Antigua and many a yachtsman, first coming to the island for the sailing, has returned for the Christmas and New Year festivities. Not as busy as during the regattas, accommodation is generally reasonably easily available.
Villas or apartments are available from agencies, such as Island Rentals, which have a fine selection of properties to suit all sizes of pocket. Also Take a look at websites like www.antiguanice.com and www.antiguaholidayrentals.com. Prices vary according to the time of year and some bargains can be obtained out of season. You can rent anything from a 2 bedroom apartment starting at US$1,500 per month (long term) to a 4 bedroom villa at over US$5,000 per week. A few high end villas are offered privately and a search of the web will produce some very attractive products many of which will be negotiable.
