Review: Staycation Weekend – Escape at Nonsuch Bay Antigua

Hey Friends!

The post most of you have been waiting for is finally here! Today I’ll be sharing ALL the details on my little staycation trip to Escape at Nonsuch Bay Antigua. As you guys know, this trip was basically my birthday present to myself. Escape at Nonsuch Bay is one of those places you’ve been eyeing for the longest but just have a feeling it’s out of your budget. Matter of fact most of the top-notch hotels are probably that way, but I “bit the bullet” and went for it because YOLO and life deserves to be celebrated!

THE ESCAPE AT NONSUCH

Located on the east coast of Antigua, The Escape at Nonsuch Bay is an all-inclusive adults only resort perfect for couples. Every room features a luxurious private plunge pool with breathtaking views. The resort boasts itself on comfort, romance and island living. It forms part of the Nonsuch Bay Resort complex which is a family-oriented hotel, however The Escape is located within good distance for you not to worry about anything. It features its own reception area, fine-dining restaurant, bar and public areas. 

Address: Hughes Point, FreeTown
Website: theescapeantigua.com
Phone Number: (268) 562-8000
Social Media: Instagram | Facebook

PRIOR TO ARRIVAL

Despite not making the original booking myself, the process prior to arrival was seemingly easy and straightforward. I received an email with my reservation confirmation and receipt, as well as any necessary information to prepare me for arrival. They also requested a few documents which could be submitted online to fast track the check in process and minimize physical contact with staff.

The reservations team was very helpful in answering my follow-up questions and providing additional details to ensure my stay was enjoyable.

ARRIVAL

The drive was extremely long so it low key felt like we were outside of Antigua (a girl can dream). At the security entrance, we gave our names and got our temperatures checked then we met a staff at our room where she greeted us with welcome drinks, gave us a brief rundown of everything and handed over our key.

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THE ROOM

Smaller than I imagined, but what it lacked in size it made up for in quality. To be honest, the other hotel rooms were probably larger because they were family resorts and this is exclusively for couples. Maybe we didn’t need any larger space.

The bed was extremely comfortable and made mornings harder to get up and get ready. Another fave was the daybed and plunge pool; when I wasn’t laying in bed I was outside relaxing in the pool or on the daybed. The only thing I wish the room had was a larger/standing mirror. Since I’m still new to Youtube, my focus was mainly on recording video footage so I forgot to capture pictures for the blog, mainly of the bathroom area. However, you get a peak at it in my vlog linked at the end of this post.

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DINING

Breakfast
7:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

Given it was my birthday, we had a floating breakfast for our first morning. Prior to arriving, we had to select our choices for breakfast and we may have went all out – eggs, toast, croissant, fruits, yogurt, bacon, sausage, potatoes, smoked salmon bagel and of course, champagne! It was delivered on time and the only thing missing was salt and pepper for my eggs. Everything was well presented and tasted great. I tried my best not to take too many pictures so that it didn’t get cold before diving in.

We started breakfast a little earlier on Sunday morning, and as with all the meals served at The Drift, it was a la carte. I opted for the Cinnamon French Toast and The English Breakfast, while my bf had the Antiguan breakfast.

Lunch
12:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. 

Whenever I go to a hotel breakfast is usually my favourite meal because I tend to skip it on a regular day. Therefore, to me breakfast was better than lunch or dinner. Even though it was an á la carte menu, the options were very limited (maybe 3 or 4). I could also be a picky eater but there was nothing to be wowed over. Surprisingly, our Sunday lunch turned out to be well worth it.

Poolside Bites
3:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

We checked in late on Friday with 5 minutes to go before this was over and we decided to just chill in the room until dinner. We also barely made it back on Saturday because we went to Green Island. However, the options weren’t bad and it served as a good snack between lunch and dinner.

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Dinner
6:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

My least favourite. Again the options were a hit or miss. However, with dinner you could order an appetizer, intermediate and main course. The appetizers and intermediate options were usually satisfying enough, but it seems like I always chose the worst option for my main. On night 1, I got the lamb chops and it was very tough and only served with vegetables. Night 2, I decided to try the fish and I regret it to this day. Luckily for me on both nights the intermediate options were a type of pasta so I made do.

Bar
10:00 a.m. – 10:30 p.m.

I’m not a heavy drinker or a drinker at all, lol, only on social occasions and since we are not doing that anymore 😅. However, the bar selections were limited just from the options I saw on display. My bf first ordered black label, there wasn’t any, then went for English Harbour which is a local rum and still not available. Luckily for me there was Amaretto! What I found interesting is that their beer on tap was Pitons and not our local Wadadli.

ACTIVITIES

Besides relaxing in our plunge pool suite, what did we do? Well, if you’re at the hotel for more than one night, there’s a daily trip over to Green Island. You get a bit of time on water and a chance to relax on the beach or go snorkeling in pristine waters. They make the trip twice per day, one at 10 a.m and another at 2 p.m. We opted for the afternoon trip which was well worth it. The weather was great and the water even better.

I also wanted to go Kayaking, but that didn’t happen. Instead we went over to Nonsuch Bay and made use of one of their main pools. Since the hotel is barely occupied we had the entire pool to ourselves. They had the perfect views of palm trees and sea to make you fall in love with island living. After a bit of time, the weather changed and the rain ran us so it was back to the room to chill before lunch and checkout.

There’s a main pool at The Escape, but it seemed pretty open to me given its placement. This is mainly where guests were also situated so we never used it. Down on the docks there was also an additional area where you can go and relax. It’s a pretty quiet resort and you won’t find all the excitement as family resorts here.

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CHECK OUT

Check out was quick and simple. All I had to do was return our key to the reception area and settle any outstanding balances. We checked out at 3 p.m. which is later than the regular check out time (11 a.m.).

OVERALL COMMENTS

I’d say you go to different places for different reasons, so have an open mind which I did. I mainly wanted to relax and enjoy my birthday weekend in my many different swimsuits.  The service was good, everyone was helpful and I didn’t have a bad experience with anyone. Given the ongoing situation, there was hand sanitizer in our room and pumps located around the hotel. For the most part, we wore our masks when we left the room and a few others did as well.

One thing that bothered me were the lack of lights on the walkway. Between the rooms and the main area, there’s no sort of additional lighting and it was pretty dark.

Q&A: 
Questions I got asked on Instagram about my stay.

1. Cost for overnight stay – there was a staycation special for US $325 per night per couple. It expired October 31st, I’m not sure if it got extended.
2. Everything! – hopefully I answered this above, but if there’s anything I missed let me know!
3. How was the service, would you recommend? – the service was good, staff were very accommodating and I’d recommend.
4. The cost, why did you choose this place? – the plunge pool and floating breakfast caught my eye. I also wanted somewhere that didn’t have a lot of people and not as popular.
5. How was the food/drinks, vibes? – the food had its good days, wasn’t horrible just not my favourite for some. Drinks were good (refer back to the bar section above though). Vibes were quiet and peaceful which was what I wanted.
6. Was it full and what were the COVID guidelines? – the Escape only has 40 rooms. I’d say it was a relative amount of people between locals and tourists. The only time I saw a lot of people was during dinner, 7:30/8 were popular times. Yes, they did have COVID guidelines which I mentioned a few above. Prior to arrival they also sent you a COVID waiver to sign.
   

Staycation Deals you should know about:
These were taken from the Antigua & Barbuda website, but I’d still call each hotel to ensure the information is correct/updated

1. Cocobay Resort
2. Cocos Hotel
3. Escape at Nonsuch Bay
4. Hammock Cove
5. Hodges Bay Resort and Spa 

For other activities outside of hotel stays: Visit Antigua and Barbuda