‘I went to this top honeymoon destination with a friend instead – there’s so much to see and do’
"Got any twin rooms?" It must be the question most frequently asked by friends wanting to enjoy the destinations usually associated with couples and honeymooners. And Verandah in Antigua has got you covered, now offering 44 twin rooms across the resort. They’re spacious, the beds are super comfy and most have a terrace with a sea view.
Of course you won’t be spending much time in your room. There are two beach areas, both with white sand and one offering water sports such as paddle boarding and kayaking, and three swimming pools. The party crowd congregates at the main pool, cocktails in hand and enjoying the music. Our favourite pool overlooks one of the beaches and has massage jets that really pummel the knots out of your shoulders.
On the subject of knotty shoulders, the spa is well worth a visit. We tried the aromatherapy massage and it was the perfect way to revitalise after the eight-hour flight to Antigua from the UK.
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What to do at Verandah
Verandah may be adults-only, but if you like to intersperse your time on the sun lounger with some fun and games, you can challenge your travel companion to a game of pool, table tennis or darts.
There’s also an 18-hole mini golf course, tennis courts, shuffleboard and – my personal favourite – four pickleball courts. I managed to persuade my friend to join me on the court on three morning – before breakfast, of course, as even by 10am it’s far too hot to be chasing balls around. I’ll make a pro of her yet!
There is a daily activity list that includes mini tournaments as well as aqua aerobics, water polo and even beer pong.
I think the only thing we didn’t get round to was cornhole bag throwing. We’ll just have to come back next year.
The best beaches in Antigua
Antigua’s claim to fame is that it has a different beach for every day of the year, so we decided to check out a few more of them. We hired a car and set off to the opposite side of the island, about 40 minutes away. Road signs are limited, but we had no problem finding our way around even without a map or satnav.
We stopped at Jolly Beach, Ffryes and Little Ffryes (my favourite for the calmest, warmest water), Darkwood – which is recommended for snorkelling, but you’ll need your own gear – and Turners. With very few people on each beach you can easily find your own slice of paradise.
The next day we joined the Calypso Cat catamaran cruise, which sets off from the jetty on Verandah’s main beach. After a few minutes of bouncing across the waves of the Atlantic we were into the calmer waters of the Caribbean Sea, cruising among the outlying islands, stopping off for a spot of snorkelling – hello giant turtles! – and eventually mooring up on Bird Island for a bit of beach time and a tasty lunch served on board.
There’s a full bar too, with free-flowing rum punch that somehow tastes even better with the sea breeze ruffling your hair.
Where to eat in Antigua
Verandah is all-inclusive and offers a daily buffet breakfast and dinner, with lunch served in the beach grill. There’s also a coffee shop – the cookies are hard to resist – and a pizzeria open at lunchtime.
There are three à la carte restaurants for evening dinner and you need to make a reservation. Nicole’s offers French fine dining, Portofino serves Italian cuisine, but our favourite was Sails & Tales, both for the breezy open-air dining terrace and the delicious calamari. I was delighted to find my favourite rosé wine on the menu (for an extra charge), but the resort also has an impressive cocktail list, served in all the bars and restaurants.
If you want to dine out while exploring the island, we recommend Trappas in English Harbour, where we feasted on the grilled catch of the day (mahi mahi) and Cajun prawns – both excellent. We also had a tasty tapas lunch at Sheer Rocks by Little Ffryes beach. It’s a bit pricey but the sea views are stunning.
Where to party in Antigua
Sunday afternoon is the time to head to Shirley Heights – the location of Antigua’s famous barbecue and steel band party on top of a hill overlooking all the swanky yachts in English Harbour.
On a clear day, it’s the perfect place to watch the sunset while sipping a rum punch or two, then the live band gets everyone up dancing. We had some epic rain showers during our visit, but it didn’t stop the fun. It was just seen as an excuse to go back to the bar!
There is also a reggae night at Shirley Heights on Thursdays, and there’s nightly entertainment at Verandah, from live bands to karaoke – where there were some surprisingly good singers and unexpected song choices. Step aside Sweet Caroline, the crowd pleaser of the night was a brilliant rendition of Salt-N-Pepa’s 90s classic, Shoop!
How to book
Elite Island Holidays offers 7 nights at Verandah all inclusive for £1,579pp including international flights.
Or try neighbouring resort Hammock Cove, where the luxe villas have private plunge pools and personal guest ambassadors (£3,369pp for 7 nights all-inclusive and including flights), or Pineapple Beach, which has a laid-back vibe, a cute lunchtime barbecue hut and a gorgeous beach with an offshore reef for snorkelling (£1,399pp for 7 nights all-inclusive and including flights).
For more on Antigua, visit Antigua and Barbuda.
