We stayed at the Royalton Autograph Antigua from 4th–11th October, and unfortunately, our holiday was far from relaxing.
Room problems:
Our first room (10207) smelled fusty, had a broken sofa bed, and there was maintenance work right outside the balcony — at one point, a man was seated outside painting the walls.
We waited over 3.5 hours for a room change with no offer of drinks or check-ins during that time.
Our second room (11705) developed a leak from the ceiling/light fixture overnight, flooding the bathroom.
The third room (11701) seemed fine at first, but the AC didn’t work until maintenance opened two closed valves. Later, another ceiling leak appeared due to a blocked waste pipe. On our final morning, yet another leak appeared, but we didn’t report it as we were checking out.
Overall, we spent more time chasing maintenance issues than actually relaxing.
Facilities & amenities:
The main swim-up pool was closed — compensation was offered but options were limited. We only learned of this upon arrival from the porter.
Cabana availability was inconsistent, and the jacuzzi in our cabana was missing tiles and not working, yet we were still charged full price. The poolside jacuzzi was also out of order.
Noise from the beach and other guests made it difficult to unwind.
We also discovered (only as we were leaving) that the resort is popular for short “party” getaways from the US, which didn’t suit the relaxing experience we were hoping for.
Dining:
Food availability and pricing were inconsistent — our steak was overcharged while the lobster was undercharged.
A pre-booked culinary experience was cancelled last minute due to air conditioning issues.
The buffet was okay, the sports bar food was very good, the Italian restaurant wasn’t authentic, and the steakhouse was mediocre.
Staff:
Many staff members were genuinely friendly and helpful — special thanks to Javani (cabana), Jay (beach), and Tracia (steakhouse), as well as several restaurant staff.
However, a few others were dismissive or acted as though assisting guests was an inconvenience.
Summary:
The Royalton Antigua has potential and some outstanding staff, but the ongoing maintenance problems, noise, lack of clear communication, and poor accountability made this a frustrating experience. Sadly, it was not the relaxing holiday we had hoped for.