Royalton Antigua (July 19–26, 2026)
Overall Rating: ★★☆☆☆ (2/5)
Unfortunately, this was not the relaxing vacation we had hoped for. I'll start with the positives because there were certainly some highlights, but the issues with our room ultimately overshadowed the entire experience.
Beach – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
The beach is without question the resort's biggest selling point. It is one of the nicest beaches we've visited.
• Crystal-clear, warm, calm water that is perfect for swimming and ideal for families with children.
• Snorkeling directly from the beach was decent. We saw stingrays and a variety of tropical fish. On our last day, however, jellyfish appeared near shore, so it's worth being cautious.
• There were plenty of beach chairs available throughout the week, although umbrellas were limited. We simply reserved chairs early each morning with towels and personal belongings, and the resort did not appear to enforce any restrictions on this.
• One amusing observation: on one afternoon we noticed the lifeguard smoking marijuana, which certainly wasn't something we expected to see at a luxury resort.
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Pool Area – ⭐⭐☆☆☆ (2/5)
The pool area lacked energy throughout our stay.
• The swim-up bar was convenient, but service was inconsistent. Some bartenders were friendly, while others seemed disengaged.
• Cocktails were hit-or-miss. Some were excellent, while others tasted watered down.
• Tip: Bring a reusable metal straw—the paper straws deteriorate quickly.
• We eventually stuck with the draft beer and fresh lime, which was consistently good.
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Resort Grounds – ⭐⭐⭐☆☆ (3/5)
The grounds were clean and well maintained.
The resort is fairly small, making it easy to walk everywhere, which we appreciated. While attractive, the property itself isn't particularly memorable compared to other Caribbean resorts we've visited.
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Restaurants – ⭐⭐⭐☆☆ (3/5)
This was probably our biggest surprise. We've previously stayed at two other Royalton resorts where the à la carte restaurants were outstanding. Unfortunately, Antigua fell well short of those expectations.
Le Marché Buffet – ⭐☆☆☆☆
Very disappointing.
• Limited food selection.
• Food quality was below expectations.
• At one point, the pasta station chef refused to serve me, stating he was too busy—even though the restaurant was nearly empty. It was so unusual that we could only laugh about it afterward.
Hunter Steakhouse – ⭐☆☆☆☆
By far our worst dining experience.
• All four of us ordered New York Strip steaks cooked medium rare.
• Every steak arrived well done.
• The cuts of meat were extremely fatty.
• Service was painfully slow, with dinner lasting over two hours, which essentially consumed our entire evening.
• Our server was inattentive, and we were initially given incorrect steak knives. By the time proper knives arrived, our meals had gone cold.
Grazie Italian – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Our favourite dinner of the week.
• Excellent food with a great selection.
• Ironically, the striploin served here was better than the steak at Hunter.
• A special thank you to Gail and Natasha, whose outstanding service, positive attitudes, and professionalism made this meal memorable.
The Score Sports Bar
Simple but enjoyable comfort food. Great option for a casual meal.
Nibbles Beach Grill
We visited almost every day.
• Fresh, simple food.
• Friendly staff.
• Perfect location right on the beach.
Food Truck
Excellent for a quick lunch.
Limited menu, but quality BBQ served quickly.
Coffee & Ice Cream Bar
One of the highlights of our vacation.
The staff were consistently friendly and efficient, and the coffee, specialty drinks, and ice cream selection were excellent. We found ourselves returning several times each day.
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Entertainment & Vibe Team – ⭐⭐⭐☆☆ (3/5)
A huge thank you to Richard and the Vibe Team.
Richard made a genuine effort to engage guests, especially our teenage children, and deserves recognition for his enthusiasm.
Unfortunately, the resort advertises a Teen Club, but there was essentially no organized teen programming during our stay. We had hoped there would be evening activities where teenagers could socialize and meet others, but there was nothing available. This was disappointing.
Evening entertainment was also underwhelming. Having previously visited Royalton resorts in Mexico and St. Lucia, we expected much stronger shows and performances.
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Rooms – ☆☆☆☆☆ (0/5)
Unfortunately, this is where the vacation completely unraveled.
We left the resort feeling exhausted rather than refreshed because we barely slept all week.
The rooms have extremely poor soundproofing.
• Every conversation in the hallway could be heard clearly.
• Footsteps echoed throughout the corridors.
• The room doors slam violently because they lack soft-close mechanisms, shaking the room each time.
• The plumbing was incredibly loud. Every toilet flush sounded like a crash. It became so disruptive that our family agreed not to flush overnight unless absolutely necessary.
The biggest issue, however, was the location of our room.
Our room overlooked the rear service area rather than the ocean.
Every morning at approximately 5:00 a.m., garbage trucks arrived to empty dumpsters. The banging, crashing, and machinery lasted roughly 15–20 minutes and woke us every single morning.
I reported this to Guest Services and asked how a luxury resort could schedule garbage collection during sleeping hours.
Their solution?
• A fruit platter.
• 10,000 Marriott points (approximately US$80 in value).
While we appreciated the gesture, it did not adequately address the fact that four people had experienced poor sleep for an entire week. The compensation simply did not reflect the severity of the issue.
If you choose this resort, I strongly recommend paying extra for an ocean-facing room, as the rear-facing rooms beside the service yard significantly impacted our stay.
Additional noise issues included:
• Around midnight one evening, an employee spent approximately 20 minutes collecting dishes and glassware with a noisy service cart in the hallway. The constant clattering woke us once again.
• Rooms near the elevators also experience vibration and noise whenever the elevator doors open and close.
The room layout itself also offered very little privacy for a family travelling with teenage children.
The only positives were:
• Mini-bar restocked daily.
• Dual rainfall shower heads.
Otherwise, we found the accommodations well below the standard we expect from a Royalton property.
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Final Thoughts
The beautiful beach and several outstanding staff members prevented this vacation from being a complete disappointment.
However, sleep is one of the most important parts of any vacation, and unfortunately we never experienced a single restful night.
What disappointed us even more was the resort's handling of our concerns. While Guest Services acknowledged the problem and apologized, the compensation offered did not come close to addressing the impact it had on our vacation.
After spending approximately US$4,000, we expected a far better experience and a more meaningful resolution.
This stay has significantly changed our opinion of the Royalton brand. Based on this experience, we would not return to this property, and we will think carefully before booking another Royalton resort in the future.
Note to Royalton: If your response is simply the standard corporate apology posted beneath every negative review, there is no need. We raised these concerns while we were at the resort, giving the hotel an opportunity to resolve them during our stay. Unfortunately, we left feeling that our concerns were acknowledged but not truly addressed.
