Hermitage Bay review – The Points Guy

 What it’s like at Hermitage Bay

Sitting on the western shores of Antigua, Hermitage Bay is a luxury, all-inclusive resort with just 30 spacious and comfortable suites that are spread across the beach and up a hill, which boasts breathtaking coastal views. The resort is about 10 miles from Antigua’s V.C. Bird International Airport (ANU). It costs about $40 each way in a cab, though I’d recommend organizing transportation through the resort.

How much is Hermitage Bay and how to book it

As a high-end all-inclusive resort, Hermitage Bay has a hefty price tag: Cash rates start around $1,800 per night for two guests during the low season and easily reach above $3,000 per night during peak season. Standard award nights start at 190,000 Hilton Honors points, though availability at that rate can be spotty. Unfortunately, many nights are priced at over 1 million Hilton Honors points.

Rooms at Hermitage Bay

One of the best things about this property: Guests of Hermitage Bay can expect plenty of space to spread out. The resort offers three types of accommodations: beachfront villas, hillside pool villas and garden pool villas.

My beachfront villa had a huge deck with lounge chairs, armchairs, a daybed and sliding glass doors that opened up into the massive villa. The living room area had a couch and two armchairs with a coffee table in the center, a full minibar and a four-poster bed with bug netting. The decor was in line with what I experienced at check-in; it reflected that Caribbean-chic vibe, with tropical motifs here and there, as well as mixed textures, natural materials and neutral tones.

I loved the view from the bed that looked out onto the deck and the ocean.

There was plenty of closet space, and one thing I particularly appreciated was that the staff constantly changed out reusable glass water bottles.

The back part of the villa featured the bathroom, in which there was a large soaking tub and an enclosed outdoor shower where I washed up under the stars at the end of the day.

The villa was super comfortable, stayed nice and cool, and felt very private. (Keep in mind that if you stay in one of the hillside pool villas, expect a bit of a climb to walk to your room or anticipate asking for a lift on a golf cart.)

Dining at Hermitage Bay

As an all-inclusive resort, most meals and drinks at the hotel are included in the nightly rate and served in the main dining area overlooking the beach. (Note that some top-shelf alcohol comes at an extra fee.) There are two places to eat on the property.

Tree Bar serves as the main bar for the beach, but moonlights as a sushi counter where chefs — who train with the nearby Nobu Barbuda — offer a sushi happy hour for guests. It was a lovely surprise, and one of my favorite (and most high-end) parts of my stay.

For the rest of my stay, I enjoyed a number of fresh, flavorful meals at the primary open-air restaurant, including a mouthwatering lobster sandwich (essentially a lobster roll on toasted bread instead of a bun), tons of fresh produce and veggies that rotated daily, freshly caught fish, beef tartare, expertly fried eggs for breakfast and even a grill night where I had two delicious grilled lobster rolls.

Amenities and things to do

While the best thing to do at Hermitage Bay is to just kick back and let life pass by slowly, there are still plenty of amenities and services to enjoy.

• Garden Spa treatments that range from hot stone massages and exfoliating body wraps to facials and Dorissima color rituals
• Daily Pilates sessions on the spa deck, plus occasional yoga and meditation classes
• Fitness center with high-end workout equipment
• Weekly cooking demonstrations
• Access to a nearby championship golf course and tennis courts
• Nonmotorized water sports, windsurfing, ocean canoes and snorkeling
• Day trips via boat or helicopter to Nobu Barbuda
• Ocean-facing infinity pool with lounge chairs
• New beach club experience

Insider tips for staying at Hermitage Bay

Accessibility

According to the hotel’s website (and as I witnessed during my stay), many parts of the hotel are not wheelchair accessible. There are often steps into both public and private spaces, unpaved walked paths and no lift into the pool.

As always, TPG recommends contacting the hotel directly to learn about its accessibility options.

Bottom line

For me, Hermitage Bay was a very special place. The size of the resort made it feel like an intimate experience. The relaxing vibe yielded a sense of luxury that felt simple yet sophisticated. Best of all, the all-inclusive nature of Hermitage Bay means that once you get there, you can put your credit card away and simply not worry about the price of (nearly) anything.

That said, if you can find award availability at the standard rate, you might find a serious return on burning some Hilton Honors points when you factor in how much is included in the price. But, unfortunately, those affordable dates are hard to find.

Related reading: