We stayed at the Jolly Beach Resort for 5 nights, mid February 2024. Do not believe some of the negative reviews. For a 3 star, all inclusive resort, in Antigua(!) it is amazing value for money. In addition, the beach is fabulous, with more than enough sunbeds and umbrellas – and the sunsets were amazing. We also took advantage of free kayaking every day (thank you Robert). We stayed in a Superior King room – a fabulous ocean view and the most comfortable bed ever. The food choice was fantastic (we ate breakfast and dinner in the buffet restaurant, and had lunch at the Coconut Grill BBQ by the pool. The variety of drinks on offer was great. Wi-Fi in the main reception area and pool area was fine, and fairly fast. The resort was clean and tidy, and the two pools were in great condition. Again, like the beach, there were a significant number of sunbeds and no need to rush out every morning with a towel to reserve one! There was evening entertainment every night – something we were not expecting, but had hoped for. To be fair, the quality was variable – but I must compliment the Steel Band who were absolutely brilliant. The keyboard player in the Courtyard and the Karaoke on Monday night were also entertaining. The ‘live band’ was sadly very disappointing – a great vocalist, but certainly not a ‘live band’. The websites makes it clear that room cleaning is available for an additional fee and that Wi-Fi is only available in the main reception/pool areas, and not in the bedrooms – it’s hard to understand why people complain about these when the resort is so clear upfront. I even heard one person complaining about ‘no welcome drinks’ on arrival! It’s an all-inclusive resort, with a bar less than 1 minutes walk away from reception. We will definitely be back to visit the resort again in the future. Bearing in mind the value for money, and the fact it is a 3 star resort (not a 4 or 5 star), we rate it 10 out of 10.

There are some things I’d address/improve – the reception processes on check-in/check-out, bag storage on checkout, the staff in the Coconut Grill BBQ, drinks service at the dinner buffet, streamed music in the resort during the day, and the ‘live band’ – but I’m sure the Management team will already be reviewing these, and to be honest, they are relatively small compared to the overall experience.

I stayed at Jolly Beach in 2018 and returned this year expecting a similar experience of the resort being a good choice in a great location. However, since the government of Antigua have taken over the Jolly Beach resort after the lockdown, there has been a significant improvement across all areas. The food was outstanding, especially the soups, freshly made each day. The staff were very friendly, however sometimes a little slower (and "chilled") but I didn't find this to be a problem. The bar area has been refurbished and the nightly entertainment was excellent - especially the Caribbean steel band. Although the bedrooms are in need of modernising, the beds were extremely comfortable (which one would assume to be the priority if spending most of the day outside). I met the manager of the property whilst there, who was lovely and actively asked for feedback, good or bad.

There are just a few areas that could be improved, especially the decor in the bedrooms. The bath was a little slippery which would be dangerous for guests with bad mobility. I understand there are plans to refurbish the accommodation blocks over time. The wifi speed is good but coverage is good in reception and some public areas, but would be nice to have wifi across the whole resort.

Fabulous stay located on probably best beach in Antigua. All the staff were very friendly and helpful. Beachside bar opened up whilst we were there which is a great place to enjoy a few cocktails at sunset. Food was plentiful - beachside grill for daily lunch and Sunday Beef roast complete with Yorkshire puddings were standouts. Being able to utilise our all inclusive wristbands and access to a room to have a shower on day of departure prior to an evening flight were greatly appreciated. Overall excellent value for money - highly recommend. Pity is so far away from our home in Australia!

The location right on a huge stretch of white soft sandy beach is the hotels greatest asset. As such was such a shame that after couple days of gusty SE trade winds typical for time year washed ashore some seaweed no attempt was made to clear it from the beach except for a section of beach reserved for cruise ship daytrippers. Would have thought paying hotel guests took priority!

The staff at Jolly Beach are fabulous. They made us feel welcome and added joy to our day. The location is unbeatable. The beach is so beautiful.... and those SUNSETS... Food and drinks were great. Some delicious meals and far too many cocktails!!! The bed was super comfy and despite the age of the hotel, the mattress was clearly new - deep and of good quality. Yes the hotel is older, yes it could do with a little updating and some refurbing / maintenance here and there.... but we loved our stay and will be back. We LOVED it

Refurbishment of the rooms has already started, so really just a little maintenance of the outdoor spaces.

We enjoyed everything about our stay, facilities, food, beach, entertainment. But especially appreciated the helpful and pleasant staff. Must mention Marylyn, Shamarah, Kenisha, Deva, Patrice, Julian and Devante. They were truly kind and thoughtful.

Really cannot think of anything because what we experienced was beyond all our expectations. We certainly enjoyed our stay tremendously.

Staff are friendly and welcoming. The rum punch is nice(welcome drink) A day at the beach(favorite drink) The food was tasty. Exotic pizzas at the pizza factory The pool was nice Beach is beautiful Property is very clean and maintained

There's no 24-hour eatery, and you can't take food to your room, so make sure and get something to eat for dinner. Pizza factory restaurant only opens twice per week(Tuesday and Saturday) The spa needs some upgrading Booked an inclusive catamaran trip, but no alcohol is being served before snorkeling. That's like 3 hours before you can get an alcoholic beverage. This has nothing to do with the hotel.

Beautiful location with expensive views of the Caribbean. Tasteful landscaping, not overdone. Nice and quiet at night during the week we stayed.

Noise levels OK, sometimes a bit loud from a sound system near the beach, but only from late morning till about 4 PM. Gourmet speaker near the beach, The pool is not meant for swimming. It is quite large with gentle curves, but the water level is quite shallow in many of the areas and not really amenable to lap swimmers. The quality of the seawater is excellent, although the sea is a bit rougher than I remember during a prior trip to Antigua for five years ago. I think this is a worldwide trend, however. As per most of the Caribbean, you are on your own when it comes to safety.

This is our second visit and we love it, yes the rooms could do with an update but the beds are comfortable, staff friendly, great food choices and great atmosphere, the beach is stunning, what more do you need.

Nothing, but the rooms need a bit of a refresh

The location of the hotel is absolutely beautiful and all out door areas are just great. As well are the restaurants, bars, fitness area (small but ok), games room, coffee bar and reception area. Food - buffet style - is nice and well prepared. Booked an Island Tour at the Service desk with Safari Tours - driver Randy - it was worth every penny. Had the greatest day in his company and saw every little corner of the beautiful Island of Antigua.

No Wi-fi in the rooms and in general very poor internet connection in the public areas. The rooms need some updating for a 4 star hotel. Very small bathroom with very little space to place your toiletries. The room had a smell of mould and no matter how you tried, you wet clothes would stay wet for the entire stay. Have never experienced this any other places in the Caribbean. Most of the staff really nice - especially the singing lady at the Palms Restaurant. However I was not met with the kindest person at the tours desk.

the location is perfect. Jolly Beach is beautiful, and you are also close to several other beautiful beaches for a little variety. The fact that it was all-inclusive made dining a snap. With a family, everyone wants to eat at different times or different food choices. The food was not five-star but it was good enough and included an omlette station, pasta station. Wide variety of options. The wait-staff were friendly and did a great job. For the resort price, you got your money's worth! Security was great, too. Its not fancy ... but we felt very relaxed and comfortable. The rooms are small but clean and comfortable. If you want luxury, look elsewhere. The pool and beach access are great.

The staff often seemed overwhelmed, They were always friendly and doing their best, but it was clear that the amount of things needed to do exceeded the number of employees. The front-desk was usually overwhelmed. The "beach guys" (not associated with the resort) trying to get you to jet ski or sign up for other activities could sometimes be too persistent and insistent and made me uncomfortable.