The Carlisle Bay
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Carlisle Bay Hotel is a kid-friendly getaway
Carlisle Bay Hotel is a kid-friendly getaway. They manage to do the almost impossible here – create an atmosphere of perfect rest and relaxation but one that welcomes children and families. This unique atmosphere is due to several big factors. Partly, the peace here can be contributed to the fantastic on-premise kid camps. In the day camps, children are separated by age (groups vary from 6 months to 16 years).
Each set of children has an area dedicated to just them, with the little ones occupying an adorable little building complete with a small fenced-in kiddie pool. Partly, the atmosphere here is due to the sheer size of the property, you can be quite alone here even though the hotel hosts a few hundred. And in part the calm here is due to the meditative quality of both the property and its sounds – the peaceful ocean waves and the songs of birds help relax everyone – even toddlers.
The food at Carlisle Bay Hotel
In addition to being kid-friendly, there is plenty for the foodie here too. The Carlisle Bay Hotel offers four gourmet restaurants. The Indigo on the beach offers fantastic lunch and dinner overlooking the open ocean (try the tuna salad… so good). East – a mix of Japanese, Thai and Indonesian food that comes together perfectly. Ottimo – Italian cuisine by the pool, where you can have a great bite of classics such as pizza and pasta. And Jetty Grill, located at the end of the beach that serves BBQ and has a great wine selection.
Activities at Carlisle Bay Hotel
Besides food and activities for the kids, there is much more to do here. Huge beach is complemented by an enormous pool, complete with a little kiddie section if you really do feel like spending some time with the little ones. There are a lot of water sports, and even a complimentary sailing clinic – something not found in many places. There is also a movie theater and four full-sized tennis courts. The spa offers complimentary yoga and Pilates sessions including evening yoga, just as the sun sets. There is even a library – for the true introvert, or if you just need to access a computer.
The grounds of the Carlisle Bay Hotel are of course home to a pristine beach. It’s here that many visitors lazy away their days, on the cushy beach chairs facing the water. If you are lucky enough to have an ocean view room (I would very highly recommend it) you also have a perfect lazy bed right on your terrace, and the best place in the world to view the water, flowers and listen to the many birds that inhabit Antigua.
Facilities and service at Carlisle Bay
After your check-in, around 3 pm you can call for afternoon tea. They will bring it anywhere you like – your room or your beach chair. The staff at Carlisle pairs the delicious tea choices with perfect little tea sandwiches. I have to say, this is one British tradition I am a huge fan of.
When you are ready for dinner, there are 4 restaurants to pick from. If you want to go off the property just let your concierge know, they can make arrangements to bring you to several others – from the most sophisticated 5-star options to something local, there are no shortages of choices in Antigua. One of the safest islands in the Carribean it’s completely safe to go off the property in Antigua. Local people are friendly and welcoming and I’ve found are also very honest (yes, I left my cell phone in a taxi. Again. And yes, a kind soul returned it back to me. Again.)
After dinner, if you are up for it you can leave your balcony doors open and just close the mosquito netting – there is nothing quite like falling asleep to a Caribbean breeze and the sounds of the ocean right outside your door.
For breakfast, its back to Indigo on the beach, where a complete breakfast made to order is waiting for you. Or if you prefer, room service will happily bring breakfast to wherever you happened to me. Enjoy the first meal of the day as you get ready for another beautiful Antigua day at Carlisle Bay.
