I just returned from a week stay at Longbay and it was fantastic. The food is excellent, the beach is beautiful, the hotel is quiet and peaceful. You can't quite put a finger on it, but there is something about this place... much of it has to do with the people and it unique location.

The hotel has a mix of guests many of whom return year after year. If you feel social, cocktail hour in the lounge is a great time to chat with the other guests. However, if you wish to keep to yourself there is plenty of quiet spaces at this quaint oasis.

The days are peaceful and the island is easy, friendly and safe so you feel free to wander around and enjoy the area. I highly recommend renting a car for at least a couple of days during your stay. The hotel will arrange it for you once you arrive.

David and Chris are excellent hosts and make sure you have whatever you need. The staff are friendly, and make a mean rum punch.

The rooms are clean, romantic and charming. We were in the lower rooms and there was a beautiful breeze through the windows so no need for air conditioning. The sea is literally out your window. It is not a B&B despite what this website says.

Try it, you won't regret it!

We have recently returned to the UK, after a very relaxing stay at Long Bay Hotel, Antigua. This was a fourth consecutive year visiting this gem of a hotel.
Any staffing problems referred to in earlier reviews are all ironed out, and without exception, the staff are charming, helpful, and hard working.
As a couple, one of us is vegetarian (me) and Charles and his second in command provide a different evening meal for me, every single night (no repeats) and having travelled to many 5* hotels around the world, I can hand on heart say that the veggie food at Long Bay is as good, if not better, than any of them.
My husband, and other guests, reckoned the food for non-veggies was superb too, so you can rest assured on that point.
No beaches in the Caribbean are private, or so I believe, so on this beautiful long bay, yes, the taxi drivers do sometimes bring cruise ship clients out for a few hours, and they sometimes lunch at the Beach Bar at Long Bay Hotel, but there is room for all, and we never failed to get a beach chair and umbrella around our favourite spot - where else can you say that? And if you go to Long Bay, and you are very lucky, you may find the local community using a totally empty beach for a mass baptism, along with the most charming, welcoming people, singing magical hymns. We have had that priviledge twice now.
We had thought, after four consecutive years, that maybe we would think about another island - but what is the point? We have tried many of the islands, and Antigua is our favourite, and Long Bay delivers exactly what we want for a relaxing and enjoyable break - we always return to the UK wishing we had stayed longer - and we always stay at least two weeks!
Somebody mentioned loud music - generally this is one of the most peaceful spots we have ever visited. Very occasionally, the locals may have a party - it is their island!!
My last point is that I believe that Long Bay is listed under b & b properties. Believe me, it is a fully fledged, charming hotel. The rates include a full breakfast, and an amazing multi-course dinner in the evening. B & b it is not!!!
The rules that moved it to b & b I gather, relate to the fact that there is not a 24 hour reception. But having stayed there four times, I know that both the owner and the manager are instantly obtainable, both living onsite, and we have never felt that a sleeping porter would cope as well as the Management, should there ever be a problem - which there never has been.

We just loved the place. Quiet, Gentle Quirky, Off Beat..
Do not go here if you want mass produced food , noise , regimentation and lots of people.
The staff problems are all resolved and we found everyone, without exception to be happy and friendly.
We had a small amount of banging from where the "Verhanda Hotel " is being finished off, it was not excessive, no loud music, yes the cruise ships did bus some of their passengers along to the beach, why not? it is not an exclusive beach ( the same happens all over the Carribean) It added a bit of interest and colour and was only for a short time.
Charlies food is to die for, sadly I am now on a diet. Sam and Sandra always attentive Dave a lovely guy and Gary and all the girls just good at their jobs and helped to make our holiday.
Mosquitos!! I have yet to go to a hot country where they cannot be a pain they are only to be expected... This happy bunny and her husband are planning to go back early next year.,

Although this review is generally about the Verandah resort in Antigua; I think our families holiday experience, is important, for those who are planning a trip to Antigua. Our family did not stay at the Verandah but this new resort, along with other local noise issues, did adversely affect our visit to Antigua negatively.

In the interest of full disclosure I should write, we were actually guests at Long Bay hotel a small hotel very near to the Verandah, I thought though, it would be more appropriate to write a review here about the Verandah as it was the new Verandah, which in the end, finally broke my spirit, spoiled my families’ holiday and prompted this review.

I think to be honest and place facts in context I should paint a picture of my visit to Antigua. Our families’ visit was during the Christmas Holiday, we are a family of five, the holiday started out most pleasantly and we were enjoying ourselves when the first sign, we might be in for a shock, showed up. The sign was when 600 or so Cruise ship passengers descended onto the Long Bay beach on Sunday December 23rd. turning it into the mad house, we were most assuredly, escaping. To our joy, the mayhem only lasted for a few hours that day and soon the area and the beach were returned to their peaceful state. A few days later, on Boxing Day we were once again chased off the long bay beach because we were assaulted by the unbearably loud music that was being played at the public beach during the Boxing Day holiday. This noise prompted a decisive response from my wife.

My wife who could not believe the noise, forced me to get the hire car, pile us all into it, to search for a quiet beach to spend the rest of our spoiled day. We finally after much trouble and time stumbled upon Half Moon Bay Beach which was very nice and most importantly for my family, free of loud pounding awful music. My older children were very happy with the surf at Half Moon but my youngest wasn't able to enjoy the water as it was just too rough. Finally and this is where the Verandah Resort came in, we returned to Long Bay to enjoy our evening and some light entertainment, a good meal and an early night. After retiring to our cottage for some much needed sleep we were once again assaulted by loud awful music this time the music was emanating from the Verandah Resort, I couldn't believe my ears; first we were assaulted by the Cruise ship passengers, then the Boxing Day Holiday noise at Long Bay Beach, finally we were disturbed by the noise from the Verandah Resort which was so loud I thought we were part of the Verandah's entertainment.

It was all TOO much!

On speaking to Chris, the manager at Long Bay, about these upsetting events he told me that he had made several attempts to speak to the management of the Verandah resort but so far he had seen no change. He also said that he had spoken to the local government about the problem but that so far his efforts had been useless. My question to the management of Verandah and the government of Antigua, is why, do they have to spoil the wonderful Antigua experience that could be enjoyed by all on Holiday, with too much loud noise?

It would seem evident to me, that all hoteliers and Antiguan's would want every guest in Antigua to go back home with glowing reports thereby ensuring that positive word of mouth advertising would increase bookings for all hotels in Antigua and Antigua as a whole.

I do hope someone with some authority reads and acts upon my comments.