This was our second visit to the Blue Heron, our first being in year 2000 for our honeymoon. We were initially a little apprehensive about returning to a hotel where we had enjoyed a fantastic holiday - we weren't sure whether it could still live up to our expectations. Needless to say our fears were unfounded, the Blue Heron is even better than before!

The main reason for this is the staff. The hotel managers, Carleen Adams and Sandy Francis really seem to bring out the best in the people that work for them, and everyone at the hotel is devoted to ensuring that your stay is a pleasant and enjoyable experience.

The food is varied and of a good quality and is either served in the inside restaurant or outside in the seabreeze restaurant which overlooks the beach.

The bar is run by Errol and Andy who strive to out-do each other in the strength of their rum punches! When these two guys work together they are an extremely funny double act - get onside with them while you are there and they will make you laugh and get you drunk in equal measure.

The beach is beautiful and clean and is well served by sun-loungers and little beach canopies (the sun -loungers posed a particular problem on our last visit to the Blue Heron when we had to get up at 4am to reserve them - no early rises needed this time). As the beach is public, you will be approached by many of the sellers who ply their trade. While nearly all of them are genuine be on guard for some who are simply trying to get you to hand over money for spurious 'sponsorships' or the like. People like Joseph who sells excursions and Pet, the lady who owns a stall on the beach are warm and friendly. Most will happily move on if you are not interested.

We stayed in a beachfront room which was spacious and clean - the air conditioning units have been re-newed since 2000 and are much quieter and more efficient. The room was cleaned every day and fresh towels also supplied daily. There was plenty of hot water at all times despite what some reviews have said about this hotel. The mosquitoes will not bother you in your room as long as you take a decent plug-in repellent - a plug adaptor was supplied at reception upon request.

The hotel grounds and gardens are beautifully kept - the gardens are also fumigated on a regular basis to help ward off unwanted mozzies and sand flies although put mozzie spray on at night, just in case!

While many reviewers have said (unfairly in our opinion) that the hotel is a little tired looking and in need of re-decoration, it would appear that while we were there renovation work was getting underway.

We cannot fault the hotel or its staff in any way, however The Blue Heron is promoted as an adults only resort, yet guests from other Rex hotels are free to visit and visiting children were allowed to use the pool and restaurant facilities. Screaming kids jumping in and out of the pool when all one wants is a bit of peace and quiet gives a black mark against those at Rex Resorts who mislead you into thinking that this is a child-free hotel.

Overall we had an amazing time and met some very nice people along the way. Antigua is a stunning island and the Blue Heron is a little jewel tucked away in the southwest corner and if you get clear skies at dusk, you may be lucky enough to see the best sunset on the island.

We have just returned from a wonderful honeymoon at Blue Heron, which was everything we dreamed of and more. It may not be 5-star luxury, but for a really relaxing holiday in a comfortable, friendly environment and an idyllic location, it must be hard to beat.

Whilst our beachfront room was relatively basic, it was clean and had everything we needed, with a very comfortable bed and a view from the balcony to die for! The quality and choice of food was always good and although the service was sometimes slower than you might be used to elsewhere, this would only be a problem if you hadn't yet adjusted to the more relaxed pace of life in the Caribbean. The staff were all very friendly and accommodating, especially the bar staff. Errol was particularly amusing in his reluctance to serve you anything without rum in!

We would certainly recommend the circumnavigation of the island by catamaran. With informative commentary, snorkelling, lunch and free drinks all day included, the 7-hour trip is good value for the US$120 price and an excellent way to see Antigua.

We would also recommend checking in online at the hotel for the return flight. It costs a few dollars, but we waitied until we arrived at the airport and almost didn't get seats, and then not together, as the flight had been oversold.

We enjoyed getting to know some of the other guests during our stay - hi to Mike & Karen, Emma & Jay, Phil & Nika, and all the others we met. Once we have saved up enough to return to the Caribbean, we would definitely choose Blue Heron again.

Neil & Clare Renfrew

I last visited in 2005 and the transformation is amazing. The new manager, Ms Adams has worked wonders in her short time there. She is a dynamic hands-on, who quite happily fills in in any capacity if needed. The food was of a much higher standard with lots of variety. The staff are unbelievable. Nothing was too much trouble and in fact should be rated 5 star for the effort they all made. Had a look at the new refurbished rooms, which I beleive are available from the end of this month. The bathrooms are a great improvement.
If you are looking for a beach holiday this is a must, sitting on one of the best beaches in the world. If you want nightlife Jolly Harbour is only five minutes away in a taxi and you can return to the tranquil for a good nights sleep. This hotel is also quite central for any trips you might like, with taxi's readily available and a bus stop right outside to take you to St.Johns for some great shopping.
Make sure you take plenty of mosi spray, 'cos they are everywhere. Also the sand flies can give a nasty bite too.
If you don't enjoy this place it would be your own fault.

Firstly, this property has the most stunning and uncrowded beach. Unfortunately, it seems to soley rely on that fact as the rest of the property is hideous. Whilst the rooms could be considered to be 'clean', they are poorly maintained. The food is extremely limited and not to a very good standard. At times the staff appear surly and dissinterested. The pool area is small and uninviting. There are so many beautiful hotels on this island why go to this one?