You’ll fly into V.C. Bird International Airport on the north side of the island of Antigua. From there, you can take a taxi or rent a car and take it southwest to the opposite end of the island-about a 30-minute drive by car to get to Carlisle Bay.
It’s often said that everything in Antigua is a 30-minute drive from everything else, because of all the secret coves and bays. That’s certainly true of Carlisle Bay. It’s away from it all, but still near the highlights of the island. The town of English Harbour, a yachting and sailing refuge, is a half-hour drive away by car. The hotel is also located near Nelson’s Dockyard a UNESCO World Heritage Site with preserved 18th-century British buildings.
Carlisle Bay is an ultimate luxury resort for families in Antigua with everything you need to keep you busy and satisfied on property, so a car may not be necessary unless you have your heart set on exploring several other parts of the island. If you just want to get out once or twice, such as to English Harbour or Nelson’s Dockyard, ample taxis are available at Carlisle Bay or arranged through the concierge to take you wherever you’d like to go without the hassle of renting a car.
Tour operators will also provide transportation if you’d prefer organized excursions, including ziplining or snorkeling, and Carlisle Bay’s concierge team can help you arrange them.
Don’t waste your time searching for rates and availability. We can handle it (and love it!), at no additional cost to you.
Our family of four had a fabulous vacation at Carlisle Bay! The room (#24) was spacious (bedroom areas, sitting area and bathroom), pretty, clean, and had a balcony with an amazing view of the beach and water. It exceeded our expectations. The staff and service were top notch. My girls (ages 16 and 17) both have severe food allergies (eggs, nuts and shellfish) and are very picky eaters. The staff went above and beyond to accommodate them at each restaurant and at every meal, and they all did it with a genuine smile. That made a difference and the food itself was great. The beach is the highlight of the resort. It’s private, gorgeous, expansive, quiet and peaceful. On top of that, there are plenty of beach chairs (which are super comfortable – stacked with a cushion, cover, and plush towel!) available for hotel guests. Over the years, we have stayed at many resorts in the Caribbean where it is a daily battle to get chairs at the beach and you are afraid to leave for a walk or meal because someone might take your chairs or they can be given away. That was not the case here. There were enough chairs for everyone and there was no morning stress about saving chairs. The hotel is also an easy 25 minute ride from the airport (the hotel is happy to arrange transport for you). Without hesitation, we would return to Carlisle Bay. It’s truly a luxury resort and is worth every cent. Thank you Carlisle Bay!
Reviewed by Minkeymoo100, October 2023, via TripAdvisor
Honestly if I could give this place more than 5 stars I would! We went for 10 days and are a family of 4. The hotel is lovely, perfect size situated on a peaceful bay. Our children had a wonderful time at kids club and at one point we’re running to go in (typically they don’t do kids clubs). The hotel team in general were fantastic and could not do enough to make sure we had an amazing stay – we met so many people and thought they were all fantastic. In particular Brian the GM, Michael the Sommelier who was so knowledgeable about wine and we loved talking to, to the manager of the Jetty bar who organised a special meal for my birthday and the talented chef who cooked it. We stayed in a 2 bedroom beach front apartment. Antigua is not a large island and everywhere we visited outside the hotel felt like it was no more than a 30 minute drive. We hired a car and managed to see a bit of the island – highlights included the beautiful countryside, sting ray city and local restaurants. We didn’t manage to do Shirley Heights on a Sunday but will save this for next time. We can’t wait to return – a special place!
Reviewed by Minkeymoo100, October 2023, via TripAdvisor
Want to see more of what Antigua has to offer? Dive into our complete Antigua Collection for more family-friendly hotels in Antigua and must-do activities. If you’re still in the ‘Hmm, which island?’ phase, our ‘Find Your Caribbean Island‘ page is designed to help busy parents like you sift through the noise and pick the perfect family getaway.
