Added pics of closed spa after reply - there was no turndown service.
We first travelled to the Caribbean in 1983 and over the years have been to most types of guesthouse, hotel and resort across large/small islands. We have never come across anything that mixes good 4* with poor 2* in a way we found at The Great House, resulting in our overall 3* opinion of the stay. Maybe the impacts from Covid and lockdowns have taken a toll on those areas which are below the “luxury” and “boutique” previously. If you are thinking of going then we would still recommend trying it…….more details than usual below if you want to read about some of the differences we found. We really hope something is done to get the whole place back to the 4* standard it should be.
Our stay didn’t get the best of starts when the taxi drove up the peaceful track off the road and found the hotel gate shut. We got the phone number and called the hotel, and 10-15 mins later someone finally came and opened the gate. Check-in was basic – passport and credit card, but no warm welcome or any of the typical things such as a welcome drink or facecloth.
We had a garden cottage room, which was bright and spacious with lovely terrace and very much as the hotel photos. Everyone’s expectations of “luxury boutique” differ; we thought it a little disappointing not to have any toiletries in the bathroom (3 bulk dispensers on the wall) and no tissues, along with tea/coffee just 4 sachets of instant Nescafe and a few Breakfast teabags rather than a selection or anything local. Don’t expect any flowers from the garden or special towels as in previous photos.
It’s a great pool terrace and pool with beautiful views – shame we couldn’t swim on our first afternoon as there was so much debris on top of the water. The hotel wasn’t able to clean it that day being a Sunday, but promised for next morning and did that. We did use the pool when cleaned and it was good, but the other areas such as the shower you are asked to use before entering were very dirty and completely unusable.
We arranged classes for every day of our stay, and all the options were available and efficiently set-up. These were well run and excellent on the outdoor platform, with stunning views to the ocean and creek with yachts moored as well as the gardens. In contrast, the Banana Spa was unavailable – out of action used as a store room.
The main terrace around the House is one of the nicest we’ve seen, but then the pool bar area was run-down and closed all the time. It seems to have become used as a smoking corner with piles of used cigarettes amongst the twigs and leaves that have blown in. When we wanted a drink we had to walk up to the House to find someone to get it. This wasn’t going to work for the entire stay, so some cartons of fruit juice and coke were put in a fridge near the pool bar. We were OK with that – but if you expect “luxury boutique” will include drinks served to you, or fruit served by the pool as mentioned in some previous write-ups, then you will be disappointed.
The food was good 4* standard – but the availability/choice 2*. We wanted lighter lunches so ordered Caesar Salad, but they had no lettuce (resolved later in stay) and the limited menu then made it difficult. Bread rolls to go with any meal not available, and at breakfast no brown/wholemeal bread for toast only white and no types of pastries or croissant if you want a light breakfast rather than eggs/bacon. Lovely “catchof the day” Mahi-Mahi on first night, but then find out it will be same for every lunch/dinner as they bulk order the fish and use until it’s gone! That got worse when they ran out and no fish at all available last dinner and lunch. There are 3 rose/5 white wines on the list, but more than half were unavailable/run-out.
The waterfront kayak hadn’t been cleaned for a while, with local wildlife making it home amongst the debris.The rest of the area looks tired compared to the website photos; lot of sand having washed away, panels down on the fencing and overgrowth.
starstarstar Keith Riley
My wife and I loved every minute of our stay at this beautiful boutique hotel. We stayed here for 3 nights. It's located away from the hustle and bustle of the main tourist areas on Antigua, but that was exactly what we were looking for. We got to stay in one of their brand new cottages. The room was HUGE! From the minute we arrived, Mara (the main housekeeper) took care of our every need. She is the sweetest! The meals we ate there were amazing, their pool is huge, and we loved spending our time walking around the grounds and hearing all of the birds chirping. We seriously can't recommend this hotel enough. Do yourself a favor and stay here! You won't regret it!!!
starstarstarstarstar Stephen Wolf
When you arrive at the great house you are straight away transported into absolute paradise. Down the gorgeous long drive lined with pineapple trees, with mara, the housekeeper there will refreshing drinks on arrival. The house was amazingly different, being a old plantain house and I loved that every detail had been thought about. My favourite part was the pool area. You had a lovely breeze being on a hill and a huge pool to swim in. I really can't wait to go back!! Thank you for everything!
starstarstarstarstar Isabella
Where do you go to unwind?
Look no further, I was looking for a complete location to both detox and focus on my life as well as meet good people and eat well. On arrival, I was greeted by some of the staff from TGH, I felt completely welcome. I was shown to my room - this beautiful building is picturesque with beauty 365 degrees around.
The food is locally sourced and all healthy and more importantly tasted fantastic.
I can not recommend the beautiful place and beautiful country enough - this is a picture perfect location filled with history
starstarstarstarstar Stephanie Frieze-Davies
My recent stay at The Great House was quite frankly exceptional. Based at Mercer's creek it is one of the few remaining ex sugar plantations on the island, and is therefore a rare opportunity to visit a beautiful Caribbean island for a health retreat, whilst simultaneously stepping back in time, there is no place quite like it. The rooms were very clean, old fashioned (4 poster beds) and have obviously been well kept over the years. As old as the plantation is, there is air con in every bedroom.
We were extremely well looked after at this boutique hotel. I especially enjoyed the yoga sessions with fabulous views of the coast. We were also provided with very healthy, but also filling meals throughout the day, recipes for which were created by local chefs.
There were plenty of opportunities to venture out to explore the island in downtime. We took a trip to see sting-ray city, and had several massages and other spa treatments by specialists from the island - highly recommended. There is also a large, clean pool with a lovely pool house to use in downtime if you do not wish to venture out.
Overall, the mixture of staying at a clean and rare property in this ex-sugar plantation, combined with the un-matchable views and tranquillity makes this a must for any individual thinking of travelling to the Caribbean. Highly recommended and no faults/drawbacks from our stay. Special mention to Mara for her high quality and constant service throughout our stay. We will be returning next year with another friendship group!
starstarstarstarstar Charles Porter-Thaw
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