We recently spent 2 nights at the Escape at Nonsuch. First, the good - the rooms are clean, comfy and modern. The private plunge pool is awesome for relaxing! Breakfast was very good each day, large portions. And we were able to get all we could drink from the bar... not watered down either. Now, the not so good - the service is not the best. The man who staffed the front desk and a few other spots was fairly snooty and rude. Eating at the restaurant is a chore, as there are a TON of birds swooping and jumping all over the place - we lost more than a few pieces of toast! The location is very secluded, but also very far from everything else on the island. We didn't eat lunch at all, but dinner portions were pretty small although the food was fairly good. Overall it was ok, but we probably wouldn't stay there again.
starstarstar Bill Cochrane
This place is literally for an Escape. Do not go there thinking your gonna night life it up! It’s in a remote area. Don’t waste your money getting a taxi or a ride. The ride to and from is more expensive then renting a car for 5 days. The staff are extremely pleasant. Renting a car gives you access to the whole island to any beach or area nothing is more then a 10-40 minute drive. If your looking for a quiet get away all inclusive it’s a good deal.
starstarstarstar Corinne Montanez
I’d like to be clear—this is not a 5 star resort. The people that are rating it 5 stars appear to be still bathing in their honeymoon glow or people who don’t have much experience with resorts. Similarly, this is not a 1 star resort. The people saying that are people who appear to be accustomed to big/chain resort amenities, which are mostly absent at the Escape at Nonsuch bay. Having said all that, the truth is in the middle! I stayed for a long weekend in august—bear with me.
Pros:
Beautiful rooms
The best resort food I have ever encountered (zero hyperbole)
Breathtaking views of Antigua
Excellent staff
Each room comes standard with its own pool with a nice view, king-sized beds and excellent temperature controls. The views of Nonsuch bay are really special. Because Escape at Nonsuch is a boutique resort, a lot more attention appears to be paid to food and service.
Cons:
Very poor alcohol selection
Minimal activities
Limited food choices
Distant beach access
Very remote location
Does not appear to be handicap accessible (but I could be wrong)
Awkward toilets
The barest mini-bar I have ever seen (still no hyperbole)
It’s good that the food is excellent and the rooms are cozy because there isn’t much else to do at the escape at Nonsuch bay besides eat and enjoy your room. There are nature walks and yoga twice a week at scheduled times, but neither of those are on weekends. Spa services and more romantic options are available, but if you are just coming hoping to have fun with friends/significant other or family, please bring your own fun such as card/board games and planned activities off resort. If you are comfortable driving off the resort or visiting family on the island, this may be less noticeable. If you are at the resort just to be at the resort, you will feel this sentiment halfway through your first day. I drink regularly and enjoy a stiff drink. Having said that, the alcohol at this place is not for people like me. My significant other drinks less, but even she was dissatisfied by overtly watered down drinks. The resort does not have any social activities that bring people together as are common at other resorts. There is a pool near the resorts only bar (which isn’t as problematic as it sounds), but no socializing at all which is uncommon for me—I normally make 4-8 resort friends each trip. The resort is full of stairs that aren’t always well lit. If there is elevator access, I have not seen it. Each meal always has a vegetarian option but there is only one restaurant at the resort, which doesn’t provide the variety present at larger resorts. The beach is a 15 minute walk away with temporary shuttle service in the late morning and afternoon. Unfortunately, the beach is full of seaweed which has a very strong smell. The toilets in the room have a ‘half-door’, which didn’t bother me much, but my significant other felt like she did not have much privacy. Lastly, the minibar in the room was stocked with two bottles of water and a child-sized container of milk. This made me sad.
Overall, the escape at Nonsuch bay was not what we were expecting, but we still enjoyed our time here and used it to recharge. Having said that, we would not come back. I would recommend this resort for anyone who wants a change of scenery while doing a healthy bit of writing or working on a project or for anyone who wants to connect with their partner. If you are looking for vibrant nightlife and social experiences, this place is not for you. If you exclusively want to soak in some sunshine, enjoy peace and quiet and take in Antigua’s natural beauty, this place may be for you. Three stars because the food is really and truly that good. Just bring a bottle of your preferred spirit—trust me.
starstarstar Pedro Vega
Lovely boutique resort with great restaurant view. The room was perfect size for two and with a beautiful serene view through the wooden frame glass doors. Loved the individual outdoor tub and mini pool but wished there was more privacy for the lower (ground) level rooms. The private beach is a bit of a trek and not good for swimming due to the sheer amount of kelp(?) heavily lining the shoreline. It’s nice to lounge, enjoy the sea breeze and the beach bar.
starstarstarstar Byulaa Yoo
An all inclusive resort in a remote area of Antigua. Too many highlights to detail but we were most impressed with the beautiful, peaceful setting surrounded by nature. The Escape side of the resort offers the convenience of an onsite restaurant (all inclusive), bar, kayaks, plunge pools in every room. Walk or drive a short distance to the Residences next door for a different scene but just as peaceful where there is a separate restaurant (not part of the hotel), beach, bar, convenience store, gift shop. We had excellent service from hotel staff such as Michael and Maxine...and many others that offered great recommendations to make our stay memorable. We were disappointed to see that the sailing no longer exists at the resort and found it a bit odd when we checked in and mentioned this as our reason for staying there that the hotel manager did not explain that the sailing no longer exists. Also, they advertise classes such as yoga but these are only available twice a week for an additional fee. Loved the boat ride to Green Island with complimentary rum punch. We found other activities such as Half Moon Bay just a short drive from the resort. This is a stunning beach with clear water, very private, two rustic restaurants...would highly recommend. We also visited and recommend English Harbor, Block house and Shirley Heights (although we did not care for the Sunday night events that brought in crowds of tourists), Devil's bridge and Long Bay Beach. Overall, would love to return one day. This was the most relaxing destination we have experienced so far.
starstarstarstar Deirdre Lloyd
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