|
|
|
 |
 |
Antigua & Barbuda Hotel, Resort & Villa Reviews
Rex Halcyon 07/05/2003
Reviewers Rating:  Good
Just back from a week at Rex Halcyon (6/21-6/28).
GENERAL HOTEL APPEARANCE
You can tell that the hotel is old. Reminded us of a 1950's style motel. The grounds have a lot of trees, but it doesn't look very lushly landscaped. Then again, there's been little rain in the island and I would rather they give me the water to shower with than water the lawns.
HOTEL ROOM
Superior rooms are located towards the back, yet still not too far from the beach. They overlook a garden. OK size. Have either a balcony or patio in front. Have a TV & A/C. It kind of backs into this hill that has a lot of bushes & plants, one where you would imagine critters to be lurking at night. (whether there are some or not we don't know.)
We were in what was considered a beachfront room. It was in between the pool & Carib bar, a few steps to the beach. It has a TV, A/C, ceiling fan, and mini fridge. The mini fridge was great to have as we were able to store bottled water & local fruits to snack on.
Furniture is kind of old. The bathroom was our problem. The tiles on the floor were either moldy or grimy, and there was rust around the tub. It also smelled the first couple of days we were there until we were able to buy a disinfectant & also Lysol spray. I have a very keen sense of smell, so it bothered me more than it might bother some people.
Overall, the hotel could use some renovations & newer furnishings.
Oh, if there are 2 of you, they only give you 2 towels in the bathroom & also 2 pillows. (Again, we were used to higher standards.)
FOOD
If you are on AI plan, you wear a wrist band. It was convenient since you didn't have to sign for the drinks. Btw, bottled water is not part of AI, so you have to buy that on your own. Best bet is to go to the convenience store down the beach (see below under Other).
As with any buffet, you end up getting tired of eating the same buffet food everyday. Dinners rotated themes, but the quality is the same. My husband said the food served it's purpose, which is to get food in you. It's not gourmet or anything, but certainly passable.
We didn't try the Warri Pier. We opted to go out to Coconut Grove instead, which is down the beach. If you want to go to Warri Pier instead of the buffet, you get a $50 EC credit. Most of the entree prices are higher than that, so you will definitely have to shell out more money to eat a good meal there.
The hotel also sells the AI plan on a daily basis if you didn't sign up for it beforehand. $200 EC ($80 US - - I think) per day. They also have some other meal plan combos available, like breakfast & dinners only.
BEACH
The beach was awesome. The sand is powdery & the water calm & relatively clear. At the right end of the beach, there are some rocks & corals where you can see some varieties of fish. Dickenson Bay is long, so it was nice to be able to walk up and down.
VENDORS
There were vendors at the beach, mostly offering t-shirts, bracelets, and booking trips for catamaran or boat trips. They were all very nice. We didn't find them intrusive at all and they didn't harrass you. Very friendly actually. They would converse with you even if you are not interested in what they are selling. Antiguans are proud of their island & very friendly people. We really loved the people of the island!!
If you go, don't miss a guy named Raga who sits by the beach at Sandals next door who weaves baskets, hats, purses out of palm leaves. It's very fascinating to watch and his creations are awesome. Don't wait till the last day to get one as he is very popular!!
OTHER
There is a convenience store by Antigua Village, which is right down the beach. On Wed & Sat, there is a local lady named Cynthia who sells local fruits & veggies from her car in the parking lot. Don't miss the Antiguan black pineapple! Since we had a fridge & brought a steak knife from home, we bought fresh fruits from her and they were great.
Photos specifically of the Rex Halcyon may be viewed here:
http://ImageEvent.com/kajugo/antigua2003rexhalcyon
Overall the Rex Halcyon is comparable to an older Comfort Inn or Howard Johnson's. It is definitely not a Hyatt or Westin. Just come with that expectation and you will enjoy yourself as the beach and it's location is really great.
If anyone has any questions I'd be more than happy to answer them. Hope you find this info helpful.
Cheers!
Kris
Kris
 Read more Caribbean Travel reviews at TripAdvisor
|
 |
|
