Best Hotels in Antigua for Christmas

Curtain Bluff has occupied its improbable perch — a promontory with Caribbean on one side and Atlantic on the other — since 1962, and its all-inclusive formula has never needed reinvention. The resort's tennis programme, managed by Bob Green, is among the world's finest at any resort; the beachfront suites, personal service, and exceptional wine cellar complete a thoroughly exceptional picture.

• All-Inclusive
• Tennis
• Couples
• English Harbour

The Sandals brand's Antigua flagship makes the most of a prime Dickenson Bay setting with its classic couples-only all-inclusive formula elevated by Mediterranean- and Caribbean-village inspired design. Sixteen restaurants, twelve pools, a dive centre, and nightly entertainment ensure no couple has cause to be anything but blissfully occupied.

• All-Inclusive
• Couples
• Luxury
• Dickenson Bay

Hawksbill by Rex Resorts offers something genuinely rare: four private beaches — including Antigua's only clothing-optional stretch — on a 37-acre estate just minutes from St. John's. The resort's all-inclusive formula, inclusive of all meals and most activities, delivers excellent value for couples and families seeking a gracious but unpretentious Caribbean retreat.

• All-Inclusive
• Private Beach
• Value
• Jolly Harbour

Galley Bay is a Relais & Châteaux adults-only all-inclusive set on one of Antigua's widest and least-trafficked beaches. Thatched gauguin cottages line a lagoon path through tropical gardens to the sea; the Gauguin beach grill and Gaucho Grill provide very good dining across the all-inclusive package. The sheer quality-per-dollar ratio here is exceptional.

• Relais & Châteaux
• Adults-Only
• All-Inclusive
• Dickenson Bay

Keyonna is Antigua's most talked-about intimate adults-only retreat — a clutch of just 16 beachfront cottages on Lignum Vitae Bay, one of the island's prettiest and most secluded beaches. No room keys, no televisions, no clocks — the design philosophy is radical simplicity, and the guests who seek it out return year after year.

• Adults-Only
• Secluded
• Barefoot Luxury
• Jolly Harbour

Tucked into a rainforest-backed bay on Antigua's south coast, Carlisle Bay is a contemporary luxury resort that sets itself apart with a genuinely outstanding programme of activities — one of the Caribbean's best tennis academies, a watersports centre with serious credentials, and a film screening room for evening. The beach here, protected by reefs, is immaculate and rarely crowded.

• Luxury
• Tennis
• Beach
• English Harbour