Hermitage Bay, an SLH Hotel
Hermitage Bay sits alone on its own bay on Antigua's quiet west coast, with 32 villas spread between the hillside and the shore across 140 acres of gardens, every one with a private pool or hot tub. It reopened on November 1, 2024 after a multi-million-dollar renovation under new owner Daniel Shamoon of Luxury Hotels Partners, the group behind Puente Romano Marbella and Nobu Marbella; every villa, public space and the spa were refurbished, and the Tree Bar and Beach Club were added. A three-bedroom Sanctuary Villa joins in fall 2026 and a new Hermitage Villa is planned for 2027. The resort is a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, opens each season in mid-October (the 2026/2027 season opened October 12, 2026), and its defining feature remains the staff, who know your name and preferences within a day.
Things to Know
Traveler Insights
Pros
- +Staff learn guest names within hours of arrival, a trait that comes up in nearly every positive review and defines the place
- +All 32 villas have a private pool or hot tub, plus air conditioning, an outdoor shower, a stand-alone tub and a deck with day beds and swings
- +The all-inclusive plan covers three meals, afternoon snacks, canapes and sushi at cocktail hour, premium branded drinks, house wines, a choice of rose or white Champagne and a minibar restocked daily to your preference
- +Complimentary round-trip private airport transfers for every guest, with meet-and-greet and fast-track on arrival
- +The bay is yours alone on Antigua's west coast, so the beach is quiet even in high season and the chairs are never crowded
- +La Petite Maison runs a seasonal residency at the beach club, now in its second Caribbean year, serving truffle rigatoni, grilled entrecote and the Tomatini with live music
- +Recognised by Conde Nast Traveler as Antigua's only Triple Crown resort across its Hot List, Gold List and Readers' Choice Awards, and given Two Keys by the MICHELIN Guide two years running
- +Wellness is built in: guided yoga or Pilates in a pavilion, a Technogym fitness centre, and a beachside spa offering ESPA treatments
Cons
- −Among the most expensive stays in Antigua; the resort quoted all-inclusive rates from $2,899 a night at its November 2024 reopening, and rates rarely dip far below $2,000
- −Deluxe spirits, the full wine list, in-room dining, private dining, picnic lunches and the $255-per-person romantic beach dinner all cost extra, even on all-inclusive
- −Remote bay with no walkable town or restaurants nearby, so you are committed to the resort's kitchen for most of your stay
- −Evenings are cocktails and live music rather than nightlife: no club, no casino and no show programme
- −Motorised water sports, fishing, motor boats, island tours, golf and tennis are all paid extras, and golf and tennis are at nearby clubs rather than on property
- −The resort closes for an off-season break and opens each new season in mid-October, so check availability before planning a trip in early autumn
- −Not for families with younger children: it is adults-only with teenagers over 14 welcome, and there is no kids or teen programme
You can book all-inclusive or bed and breakfast. The all-inclusive plan covers breakfast, lunch and dinner from daily-changing menus, afternoon snacks, canapes and sushi at cocktail hour, premium branded drinks, house wines and a choice of rose or white Champagne, plus a minibar restocked daily. The Restaurant on its deck over the bay serves breakfast and dinner, the beach club grills fresh fish and meat at lunch and hosts La Petite Maison's seasonal residency, the Tree Bar pours rum punch with fresh sushi from 4:30 to 5:30pm, and the Lounge Bar over the pool has live local music in the evenings. Much of the produce comes from the resort's own organic garden. Included activities are snorkelling, kayaking, paddleboarding, Hobie Cat and Sunfish sailing, cooking and sushi demonstrations, garden tours and hiking; golf-buggies run guests between villas and the beach, and Wi-Fi is free, though the resort asks guests to keep laptops and phones out of some public spaces.
Hermitage Bay is ideal for couples celebrating something significant who want seclusion and personal service that larger resorts cannot provide. It competes with Curtain Bluff and Galley Bay within Antigua, and with Jade Mountain and Ladera in the wider Caribbean, and its Conde Nast Traveler Triple Crown and MICHELIN Two Keys put independent weight behind its reputation. For a day off property, the resort arranges lunch at Nobu on Barbuda by private boat or a 10 to 15 minute helicopter hop, or deep-sea fishing and island-hopping on a private charter.
Common Questions
What exactly is included in the all-inclusive rate at Hermitage Bay?
What changed in the recent renovation and ownership change?
Is there diving or snorkelling at Hermitage Bay?
When is Hermitage Bay open?
How does Hermitage Bay compare to Curtain Bluff and Galley Bay?
Can I bring children or teenagers to Hermitage Bay?
What's nearby
Shirley Heights40 min drive · 16 mi
Devil's Bridge40 min drive · 18 mi
Darkwood Beach12 min drive · 5.5 mi
40 min drive · 15 mi
Galleon Beach40 min drive · 15 mi
Jolly Harbour Marina11 min drive · 4.1 mi
More things to do (24)
- Long Bay Beach · beach35 min drive · 18 mi
- Ffryes Beach · beach13 min drive · 5.2 mi
- Stingray City snorkel trip · excursion30 min drive · 16 mi
- Deep Bay Beach · beach25 min drive · 9.7 mi
- Jolly Beach · beach13 min drive · 4.3 mi
- St. John's · town14 min drive · 6.2 mi
- Turners Beach · beach14 min drive · 6.4 mi
- St. John's Cathedral · historic site14 min drive · 6.6 mi
- Museum of Antigua and Barbuda · museum14 min drive · 6.5 mi
- Government House Museum · museum14 min drive · 6.6 mi
- Barbuda day trip by ferry · excursion15 min drive · 6.6 mi
- Dickinson Bay Beach · beach20 min drive · 9.2 mi
- Fort James · ruins20 min drive · 9.4 mi
- Cedar Valley Golf Club · golf25 min drive · 9.3 mi
- Fort Barrington · ruins25 min drive · 9.8 mi
- Antigua Rainforest Zip Line · adventure park25 min drive · 13 mi
- Wallings Nature Reserve · nature25 min drive · 13 mi
- Jabberwock Beach · beach30 min drive · 13 mi
- Betty's Hope · ruins30 min drive · 14 mi
- Antigua's Donkey Sanctuary · wildlife30 min drive · 17 mi
- English Harbour · town35 min drive · 14 mi
- Falmouth Harbour Marina · marina35 min drive · 14 mi
- Pigeon Point Beach · beach40 min drive · 15 mi
- Dow's Hill Interpretation Centre · museum40 min drive · 15 mi
Amenities
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Style & Rooms
Atmosphere
Room upgrades
Seaweed & sargassum
Antigua gets sargassum, typically worst May through August.See the month-by-month guide →Google Reviews★ 4.7 · 378 reviews
“⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Our stay at Hermitage Bay was absolutely incredible from start to finish. The staff is truly exceptional—so warm, attentive, and genuine that it’s impossible to name everyone individually. Every single person made us feel welcomed, cared for, a...”
“I personally cannot recommend this hotel more. We used our Hilton points to stay here. This was a phenomenal use of Hilton redemption points. We stayed in the beachfront room, which was very large and had wonderful AC. The staff was so friendly and...”
“We had a fantastic stay at this all-inclusive resort. The staff were warm, professional, and always ready to assist with anything we needed. The chef was especially kind, making sure our halal dietary requirements were fully accommodated. He personal...”
