Galley Bay

GALLEY BAY ANTIGUA

in association with HAUTE HOTELS Autumn 2012

www.galleybayresort.com • US Toll Fee: 866-237-1644 • UK/Europe 44 (0) 1245 45 99 06

a hotel on a beach?

www.galleybayresort.com • US Toll Fee: 866-237-1644 • UK/Europe 44 (0) 1245 45 99 06

or a beach on a hotel?

veryone has a dream Caribbean hotel. Usually somewhere with lots of thatch and bamboo. Where the rooms open out to a white sand beach. And where you can dine on fresh lobster by a moonlit ocean, only the sound of the waves interrupting all the sweet nothings.

At Galley Bay in Antigua the fantasy becomes fact. This rustic yet romantic retreat overlooks a blissful curving bay and most of its accommodations sit right on the sands. There are few other Caribbean hotels with rooms that are quite that close to the beach - in fact there are almost certainly laws against it nowadays!

But this place has always been the quintessential tropical retreat. Its heritage goes right back to 1959. In the old days movie stars like Greta Garbo and Jean-Paul Belmondo would hide away here for a few days or simply stop by for lunch.

And over the years Galley Bay has stayed true to its castaway roots. It continues to embrace Caribbean rusticity and much prefers timber and stone to concrete and glass. Often the walls aren’t even there at all. The thatched roofs are held up by rugged tree trunks and dried palm leaves appear to bind everything together.

Of course, Galley Bay has changed over the years, certainly it has. Nowadays it’s got 98 luxury guest rooms, a spa and a trio of restaurants, for heaven’s sake. Yet the place still easily manages to maintain the ambience of a tranquil island hideaway. Most probably because it chooses to extend along its ¾ mile beach rather than rise above it - the only thing you look up to here are the coconut palms.

HAUTE HOTELS are delighted to showcase Galley Bay in our first feature magazine. We’ll be even more delighted if we inspire you to visit it.

Jackie LoxhamEditor HAUTE HOTELSwww.haute-hotels.com

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Galley Bay is a HAUTE HOTEL, a collection of the best hotels in the Caribbean.Click www.haute-hotels.com to get all the low-down. Email: [email protected]

Haute Hotels Ltd is a limited company registered in the UK - 8147290

TYING THE KNOT?Everyone in Antigua loves a lover and the Galley Bay team tends to be slushier than most! This adult-only haven has not got just one but two wedding gazebos perched right on the edge of its romantic ¾ mile beach. But to ensure you get the personal attention of the hotel’s wedding co-ordinator only one wedding is performed per day. And when all the formalities are over they’ll be very happy to arrange for you to dine at a candlelit table in your own flower-draped gazebo on the sands. If you stay a week or more in one of its Premium Beachfront Suites you even get your wedding thrown in for free.

Free wedding includes fees, wedding cake, bouquet, boutonniere and, of course, a bottle of champagne. Some restrictions apply.

Going greener & greener ...Galley Bay’s ‘green’ policy is perfectly appropriate for a hotel that’s so in touch with its natural surroundings. Just some of the resort’s eco-conscious activities include recycling everything it can (600,000 cans and bottles one year), a reverse osmosis water plant, solar water heaters and air-conditioners that switch off after you’ve left your door open for a bit too long. In 2007 Galley Bay was certified by Green Globe and will continue to do all it can to improve its green credentials.

new rooms • awards • superior setting •turtle watch • spa treatments • after dark• turtle watch • spa treatments • easy access • after dark • turtle watch • new new rooms • awards • green credentials •tying the knot • calypso joe • green policy

haUte gossip

new barefoot GrillSometimes you just can’t be bothered to change for lunch. Sometimes you just want to grab a delicious but no-nonsense basket meal in your swimsuit before returning to your windsurfing lesson or possibly the last chapter of Fifty Shades of Grey. Well, now you can.Galley Bay’s new Barefoot Grill is now open for casual feet-in-the-sand lunches within a coconut’s throw of the Caribbean Sea.

EASY ACCESS ...Have mobility difficulties? Galley Bay may just have the room for you. Chosen because of its proximity to the hotel’s central facilities, one of its ground floor Deluxe Rooms has been specially adapted to suit those guests who can’t walk too far. There’s not only convenient ramp access, but also additional safety facilities in the bathroom. And best of all it’s located right on the beach!

To ensure this room is exactly right for your needs, please contact Galley Bay in advance of your stay for more specific details.

new rooms • awards • superior setting •turtle watch • spa treatments • after dark• turtle watch • spa treatments • easy access • after dark • turtle watch • new new rooms • awards • green credentials •tying the knot • calypso joe • green policy

haUte a superior setting ...Book a lead-in Superior Room at Galley Bay and you’ll certainly think you’ve hit the jackpot when it comes to your beautiful ocean view.These 10 rooms are all located on the ground floor right on the sands - open the door and you’ll feel like you’ve got your own private beach right outside. They might be smaller than Galley Bay’s other rooms and they might only have showers rather than bathtubs, but let’s just say that, were they located anywhere else in the Caribbean, you’d be paying a huge premium for this kind of sought-after setting.

Superior Rooms from US$940 per night all-inclusive. Perfect for young honeymooners!

THIS RUSTIC-YET-RAVISHING BOLTHOLE PREFERS TO WHISPER GENTLY RATHER THAN MAKE ANY KIND OF SCREAMING STYLE STATEMENT. THE FACT THAT ITS GUEST ROOMS ARE ALWAYS ATA PREMIUM IS PROOF THAT PLENTY OF PEOPLE ARE MORE THAN HAPPY TO LISTEN...

hen you finally make it to your beachfront suite at Galley Bay (one of you wondering why your hair is now a humidity-induced frizz and the other thinking that those cream linen trousers weren’t such a good idea, after all) the only pick-me-up either of you will need is the view waiting for you at the far end. Because right on the other side of that floor-to-ceiling pane of glass will be the kind of Bounty-ad beach that comes with milky white sands, leafy green palms and an ocean so blue that a breathy “wow” will seem to be the only appropriate response.

For that is the real magic of this 98-room hideaway on the west coast of Antigua. If it were any closer to the Caribbean Sea it would be in it, and as much of it as possible has been constructed along its curving, surf-soaked length.

Yet don’t even think that this is the end of the tropical inducements. The whole-sale use of thatch, timber and terracot-ta is proof that this low-rise hideaway

is unapologetically in touch with its surroundings. Galley Bay doesn’t have a pretentious thought in its head and anything shiny or sparkly would be totally out of place here. With the possible exception of a long, tall glass containing a wedge of pineapple and something with an alcohol content verging on 40 per cent.

It’s also just the kind of luxury Carib-bean hotel where it is quite possible to switch off from the rest of the world - and not just because it’s so exotic you’ll feel a spoilsport if you keep checking your Blackberry for messages from the outside. The hotel appears to be physically separated from the rest of Antigua by an expansive lagoon that’s only frequented by visitors of the web-footed variety - so after you’ve checked-in at the rather uninspiring lobby you’ll be whisked by golf buggy across this watery wilderness to the resort proper.

And that’s the end of anything even vaguely uninspiring at Galley Bay. Everywhere here has an unstudied warmth and a ‘tiki hut’ charm that

can’t fail to beguile. You’ll be irretriev-ably drawn to the timber deck that runs the length of the main public areas, the lounge, restaurant and bars all opening out to blissful vistas of the three-quarter-mile beach and Caribbean Sea. Look in the other direction and it’s all about rustling palms, cheerful yellowbells and shocking pink bougainvillaea.

Your guest quarters will provide a tem-porary lull from all these vibrant paint-box colours. Whether you go for a ter-raced beachfront room or a Gauguin Cottage on the edge of the lagoon, you can look forward to a calming colour palette and lots of natural materials like rattan and wicker.

Indeed, Galley Bay has not only grown a bit in recent years, it has also had a bit of a style re-think. But don’t worry that you’ll need a whole new ward-robe to feel like you fit in. This place has no intention of getting away from its relaxed, tropical roots even though the floral bedspreads have now been given the heave-ho and there’s some arty new photography on the walls ...

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Canoodling couples wanting to keep a check on their love handles can also play tennis, work-out in the fitness room, jog around the lagoon or even cycle around the Five Islands peninsula - not too far though, heh, as there’s a hot stone massage waiting for you back at the hotel.

Yes, Galley Bay has finally got itself a spa - one that’s very much in keeping with the whole back-to-nature vibe that prevails here. It’s set alongside the calming waters of the bird sanctuary lagoon, a multi-level alfresco creation with lots of soothing shades, natural woods and floaty muslin. There are all the usual offerings like massages, facials and reflexology, tasty treatments like Mango-Passion-Fruit-Yoghurt-Exfoliation particularly hard to resist if you’ve missed lunch. The Aloe-Vera-&-Cucumber-Treatment is just what to sign up for if you’ve overdone the sunbathing.

Of course, you’d have to display Madonna-like self control not to overdo the eating here. Englishman Stan Baxter has been in charge of all things culinary for years, showing off his talents in three alfresco restaurants that all boast the beach as their backdrop. Expect things like coffee-dusted beef tenderloin, pep-pered yellowfin tuna and even classic West Indian rotis, the weekly Caribbean barbecue a chance to meet Stan and quiz him about his crème brulées.

Design-wise the main Sea Grape restaurant is out-played in the ambience and elegance stakes by the newer Ismay’s, although the moody Gauguin beats everywhere for romance - you can dine à deux beneath a thatched roof cabana just steps away from the surf. And whilst the nightly entertainment programme ranges from live bands to local singers, chances are you’ll be tucked up in bed well before midnight. Possibly kept awake by thoughts of Calypso Joe and whether he was really singing about what you suspect he was singing about ...

Galley Bay is an early-to-bed kind of place and days here have a habit of starting early too. Don’t be at all surprised if 7am sees you prancing about that ¾ beach like a couple of over-excited 5-year-olds at Toys R Us ...

And what better way to work up an appetite for banana pancakes than an early morning dip in the Caribbean Sea? In fact, dips in the sea will probably form the basis of your stay here. That and the close bond you form with your sun lounger perched under that very handy palm tree.

Of course, you may be the type who prefers a swim-ming pool to a beach. Galley Bay’s is a lagoon-like affair set away from the ocean amidst the palms, its boulders, grottos and waterfalls creating the kind of tropical oasis where it feels totally appropriate to wear a jungle-print sarong and drink an umbrella cocktail.

If you are suddenly overwhelmed by the urge for action, you can take your pick from a range of non-motorised water sports, instruction available if you can have visions of windsurfing out to sea with little chance of changing direction.

alley Bay first opened as a hotel in 1959 with just 12 guest rooms. Back then it was called the Galley Bay Surf Club and an American multi- millionairess named Edith Holbert was not only the owner, but also in charge. Rumour has it that ‘Edee’ could not only drink any of her male guests under the table, but that she could also give Elizabeth Taylor a run for her money when it came to husbands.

In those early days you could stay at Edee’s hotel for about twenty dollars a night, all your meals thrown in. You did have to pay extra for cocktails though and, by all accounts, plenty of people were happy to do just that. A lively house-party ambience generally prevailed after dark, fuelled not only by Edee’s ‘sparkling personality’ but also by the fact that many of her guests were repeaters and old friends.

Meals were served in the beachfront building that is the Seagrape Lounge today, the cuisine generally local and spicy with plenty of fresh fish and lobster appearing on the menus. Even the ubiquitous seagrape trees were trans-formed into some kind of soup (‘dark, purple and tart …’ according to a later edition of the New Yorker.)

Seagrape trees were everywhere you looked back then, the Five Islands area so generally undeveloped that horses and their foals roamed all over the property. But of course the beach was just as spectacular as it is today, although when the waves got particularly rough (usually December through to January), Edee would whisk her guests over to nearby Deep Bay for safer swimming.

The style of the Galley Bay Surf Club was pretty much like it is today as well. Slightly Polynesian with lots of shingle, wood and thatch in evidence. The handful of beach rooms and twig-and-stucco ‘wattle huts’ (or Gauguin Cottages, as we like to call them nowadays!) were always in great demand.

One day in 1976 a particularly enigmatic guest checked into secluded cottage number 17. ‘Harriet Brown’ didn’t excite any great interest until she took to the sea on her first morning and revealed herself to be Greta Garbo. Appar-ently the iconic movie star stayed true to type throughout her ‘secret’ stay in Antigua and breakfasted alone each morning on organic honey and wholegrain bread (brought from New York) before taking an invigorating 10-minute dip in the Caribbean Sea.

As far as Edee herself was concerned, she finally ran out of steam in 1987. She sold the hotel to an English businessmen by the name of James Lane who gradually remodelled and extended the place whilst always keeping true to Edee’s original vision. Everything continued to tick along nicely.

But the fairytale ended in September, 1995. For two days Antigua was lashed by the 135mph winds of the Category 4 Hurricane Luis. The catastrophic storm did $350 million worth of damage to the island in general and pretty much destroyed the ‘new’ Galley Bay. Seeking help to rebuild his property, James formed a partnership with American hotelier Rob Barrett - and the rest, as they say, is history!

Sources: New York Times and The New Yorker. Greta Garbo photo courtesy The New Yorker. Old postcard copyright 2001-2012 Cardcow.com

So tranquil is Galley Bay nowadays that you might be forgiven for thinking that an afternoon downpour is about as exciting as life ever gets here. Yet the hotel’s colourful past includes mega-rich divorcées, iconic movie stars and a hurricane that just didn’t know when to quit …

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GALLEY BAY SURF CLUB

ANTIGUA, WEST INDIES

Here at Galley Bay you’ll find what we’re all looking for

... really gay and carefree living ... each beach house

has is own cozy little world ... owner management.

Summer Rates Full American Plan Suites

Double occupancy 21.00 per day Single occupancy 11.50 per day

write direct - P.O. Box *305 or call - Mrs. Peoples

St. John’s Antigua MO 6-2518

West Indies

a colourful Past

ISMAY MASONHousekeeper & Galley Bay AmbassadorBorn: Five Islands, AntiguaService: 49 years and counting ...

Fancy meeting someone who knows far more than most about Galley Bay’s surprisingly interesting past? Then ask to hook up with the hotel’s longest serving staff member, Ismay Mason. Ismay earned just $5 a week (EC not US!) when she nervously began her first shift in the Housekeeping Department almost half-a-century ago. Since those days she’s marvelled as the hotel grew from just 12 to 98 rooms, she’s seen soothing new colour schemes replace the ubiquitous floral prints, and she’s seen dodgy ceiling fans supplanted by modern air-conditioning. And of course, she’s also outlasted quite a few General Managers! Everyone at Galley Bay is delighted that the gentle Five Islander is still quite happy to put in the hours, despite being an avid church goer, mother to six, grandmother to nine and great grandmother to two!

Nowadays Ismay has been recognised for her exceptional service to the Antiguan hospitality industry. Galley Bay has not only made her its one and only Ambassador, but it has also named its ‘special occasion’ restaurant after her. Then in 2010 Ismay was particularly honoured to receive an Order of Merit from the Queen of England.

Ismay’s, Galley Bay’s ‘special occasion’ restaurant

STAN BAXTERExecutive ChefBorn: EnglandService: 13 years so far ...

Stan Baxter is a rare thing, an award-winning yet affable Executive Chef. But perhaps even moreimportantly, the man is also totally committed to Galley Bay. Despite holding his prestigious position at the hotel for 13 years now, the easy-going British cuisinier has got no intention of moving on. And why should he? Galley Bay’s discerning international clientele not only keep him on his toes, but he now has a trio of exciting restaurants to oversee, as well as a new beachfront grill. His wife and young family have fallen in love with Antigua too.

Stan arrived on the island in 1999 seeking a brand new challenge. He’d begun his culinary training beneath Anton Mosimann at London’s Dorchester Hotel, his rapidly advancing career also taking him to Les Ambassadeurs and The Ritz Casino in London, as well as the Swallow Royal Hotel in Bristol. He’d reached the position of Head Chef for the leisure group Center Parcs before finally deciding to swop forest living in the UK for island living in Antigua. The sunshine was a bit of a draw too.

Throughout his career Stan has competed in a number of competitions and has won over 35 medals. In 2010 he was honoured to be named ‘Antigua’s Chef of the Year’ which is not only testimony to his culinary talents, but also to his commitment to training, development and working with the community. At Galley Bay he has built up a team of local chefs, either whisking them from the island’s Hospitality Institute or handpicking them from the community. He also tries to source as many of his products as he can from the Caribbean region and has forged strong relationships with Antigua’s agricultural industry.

GALLEY BAY STAFF PROFILES

HOME GROWN!Chef Stan sources his fresh vegetables locally, as well as from Dominica. (Antigua’s neighbouring island gets plenty of rain and the soil is particularly good). But he does like to grow his own wherever possible and his culinary team maintain a vegetable plot close to the hotel’s old sugar mill. They grow anything from leeks, onions, eggplants and cherry tomatoes to beets, carrots, peppers and arugela lettuce. Herbs like cilantro, basil and lemongrass thrive here too and there’s usually mint for your mojitos!

The Seagrape, Galley Bay’s main restaurant

DInInG at GalleY baYGalley Bay is an all-inclusive resort.You get to forget your wallet as well as your worries here. And you also get to choose between four quite different dining experiences. Anything from barefoot nachos to elegant lobster dinners. But wherever you choose, you’ll always be sitting just a few steps from the sands. And you’ll always find your-self perilously close to proposing ... and not necessarily marriage.

The SeagrapeMain restaurant - international cuisine, brasserie-style.Breakfast, lunch & dinner. No reservations required.

This open-air venue couldn’t get any close to the sands. But don’t worry too much if you can’t always get one of the sought-after beachfront tables - there are lush palm gardens to one side and an exotic new water feature right at the back. The soothing cream fabrics contrasting with the heavy wooden furnishings from India add a sense of style. The Caribbean buffet is a popular event on Thursday nights. Jerk chicken anyone?

The GauguinIntimate gazebo-style restaurant - West Indian cuisine. Lunch & dinner. Reservations required for dinner.

Dine beneath one of 13 thatched bohios right on the sands, the vibe so romantic after dark that you’re almost obliged to ask your partner to marry you. There’s plenty of thatch, bamboo and stone in evidence, and if you tune out your waitress’s lilting West Indian accent, you’d almost think you’d been whisked off to the South Seas. When it comes to the menu think freshly-caught fish, delicious island rotis and local goat curries.

Ismay’sA la carte ‘Special Occasion’ restaurant - supplement of US$35 pp. Dinner only. Reservations required.

Beachfront dining gets island chic at Ismay’s. A wooden plantation-style venue overlooking the ocean, it has a canvas roof, deck floor and Caribbean shutters. Yet day beds, sisal rugs and huge shell lights add exotic touches, whilst the colour scheme - white fabrics contrasting with blue water glasses - is striking. The menu includes lobster, beef tenderloin and rack of lamb, a delicious gumbo broth always on the go, the fresh ingredients only added when you place your order.

Barefoot GrillCasual basket-style meals served right on the beachOpen from noon to 5pm.

A new feet-in-the sand venue designed for guests who like to grab a bite to eat whilst they’re still covered in suntan lotion. Expect substantial snacks like nachos, tortillas, grilled fish, salami and swiss melts, as well as a different Cuban press (grilled panini) every day. Thatched wooden huts provide the shade.

The beauty of Galley Bay is that it’s serene yet sociable. If you are on honeymoon and don’t really want to make eye contact with anyone else that’s perfectly acceptable - no one’s going to tut should you find the private pool of your Gauguin Cottage more appropriate to your mood than the main swimming pool. Or if you reserve an intimate candlelit table at the Gauguin Restaurant every other night. But if you do like to mix with other people whilst on vacation, then this clubby retreat might be the place for you ...It’s not only got three bars, as well as live entertainment every night, but it’s delightfully inclusive - and by that we mean all age groups feel welcome.

Photos anti-clockwise from top left: Ismay’s Bar. Teepee Bar. Treefrog.Sunset Watching on the beachfront deck. (Sunset photo courtesy of Cedric Henry.)

But if you do like to mix with other people whilst on Galley Bay’s famous Teepee Bar has been lovingly extended in recent years - it’s now more circular with a huge sweeping roof that’s supported by hand-cut tree trunks and lined in Spanish heather. A neat row ofAdirondack chairs extend the party out onto the adjacent timber deck. It’s an unbeatable venue from which to watch the Caribbean sun go down, everyone sipping rum cocktails as they patiently wait for that elusive green flash.

After the sun sets there’s a choice of venues ranging from the elegant and the chic to the soooo romantic that if you were not in love when you went in you will be by the time you come out. But if you do fancy some local entertainment then look no further than the Seagrape Lounge which offers live music every night. Chances are you won’t want to be anywhere else on Thursday evenings when they bring out that Caribbean buffet and the Roots Steel Band start to get into their groove. And don’t miss Calypso Joe at the Manager’s Cocktail party on Wednesdays - for such a sweet oldgentlemen he sure knows some racy tunes!

But if you are more in the mood for sweet nothings then you should head for Ismay’s or the Gauguin Restaurant. Whilst seated at their more intimate bars you’ll hear nothing but the sound of the surf … oh yes, and maybe one or two treefrogs.

After Dark

Turtle Watch

Hawksbill Sea TurtlesGalley bay usually end July to august• Average 3ft. in length • Shell has thick bony plates• A pair of claws on each flipper• Tapered head and beak-like mouth • Asymmetrical sand tracks • Usually found in tropical coral reefs• Principal food is sea sponges. Also fish, sea urchins and jelly fish• Mate in shallow waters close to shore• Predators include sharks, octopuses and humans• Average life span 30 years

Galley Bay’s beach is perfect for nesting turtles. They like its shallow approach from the sea and the Leatherbacks particularly appreciate its soft sand. The hatchlings usually return to the sea during the night, instinctively attracted by the reflection of the moon on the water. So it’s important there are no confusing light sources from the restaurant (or from your cameras) during this crucial period. What with the predatory crabs and gulls, the baby turtles have got enough to deal with during their life or death scamper!

Turtle Watch

Sea Turtle photos courtesy Cedric Henry: Leatherback arriving on Galley Bay beach. Hatchlings just returning to the ocean.

Sometimes Galley Bay’s nightlife can take a surprising new direction. Let’s just say that it’s not always Stan Baxter’s crème caramels that get everyone oohing and aaahing at the Seagrape Restaurant ... Between April and August it could very well be a Leatherback or Hawksbill Sea Turtle. In fact a few years ago one excited female guest nearly choked on her pork tenderloin when she spotted a huge Leatherback slowly making her way up the sands to lay her eggs right in front of the dining room. Not surprising really as these amazing reptiles average 6ft. in length and can weigh over 1,500lbs. They are the largest turtles on earth and can trace their evolutionary roots back more than 100 million years. If you’d like to grab the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to watch the turtle laying her eggs, simply wait for the appropriate time - this is usually when she has gone into a trance-like state and can no longer be taken by surprise.

The annual event rarely takes Galley Bay by surprise nowadys. Once a turtle has laid her eggs, a low fence (with an explanatory photo) is erected around the spot. The eggs hatch in about 60 days and any guests interested in witnessing the hatch-lings dig their way out of their nest and make their way down to the ocean can sign up for the Turtle Watch - just be prepared for the call to come through at any time of the night.

Hawksbill Sea TurtlesGalley bay usually end July to august• Average 3ft. in length • Shell has thick bony plates• A pair of claws on each flipper• Tapered head and beak-like mouth • Asymmetrical sand tracks • Usually found in tropical coral reefs• Principal food is sea sponges. Also fish, sea urchins and jelly fish• Mate in shallow waters close to shore• Predators include sharks, octopuses and humans• Average life span 30 years

Leatherback Sea TurtlesGalley bay usually end april to July• Average 6ft in length • No bony shell, just a thick leathery skin• No claws on flippers• Symmetrical sand tracks • Usually found in open ocean and subsist on jelly fish• Males never leave water once they enter it• Usually, but not always return to the same nesting site• Few natural predators, except humans • Average life span 45 years

Seagrape Beachfront Dining Terrace

COMPLIMENTARY TEA & CHAMPAGNE!Daily from 3pm to 5pmGalley Bay guests feeling a little hot and bothered after a day on the beach might like to drop by the spa in the afternoon. Every day between 3pm and 5pm guests are invited to take a seat beneath an open-air pavilion, enjoy refreshing dips in the plunge pool and accept the complimentary tea and champagne provided by Tricia Greenaway and her spa team.

indulge spa

gGalley Bay guests seeking an organic (we said organic) experience need look no further than the Indulge Spa. Rarely has any spa been more appropriate than at this relaxing retreat and rarelyhas one fit in so well with its sublime surroundings ...

Step inside this enchanting enclave and you’ll find yourself cocooned in a rustic yet ravishing world of rattan, stone and roughCaribbean timber, the colour scheme borrowed from nature and the Spanish heather walls held together by dried palm leaves.

Treatments are carried out in a series of shingle-roofed gazebos, the two open-air ‘pods’ slightly elevated above the breezy lagoon. (You’ll be so soothed by your Indian Head Massage that you won’t actually care where you are.) The product line is Pevonia Botanica, a British-based skincare range containing only the finest marine and botanical ingredients. Yet Spa Director Tricia Greenaway is certainly not averse to plundering Antigua’s natural resources whenever she feels they might do you some good - papaya, pineapple, coconut, mango and passion fruit are all put to good use in her sweet-smelling wraps, polishes and crème fraiche formulas ...

Coconut Cocoon 90 blissful minutes!A treat for couples of all ages, this totally tropical treatment includes a body polish using grated coconut to regenerate the skin, followed by a coconut milk wrap to rejuvenate it. You both then receive a luxuriouscoconut oil massage before your final treat - a Coconut Crush drink!

indulge spa

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1. The beach - Galley Bay’s beach is one of Antigua’s best. The sand is soft and the swimming almost always sublime. To help minimise the high swells that are traditionally seen on this coast in the peak winter months boulders have also been put in place. Not that you would ever know, of course.

2. The privacy - Galley Bay is hidden away on its own 40-acre estate. You’ll feel like you’re in your own little world and can pretty much forget about traffic and hawkers here. But in reality you can be trawling through the duty-free shops of St. John’s in about 15-minutes.

3.. The natural surroundings - Galley Bay’s beach is a nesting site for sea turtles between April and August, whilst its lagoon is a haven for anything from egrets to whistling ducks. The salt water also teems with fish and you can borrow a line and try to catch barracuda or tarpin, the catch-and-release policy keeping it fun.

4. The all-inclusive policy - with the exception of spa treatments and à la carte dining at Ismay’s, almost everything else you can get up to at Galley Bay is included in the rate. A concept that’s not only practical, but also good value. Seen the price of a pina colada nowadays?

5. The beachfront rooms - most of Galley Bay’s guest rooms simply can’t get any closer to the beach. It’s not physically possible. But if private plunge pools are more your thing, just ask for one of the Gauguin Cottages - they might be small, but they’ve got more personality than any hotel room has a right to.

6.. The staff - most of the Galley Bay staff have worked at the hotel for many years and repeat guests consider them old friends. There are more than 200 people on the team which usually means more than one staff member per guest. They are attentive but always great fun.

7. The ‘no children’ policy - with the exception of Christmas & New Year, no one under the age of 16 is permitted through the hotel’s gates. At Galley Bay it’s all about you, you, you!

8. Owner/managed - Galley Bay is owned by British businessman James Lane and run by his son. Their hands-on approach combined with their inherent style and attention to detail mean they get things done - and always very tastefully!

9. The unpretentious vibe - Galley Bay is certainly exclusive but it’s also easy-going. Yes, everyone dresses for dinner, but no one’s going to be checking out your labels.

10. The sunsets - Galley Bay is located on the sunset side of the island. The hotel’s ‘Caribbean Sunset’ cocktail celebrates this fact and we believe it contains quite a decent shot of Cavalier Light Rum!

Why go toGalley Bay?If we haven’t convinced you yet, here are our top 10 reasons why you should shun the Seychelles, give Mauritius a miss and book yourselves into this Antiguan bolthole instead ...

Photos: Beachfront Location. Whistling ducks. Fishing in the lagoon.Gauguin Cottage with plunge pool. Heritage Quay in nearby St. Johns. Rum cocktails. Premium Beachfront Suite.Landscaped Swimming Pool.

all-InclUSIVe rateS For 2013Per room per night double occupancy in US dollars.

December 21, 2012 to January 2,2013

Gauguin Cottage with splash pool $990Superior Beachfront Room $1,020Deluxe Beachfront Room $1,120Premium Beachfront Suite $1,200

January 3 to April 7, 2013

Gauguin Cottage with splash pool $990Superior Beachfront Room $1,020Deluxe Beachfront Room $1,120Premium Beachfront Suite $1,200

April 8 to December 20, 2013

Gauguin Cottage with splash pool $940Superior Beachfront Room $940Deluxe Beachfront Room $990Premium Beachfront Suite $1,060

All-Inclusive rate includes: all meals (breakfast, lunch & dinner); all beverages (name-brand, liquors, house wine by the glass, Caribbean beers, tropical coolers and soft drinks by the glass); non-motorized watersports (windsurfing, sunfish sailing, snorkeling, kayaking, hobie-style catamarans); tennis; bicycles; nightly entertainment; taxes and service charges.

5 night minimum stay required in winter, except February when 7 nights is required. Holiday season requires 8 night minimum. Children under age of 16 are not permitted. Rates subject to change.

SPecIal oFFerSGo to www.eliteislandresorts.com to take advantage of Galley Bay’s latest offers. Or call your preferred travel agent.

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