• Secluded location on a magnificent beach.
• Luxurious all-suite accommodation.
• Carlisle Bay has two of Antigua’s most outstanding restaurants – Indigo on the Beach offering delicious grills, barbeques, seafood and salads and East restaurant serving exciting pan-Asian food in a stunning contemporary setting. New poolside restaurant Ottimo! serves freshly made pizzas from an authentic wood burning oven, antipasti, salads and refreshing home-made gelato.
- New Super Chill Out - includes all meals and drinks!. Save £935 per person for All Inclusive board basis. Stay 7 nights from just £1899 per person. Book by the 23 May. Price based on traveling midweek in May and June
The Whole Story
You could say that Antigua is the Ireland of the Caribbean. It's a colourful place, both in terms of its houses, painted a rainbow of bright tints, and in terms of its people, who have a kin-loving, feisty nature. Antigua is also surprisingly green. Away from the beaches, the island is a verdant vision of rolling pastures and the odd craggy peak. With a population of just 66,000, the majority of whom live in and around the capital St John's, most of the island is sparsely inhabited. Tourism has only really reached Antigua's outer perimeter. And even then, there are still plenty of stretches that remain undeveloped. Unlike chic St Barths or cosmopolitan Barbados, Antigua is remarkably untouched by the massive tourism that the Caribbean generates.
The lush countryside, the colour, the warm disposition of the people – these might be what distinguish Antigua from other Caribbean islands, but for Gordon Campbell Gray, the decision to invest in Antigua was swayed by the special beauty of Carlisle Bay.
This natural harbour in the most remote corner of the island, defined by a fine crescent of sand, is straight out of an ideal Caribbean press release. Its emerald green waters are surrounded by forested mountains and plenty of swaying palms, with a small village nearby that consists entirely of brightly painted wooden clapboard houses. There's even the perfect Caribbean church on the headland. Best of all, there are not, nor ever will be, any other hotels to share it with. Campbell Gray's Carlisle Bay is the only hotel in this idyllic location and, having negotiated title to the entire beach, he intends to keep it that way.
Even before the two hundred-plus crew started building, the travel world was buzzing with anticipation. Why would such an urban and urbane operator venture to such a remote spot? What could he possibly offer that wasn't already available from the thousands of hotels that already exist in the Caribbean? The answer is a level of luxury and an attention to detail that may be the norm for the world's biggest cities, but is still quite novel in the Caribbean. From the specially selected lights that illuminate the garden at night, to the bleached grey stain of the outdoor timber, to the flowers (orchids, orchids and more orchids), to the custom-made furniture and interiors designed by London-based Mary Fox Linton – no detail large or small has escaped Gordon's magnificent obsession. The swimming pool tiles were brought in from Bali, a black-painted orchid pool with its flaming torches defines the entrance, and the shop displays Vilebrequin swimwear. With the proprietor's assured taste, Carlisle Bay has been groomed as a Caribbean option for discerning adults.
The all-suite hotel opened in late 2003, and has a loyal following. One thing is for sure: the guest reaps the benefit of Gordon Campbell Gray's almost manic attention to detail. It's a sexy combination: an ensemble of thoroughly tamed, perfectly trained, preternaturally well turned-out details – in a wild, undomesticated and ruggedly natural setting.
The Rooms
82 spacious, contemporary suites ranging from Junior to three bedroom options.
Cool, calm, luxurious interiors, each with a private balcony or terrace and breathtaking ocean views.
Garden Suites-split level with King bed and partial bay views for 2 adults.
Ocean Suites – split level with King bed and bay views for 2 adults.
Beach Suites- have a second bedroom or study, sleep up to 3 adults or two adults and two children and are directly on the shoreline.
Carlisle Suites- have 3 en-suite bedrooms and can sleep up to 6 adults or 2 adults and up to 4 children-central waterfront location.
Other room types are available.