For my 33rd birthday, Ryan & I decided to go on a Caribbean vacay with two of our friends and ultimately decided on the location of Antigua. This was our first time to the island and we wanted somewhere beautiful and all-inclusive… so we decided on Cocobay Resort. We knew several people that recommended it and the views were killer so today I’ll be sharing a little more about our experience at the resort, outfit links and lots of photos!
Cocobay Resort Antigua
The Room
Cocobay is located on the western side of Antigua (great sunsets, y’all!) and is about a 45 minute ride from the airport. We easily found a shuttle and were greeted by the most beautiful views and turquoise water when we arrived. Each room at the resort is its own private cottage, most with their own plunge pools. Our specific room was “The Palm” and we loved it because it was central to the resort and had great views. The room had a typical Caribbean vibe but nothing fancy- I did love the window in the shower that looked out onto the ocean. My only issue with the room was the bedding. The actual bed was comfy but they only provide a thin quilt (I’m a duvet girl) so it was hard for me to get comfortable, even with an additional blanket. I usually sleep like a rock but didn’t get the best sleep because of this, but it’s not a deal breaker!
The Food
There is one open-air restaurant on the resort called Rafters. They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner but the menu changes daily. The lunches and dinners were great, much better than a lot of all-inclusive resorts. I didn’t find breakfast to be anything special but there were always plenty of options.
Another must for lunch were the poolside paninis. They were grilled by the smaller pool and they were SO delicious… a must if you’re at the pool or to grab before going to the beach. There was also a coffee shop centrally located which had coffee, snacks and pastries that were available all day so this was nice.
Most nights for dinner there was some type of live music, but no acrobatic routines or magic shows like you may find at larger resorts. The only real negative I can think of was the restaurant/pool bars didn’t offer a big alcohol selection so don’t expect anything top shelf.
Floating Breakfast
I won’t lie, when we saw photos of the floating breakfast on Instagram we knew we had to do that. It was a big selling point of the resort! I will say BOOK EARLY, we didn’t get the original pool we wanted (the romance pool) because it was fully booked during our stay but honestly we ended up liking the Sheer Rocks pool even better! You get champagne, juice, coffee and a big breakfast spread which was such a fun experience. This is an extra charge (around $100) but is totally worth it!
Beach & Pools
Cocobay is located on a cliff so the views from the infinity pools were amazing! The main pool is centrally located by the restaurant and the smaller one is located closer to the beach access (next to the snack bar which makes the most delicious paninis… a must!). The pool scene was nice and relaxing, not too hard to find a chair however people did put towels/books on the chairs to hold their spot but I feel like this happens at every resort I go to.
I will say I have been to much better beaches. The water was absolutely beautiful but the actual beach was just okay. It backs up to a road so some of the locals will park their cars right behind it which I think takes away from the whole “resort” vibe. Then again, every beach in Antigua is public and not owned by the resorts so keep that in mind. There wasn’t much beach drink service and the chairs were just okay. We did venture across that peninsula you see below to Ffryes beach which was similar to ours (worth checking out, about a 5 minute walk).
Photography
One neat feature of the resort was that it offered photography services. I think since this is a honeymoon/couples-oriented resort it’s a great chance to get some beautiful photos in a beautiful location. They have several packages to choose from and I would definitely do it if it was a honeymoon trip. They offer a free session and you can buy a la carte photos as well- I love how this one of Ryan & I turned out!
Things to Do
While there are plenty of activities in Antigua, the main purpose of our trip was to relax so we only ventured off the resort twice. The day of my birthday we rented a catamaran and this was the first time we had one completely to ourselves… it was so nice (and surprisingly affordable)! We got to relax on the water, swim around a smaller island and enjoyed a delicious lunch on the boat. We used Catamaran Sailing Antigua and I highly recommend them!
We also ventured to Shirley Heights for their famous weekly Sunday night party. This is an overlook on the southern part of the island with panoramic views and every online guide (and a few of our friends) said that it was a must. I say it was a little overrated. From Cocobay it was a 45 minute drive to Shirley Heights and once we arrived we had to pay a $10 entrance fee. It was SO crowded but I heard they have a smaller party on Thursday nights which I think would be better. We had to wait in line to get our food ticket then wait in another line to get our meal… only to eat standing up because all the picnic tables were full. There were even people sitting with no food/drinks and many weren’t willing to get up to let others eat their meals. All this being said, when I got my food it made it all worth it because I had THE best lobster of my life!! I would totally go back just for that meal. Of course the live music (steel drums) and panoramic views were great, but if I had any advice I would say go on a Thursday instead.
Overall, we had a great time! The island was beautiful and we felt safe. I would definitely recommend Cocobay if you’re looking for a chill, relaxing romantic or couples vacation. I hope you enjoyed this travel guide and if you have any specific questions, feel free to shoot me an email and I’d be happy to chat further!
purple bikini // gold necklace // tassel hoop earrings // sunglasses
Tiare Hawaii cover up dress // Dolce Vita braided sandals // similar straw bag
I’ve never done an all-inclusive before, but this is making me rethink that decision! I love the idea of purely relaxing at a destination, and letting someone else take care of the details for once!
We are considering Cocobay for my upcoming anniversary trip. Are the “‘starfish/Silver” experience package worth it? I found Expedia to be $1K cheaper but it doesn’t include the experience package.
Were there alot of restaurant options? Is it a la carte or buffet style? Thanks for putting this together