Hotel Review: Jumby Bay
Diego Travel Hotel Review
Jumby Bay
A Private Island Resort in Antigua, West Indies Caribbean
Jumby Bay Island is a 300-acre private island just off the coast of the main island of Antigua. It is made up of 40 suites, 12 villas (in the rental pool) ranging from 2-5 bedrooms, and 22 residences, ranging from 4-11 bedrooms. This Oetker Collection resort is fully inclusive, meaning your nightly room rate includes everything that you would possibly need for your vacation, save for certain activities, spa services, or top shelf liquors or wines. The villas are an extension of the resort, where guests can enjoy all meals in the various dining venues at the resort. Residences are fully staffed, including chef, butler, housekeeping, entertainment, etc and have all meals prepared at the residence. Guests can enjoy meals at the restaurants, but there is an additional charge to do so. The island is quite spread out so whether you are in a suite, villa or residence, you can have as much privacy as needed. Though the residences will offer the most privacy of these options and some really feel like a boutique resort within a resort.
Perfect For: Multi-Generational Families | Young Kids | Families with Teens | Honeymoons | Weddings | Couples Trips
Book Hotel with Us to Get $100 -$200 Spa Service Credit + Upgrade at Time of Booking (Subject to Availability) – Pearl Partner Exclusive Promos
Jumby Bay
Antigua, Caribbean
Getting to Jumby Bay:
17.1533822,-61.7598979
Jumby Bay
17.1339,-61.7936
ANU Airport
Jumby Bay is located in a private island just a 5-minute taxi followed by a 10-minute private ferry ride from V.C. Bird International Airport (ANU), Antigua’s main airport. ANU has daily non-stop direct flights Miami, New York and London.
Vibe at Jumby Bay:
The island is the ultimate in barefoot luxury, without all the pretense or ‘the scene’ that can be found on islands such as St. Barts. If you’re looking for table dancing and popping champagne bottles, this is not it. But if you’re looking for an easily accessible, exclusive and down-to-earth island with high-touch, friendly service, luxury accommodations, an unbeatable beach and crystal clear bay, than Jumby Bay fits the bill. It is relaxed yet high caliber, understated yet chic.
I’m hesitant to recommend this island exclusively to families or couples because I think it works well for both. While I wouldn’t send a honeymoon couple here during Christmas or Easter breaks, when the island is chock-full of young kids and possibly the world’s best Easter egg hunt, I do think that other times of the year would be perfectly suitable for the couples wanting a quiet and romantic getaway. In short, the island serves both purposes, whether traveling with a large group of friends, or even solo, there is an accommodation that will suit each scenario.
Accommodations at Jumby Bay:
Let’s start with what we booked. We were traveling with my mother-in-law, so we needed a 3-bedroom and booked the ocean view family suite – a 2-bedroom with a King primary and a queen/queen with shared living room. Of course, our son did not want to share a bed with his sisters, so we had a rollaway added to the living room. The junior suite can then be added to the family suite to create a 3-bedroom, but these are externally connected, meaning you need to walk outside to reach the third bedroom. This outdoor corridor is exposed, so you would not have total privacy for this 3-bedroom configuration (ie: it’s not an enclosed courtyard/pool area). All the family suites and junior suites are ocean view and located in the same area, in close proximity to the main restaurant and the Estate House.
Next are the Pond Bay Suites, ranging from Beachside Suites to Estate Suites. These are all located steps from the main beach, but perhaps a little further from the main restaurant, depending on your suite’s location. Important to note that all suite guests receive complimentary bicycles to the get around the island. If you’re traveling with little ones, I would probably recommend a villa or residence, as you’ll have access to your own golf carts, which is convenient. Suite guests can also call for a golf cart, but there can be a wait time for this service.
What really sets Jumby Bay apart, however, are the private residences. These come fully staffed, with your own private chef. All meals are taken inside the home, for added comfort and privacy. You may have meals in the restaurants, but for an additional cost. The residences range from 4-11 bedrooms, and are all uniquely decorated and with unique layouts. They also come with your own bikes and golf carts, and staff oftentimes provide ‘in-house entertainment’ setting up a fun itinerary that might include scavenger hunts, karaoke parties, and wild pool parties within your estate. I personally saw three residences while I was on the island, and a personal favorite was the Lost Puffin, which is a sprawling estate that feels like a boutique hotel in and of itself. Two of the bedrooms have children/nanny lofts up top, with separate bathrooms, so it this home really can sleep up to 14 people comfortably. The kitchen also accommodates a kosher diet. Calabash is another island favorite, and has 4 private villas within the estate, so it is perfect for 4 couples traveling together.
Food & Beverage at Jumby Bay:
- We were pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food and beverage outlets here, given that the Caribbean is not widely known for the best food. There was plenty of variety, and breakfast could be ordered a la carte or taken from the buffet, which was relatively the same each day but was a big variety.
- Lunch was offered at several places each day, and the dinner options changed each night, from dinner at the formal Estate House to a fun, casual dinner at The Farm. They had live musicians each night, and we particularly loved the steel drum band that played at The Verandah on our first night there.
- We missed sunset cocktails at The Sandbar, which I heard has the best views of the sunset. We spent our evenings before dinner swimming in our family suite’s pool and reading books before dinner, but I do wish we had enjoyed one night of these sunset views…though we did have a partial view from our suite.
- The recently opened Jumby Hut, a beach club and chic restaurant is just a 3-minute boat ride from the resort on an adjacent rivate island. The boat transfer is complimentary but the meals and drinks at the Jumby Hut are not included as part of Jumby Bay Resort all inclusive package. I think this is a great option for guests who are not staying at Jumby Bay who would like a small taste of the Jumby Bay experience, or for guests who are staying a week or more on the island and want to try something new. However, I don’t think it’s a necessary add-on for shorter stays. I am glad we went, but I will likely stick to the restaurants in Jumby Bay on our next visit.
Activities at Jumby Bay:
- One of the best things about Jumby Bay are the included activities. Upon arrival, my kids literally dropped their bags in our family suite, quickly changed into their swimsuits, and ran down to the water sports dock where they signed up to immediately be dragged around the crystal blue bay on an innertube that would have them hurling over the boat’s wake like a flying saucer. Before I could even get sunscreen on them, I watched from the beach as they squealed with laughter at every wave, bump and donut. This lasted a good 40-minutes, and I was truly in shock when my husband reminded me that this was all included in our stay – as we sipped on drinks from our beach lounge chairs, delivered to us after pressing the service button on the umbrella stand.
- Tubing, waterskiing, wakesurfing and wakeboarding were activities on repeat for our family. As part of your included amenities at Jumby Bay, tow sports are guaranteed for at least 20-minutes per room per day, in adition to open availability on a first come first serve basis.
- Other included activities include snorkeling, kayaking tours, turtle watching, paddleboards, hobiecats, beginer sailing clinics a weekly sailing regatta,
- On land the island features beach volleyball, multiple tennis and pickleball courts, putting green and a lap pool. The resort also offers cooking demos and rum tastings.
- The island features an amazing kids club. While our kids spent most of their time doing watersports, they did have a chance to briefly visit the kids club on our last day where they made slime and had a lesson on cricket. The team was so engaging and funny, I wish they had spent more time at the kids club.
Wellness at Jumby Bay:
Many wellness activities are included with your stay, including yoga, water aerobics and a meditational sound bath. On our first afternoon, I took part in the sound bath, which took place on the wellness pavilion in the spa. Other included wellness activities are organized runs, morning stretching, core max workouts, and beach bootcamps to name a few.
On our final day, I traded in time with the family for an 85-minute hybrid massage after utilizing the steam room and sauna. My therapist was wonderful, and I highly recommend her because I hear she’s the best!
What sets Jumby Bay apart:
When most people think of All-Inclusive Hotels, it’s of the lower end, Cancun Spring Break-style massive resorts. Jumby Bay is a unique product in that they offer ultra luxury in service, accommodations, activities, and food and beverage all rolled into one easily digestible price. It is a main reason of why it is perfect for multi-generational families or larger groups. Who wants to figure out the check at the end of each meal? No one.
Diego Travel Loves…
How Much Does it Cost?
Diego Travel Perks:
In addition to a priority upgrade, our clients get a $100 hotel credit with their stay plus exclusive access to promos you might not see online. With stays of 7 nights or more, mention this blog for an additional amenity with your stay.
Book Hotel with Us to Get $100 -$200 Spa Service Credit + Upgrade at Time of Booking (Subject to Availability) – Pearl Partner Exclusive Promos
Diego Travel Insider Tips:
Pre-stay communication isn’t always easy and sometimes feels like you’re running on island time. Let us handle all your pre-vacation scheduling. When you book your stay with Diego Travel, we handle your concierge service on a complimentary basis. With your stay at Jumby Bay, you’ll also have VIP arrival and departure service at the airport, which means no long airport lines. Yes, please!
Summary of our Stay
A visit to Antigua had long been on my Caribbean island bucket list, and I am so glad that we skipped right to the good stuff. From our VIP fast track service through customs, to our luxe SUV transfer to the ferry terminal, just a quick 5-minute drive away, to the 7-minute ferry crossing to the island (and by ferry, I mean multi-million dollar catamaran), we were very pleasantly surprised by the ease at which we arrived to Jumby Bay.
Upon arrival to the open-air reception, they whisked us off to our villa, which was a 3-Bedroom configuration with our own private pool. Our kids quickly changed into their swim suits and ran back down to the beach, where they found out they had 30 minutes left to go tubing until they closed for the day.Let’s just say they didn’t waste any time, and while I listened to their squealing from the pristine white sand beach, I smiled.“This is heaven,” I thought to myself.>
Our stay was highlighted by amazing meals, endless virgin Pina Coladas and Jumby Joys, ordered straight to our beach lounge chairs with the press of a service button, and bicycle rides around winding paths, where large island lizards would scatter and the famous island sheep would graze on hills of grass.
The kids loved every minute of it and declared Jumby Bay as one of their favorite resorts of all time, and definitely a favorite for the Caribbean.The adults couldn’t agree more, and we loved the freedom the kids felt to explore safely and play with other kids, while we were actually able to read books and have uninterrupted conversation.
We can’t wait to go back, and I’m looking forward to sending many clients – and future clients – to experience the pure bliss of Jumby Bay in Antigua.
