Josh and I got engaged in Chicago during the peak of winter before he was set to leave for baseball season. For any of you who have not experienced that cold Chicago weather, needless to say we started our honeymoon planning before our wedding planning. We did our research and were slightly captivated by the awarded “Most Romantic Resort” of Sandals Grande Antigua, so we jetted off to St. Johns Antigua for a week of relaxation.
The day after our wedding, we got on the plane from Dallas to Miami, and our anticipation was at an all time high. We were both burnt out and tired from the wedding week, we were just looking forward to a cocktail in our hands and a romantic getaway. The flights were long and required we stay over night in Miami to get to Antigua on our check in date which is something we wish we researched before we booked the honeymoon. Check the flight schedules first! Off season flights are less frequent to some of the islands so you may have to adjust your travels, and when it is a honeymoon it is likely close to your wedding date so be mindful of that. We finally had arrived to V.C. Bird International Airport in Antigua and as soon as our transportation arrived we were at the resort and sitting in club sandals with cookies and a cocktail within 25 minutes of getting through customs. It was pure bliss.
Sandals Antigua is a lush resort that offers a little bit of everything. The grounds keeping is second to none. I thought my wedding flowers were nice, they looked like weeds compared to the florals blooming at this resort. The resort is broken up into two sections, the Mediterranean Village and the Caribbean Beachfront Village. We were lucky to have the club level Sunset Ocean-view Bluff honeymoon suite as our accommodation for the week. Our room had many upgraded features with a large walk in shower and modern furniture, as well as a well stocked fridge and the option for 24 hour room service. (Which we indulged in–jerk chicken wraps on deck) I loved the Red Lane Spa lotion they had provided, they provide all the essential beauty products one needs, as well as a hair dryer. Just outside our balcony, was a smaller pool and hot tub for the building we were staying in and views of the ocean.
As soon as we were unpacked and ready to explore the grounds, we were approached by a staff member who was cutting coconuts and adding in rum for the guests. It was the perfect start to our exploration and delicious. There were many restaurants and things to do that we quickly figured out the hours and made our reservations for the restaurants that required it in advanced, as well as reserving our spot on the free snorkeling trips. In Mexico, we have always just snorkeled off the beach at resorts, with Sandals Antigua they take you by boat to different spots that are known for their snorkeling. We were very impressed with this as it was like going on an excursion but it was included. When the sun set we began to head to dinner and stumbled upon the restaurant, Soy Sushi. It was the best spicy tuna roll I have ever had and Josh raved about the Spicy Crispy Shrimp roll. So much, that we went back several times throughout the week. It was extremely fast service, we were in and out in a half hour, which made that our appetizer for the night, almost every night. We finished most nights at Mario’s, their Italian restaurant with an antipasti bar for some chicken parmesan and the antipasti buffet. After we finished up dinner our first night, we made our way to the drunken duck for some pool. The funny thing is, their pool tables are actually snooker tables, which is a British version of pool. I was happy because Josh was not able to beat me AS badly with the pockets being shaped differently. When we got back to our room, we were pleasantly surprised, they had made sure we had our honeymoon turn down service and towel swans that we had thought they forgot about.
Though it was only a week in paradise, we were able to experience endless amounts of Tex-Mex cuisine, Italian food, Caribbean specialties, pool side pizza, fresh seafood, hibachi, and more. Don’t forget the unlimited drinks! The pools were always very low key and quiet but yet still quite a bit of people. The beaches were very well kept and we never had an issue finding a chair. The nightly entertainment was great from reggae, to a foam party, to an all white attire night. When I look back at the trip, I do not think I would of done our honeymoon differently. It was a very relaxing time where we were able to enjoy each others company away from our responsibilities. Sandals Antigua provided us wonderful service and amenities throughout our stay.
xoxo Alyssa
The Silver Lifestyle 