Anchorage Inn
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Pool terrace and balconies, Anchorage Inn
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Piano and bar area
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Breakfast at Anchorage Inn, Antigua
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Reception area with colourful prints
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Pool area and balconies, Anchorage Inn
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Reception at Anchorage Inn
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Accommodation block and gardens
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Superior room with balcony at the Anchorage Inn, Antigua
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Twin Beds, Standard room
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Poolside at Anchorage Inn, Antigua
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Ground Floor at the Anchorage Inn
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Inside Anchorage Inn, Antigua
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Superior double, Anchorage Inn Antigua
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Anchorage Inn pool terrace
- Category
- Boutique/Small Hotels & Inns
- Island
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Location
- Dickenson Bay, St John
- Great for:
- Direct flights from Europe, UK and USA/Canada
- Prices from:
- US $115.00/ room/night ? view all rates
At a glance
Anchorage Inn is a family-owned inn in the north-west of Antigua, neatly positioned between the capital St John’s and the action of Dickenson Bay, the island’s liveliest beach. It stands in two striking, brightly painted modern buildings in open gardens and it has a fresh, contemporary Caribbean feel. Anchorage Inn is comfortable and well priced and its cheerful lobby and bar see an interesting mix of guests so it has a lively, often stimulating atmosphere. It is just a couple of minutes from the beach, but with a pool and some self-catering facilities, you can chill out right there if you want. And, as a friendly, independent inn, it makes an ideal base from which to explore the island.
- Best for:
- Beach, Single travel, Business
- Who for:
- West Indian business people, long term students and Antiguans themselves as well as independent travellers
- Not for:
- Romancing couples looking for a tranquil environment
Key features
40-room Antigua inn including 7 studios with kitchenettes. All rooms with cable TV, air-conditioning, fridge, microwave and internet access. Swimming pool, restaurant (currently breakfast only), poolside bar, Reception with lounge, piano and bar area. Honeymoon suite, conference room for 35 theatre style. Caribbean inn weddings. Rooms non-smoking.
Style:
Smart modern building in cheerful colours (lemon yellow and white with blue trim), some traditional Caribbean features such as jalousie shutters and balconies with classical and criss-cross balustrades. Often a lively atmosphere around the lobby/bar and pool area
Client Profile:
An interesting mix of independent travellers from Europe, regional holidaymakers and business travelers
Journalist’s Review
In Depth
Anchorage Inn sits on Anchorage Road, which leads straight north from St John’s. The ground is open on both sides of the road and so as you approach the hotel buildings stand out clearly visible, brightly painted and set back across a lawn. They are obviously modern buildings but they have some traditional Caribbean features, including louvered shutters on angled pegs and criss-cross and ‘bottle’ balustrades. You draw into a parking area and enter the large and cheerful foyer.
Actually, in addition to being a foyer, this large room is also a bar and general gathering area. It quite often collects a crowd of guests and passers-by (a mix of visitors and West Indians too) and so it is often fun to linger here as you pass through. The bar itself is set at the rear of the lobby. Next to it a piano is set against the wall, sometimes used by guests to entertain the other bar-goers.
The modern Caribbean colour scheme of the hotel establishes itself here too, visible in an instant. The lemon yellow of the outside continues, but it is off set with peach, green, lilac and sky blue. The bar area is decorated with fish and starfish that give it a bight nautical theme and the furniture is the covered with the brightest tropical colours, red, yellow and blue. Immediately to your right as you walk in the door is a sitting area, where you will find magazines and a warri board (Warri is a favourite Antiguan game that originated in Africa). On your left is the reception and administration desk. There is a computer that guests can use to log onto the internet.
Two doors lead out of the foyer. Heading left you come out into the pool area. The pool itself is set in a crazy-paving deck with loungers and parasols and it is surrounded by a waist-high blue and white fence. There are rooms on two sides of the pool, the far side is open and then at the rear of the property you will find the open-fronted restaurant. The rooms in this area (the main block above the foyer) are a mix of self-catering and standard rooms. They have a tropical colour scheme, with red, blue, orange and green, and they are comfortable and bright. All rooms have some outside space with garden furniture and contain a fridge and a microwave. Seven of the rooms in this block have full kitchens so that you are able to cater for yourself.
The second door from the foyer leads straight ahead, where it carries you across to the second, larger and newer block of 24 rooms, which is made with concrete and trimmed with Caribbean clapboard. Approached via a runner balcony at the rear, these rooms all face forward across the lawn with its palms and flowering shrubs, then the lagoon and eventually the Caribbean Sea beyond it. They are named after Caribbean islands and have the flag of the island hanging next to the door alongside a painted island scene. Inside, the rooms follow the brightly coloured scheme of the hotel, with a light base of white floor tiles and walls and pickled wood ceilings. On this there are splashes of strong colours in the blue lampshades and chair covers and yellow curtains.
The rooms are large enough to hide yourself away if you wish, but you will probably find yourself gravitating towards the bar as you arrive and leave the inn. Anchorage Inn is often lively and it has an additional dimension in its strong local and West Indian life rather than the touristy one that you might expect elsewhere. It is a good base for young independent travellers who want to explore and to enjoy all the different things that Antigua has to offer.
In early 2009 Anchorage Inn acquired 12 self-catering apartments (11 one-bedroom units and a two-bedroom unit) in the Marina Bay complex by Runaway Beach on Dickenson Bay. These apartments are now referred to as Anchorage Inn Waterfront/Beach Condos. All units are air-conditioned and have ceiling fans, a bedroom/s with either a king or two double beds, an en suite bathroom with shower and an open-plan living and dining area with a fully equipped kitchenette (refrigerator, stove, microwave oven, coffee/tea making equipment etc). Glass sliding doors lead out to a patio/balcony with views over the lagoon. Reservations should be made directly through Anchorage Inn.
Beach & Swimming
The closest beach is Dickenson Bay, which is a quick ride away by car or cab or a fifteen minute walk. It is of course Antiguas liveliest beach and there is plenty of activity there, with watersports and quite a bit of beach life around the beach bars, where you can base yourself for the day. The further south you go, the quieter the beach is, but the sand is still excellent, so if you want somewhere more secluded then you can head for the southern end or go to Runaway Bay beyond it. There is a driver attached to the hotel when he is not working for Anchorage Inn he can run you down.
There is a nice swimming pool at the inn, which is enclosed by rooms on two sides and by the open-sided restaurant on a third. It is surrounded by a white wooden criss-cross balustrade and a deck with loungers. The bar in the restaurant will serve you a drink while you are at the pool.
Sports & Recreation
While Anchorage Inn does not keep any sports equipment for its guests, watersports are available through concessionaires on Dickenson Bay beach. You can rent snorkelling gear, kayaks, windsurfers and small sailing boats there. There are also jet skis. If you are an advanced windsurfer or kite-surfer then it may be worth knowing that the best winds are not far away, close to the airport, on Jabberwock Beach.
If you would like a massage, a therapist can come to the hotel. Treatments will take place in your room.
On land, the Cedar Valley golf course is not far off, towards the airport, and there is a second course in Jolly Bay to the south of St Johns. The best horse riding on the island is available through the Spring Hill Riding Stables. This is actually in Falmouth on the south side of the island but it is worth the journey as there are some excellent trails through the forests down there and they lead down to a beach where you can ride on the sand.
The Rooms
There are 40 rooms in all at Anchorage Inn and they are set in two buildings. Some of them overlook the pool, including several of the nine standard rooms and seven self-catering rooms. All rooms have a fridge and a microwave, but the self-catering rooms have full kitchens so that you can cook for yourself. In the newer block there are 24 Ocean View rooms that have balconies looking across the gardens to the sea. All rooms are air-conditioned (some have ceiling fans as well) and have some outside space. Rooms have internet access through line connection. All rooms are non-smoking.
Dining
The dining room at Anchorage Inn is run independently as a restaurant called Aqua House. Set in a pretty, open-sided building next to the pool, it serves all three meals (though it closes in between times) and stays open until about 9.30 or 10pm in the evenings. It keeps a bar too, so you can get a drink while you are swimming and sunbathing. The cuisine is international and there is a long menu of steak and fish as well as some simple fare such as burgers and pizzas. Breakfast is included in the rates at Anchorage Inn.
Weddings/Conferences
Anchorage Inn is happy to host a wedding for you. There are no formal wedding packages, but the inn will tailor-make the arrangements for you, organising the officiating minister and calling all the services you need, from flower-arrangers to photographers. And they can cater for the reception too, of course. Large events are held in a marquee out on the large lawn. Smaller receptions are held around the pool and restaurant.
A small conference room can be made available for meetings. Anchorage Inn is happy to provide refreshments.
Children
Anchorage Inn is happy to accept children. If you need special equipment such as a high chair or a cot then they can arrange for it to be in your room at extra cost. The pool is fenced off and so it is safe for toddlers. Babysitters are available by arrangement.
Late Offers
Summer Discounts
Depending on availability summer rates are often reduced and can vary from US$90 to US$120 per couple, per night. Please check directly with Anchorage Inn for more details.
Locality
The Anchorage Inn is located just inland in the North-west of Antigua, behind Dickenson Bay. Obviously the main attraction in the area is the beach, but there are quite a few hotels and some good restaurants on the beach and on Tradewinds Hill. For a good meal, try Coconut Grove on the beach or Paris Pizza on the hill behind. Other good restaurants are on the northern fringes of St Johns not far away, including Papa Zouk and The Home. For a smart evening out there are two restaurants not far away to the north, The Cove and Le Bistro.
The city is about 10 minutes away by car. Here you will find several streets of pretty Creole houses with some nice daytime restaurants and extensive shopping there is a nice shopping area of restored tropical buildings at Redcliffe Quay. The museum and the cathedral at the top of the town are worth a look.
Set in the north-west, Dickenson Bay is quite a long way the main historical interest of Antigua around English Harbour and Nelsons Dockyard. The ride takes about forty minutes but it is well worth doing once in your trip. In the south-western corner of the island there are some excellent, less populated west-facing beaches.
Meet & Greet
If you are travelling independently, Anchorage Inn would be happy to arrange for a cab to be waiting for you on your arrival in Antigua. Just let them know your flight details in advance. The ride takes about 20 minutes and costs US$16. Alternatively, if you would prefer to be taken care of from the minute you arrive at the airport until the time that you leave, a Transfer and Concierge Service is offered by St James Travel & Tours.
If you have booked through a travel organiser, it is likely that their representative will be at the airport to meet you. This service and your return airport transfers should be included in the cost of your holiday. Please check at the time of booking.
Getting Around
Although a fairly main road runs past the Anchorage Inn, it is not actually a bus route, however, a bus service runs through Yorks Village which is a ten minute walk inland. Once you get into St Johns, you can catch buses along all the main roads south and east. Otherwise you are dependent on taxis to get around. There is a driver based at Anchorage Inn and when he is not doing journeys for the hotel he would be happy to take a fare.
All in all, if you want to explore, it is probably easier to hire a car if you can afford it. It enables you to visit the islands excellent beaches by day and then the restaurants in the evenings. We recommend you book in advance via your travel organiser or direct with Thrifty Car Rentals, who will deliver to the property and issue your Antiguan driving licence, price US$20. Vehicles can be left at the airport or be collected from the property at a pre-arranged time on your departure day. Be aware that around Christmas and over the sailing festivals there can be a shortage of cars in Antigua, so you are advised to book well in advance. Also book early if you want one for a week or more because the pre-booked rates can be better.
