K'ai Etoile

In Depth

K’ai Etoile is one of two charming guest cottages to Moondance Villa which hovers on a hillside above the waters of the historic English Harbour, and looks across the yachts at anchor to the activity of Nelson’s Dockyard. The villa and guest cottages are within the grounds of the Galleon Beach Resort, and guests are able to use the hotel’s facilities. The properties are set at the end of the beach at Freeman’s Bay. You enter via a steep driveway to the two cottages K’ai Etoile and Twinkle side by side, with the main villa, Moondance above and built into the bedrock of the surrounding hillside.

K’ai Etoile is a pretty, wood built cottage with a slightly, traditional plantation style décor, with palm prints, an old rocker and a tiled dresser. You walk straight into the sitting area where there is a comfy upholstered sofa-bed (queen size) and a cable TV and CD player. The kitchen is in one corner. It has a purple-heart topped breakfast counter and gas cooker, fridge-freezer, microwave and so on and an antique cabinet displaying the dinnerware. The sink looks out onto the balcony and has views of the sea. Two sets of French doors lead out onto the balcony, where there is a dining table that can extend to seat six, a built-in bench to one end and a couple of wicker chairs and two-seater armchair. A small covered walkway next to the kitchen leads to the air-conditioned bedroom, where there is a king bed with padded blue toile headboard, an antique wardrobe, another TV and VCR, and best of all a private balcony overlooking the beach. The en suite bathroom features a Nancy Nicholson hand basin and a tiled and stone garden shower. There is a small terraced garden shared by the two cottages which has a full gas barbecue for use.

Beach & Swimming

Kai Etoile is located right above the end of Freemans Bay, with its quarter mile stretch of lovely white sand, which is just a short stroll away, down the drive and through the grounds of Galleon Beach. The swimming is excellent in clear, calm waters and there is a coral reef approximately 75 ft offshore, where there is good snorkelling.

Sports & Recreation

Guests at Kai Etoile have full use of all the facilities at Galleon Beach. These include two tennis courts for day play with rackets and balls available from reception. Non-motorised watersports are complimentary to all guests and include single and double kayaks, sunfish sail boats, windsurfers and snorkelling gear.

Locality

Kai Etoile is positioned on the hillside on the 20-acre site of Galleon Beach, overlooking the tennis courts and beach. It is within the boundaries of the National Park at English Harbour, whose centrepiece is Nelsons Dockyard, just minutes away by water taxi and less than ten minutes by car. Galleon Beach has its own security and although there is a guard at the entrance gate, because it is part of the National Park, the public do have access to the beach and a picnic area. The resort has a reception, a small commissary where you can buy basic provisions, two tennis courts, complimentary non-motorised watersports, a complimentary water taxi to English Harbour, and the recently refurbished Calabash Restaurant and Lounge (formerly Colombos). This serves local and international cuisine and provides free internet access to diners. Just along the beach from Galleon Beach is the Inn at English Harbour, where there is a beachfront bar that serves breakfast and light snacks.

There is a small commissary in Galleon Beach where you can purchase the basics, but the nearest grocery store/supermarket is Baileys on Falmouth main road, which stocks almost all the essentials, including fresh produce (all meat, poultry etc is frozen), as well as as local breads and cakes. A drive will get you to the Epicurean supermarket in the Woods Shopping Mall on Friars Hill Road north of St Johns. Here you will find a wide selection of both local and imported food items and wine.

The water taxi to Nelsons Dockyard runs hourly from 8.30/9am until 4.30 pm, after which a service is available via Apple Water Taxis who currently charge EC$5 per person, per ride for the crossing.

English Harbour is also one of the main gathering points for yachtsmen in Antigua. The area has many bars and restaurants, marinas, gift shops, a provisioning store, bakery, internet caf, a craft market, museum and of course the historic docks, Nelsons Dockyard. The National Park area also contains many of the islands other historic sites, on the hills above Kai Etoile. The season is very much during the winter months only. In the summer things quieten down considerably and some of the businesses close down for several months.

Where nightlife is concerned, English Harbour and its various bars can be very lively, but a highlight for the week is the Sunday afternoon barbecue at Shirley Heights Lookout. Visitors and locals gather to party and watch the sunset with a drink or two and enjoy a live steel band concert, followed by a reggae band.

Useful Hints

If you would like your cottage stocked with groceries, a provisioning service can be provided. You should e-mail your list to the owner Yorie Pigott (if booking direct) or let your travel organiser know what you require so that supplies are in place for your arrival. You will be billed for your groceries on arrival. Prices vary according to who is available at the time.

When the cottages are rented separately from the main villa Moondance, the owner remains in the main residence along with her two pet dogs.

Airport Meet & Greet

When booking do ask the owner, Yorie Pigott, to send her regular taxi driver to meet you at the airport. Your airport transfers take approximately 30-40 minutes and should be paid for locally.

Alternatively, if you would prefer to be taken care of from the minute you arrive at the airport until the time that you depart, a Transfer and Concierge Service is offered by St James Travel & Tours.

Getting Around

Although most things are relatively close at hand, a hired car is strongly recommended for all private villa holidays, particularly if you would like to dine out at night or do lots of sightseeing and of course when it comes to shopping for groceries. Book car hire via your travel organiser or direct with the villa owner and ask for your vehicle to be delivered to the property approximately 2-3 hours after your scheduled time of arrival on Antigua or the following morning. Vehicles can be returned at the airport or be collected from the property at a pre-arranged time on your departure day.