Tranquility Bay Antigua

This mid-range hotel consists of 64 contemporary apartment-style rooms, each with a fully stocked kitchen and basic living room. As each suite is a self-contained apartment, Tranquility Bay leans more toward a time-share or rental property atmosphere than a hotel or resort. You won’t be meeting other travelers at cocktail hour or on the volleyball court.

Most of the guests here are families, and the accommodations and lack of on-site amenities seem to suit those who are familiar with the island. It’s a good option for big groups or family reunions, as well as guests booking a longer stay. The grounds are lush, and full of greenery and flowers when looking out the windows, though you won't have an ocean view. The hotel shares amenities with its sister property, the lively, budget-friendly Jolly Beach Resort next door. It's a five- to 10-minute walk to Jolly Beach's pool, restaurants, fitness center, and water sports.

Tranquility Bay is situated in the bustling Jolly Harbour area, and there are several bars and restaurants located within walking distance. The hotel also offers guests a free shuttle to the shops, restaurants, and supermarket in the harbor.

While not located directly on the beachfront, it's just about a three-minute walk to the peaceful, wide, white-sand beach. The beach here is a mile long, and is said to be the longest on the island -- and certainly one of the most beautiful. As it's on the west coast of the island, it features calm, Caribbean waters and great sunsets. It's about a 20-minute drive to the capital city of St. John's, and about 30 to the airport.

What makes Tranquility Bay unique is that all the rooms are suites, consisting of a living room, kitchen, and one or two bedrooms. The living rooms feature older decor, such as bamboo furniture with bright pastel-colored, patterned fabrics that are a bit worn and dated, but overall the furnishings are comfortable enough. The bathrooms are more up-to-date, with large walk-in showers and new sinks, and all rooms have spacious closets.

Living rooms include a flat-screen TV, while all of the bedrooms have small, old tube TVs. The kitchen contains a full-size refrigerator and freezer, stove top, toaster oven (no full oven), coffeemaker, microwave, and lots of dishes and cooking utensils. All suites also feature a large deck, however as the property is set back from the ocean behind Jolly Beach Resort, there are no ocean views. Deluxe Two-Bedroom Suites have and extra fun feature: a jetted tub outside on the deck.

There is no restaurant or room service on the property, but guests can purchase a meal plan for the Jolly Beach Resort next door, which has five restaurants. (There is even an all-inclusive plan available, in conjunction with Jolly Beach.) The excellent Epicurean supermarket nearby in Jolly Harbor is a convenient place to buy groceries, and many guests make their own meals in the fully stocked kitchens.

Laundry facilities are included in most suites, and there is a guest laundry room for those who don’t have their own. There is an excellent white-sand beach just a three-minute walk away, which includes a nice picnic and barbecue area just for Tranquility Bay guests. There is a small Internet cafe with a few computers in the lobby -- and the amenities end there. Guests have to walk next door for all other activities, and share with the often-crowded Jolly Beach Resort, where they can access two pools, a fitness center, tennis courts, and water sports like kayaking or sailing.