A journey to Carlisle Bay promises all-suite accommodations, one of Antigua’s best spas, and daily afternoon tea on the beach. It also affords guests the opportunity to explore a newly-designated UNESCO World Heritage site. With its 36-foot Fjord luxury yacht, the hotel has designed private excursions to Nelson’s Dockyard, a stronghold for the British Navy, which competed for trade dominance and sugar plantation riches in the 18th and 19th centuries.
History buffs will envision themselves entering a precarious past as they sail through turquoise waters, past white-sand beaches and mountainous terrain that was once served as a lookout point for the British navy, into historic English Harbor, where warships were repaired and harbored. Carlisle Bay’s captain regales guests with the history and lore of the area, then upon arrival to the former port, a guide from Nelson’s Dockyard leads guests on an intriguing private tour around Georgian naval buildings, original iron shipbuilding equipment, and models of British naval frigates that were repaired there. A local history aficionado, the guide paints a lively picture of how the island’s natural harbors, location, and topography gave the British Navy a strategic advantage when the competing Spanish, Dutch, and French navies were struggling for dominance in the eastern Caribbean.
Sail on Carlisle Bay’s private yacht with all its amenities, then tread in the footsteps of 19th century British naval officers at a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
This distinctive experience forges a deeper connection with the island, insight into British influence in the region, and discovery even further back in time with a collection of ancient artifacts dating back to the island’s Arawak Indian settlement in 500 AD.
With all this intrigue, the day is hardly over. Following the tour, guests enjoy a gourmet picnic lunch on-board the yacht, followed by a snorkeling stop at Cades Reef, a national protected marine area where sea turtles and exotic fish mingle at the intersection of the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. Upon returning to Carlisle Bay, guests can wind down and reflect upon the adventurous afternoon while lounging on day beds that overlook the hotel’s secluded beach. With scents of the sea and rainforest permeating an already calming atmosphere, all that is left is to decide where dinner will be among four restaurants, each with their own distinctive style and international cuisine. Four bars overlook the sea for additional options to relax, recharge, and revel in Caribbean style.
To learn more about Carlisle Bay or the Nelson’s Dockyard experience, please contact the concierge upon making a reservation.