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Trade Winds Hotel is set in the north of Antigua, on a hill that overlooks Dickenson Bay, Antigua’s most famous beach. However it is removed from all the shoreside activity in spirit as much as in physical location. Trade Winds is calm and gracious, quite untouristy, easy-going in smart surroundings. The rooms and suites are delightfully cool and contemporary in style. There are fifty of them, so the hotel is not small, but they are not in a block. Instead they are ranged along the irregular ridgeline to get the best of the hilltop view, either side of the pool, cocktail deck and. Trade Winds is very personable and has a generally refined air, with a mix of professional guests – there are some regional business travellers - as well as holidaymakers and island visitors – its Bay House restaurant is well regarded and sees quite few diners from outside. It is low key but discriminating and makes an excellent and comfortable retreat.
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KEY FEATURES
| Comfortable Caribbean executive-style, small Antigua hotel, 50 stylish rooms and suites. All rooms with air-conditioning, ceiling fan, CD player, fridge, cable TV, desk, WiFi, voice mail, iron and hairdryer. Bay House Restaurant - breakfast, lunch and dinner - bar and cocktail terrace, swimming pool with sun terrace, Dickenson Bay beach shuttle (or five minute walk). Tradewinds has an air-conditioned conference/function room for 30 theatre style. |
STYLE
| White, modern buildings with touches of hacienda style in colourful gardens. Rooms extremely smart in cool contemporary style. A calm, easy going atmosphere in smart surroundings |
CLIENT PROFILE
| A mix of independent-minded holidaymakers and some business travellers, including regional corporate clients and international airline crews. Suits solo travellers well. |
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Trade Winds has a superb situation above Dickenson Bay and its activity but, set on the rising ridgeline high above on Marble Hill, it is not immediately part of the humdrum. And this suits the style and atmosphere of the hotel, which is less of a resort and more a trusty stopover for independent travellers on Antigua. It is both a getaway for inquisitive holidaymakers and a base for regional business travellers. The mix is further increased by people living on island, who like to come in to dine at its well regarded Bay House restaurant.
You may not even go past the beach as you arrive at the hotel. Instead you will probably approach from inland, through a residential district, passing houses rather than hotels. The last stretch as you arrive is along quite a steep section of road, where the hotel’s wall spills over with bougainvillea. Then you turn into the small drive.
Your first impression is of white buildings with a touch of hacienda, of plasterwork in swirling and broken patterns, all spilling over with different colours of bougainvillea. The gardens are excellent, with small lawns and white-walled planters filled and brightly flowering shrubs and trees. Reception is on the left as you pull in (generally you leave your car on the road outside, where there are lots for parking), just behind the small terrace with chairs. In the same building as reception is the business centre, which has a computer that you can use to log on (though all rooms have data ports and wireless internet access).
An arched gateway, straight ahead as you drive in, leads you into the ‘central’ area of the hotel, which sits on top of the ridgeline. Here you will find the pool set in a terrace and surrounded by loungers and tables. A shell-shaped spout cascades into the water. Across the pool is the dining room, which is undercover but open-air, with large wicker armchairs and tables. It is bordered by greenery at the front of the resort (though a handful of tables have a nice view out onto the bay) and by the bar at the rear. In addition to serving the hotel also has a successful trade as an independent restaurant by the name of the Bay House - it is highly regarded as a place to eat out on the island. Inside, behind the bar is an air-conditioned room that is used as a conference room.
At the front of the pool terrace is a wooden deck bordered by a balustrade, which has the finest view of the bay below. Trade Winds sees quite a few events including weddings, which are often held on this deck. Alternatively there is another sunbathing area on the roof of the dining room, from which there is an even finer view down over the bay.
If you look left and right from the top you will see the rooms and suites running in lines away from you. They are numbered in their ‘tens’. The 40s stand on the top of the hill to your left, approached out of the side of the dining room. The 50s are set further forward and below them, approached via a dry garden with cacti set in a rockery. Rooms 1 to 34 are behind and down on the right, running along the tapering stretch of land that leads down the hill.
There are a couple of styles in the different ‘decades’. The 40s and 50s have same design, which is nicely stylish, lean and modern without being overly minimal. They have smooth, mid-brown wood and a light colour scheme of white drapes and light green and blue walls and upholstery. The other rooms, 1 – 30 have a slightly different style, with more traditional features, such as pickled pine woodwork and wicker furniture. There is also a reasonable variety of rooms, from simple doubles up to executive suites. All rooms are comfortable and well equipped. All have some outside space and air-conditioning and most have ceiling fans.
Outside, the hotel has a different but distinctive architectural style, in the white stucco that adorns the walls and the rounded arches and solid curled balustrades. It has elements of hacienda or Latin Caribbean, which of course is off-set by the blue colour scheme in the doors, steps and wooden balconies and again, in typical Latin style, with colourful sprays of bougainvillea. The gardens are particularly pretty at Trade Winds and they are over-flowing with hibiscus, ixora, azaleas and other plants such as red hot cat tail.
Although Trade Winds Hotel is close to the liveliest beach in Antigua, it does not set out to be a typical Caribbean resort hotel. It has a different feel to it – part the variety and interest of its business travellers, part the buzz of the drop-in visitors to the restaurant and then finally part the holiday aspect of its location. And of course its independent travellers, who are a little older than many people you might find on the beach below. It is a very pleasant and reliable escape. |
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Beach & Swimming
The closest beach is of course Dickenson Bay beach, the liveliest on Antigua. It is a quick ride down the zig-zag hill by car or cab, but the hotel offers a shuttle service three times in the morning and twice in the afternoon. They drop at the Beach House right in the middle of the beach, where you can base yourself for the day. There is plenty of activity on Dickenson Bay, with watersports and quite a bit of ‘beach life’. 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 nice circular pool in the main courtyard at Trade Winds. It sits on an open terrace next to the restaurant (which is shielded from it by a screen of greenery) and a nice deck at the front overlooking the bay. There are loungers and parasols for shade. The bar in the restaurant will serve you a drink while you are at the pool. |
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Sports & Recreation
Watersports are available through concessionaires on Dickenson Bay beach. You can rent snorkelling gear, kayaks, windsurfers and small sailing boats, even a jet ski if that is your thing. 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 John’s. 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. |
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The Rooms
There are 50 rooms in all at Trade Winds and they are ranged along a ridgeline overlooking Dickenson Bay, in several blocks either side of the central area with the pool and restaurant. They come in several different categories, largely defined by their position. There are Deluxe Rooms, Junior or Ocean View Suites and Executive Suites.
The 40s have six Deluxe Suites and four Junior Suites. The 50s consist of Junior Suites and the 30s consist of regular rooms, Junior Suites and some Executive Suites. All rooms have some outside space and are air-conditioned (with a ceiling fan), cable TV and WiFi internet access as well as a fridge and safe. |
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Dining
The dining room at Trade Winds is also known as the Bay House Eestaurant and it sees quite a bit of trade from islanders as well as visitors. It has a pretty outside dining area, which is covered but in the open air. It is bordered on one side by the bar and the other by plants, though some tables do have a view over the bay. There are large wicker armchairs and tables, with a colour scheme is based in green. The cuisine is international, with tastes gathered from around the world, including of course the Caribbean. |
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Conferences & Weddings
Trade Winds is accustomed to staging meetings and small conferences for business travellers. Their air-conditioned boardroom can seat 18 around a table and 30 in theatre style. They can provide all the refreshments and equipment you need, from whiteboards to multi-media projection.
Equally the hotel is happy to arrange a wedding for you. The favourite location for the ceremony itself is a section of the gardens slightly down the hill, but of course the deck or the rooftop overlooking the lights of Dickenson Bay in the evening is a lovely place to have a reception. And they have all the facilities too – with the dining room right there to provide canapés and drinks, and a full-on dinner if you would like it.
There is no standard wedding package at Trade Winds. They tailor-make the celebration to the requirements of the individual client. The hotel has call on all the services that the island has to offer and are they happy to arrange anything you need, from the attendance of a minister and flower arrangers to photographer or a band. |
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Children
Trade Winds is happy to accept children. They can provide high chairs in the dining room and cots to be left in your room. There is just one ‘adjoining’ room for families. |
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Rates
| | 01 May-31 Oct 2009 | 01 Nov-30 Apr 2009-10 | 01 May-31 Oct 2010 | | Deluxe Room Single Double | 195 215 | 260 280 | 195 215 | | Junior Suite Single Double | 230 250 | 310 330 | 230 250 | | Executive Suite Single Double | 275 295 | 375 395 | 275 295 | | Extra adult sharing | 70 | 70 | 70 | All rates are in US$ per room, per night, room only. Breakfast (BP) supplement US$20 per person, per day and Breakfast & Dinner supplement (MAP) US$80 per person, per day. All rates exclusive of 10% Service Charge and 10.5% Government Tax. Rates are subject to change without notice.
Minimum stay 3 nights. A 3 night cancellation charge applies to reservations cancelled within 7 days of arrival. |
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How To Book
If you wish to make further enquiries or a reservation, please use the WEB LINK or DIRECT EMAIL ENQUIRIES facility at the top of this page to make contact with Trade Winds Hotel, or if you wish to telephone them, please click on TELEPHONE CONTACT to reveal the number. |
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Locality
Trade Winds overlooks Dickenson Bay from Marble Hill in the north-west of Antigua. Obviously the centre of the beach action in this area is Dickenson Bay beach itself, where there are quite a few hotels and bars. Behind here, the area becomes residential and there is not much to visit, however St John’s, the capital and main town in Antigua, is just ten minutes to the south 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 in the downtown area. The museum and the cathedral at the top of the town are also 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 Nelson’s Dockyard. The ride takes about forty minutes but it is well worth doing once in your visit. In the south-western corner of the island there are some excellent, less populated west-facing beaches. The south-east also has some nice places to head for the day, including Harmony Hall.
Although Trade Winds has long been well regarded for its food, there are some other good restaurants around if you would like to go out to eat. On the northern fringes of St John’s not far away are Papa Zouk and The Home, which are both fun. For a smart evening out there are two restaurants not far away on the north coast, The Cove and Le Bistro. |
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Meet & Greet
If you are travelling independently, Trade Winds 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 15 minutes and costs US$20. 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. |
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Getting Around
Although Trade Winds is within a shout of the action of Dickenson Bay, you will need some transport if you want to explore. The hotel can arrange a tour of the island by taxi if you wish. Alternately, it is an easy and rewarding island to explore under your own steam. A rental car enables you to visit some of Antigua’s excellent beaches by day and then go out 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. |
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