Next Stop, Jumby Bay

Bragging rights and all-inclusive holidays don’t need to be mutually exclusive. Safari camps in Africa do it. Dream properties in the Seychelles do it. Why then must the Caribbean all-inclusives shame us with cafeteria cuisine, steel drum cacophonies, and drunken pink pot-bellied wanks cannonballing into the pool? One hotel, Jumby Bay in Antigua, has blissfully broken that mould.

First thing to know—Antigua is a direct flight away from Toronto, New York, Miami, London, Paris and Frankfurt. From the airport it’s a five minute drive to the harbour and from the harbour it’s a 10-minute ferry ride to Jumby Bay, making this the most accessible private island vacation I can think of.

Second thing to know—don’t flinch at the price until you’ve done the math. Most hotels at this level make their money on the food and beverage side of things—a lesson painfully learned upon check out. It ain’t cheap, Jumby—don’t get me wrong—but the rates include all meals, all drinks, and all activities on the property. Now that you don’t need to keep a running tally you can truly relax and enjoy.

Third thing to know—Jumby is a dream for families and couples alike. The food and service are outstanding, the beach is magnificent, and the place never feels busy even when running at full capacity over the holidays (many guests return year after year). While all of Antigua is just a 10-minute ferry ride away, Jumby definitely feels like it’s all yours.

If your idea of a vacation is to reduce the number of worries in your life, Jumby may well be your answer.

Greg keeps Jumby Bay as an option up his sleeve when the dark of February closes in.