LULuxaTrips

Couples trips: what we look for, and the Antigua stay that matched it

A quieter couples trip in Antigua: a cozy room with a private plunge pool, a view across the bay, hummingbirds at the feeder outside, and the ocean in the distance from the restaurant up the hill.

For my wife and me, a good couples trip starts with a comfortable room, an ocean view when possible, good food, music, a relaxed atmosphere and thoughtful service. Our stay at Cocobay Resort in Antigua brought those things together in a quieter setting.

A tiled plunge pool in the foreground, its water still, with a large palm frond overhanging from the left and flowering shrubs at the edge. Beyond it a bay of pale turquoise water holds a small thatched shade hut on a rock jetty, with green hills along the far shore.
The private plunge pool and bay view from the patio just outside our room at Cocobay Resort.

A quieter stay in Antigua

Cocobay was smaller and quieter than some of the all-inclusive resorts we had visited, and for that particular trip that was exactly right.

The first thing that stood out was the service. The staff seemed to take pride in looking after people, and that impression held for the whole stay.

Our accommodation was cozy, with a private plunge pool behind it and a view across the bay. A hummingbird feeder hung outside, and hummingbirds visited it throughout the day. The rooms at this hillside resort vary, but those were some of the details we enjoyed about ours.

A hotel room with a dark timber plank floor, white timber-frame walls and a pitched open-beam ceiling with a fan. Full-height curtains run along one wall with a door open to bright daylight, louvred wardrobe doors stand at the left, a luggage bench holds an open suitcase, and the made-up bed enters the frame at the right.
Inside the cozy room where we stayed at Cocobay.

Sitting outside and watching the hummingbirds come around was something simple, and it helped make the whole stay feel special.

Hummingbirds visiting the feeder outside our accommodation.

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Food, drinks, and how quiet it was

The food was very good, and so were the drinks.

Dinner plate with chicken, rice and peas, macaroni and cheese, garlic bread and salad during our Cocobay stay.
Dinner during our stay at Cocobay.

The restaurant and infinity-pool area sat up high and looked out over the ocean. Sitting up there with the water in the distance was the prettiest part of the resort to us, and it is the clearest example of why we ask for a view when a property can give us one.

There was less live entertainment than at the Sandals resorts we had visited. That was not a problem for us. It was simply a different kind of trip, and the quiet suited it.

An afternoon away from the resort

We also spent an afternoon at a local beach and ate seafood at a local restaurant. I no longer remember the restaurant's name, but the meal gave us a chance to enjoy part of Antigua away from the resort.

The hills and the steps

The hillside setting provided beautiful views, but it also meant hills and quite a few steps. Anyone who finds stairs difficult should ask about the location and access of a particular room before booking.

A bay seen from higher up the hillside: turquoise shallows shading to deeper blue, a thatched shade hut on a rock jetty at the water's edge, a narrow strip of beach, and green hills rising along the opposite shore under a bright sky.
A final view from our stay in Antigua.

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