Click here for a slideshow of Grand Pineapple Antigua

Vacations at All Inclusive Resorts in the Caribbean can be very expensive for families and some of our favorite resorts, Beaches Resorts, can really stretch a lot of budgets.  I just returned from the island of Antigua and think I might have found a fabulous authentic, Caribbean option for families on a tighter budget.    Sandals and Beaches Resorts offer a more moderate rustic all inclusive option called Grand Pineapple on the beautiful island of Antigua.

Grand Pineapple is located on one of the nicest white sand beaches on the island of Antigua.  The beach at this resort is amazing and because of the resorts location in Long Bay, there is very little beach traffic at all if any!  Some of the rooms are located directly on the beach so you can simply step out of your room and hit sand within a few steps or you can fall asleep at night to the sound of the ocean below in some of the rooms.  There are also oceanview rooms nestled into the hillside if having that commanding panoramic view is important to you.

Grand Pineapple is one of the nicer rustic and authentic Caribbean style resorts I have seen especially since its recent renovation.  So if you are looking for clean, Caribbean style accommodations with authentic Caribbean cuisine on a beachfront setting and you don’t want to spend extra to have the fancy pools with waterslides, XBOX garage and Sesame Street characters, Grand Pineapple might be a great option for you as it prices out about half the cost of Beaches Negril  in Jamaica.

I recommend booking either one of the Beachfront Rooms which are situated directly on the beach (also available as inter-connecting rooms) or the Tropical Waterfront Rooms place you right above the water with the sounds and sights of the sea right outside your balcony.  All of these rooms have been renovated unlike the garden view rooms which are set back quite a bit and are in need of renovation.  The resort has two pools and offers a couple different restaurant choices from Topaz buffet to Chef Pietro Italian style beachfront dining or you can reserve a spot at the Pineapple Grill which offers inside International and Caribbean cuisine WITH air conditioning.  For lunch a must stop is up the hill at The Outhouse (only good old fashioned air conditioning up here) where truly authentic BBQ pork or chicken is served up on the bluff and you can relax in the shade with a nice breeze and enjoy a good meal, beer and views of the Caribbean.  Islander Miss Mary has been cooking and serving her homemade specialties at The Outhouse for 20 years.

Stay tuned to our website as there is a strong possibility that the Sandals Family may turn this lovely little rustic resort into a Beaches Resort and add some of those infamous Beaches Resort amenities.  But for now, this resort IS what it is and that is a clean, comfortable, cozy, friendly and authentic Caribbean resort on a FANTASTIC beach.    If you want to learn more about this resort or other Caribbean resort options, please send me a email at patty@totemtravel.com. I am happy to help!