Ever since it opened almost two decades ago, Hermitage Bay was a breath of fresh air in Antigua: simple, intimate, and lovely. It didn’t have the over-the-top opulence of Jumby Bay, nor the extensive program and fun-for-the-whole-family vibe of Carlisle Bay. (Both of which are outstanding hotels, by the way.) Rather, it was a come-as-you-are collection of just about two dozen rooms with a perfect little white sand beach. It was doing just fine as it was, but in fall 2024, it reopened with an upgrade that makes it worth a second look.
When hotel founder Andy Thesen was ready to sell Hermitage Bay last year, he found an eager buyer in Daniel Shamoon, the co-owner and director of Luxury Hotel Partners, whose holdings include the legendary Marbella Club and Puente Romano Beach Club (and whose father, David Shamoon, helped put Marbella on the jet-set map). Shamoon started making small upgrades as soon as the ink was dry, and then he really put his stamp on it during the hotel’s seasonal closure. It reopened in October (2024) with its original DNA intact, but a new sheen of Mediterranean-inspired sophistication.
“Hermitage Bay has earned a reputation as a true Caribbean jewel since it opened its doors nearly 20 years ago,” says Shamoon. “With our thoughtful and considered renovation we will continue the magic that is the soul of Hermitage Bay while bringing it up to date and ensuring its future legacy as a world-class destination. As well as seeing many of its loyal guests returning, we are confident that the resort will be discovered by a new generation.”
The New Rooms
The renovation largely left the property’s footprints intact, with its central social areas and its rooms in freestanding bungalows in front of the beach and climbing up a hillside that’s covered in lush tropical gardens — even the gardeners got in on the update, adding red-leaf shrubs and other pops of color.
Now the 30 rooms fall into three categories: hillside suites, which have birds-eye views down to the bay; seaview garden suites, which now have private pools; and beachfront bungalows, featuring terraces with steps leading directly down to the sand. Inside, the color palette has been lightened up, especially the more blond wood, and the lines of the furnishings are more sleek and contemporary. The bathrooms are still large, and the beds are as comfortable as can be. Every room has an outdoor shower and an ocean-facing deck that beckons you to settle in with a good book.
The Food
As before, Hermitage Bay has some of the best food on the island. As much fruit, vegetables, and herbs as possible comes from the hotel’s own organic garden, something that’s not so easy to find in the Caribbean, and the gardeners can lead tours for curious guests. Likewise, the chefs have made a commitment to keep things as simple and local as possible, fancifying local recipes rather than importing out-of-place fare like caviar and wagyu.
And although the hotel’s rates are all inclusive, forget about buffets. Everything is a la carte, even the breakfast, which might include Antiguan cinnamon toast, spicy Caribbean-style scrambled eggs, or the full-on saltfish and “chop up,” or mash of boiled pumpkin, spinach, eggplant, and okra. Lunch is lighter, like ceviches and sandwiches, and dinner is a four-course affair with a daily-changing menu that might include spicy crab cakes, curried goat, or seared mahimahi.
While the main dining room has been redecorated to have a lighter feel, the revamped resort also has some new dining options. A giant tree on the beach has been encircled by a wraparound bar that doubles as a sushi counter. Staff light a beach bonfire for cocktail hour, where guests can sip the hotel’s signature Hermitage Rum Punch and pineapple caipirinhas as the sun goes down. And further down the beach, a Spanish style chiringuito — that Marbella influence — lets guests and islanders lunch on lobster with their feet in the sand, or dance into the early hours as the place shifts into a nightclub.
The Day Trip
Robert De Niro is one of Shamoon’s partners in Puente Romano Beach Club, which is why the Marbella resort has a Nobu restaurant and a separate Nobu hotel within the hotel. And as it happens, De Niro has long had a soft spot for Antigua’s sister island, Barbuda. Along with a private residence, he’s developing a Nobu hotel there, and the Nobu restaurant is already open.
The best excursion that Hermitage Bay offers is a day trip to Barbuda’s Princess Diana Beach (named after the British royal who visited in the 1980s) and Nobu restaurant. Much of the staff has been imported from Spain, so the quality of the cooking and precision of the service are spot on. All the Nobu classics are there: the rock shrimp tempura, the spicy tuna with crispy rice, and miso-slaked black cod.
And they taste even better when you’re wet and salty — which you will be, since even with all of Shamoon’s upgrades, he drew the line at a pier on the beach. The boat drops anchor in the bay, and guests swim their way to shore.
The Reason to Go
A lot of the staff at Hermitage Bay has been there five or ten years, or sometimes even longer. Among them is general manager Rachel Browne, a native of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, who has lived in Antigua for about two decades. She’s been at Hermitage Bay almost since day one. She admits she was worried about how longtime guests would react to the changes. She didn’t need to be. The reaction has been overwhelmingly positive, she says. The hotel may have a different owner now, but it has the “same soul. The soul and the ethos remain.”
Featured image courtesy of Hermitage Bay.
