Review of Jumby Bay Island - an Oetker Collection Hotel

Jumby Bay Island is located just off the north-eastern tip of Antigua. It is the fifth largest Island in Antigua and Barbuda. The Island is only accessible by boat - a six-minute journey from the Jumby Bay jetty at Dutchman Bay on the mainland - which itself is just minutes by car from VC Bird International Airport.

The north and east of the Island face the mighty Atlantic Ocean while the south and west face Antigua itself. It is a 20-minute car journey from Dutchman Bay to Heritage Quay (the Duty-Free shopping district in St John’s) and 40-minutes to Shirley Heights Lookout – one of Antigua’s top tourist attractions.

Since Jumby Bay became part of the Oetker Collection in 2017, a series of refurbishments and upgrades have been taking place. There are now 28 suites, 14 villas and 22 residences available to book.

The suites were completed in September 2019 and there are now 16 Beach Suites, 10 Pool Suites and 2 Estate Suites. As the names suggest, some of the suites offer delicious beach and ocean views, some with the same views have their own swimming pool and terrace and then Estate Suites offer sizeable accommodation with the ability to add more bedrooms for larger families. The suites feature garden and indoor showers, some with deep soaking bathtubs – all with light & airy bedrooms. They start at 103 square metres (1,100 square feet) in area and reach to 159 square metres (1,711 square feet) for the Estate Suites.

The villas offer 2 – 4 bedrooms of accommodation. They all have private swimming pools and direct access to the beach - and the deep blue sea. “Poinciana” for instance features 2 bedrooms and is 267 square metres (2,877 square feet) in area. High ceilings, a full kitchen, laundry & housekeeping services, golf buggies and private pool all come with the property. Poinciana sleeps 4 comfortably. “Sandy Cove” offers 4 bedrooms. At 402 square metres (4,325 square feet), it is the largest of the villas. It even boasts a private beach!

The private residences offer the very height of luxury - with everything a family could wish for - and more. It is your “own” home in the Caribbean - albeit a palace more than a home! The residences offer 4 to 8 bedrooms. “Calabash” is a 4-bedroom estate house - at 640 square metres (6,894 square feet), it is sizeable but with a chef, butler, gardener and other staff, every need or whim is catered for. Guests have easy access to a beach and of course, the property has its own swimming pool. “Morning Glory” is – undoubtedly – the finest private residence in the Caribbean. Set in 8 acres of Jumby land, it features 8 bedrooms, a beach, heated swimming pool, outdoor pool, tennis courts - and a huge complement of staff on hand. At 2,107 square metres (22,684 square feet), Morning Glory is something quite special indeed. 

From the moment you are greeted by the Jumby Bay staff at the airport to the moment they wave you off, you are swaddled in attention & love by all you meet.

There are no cars allowed on Jumby, so you get around by bicycle, golf buggy or just on foot.

Jumby Bay is an all-inclusive resort, so you receive the following: all-day dining either in the Estate House, on the beach or in-room. All fine wines, cocktails and Taittinger Champagne is complimentary. For those who want to learn how to create Antiguan dishes, the resort offers cooking classes and for those who have a penchant for rum - there are rum tastings!

The tennis courts and fitness facilities are available for those looking to burn-off excess energy. The Resort offers a plethora of water sports – from Hobie Cats to wakeboarding and from snorkelling to beach football. A Kids Club is on offer for the younger guests. Sunset cruises are also available - wonderful way to end a Jumby day!

The Jumby Bay Spa offers guests an escape - and every type of treatment is available to take them to a more serene place – from scrubs to facials and wraps to pedicures. The Spa has its own Yoga Studio - and there are even a few treatments for the younger guests.

There are two main beaches on the Island – the main iconic 0.8-kilometre (half a mile) beach is dotted with bohios under which you can sleep your day away. Pasture Bay Beach is more intimate - so peaceful that it is here that the rare Hawksbill turtles nest.

There is a lovely resort shop filled with goodies that can be worn or bought as gifts.

Finally, the resort offers three “communal” swimming pools – one to relax in (Jumby Bay Pool), one for families and laps (Veranda) and the infinity pool at The Grille – where pre/post meal dips can be enjoyed. 

The Resort will organise trips to the mainland: golf and cricket, shopping in the heart of St John’s and the legendary Sunday night “jump up” at Shirley Heights where you can dance your socks off with the locals. 

The hotel is wheelchair accessible. Pets are allowed on Jumby Bay Island by special arrangement. Service dogs are more than welcome. 

Jumby Bay Island was visited by Christopher Columbus in 1493. In more recent times, the Island has become a private retreat for some of the world’s wealthiest families. They have built exquisite homes on Jumby Bay – some of which can be rented. Many of these properties are stunning architecturally-designed “tropical” residences – where no expense has been spared.

The Estate House was once the focal point of the Island – which boasted a sugar plantation. It was built in the 1830s and is a typical “plantation house” in its design – best described as “colonial”. It now houses the resort’s fine-dining restaurant and bar. 

There are many places to enjoy your meals on Jumby Bay Island – starting with your suite, villa, or residence. You can enjoy a degree of “self-catering” in the villas and there are private chefs in the residences - there to prepare stunning meals to exacting requirements.

The Estate House conjures up meals using as many local ingredients as possible – seafood, meats, and vegetables. The Estate House is among the finest restaurants in the Caribbean.

The 1830 Bar is a wonderful place to start or end a meal – with a fine flute of champagne or a cocktail.

The Jumby Bay Bar & Lounge is the place to enjoy a meal with newly found friends or to relax during the day. The Veranda is where guests can enjoy breakfast, lunch, and a relaxing non-formal dinner.

The Pool Grille and Pool Grille Bar are for those who need to stay by the water’s edge. Bistro-style food is served here along with cocktails - and champagne – of course.

Genny’s Bar is the Jumby Bay Beach hangout for those looking for a drink. The traditional bohio gives the Bar its distinct character.

The Resorts offers pop-ups, beach parties and of course, dining wherever the guest would like to eat – under the stars for instance.

“Jumbee” translates as “playful spirit” - everything at the resort has a smile attached to it.

The Jumby Bay Hawksbill Project is the longest, continuously running Hawksbill research program in the world. Since 1987, this charity has monitored the Hawksbill Sea turtles that nest on Pasture Bay Beach. If you are lucky and the hawksbills are laying eggs during your visit, you will be invited to watch – at a distance. Aside from the endangered Hawksbill Turtle – the Island is also helping to protect the numbers of the White Egret bird and the Persian Black-Headed Sheep – also endangered species.

Among other initiatives is a recycling program that has made Jumby Bay Island the largest recycler of bottles, cans and golf cart batteries on Antigua. Sewage water is purified and stored in a central tank for plant irrigation, while all cuttings, including grass, leaves, branches are chipped and turned into mulch and compost for landscaping on the Island.

The treatments at the Jumby Bay Spa are all organic – courtesy of The Queen of Green Beauty, Tata Harper.

No cars means no pollution. Wherever the island can be green, it is.