In Antigua, the Art of the Boutique Caribbean All-Inclusive – Caribbean Journal

Its not the all-inclusive resort you might be thinking of.

Its hidden away on the spectacular Turners Beach in Antigua, 29 barefoot-chic rooms, all endlessly private, individual sanctuaries on the sand.

Its a boutique, adults-only all-inclusive, where many of the rooms have their own private plunge pool, all with outdoor showers, all of them just a step away from the sand itself.

But its different here, a small all-inclusive where the focus is on the local.

You might call it a boutique all-inclusive, where the focus is on Caribbean personality, about Caribbean design.

Owner Andrew Michelin says the aim is to reflect vintage Caribbean living with a modern indulgent twist, encompassing the small wooden cottages with wattle fences dotted around the islands countrysides; the flowering vines between cottages for privacy; bathing beneath the stars with our outdoor showers; and living, dining, and relaxing with the sand between your toes directly on the beach.

And that extends to every facet of the resort: the food is fresh and organic: think breakfast plates like Antiguan black pineapple custard French toast and dinner favorites like escovitch snapper.

In a very cool inclusion, the resort has a snack menu, on offer from 11 AM to 4:45 PM, a time period during which it can sometimes be difficult to find a meal at many all-inclusives. And its not bag of chips, either: think fried local chips, pizza, fish and chips, tofu burgers, open-face cajun sandwiches and coconut cookies.

And it all comes right to your room.

There is also the Serenity Spa, a boutique wellness center where the soundtrack isnt piped-in flute music, but the revitalizing sound of the waves just outside the door.

And then there are the delicious rooms, a lovely mix of pool cottages (either on the beach or in the garden), sunset beachfront rooms or beach house rooms.

Keyonna also cleverly labels each room with the distance to the beach. That means as low as 10 seconds from a sanctuary pool cottage to just 60 seconds in a garden pool cottage.

In other words, theres nothing between you and your Caribbean beach dreams.

And thats the spirit of this boutique all-inclusive, where the island itself is front and center and where the emphasis is on a true, unfiltered Antiguan experience.

Its the way Keyonna has carved out a beloved niche on an island thats long been home to some of the Caribbeans top all-inclusive resorts by doing things its own way.

Weve ensured that everything possible is made locally the furniture, soft furnishings, placemats, bread baskets, lampshades and produce as we seek to build up those communities that surround us, Michelin says. With the added benefit that our food and drinks are fresh, nutritious, full flavored with no preservatives, just like the food that came from my grandmothers kitchen in Jamaica.

For more, visit Keyonna Beach Resort.

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In Antigua, the Art of the Boutique Caribbean All-Inclusive - Caribbean Journal