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Sunsail Colonna Beach Resort

To describe this hotel as a "Beach Resort" is a little misleading but Sunsail Colonna offers excellent value and some unique features. YES there is beach there but somehow the term "Resort" makes you think of a large imposing development. In fact the complex is very compact and the beach feels a little small. HOWEVER, the hotel is thoughtfully laid out around the largest pool that I have seen in Antigua with everything leading to their exceptional sailing facilities. The reason the beach "feels" small is because it is broken into two small harbors where an impressive array of small sailing craft, from laser size to 30 footers, are available to the guests. Staff are extremely safety conscious and a rescue boat is always within sight. In addition to the regular dingy sailing the staff provide courses on various aspects of sailing technique.

Sailers with families get the best of both worlds. They can sail an hour or three at a time while the family sunbathes and the hotel also offers baby sitting and children's activities for when mum and dad want to get away for a while.

The hotel also seems to be great value. Most tourists are British and guests appear to be getting two weeks holiday with five meals a week for little more than the cost of the regular air fare!

Since Sunsail Colonna is just down the street from Island Arts @ Hodges Bay it is a convenient place for me to occasionally pick up crew for Pumkin's Saturday race at JHYC. Anyone interested in racing should call Nick @ 461 6324.

The only criticism that I've heard was that sometimes the wind off Hodges Bay can be a bit too wild for novice sailors (there is not much the hotel can do about that). The trick then is to stay inshore where the land shelters the sea and keep to the south of the hotel which is much more protected from the wind. When you compare what you get for what you pay I think you'll have to go a long way to find better value or more fun on the water. Almost everyone I have met was complementary about their holiday.

The hotel policy of providing limited meals, I think its something like 3 dinners and 2 lunches a week, is actually VERY SENSIBLE. Eating the same stuff every day can be boring and part of the fun of visiting a new place is to get out and about to see other things. Le Bistro, one of the top restaurants on the island, is only half a mile away.

A tour desk can arrange optional services and excursions at additional charge including...

• Island tours (A visit to Nelson's Dockyard and Shirley Heights is recommended. So is AntiguaPaddles eco kayaking, round the island catamaran tours and Jolly Roger
• Island arts @ Hodges Bay is just a short walk away and the tour desk will have tickets for our bi-weekly Star Wars gatherings... a UNIQUE chance to party with Antigua's YodaGuy involved in building the creatures for the classic trilogy. Its a MUST for fans of the classic trilogy)
• Shopping trips to St. John's (see HeritageQuay.com and RedcliffeQuay.com)
• Golf (the course is about 2 miles away)
• Rental cars

Want to know about SPECIALS available in Antigua?

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AntiguaToday.com is not a booking agent and so does not profit from providing hotel info. As such unbiased assessment is assured. However, hotel information is collected from several sources... mainly the opinions of tourists staying at that hotel. Consequently we can not be held liable for the opinions of others can not GUARANTEE info is still current. We hereby disclaim any loss or damages caused by errors, omissions, misleading information or any potential travel problem, whatever the cause.

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This page is sponsored by the home gallery of Star Wars veteran Nick Maley

Wind &endash; There is a lot of it. But normally not quite this much. We just got unlucky (or lucky, depends on your view).

June &endash; Nov is hurricane/storm season so anything can happen.

Boats &endash; Fun boat (kind of a mini cat), Picos, Lasers, Sunfish, Sport 16s, Topper Buzz's (sportboat, open

transom)Hobie 15s, Kayaks (too windy this trip), windsurfers, and Logic powerboats.

Kids- Bring them! World's greatest kids club. Saw kids swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving (in pool for the little

ones), sailing on all the boats, including using hiking harness, tennis, games, movies, and on & on. They are split into

age groups and all the nannies are sailors. Fiona is the kids' director, the warmest, funniest ever!

Food &endash; Plenty of it and delish! English chef so English cuisine. Try a local dish called 'Roti' for lunch.

Americans &endash; Don't come here if you are looking for them. Mostly British folks.

Room (Villa 5) &endash; Wonderful! Has a widow's walk deck on top and its so cute. White walls, sky blue trim, Spanish tile

roof, terrazzo floors with inlaid marble. Granite tile in the bathrooms. Our front garden has a lawn with various tropical

plants and trees including banana trees with bananas, date palms, coconut palms with coconuts. Porch has chairs and

table, and top deck has lounge chairs.

Beds &endash; Hard! But you are so tried you sleep anyway.

Housekeeping &endash; Very good. Rooms kept spotless and sand free.

Clothes &endash; We over packed so here is a list of what we actually used:

(One week)&endash; 1 or 2 swimsuits, 1 to 2 t-shirts for everyday wear, 1 - 2 old t-shirts for snorkeling and sailing (to avoid

sunburn), at least 3 pairs of shorts (2 wet pair, so you can trade off{guys use swim trunks for this}, 1 walking

shorts{go to town}, and maybe a lounging around pair), 1 nice top (go to town), 1 tank top, 1 cover up, 1 pareo (or

buy one there), 1 nice sundress for evening, an outfit for the plane (gets cold on plane &endash; bring sweater or light jacket).

2 hats (cap and tilly type),and hat clip. Everything can be rinsed and hung out on racks provided for drying. Bring a

small bottle of Woolite.

Money &endash; Everything in the Sunsail store is $$$. You have to take a taxi to get to any other store ($20), we usually

asked our driver to stop on the way back from other trips. You'll be spending lots of $$ on bottled water and drinks

so stock up at Epicurean (nearby grocery) as much as possible. If you plan to shop, convert part your currency to

EC's, you get a better deal. The exchange rate is 2.68. Don't exchange travelers checks at Sunsail, go a bank in St.

Johns. Sunsail will only give you EC's (Eastern Caribbean dollars) and they only exchange it at a rate of 2.5. They

also have ATM machines in St. Johns, most give EC's but the red shack one by the Jolly Roger berth will give US

dollars. Use your ATM card to get in the door.

Taxis &endash; Don't advise Americans to try to drive here, its left side driving and the roads are bad and the rentals get flats

or break down. And the locals drive close and fast on narrow roads. Some of the British folks do rent cars, but it is an

adventure. Taxis are expensive, plan $20 to go anywhere close by, and up from there. We had a driver for 8+ hours

for a tour of the island $200 for 4 people. Not bad and your get to learn a lot about the local culture, and cricket.

People and society&endash; Most of the locals are descendants of the African slaves brought here by the English to work on

the sugar plantation. Europeans and Indians were unable to handle the hot humid conditions, so this is the reason

given for using African slaves. Unlike in America, the slaves were allowed to keep many of their African traditions.

You see this today in the music and the village life. After emancipation (1843), the freed workers remained working on

the plantations, as it was the only work to be had on the island. Later, their descendents bargained for and got better

pay and working conditions. But the shrinking profit margin in the sugar industry couldn't absorb the loss so the

economy took a tumble and all the plantations shut down. In the early 70's Antigua started rebuilding itself as a tourist

site. Today it is the primary industry, employing 80% of the work force. While the official language is English (with a

British twist), the language the locals speak is not understandable immediately. The best way to get along with the

locals is to be courteous. If a street seller gets pushy, just say a firm 'no thanks', with a polite smile works. I gained a

respect for these people; they are hard workers, hard players, and very sporting. They love calypso, and cricket is their

passion. They are proud of their top-notch cricketers and footballers, most of which return to the island to retire after

playing in the European big leagues. Crimes against tourists carry such a high punishment that it is almost unheard of.

Tipping &endash; We tipped the taxis guys (10 &endash; 15% of trip cost) and the house keeping staff ($2 per person per day). If

you go out for dinner, if the tip is not included, be sure to leave one.

Misc &endash; Bring lots of sunscreen, it gets applied 2 to 3 times daily. A pair of sunglasses you don't mind loosing and

bring a spare pair. Croakies are a must. Sail gloves that can take salt water. They can also be used as snorkeling gloves

to avoid fire coral, jelly fish and urchin stings. Snorkel gear, else Sunsail has that. Lots of film, cheaper to bring your

own. Zip locks to keep all sorts of things dry on excursions. Munchies for trips. Aspirin and aloe vera gel for

sunburns. Good books, the TV is 3 channels (BBC America, ESPN 2 ?, and Nickelodeon ). Safety pins (can be used

to dig coral chip out of foot).

PS - No biting bugs at Sunsail, but did get bit at Nelson's dockyard. Never used bug spray.

>>>>>>>

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Very lengthy trip journal geared toward sailors: Sunsail Colonna Club

From: Sue

Date: 8/1/02 1:30:11 PM

Remote Name: 165.79.13.191

Friday &endash; Antigua! After bouncing out of the sky, our taxi van awaited to take us to our island home. What a place!

Lobby? Lovely, has an old sugar mill incorporated into it that the dive shop uses. Store? Quaint but $$$. Pool is big

and beautiful. Staff is welcoming and very friendly. Other guests? Americans are in the minority. Everyone we have

met has been so warm and friendly. A happy bunch of sailors getting ready to enjoy a fun vacation. After a quick

snack the boys are off on a Hobie 15. You know how we say "blowing like stink"? Well, that is the average wind

speed around here. 15 &endash; 20 kts all the time, except maybe at 3am.

Sat &endash; After breakfast (yum, anything and as much as you want) Lanette and the boys are off on a Sport 16. Great fun!

Sue decides to take a sailing lesson, and attends the beginning dinghy class for Pico's. She found the class very

enlightening. She took a spin with an Aussie instructor. After tacking and overboard drills, she is off on her own! And

promptly forgets everything in the heavy wind and swells. You really have to pay attention when the wind blows like

that. After the safety boat guy sets her straight she is off sailing. Thing to know &endash; It blows hard all the time, and there

is a 2' &endash; 3' foot swell so you get WET. But it doesn't matter as the water is so lovely and warm and there is always a

safety boat nearby. This turns out to be the lightest wind day all week. After lunch it is scuba checkouts and naps.

Then it's off on a Hobie 15 for Lanette and the boys. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a Sport 16 came sailing down upon

them. Our Hobie tried to dodge them but it was no use. Randy the crash magnet is onboard so the inevitable happens.

Now there is a Sport 16 bow shaped 8" hole in the Hobie.

Sat night &endash; Off to the Jolly Roger! The Sat night run is a booze cruise complete with LOUD music and much

jolliness. Many young locals come to dance to the calypso/hip hop music. Next time try the day trip, where they have

snorkeling and other fun activities.

Sun. &endash; Sailing in the morning, Lasers and Picos. Picos are very stable and forgiving in these conditions, Lasers are

not. Love those Picos! Afternoon, snorkeling for the girls and naps for the boys (too many rum punches on the Jolly

Roger last night!).

Sunday evening &endash; Off to Shirley Heights for BBQ, steel band (locals say pan band) and reggae/calypso/hip hop music

, and more rum punch. From the heights we have lovely views of much of the island. Shirley Heights is an old English

fort so we were able to see the officer's barracks and the cemetery. Most of the people buried there had died of fever

or dysentery.

Monday &endash; We take the excursion into St. John's for a shopping trip. These are short trips (approx 2hrs) so you might

want to plan to go more than once. Dad is in his element here, bargaining with the locals. Also found an IGA so we

bought beer for our neighbor, hope he likes Budweiser! After shopping and the now daily mid afternoon naps we take

a Logic motorboat to nearby Prickly Pear island for some snorkeling. Remember the Gilligan Island song "A 3 Hour

Tour"? Well the weather started getting rough and the tiny Logic was tossed. If not for the courage of the fearless

Randy, the tiny ship was lost. We got caught in one of the many squalls we were to see all week. But this one was a bit

bigger than we expected. Sue was snorkeling when she noticed the waves started picking up, so came up to see the

family motioning her to return to shore. At first we thought to wait it out since they had told us most squalls passed

within a few minutes. This one didn't and a safety boat came out to escort us back. Randy surfed the waves all the way

back to Sunsail. Pretty exciting! We were the last to shore so everyone in the bar (Brits head to the bar in case of

storm J) watched us come in. Got a bit of a dressing down from the staff for that one. Interesting point &endash; there is no

drinking age here, but youths can only buy beer with a chit, which can only be purchased by parents. We learned this

is the norm in Europe. During the squall, hardy staff members grabbed wind surfers and gave a wonderful exhibition

of top notch windsurfing. At dinner staff members join the guests at dinner and this evening the Laser instructor, joins

us. He was also one of the windsurfers. He and Dad while away the hours talking sailboats and sails.

Tues. Randy, Mummy and Sue take a snorkel trip to Bird Island, about an hour away on a motor boat. We might have

made better time sailing, with this wind. The seas are high (as usual) so we have a fun bumpy ride. The snorkeling was

beautiful! Thousands of shiny little fish surround you as you dive into the sparkling turquoise water. Lots of tropical

fish, saw some round jellyfish, gorgeous coral and sea fans. We even saw small squid &endash; looked like nudibrancs with

small tentacles. Mummy and Sue climbed to the top of the island and were treated to a lovely Caribbean view. After a

late lunch Mummy and Dad are off to sail. Squalls all afternoon, have to stay close to shore.

Wed &endash; Blowing like STINK today. The beach staff says its Force 6 (21 &endash; 26 kt.s) so we opt for a tour of the island.

Normally this is $95 for 1 &endash; 4 people for 4 ? hours. We ended up being out all day so it was $200. That works out to

$50 a person so it is still a bargain. And, if you get to know your driver as we did, you get a real insight on the culture.

Joe provided a local view and we learned a lot about the history of the island. First stop was Betty's Hope, an old

sugar plantation site with the only windmill left fully intact of the 100 or so remnants of mills dotting the island. Here

we learn of the cane production and introduction of slavery on the island. Turns out the sugar trade was not very

lucrative due to the damage done by saltwater during transport. More money was made selling off the by-product that

was supposed to be for the sailing crew, rum! After emancipation the former slaves became paid workers, which

impacted the economy. Later they bargained for better working conditions and wages, which, while benefiting the

workers, effectively ruined the profit margin so the sugar industry collapsed. Sometime later Antigua, as a country,

decided to get in the tourism business. Now tourism is the basis of their economy, employing some 80% of the

workforce. Much of this we learned from a tour guide who gave us a wonderful history lesson. As an orator he should

have be on PBS, such a lyrical way of speaking. Next stop was Devil's Bridge, a natural bridge formation made by

wave action. Then on to Pineapple beach where we enjoyed a bit of lunch with Joe. Although I think Joe would have

preferred a local dish than the hamburgers and tuna sandwiches. Here he showed us the dreaded Machineel tree that

rains burning sap and has poisonous fruit. Then we go to the Dow interpretive center and finally off to English

Habour and Nelson's Dockyard. These are former British military forts and naval bases. This is also where you

would pick up your Sunsail charter boat. Randy, Dad and Mummy plan to charter a boat .

Thurs. Randy, Dad, Mummy and friends head out to Nelson's Dockyard to take out a 42' Juneau. Sue opts to stay

and watch the weekly regatta. In the morning it's a dinghy race, about 30 boats. It's a pursuit race and the one who

completes the course the most times within an hour of the first start wins. The fastest boats get 45 minutes to race.

Racers include the Lasers, Sunfish, a Funboat, Picos, and Sport 16s. The wind was a steady Force 6 so it was bottoms

up! It was an endurance race to see how long you could maintain the energy to keep righting your boat. All of the

small dinghies went over many times. Only 1 Sport 16 went over and actually we found out later that a Pico had

punched an 8" hole in it, so really it was trying to sink. Its hardy skipper got it close enough to shore to stand up and

began dragging it back to the beach until the staff showed up to tow it in. Safety was the word of the day so, while

almost everyone got dunked, no one was injured. Afternoon races were supposed to be for the Hobies but the winds

kept freshening up to Force 7 by race time. So the Hobies were beached because they tend to pitch pole in heavy air

and seas. About 10 rabid sailors headed out on reefed dinghies to brave the winds. Most went in before the hour was

up, then the staff decided it was time to beach all the boats around 4pm and the beach was closed for the day. Even the

snorkeling is bad today. A good day to read a book. Meanwhile the folks and Randy are on the water during all of this

.

Fri &endash; Mummy and Sue head back into St John's where they find the 'Best Shop' in Antigua. It is run by a woman

name Best and indeed we found it to be the best! Very nice shirts and good prices. Spent $$ here! There are also stalls

with inexpensive souvenirs. St. Johns is a great place to watch people. Its busy on a Friday morning. The occasional

street seller will insist that you look at the goods ("Come and see what I have, darlin!") A polite, firm 'No Thank

you' if not interested. In the afternoon there is an unplanned Pico Challenge. It turns out that usually this is the day

the British folks leave and a new group comes in. Unfortunately (for the folks left in England, the ones left with an

extra day of holiday are ecstatic) the plane gets delayed until the following day so to pass the time the staff rousts

folks out of the bar to join the 'regatta-let'. Teams of 2 ran down to the water, hopped on a Pico, and raced out to a

buoy and back. It didn't matter which direction you round the mark. Or, sometimes, if you rounded the mark at all.

Also saw some friendly boom grabbings, slowing one's competitor down not being against the non-rules. Randy and

teammate Tigger (Antiguan staff member) got to the semi finals only to be beaten by a Brit team who won the whole

thing. A bottle of French wine for them! In the evening we got to drink the welcome rum punch, since the new arrivals

were not there to drink it. What a sacrifice! We enjoyed this repast with Richard and Sarah, whom we had to say

goodbye to as we were leaving first thing in the a.m.

Sat &endash; The island cries as we leave (its squalling again) and the club kitty meows good bye. Joe gives us our last taxi

ride and we are off for home. Goodbye Antigua, such a lovely country and a wonderful memory of a lifetime.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Colonna Club is located on the northern tip of Antigua in

Hodges Bay, from where you can enjoy a whole host of

sailing and water sports activities in warm seas and tropical

trade winds. There are spectacular views over the Club

pool, the largest on Antigua, and the Caribbean Sea from

every room and some villas.

All accommodations are air conditioned, with satellite TV,

telephone for international dialing, mini fridge, and tea and

coffee making facilities.

Dinghy sailing and windsurfing conditions are ideal,

particularly for intermediate and advanced sailors.

Crosswinds grace the protected cove year round, creating

good sailing conditions right off the beach. During the winter

months, November to April, conditions are better suited to

intermediate and advanced dinghy sailors and windsurfers due to the stronger trade winds.