Admiral's Inn
Staying at The Admiral's Inn puts you at the heart of Antigua's historical English Harbour.
Overview
The building was planned in 1785 (the year after Nelson arrived in English Harbour as Captain of HMS BOREAS) and completed in 1788.
The ground floor was used to store pitch, turpentine and lead, and there were offices for the engineers of the Dockyard upstairs.
The brick passageway at the entrance divided brick-lined pits used for storing the pitch, which was in barrels. Some original pitch marks may still be seen at the foot of the stairs.
The bricks used in the building were brought over from England as ship's ballast, and it is said that the ballast used on the return trip was mostly rum.
Admirals' Inn consists of three buildings situated in a secluded section of historic Nelson's Dockyard at English Harbour, on the south coast of Antigua. The main building is a three-story Georgian brick structure with a spacious terrace looking out over the water and the yachts lying at anchor.
The airport is around 30 minutes away.
Accommodation
There are nine rooms on the two upper floors, while the lounge, dining and kitchen facilities are on the ground floor.
A ground floor annex just across the pillared lawn, houses four more rooms, and adjacent to that is the "Joiner's Loft" apartment, with two double rooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen and a spacious living-room area looking right out over the harbour.
Facilities
Each room has a private bathroom with shower.
Most are furnished with two twin beds, but three of the superior rooms have one queen.
The annex rooms each have a small patio and garden entranceway, while the front rooms in the main building have a nice view out over the harbour.
Air-conditioning & telephone in rooms at the superior and moderate rate categories, while all other rooms are cooled by ceiling fans.
Restaurants & Bars
All meals are served on a la carte basis, with a varied selection of items.
The tree-shaded terrace is a delightful place to sit and dine, looking out over the water.
Local seafood is their speciality, and fresh local produce is used whenever possible.
A full range of wine is available.
Features
Swimming & Snorkelling
The Admiral’s Inn boat is available to take you to the beach at Freeman's Bay, at the entrance to Harbour. It is a white sandy beach with no road access, and there are good snorkelling reefs nearby. If you wish to have beach chairs, just ask the boatman to bring some with you. The boat will come back for you whenever you request. There is no charge to resident guests for this trip. There is also a lovely beach at Pigeon Point in Falmouth Harbour, now a National Park. The Inn’s car can take you there (about 5 minutes drive) and call for you later, or you may want to walk back through the valley. Ask at the desk for snorkelling gear and beach towels, and enjoy the beaches!
Sailing
There is a selection of small boats for your free use within English Harbour. It is also possible to arrange charters for day or half-day sailing, or for off-shore fishing.
Entertainment
There is evening entertainment in the form of a steel band or local string & flute band occasionally during the season, but in general the atmosphere is peaceful and low-key.
Other late-night entertainment is available within walking distance.
Please note that the star ratings are based on our personal opinions of quality level and that much of the content of these property articles comes direct from their own websites & factsheets and was correct at the time of publishing
