Hermitage Bay

Hermitage Bay is on Antigua's west coast near Jennings, in the parish of St Mary, on a bay it shares with no other hotel. It is about 35 minutes by road from the airport, V.C. Bird International, and roughly 10 minutes from Jolly Harbour.

There are 32 villas, some right by the water and others up the hillside among the trees, several with their own pool. The resort is adults only, holds two Michelin Keys and offers all-inclusive or bed and breakfast rates. Produce from the resort's own gardens finds its way onto the menus.

The resort hosts only one wedding a week. It is licensed for ceremonies, and you can marry anywhere around the resort, dressed with tropical flowers. The intimate package covers the marriage officer and government fees, help with the licence, a bouquet and buttonhole, a two-tier Caribbean cake, French Champagne and a room upgrade.

For dinner there is The Restaurant above the bay and La Petite Maison Antigua, and the package adds a candlelit beach dinner for two on the wedding night and a Champagne breakfast on your veranda. At select times of year the whole resort can be booked. The venue tells us it hosts weddings of up to 80 guests. Ask the team about the music curfew.

With 32 villas and an adults-only policy, this suits small weddings where every guest stays on site. Teenagers over 14 can visit, but guests must be 18 to stay in a villa alone. For bigger lists, ask the team about hotels around Jolly Harbour.

Included activities run to non-motorised water sports, garden tours, hikes and cooking and sushi demonstrations, and the seaside spa offers ESPA rituals. Private return transfers from the airport with fast track are part of the stay.