Lighthouse Bay Resort, Barbuda

“Are you going to walk six miles in this direction or six miles in that direction?”  If that’s the toughest question you have on any given day, you are a very lucky person.  There are places in the Caribbean which are undeveloped, and the beauty of the place is the fact that it is untouched, unspoiled by human hands, but it’s not so common to find a small, luxury hotel, with all the amenities in the midst of such a pristine spot. Such a place is Lighthouse Bay Resort.

Upon arrival at the airport in Barbuda, we were greeted by representatives of the resort who picked up our bags and drove us to the dock where the resort’s boat was waiting to take us for the short ride across the lagoon.  At the dock were staff members, along with general manager and chef, Dan Rubino, to welcome us to this bit of paradise.

The first thing that strikes you when you see the suites at Lighthouse Bay is that the website does not do them justice.  The structure is gorgeous, with travertine tile throughout, and accents of blue bahia granite in the suites and in details throughout the property.  There are only nine suites at the property.  For our family of four, we had a master suite and a junior suite, which were connected.  The front doors opened to the pool and a view of the sea, and the rear deck overlooked the lagoon dock.

The history of the resort has a strong connection to our home in Wisconsin.  The resort was developed by Mike Branker, grandson of native Barbudan, Edmond Lavann.  Mr. Branker enlisted the help of two friends from Lincoln, Nebraska, Patrick Kerrigan and Donald Dillon.  Mr. Dillon, founder of Information Technology, Inc., sold his business to Fiserv, located here in Brookfield, Wisconsin, and was chairman of Fiserv until his retirement last year.  It truly is a small world.

The resort rests in the center of Low Bay, which if you read my last post, you know is incredible.  There are palapas under which you can enjoy the beach, or climb into a hammock and sway with the breezes.  I have to admit that the hammocks soon became one of my favorite places at the resort.

Walk up to the top of the lighthouse, for amazing views of the area.

You can enjoy the water, whether swimming, kayaking, standup paddleboarding, or simply floating around on a raft.  Occasionally, a sailboat may glide in, but there are few distractions here.

All meals are served at the restaurant overlooking the beach.  We were some of the last guests of the season, limiting some of our choices, however, Chef Rubino, checked in with us each day to talk about what he would be serving for dinner, which ranged from lobster to filet mignon to lamb chops.  A fire was made each evening on the beach to accompany our meal.  The staff was incredibly attentive, seeing to our every need.

Stroll down the beach a bit and you’ll find the Kingfish Sandbar, also operated by the hotel.  Meet Janet, who is happy to chat about the island (although a bit camera shy!).  Enjoy a cool beverage and maybe a burger before continuing your beach walk.

The grounds are tirelessly maintained and the flowers and trees are beautiful.  The resort fogs the grounds after sunset, so there are no bugs to spoil your evening meal.

The resort faces west so the sunsets are beautiful.

Given that the island is so undeveloped, there is no light pollution to spoil the night sky.  Walk out to the beach and enjoy the stars or walk up to the top of the lighthouse and see the surprise at the top. The compass design at the top has glass tiles which are lit from below in the evenings!

Some of you reading this may know that the property is being offered at auction, without reserve, this week, on June 30, 2015 by Concierge Auctions.   It is a beautiful property, and hopefully will be available to visitors for years to come.

Next up: We take a trip to town – – Codrington!

Want to see more Barbuda?  Read our last post about the natural beauty of the island, including miles of beach and abundant wildlife.  How do you get to Barbuda?  Read our post about getting to the island, including video of our flight from Antigua!

Interested in Jumby Bay, Antigua?  Follow our posts here: