If you are looking for a place to stay where you can enjoy the natural environment and be a part of Antiguan life, Ellen Bay Cottages offers you a unique little taste of Antigua. Set one minute walk away from a local jetty, with beautiful views of the Atlantic Ocean in the picturesque fishing village of Seatons, on northeastern coast of Antigua, Ellen Bay Cottages offers 3 fully furnished guest apartments at very affordable rates.
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HOTEL STYLE
Budget
Romantic
Location
Seatons Village, Saint Philips Antigua
Ellen Bay Cottages
42 reviews
Getting there
Car recommended
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
It is a great facility with lots of options, the garden is near as well moreover the waterfronts. The driver, Bernadette is lovely and a great host, a pro driver, as well the man who cooked me a fish in the evening was also really kind. I don't use to eat fish, but he wanted to cater me with their local fresh food since I had no chance to eat anything too much else before arrived, during that day. Top class hospitality. Yes, there was some party in the neighborhood, moreover the funny talking parrot did that, but not at all at night or in the morning. +Good wifi: was a lifesaver too, as cell providers did not work here.
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Date of stay: April 2024Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We returned having visited in 2008 and 2012. I was worried it might have changed and have a McDonald at the end of the road. I needn't have, it was like going back in time. This is not 5 star resort accommodation. If you want that look elsewhere and pay accordingly and enjoy being surrounded by tourists. What I want from my holiday is a taste of the country and there is nowhere better to stay. I woke early and enjoyed watching the local fishermen get ready to depart for the day as you overlook the jetty. I sat on the verandah at night and listened to the tree frogs. The equipment is basic but I am a vegetarian and struggle to find anywhere to eat out. My partner is not and we managed stir fries, marinaded meat and generally did not miss what we have at home. The host is lovely - lives with that laid back style I wish I could adopt at home but if you need anything you just need to ask. Overall I would recommend this to anyone, hence the reason for me going for a third time. I have noticed in the reviews quite a lot of comments about the rooms downstairs. We have only ever stayed in room number 3. It is a family room with two bedrooms. It is perfect. I hope I get to go again.
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Date of stay: March 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Go stay!
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
If you love the cruise ship experience and luxury gated resorts, do not read on – this delightful place is not for you. If you want a relaxed tropical vacation with home comfort, welcoming friendly local people and beaches of silken silver sand and clear blue waters, this may be your ideal vacation. If you stay at Ellen Bay Cottages you will be met and given a warm welcome by the manager, Salome “Sally” George, and she can drive you, for a fee, to the Cottages via the big “western” supermarket to pick up food and water, if you do not rent a car. Ellen Bay Cottages is an apartment building, painted bright blue, in Seatons, a small village on Antigua’s east coast, sitting above the water of an inlet with a view of offshore islands. It’s about 20 minutes from the airport in St. Johns and about 10 minutes by car from the closest beach, Long Bay. Another gorgeous beach, Half Moon Bay, is about 20 minutes’ drive away, and Antigua has many other fine beaches. Ellen Bay Cottages has clean, comfortable, un-luxurious rooms with all you need for basic self-catering – bed linen and towels are provided, the apartments are air-conditioned, with a refrigerator-freezer, stove, oven and microwave and basic cooking and serving utensils. (bring a corkscrew). There are no tourist restaurants nearby, but there’s a small local cafe within 5 minutes’ walk that serves local fish and simple dishes (try the potato wedges … best ever) with a bar where local Wadadli beer is available. The Cottages has a washing machine with a drying line in the garden and the upstairs apartments have shaded balconies with a view. They also overlook the next door garden where three large barking guard dogs and a cage full of (non-native) screeching parrots make their presence known. Birdsong by day and the chirping of tree frogs at night serenade you … look for frigate birds swooping down as fishermen clean their catch at the dock in view of your balcony. It’s possible to get around by walking to catch the local buses which can take you to Long Bay or St. Johns; have local or US cash to pay the modest fares and don’t expect luxury but do expect courteous friendly people, who will give everyone a friendly “Good day” as they board the bus. Renting a car will make touring the island easier at modest cost. Antigua is a poor country and virtually the only industry is tourism; the sugar cane industry has long ago moved away, and apart from some government cultivation projects, there is local subsistence farming (look out for wandering flocks of short-haired sheep on the roads, not to be confused with goats!). There are no dairy herds and depending on the weather (drought is common) there may be few leafy green vegetables available at the markets; “western” foods are imported and available at the two large Epicurean supermarkets (St. Johns, and Jolly Bay where the 1% park their yachts). Don’t miss the amazing locally made ginger beer (non-alcoholic, made with fresh ginger root) and Sorrel, a drink made from the exotic magenta Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa), both are refreshing and delicious. Drinking the water from the faucet is disrecommended and both locals and visitors buy large bottles of potable water at the markets. All imported foods (plus coffee, tea bags, milk) are expensive, subject to hefty import tax, but at Epicurean, British goods in the Waitrose aisle are more reasonably priced. There are restaurants of all kinds in Jolly Bay, St. Johns (where parking is borderline nightmarish) and elsewhere. US currency is widely accepted; there are ATMs to withdraw Caribbean currency only at the airport and in towns. I recommend a visit to the small museum in St. Johns to learn more about the geology and history of Antigua & Barbuda, including the colonial slave-holding past; and the well-organized displays at the Nelson’s Dockyard museum in Falmouth Harbor and goggle at the huge luxury yachts moored there. But above all be prepared to say hello, shake hands and make friends with people everywhere and exchange your entire family history, how much you love Antigua and when you plan to return. Oh, and do slather on the insect repellent … sand flies and mosquitos can make for an itchy experience. This is a place to relax, read, gaze, take naps, swim, bask … and forget dull care.
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Date of stay: December 2016
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Trip type: Travelled with friends
Room Tip:Upstairs apartments have a balcony
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Wonderful experience at Ellen Bay Cottages. The apartment was spacious, clean, comfortable and quiet with a beautiful terrace for breakfast. Great location. Bernadette and Chippy are excellent hosts. Antigua is amazing.
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Date of stay: December 2011
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Wasn't expecting too much from Ellen Bay Cottages based on the price being so much lower than almost anything else on the island. What we found was a nice clean room where everything (wifi, satellite tv, air cond, phone) worked. Bernadette is not only an exceptionally nice person but goes out of her way to help if asked or even if she just sees or thinks of something she can do to make your stay better. Seaton village is away from the crowds/resorts/traffic of St.John and this is a big plus for anyone not looking just for a resort type stay. If we return to Antigua I will look no farther than Ellens Bay. Nice extras like the free kayak use and the 8ft pile of conch shells at jetty at the end of the driveway. Great choice. Stayed 3 wks in Jan/Feb, 2015. Ruth's store/food nearby was a treat also.
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Date of stay: February 2015
Rooms
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Top floor has better view.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
My friend and I stayed and the Ellen Bay Cottage while we visited Antigua. We didn't want to spend much on our stays so decided to go with the low budget kind of trip. The prices are affordable and you really get what you see on the pictures. The host was very helpfull and gave us a lot of tips on where to go, how and much more. She tried to make our stay the best. Great place to stay if you rent a car and go for adventures, like find new beaches. We almost cooked our meals in our room everynight. We loved the simplicity of the home and enjoyed our stay.
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Date of stay: February 2014
Value
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:You need a car
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I just got back from my stay at the Ellen Bay Cottages. The managers live on the property, and they will help you whatever it is. I stayed in the studio, it had everything I needed, I did bring my own shampoo. You have to supply your own food also. It is not a large hotel chain, just a privately owned in a very quite neighborhood. Far away from the larger town of St. John. If this appeals to you then this is your place. For a fee Chippy will supply your transportation. He is very reliable. Their web site describes exactly the way I saw it. I like to support the private hotels as much as I can. You find one that they really care about their customers. It makes a big difference in your stay.
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Date of stay: March 2013
Value
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
My Chap and I booked two weeks at Ellen Bay as we wanted a base that wasn't too expensive as we were on our friend's sailing yacht for eight days. We were collected from the airport by Bernadette the owner, who is a delightful lady and stopped at the nearest Epicurian supermarket (Waitrose!) for us to stock up on a few things as it was self-catering. The accommodation itself is charming, but quite basic, very clean, very simple and gives you the feeling of being in touch with Antigua. You will definitely need transport though as it is quite remote and not on a regular bus route. It is a charming blue and pink building with beautiful foliage and a pleasant garden that you have the use of if you want to relax. There are plenty of towels, a fridge, tiny sink and three ring cooker. Keep the cooking simple!! Our room was probably one of the less nice ones as it was a bit dark but we didn't actually spend that much time in it and most importantly, it had air con and a ceiling fan. The neighbour has a small menagerie of birds which squawk and cackle but add to the tropical flavour of the place. You can swim from the jetty but it isn't particularly appealing as the fisherman clean their catch from time to time and there is quite a bit of debris from hurricane Gonzalez. The neighbour also owns Stingray City which is just along the way from the Cottages and you get reduced rates if you ask Bernadette, it's well worth it but the stingrays are quite a handful!! Antigua is absolutely beautiful and we had the most amazing time but I think we would probably have found two weeks at the Cottages quite enough. There were guests staying who had been there for quite a few weeks but had the upper, larger rooms with a balcony. There is a sister to the Cottages just up the road that does meals and we had a delicious burger there. You can also eat really locally at Ruth's place next to the shop if you want real Antiguan cooking and very reasonably too! Stay at Ellen Cottages but don't expect any frills but you will get lovely gentle help and guidance from Bernadette. We loved our stay.
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Date of stay: January 2015
Rooms
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Ask for upstairs room, much more pleasant
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Wonderful time at Ellen Bay Cottages. Bernadette was helpful in so many ways. She played tour guide with us and fixed us a lovely traditional meal of curried conch and fungee. She let me help with some of the preparation of the fungee(cornmeal mush.. which uses okra..my first time having okra..) and it was alot of work! So delicious. Would be an awesome winter dish..the stew and fungee. Also had green bananas which were like potatoes. Apt was comfortable and clean. We were able to use the washer and clothes line when ever we needed it. She came in and tided up and changed linens on the bed for us every few days. Thankful for the A/C in the unit, as it would have made sleeping tough for me otherwise. Nice little table on the veranda looking out onto the water and her beautiful flower garden. Renting a vehicle was the only way to go. Definitely would stay there again if we get a chance to be back on Antiqua.
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Date of stay: April 2014
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We stayed at Ellen Bay Cottages for 3 weeks and we'll definitely will come back! Great family vacations for the reasonable price. Bernadette, Chippie and their kids became good friends during our staying. Thank you very much! There is a great opportunity to travel around and explore different beaches form Ellen Bay Cottages, our favorite Half Moon Bay is just about a short distance drive. This is a location for people looking for privacy, most days we were along at the Half Moon Bay which was exactly what we were looking for from our vacations. Bernadette and Chippie are sweet hearts, they were following all our needs, from getting fresh fish to excursion trips around the island. We would never forget how Bernadette thought us to cook local dish from coch, it was just amazing! I highly recommend unforgettable hiking trips every Saturday with Bernadette and other local people. Fishing in the ocean with the local fisherman was very exciting too! Finally, we brought home to Siberia (Russia) and Vancouver( Canada) nice conch shells which Bernadette kindly presented to us!!!! Thank you for lovely vacations!
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Date of stay: March 2013
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Amazing view from the top apartment.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
There are more places to choose from in the Saint Philips area.
PRICE RANGE
C$140 - C$165 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
CaribbeanAntigua and BarbudaAntiguaSaint Philip ParishSaint Philips
NUMBER OF ROOMS
6
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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