For decades, Antigua, one of the jewel’s of the Caribbean, has attracted film, television and music video productions, from Duran Duran’s iconic “Rio” music video to the The Bachelorette and The X Factor. Today, the island is becoming known for something else: a collection of gorgeous luxury resorts that’s investing in arts, culture and creative talent as enthusiastically as it does five-star guest experiences.
Leading the way is Elite Island Resorts. Across its Antigua portfolio—the five-star Hammock Cove, plus Galley Bay Resort & Spa, The Verandah, Pineapple Beach Club and St. James’s Club & Villas—the company is positioning its resorts as more than exceptional places to stay, eat, drink and play. Through its Antigua Is My Island initiative, guests are now “invited to experience the island through the people creating its culture today, from musicians and artists to writers and entrepreneurs.”
This summer Elite welcomed more than 100 local musicians, filmmakers, artists, photographers, writers, and entrepreneurs at The Verandah for the premiere of Causion’s latest music video, “One Life To Live”, marking the largest gathering yet under the Antigua Is My Island banner.
Causion, Antigua’s “official reggae ambassador”, is one of the island’s best-known contemporary musicians and cultural icons. Since 2022, Elite Island Resorts has invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in local arts and cultural initiatives, making it one of the island’s most significant private supporters of the creative community.
While not yet an international superstar, Causion is an established Antiguan reggae musician with a career going back three decades, Jamaican reggae credentials and official recognition at home.
The Antigua and Barbuda Film Commission has been courting productions and building local infrastructure meanwhile, while homegrown initiatives like the Antigua Young Filmmaker Collective are equipping the next generation of Antiguan filmmakers with cameras and other tech, and several of its members have gained feature film experience working on international productions shot on the island set in Antigua—which will no doubt bring the idyllic island even more fame.
Elite Island Resorts’ luxury offerings are also evolving meanwhile. Hammock Cove, Antigua’s flagship five-star adults-only resort, recently unveiled its new Signature Villas, featuring expansive indoor-outdoor living, larger private plunge pools and enhanced butler service. The resort has also added to its calendar of curated guest experiences, from chef-led dining events and premium wine and top-shelf spirits tastings to intimate cultural programming that “offers guests a deeper connection to the island.”
“The launch of our Signature Villas is about raising the standard of luxury in Antigua,” notes Adrian Pickard, General Manager of Hammock Cove. “We’ve designed these villas to give guests the privacy of a personal retreat while maintaining the full-service experience and cultural connection that define Hammock Cove.” The resort also has launched a series of immersive experiences including a Scotch and cognac club and a cigar-themed social hour with rum pairings.
For luxury travelers, that’s adding a new dimension to the island’s appeal. Beautiful beaches and turquoise water are expected in the Caribbean. Meaningful access to local artists, musicians and cultural figures, delivered with the polish of a five-star resort, is a major added bonus. The island is no longer defined solely by its postcard-worthy; it’s becoming one of the Caribbean’s most interesting places to experience luxury and local culture, with plenty of rum, sun and sand.