What's Being Built in Antigua: New Hotels and Homes, and What They Mean for Buyers

CHOGM has put investment at the centre of the conversation in Antigua this week, and with it a lot of talk about new resorts and residences. Some of those projects are about to open. Others are pouring foundations, some are still plans, and a few are proposals the government is still negotiating. If you are deciding where and when to buy, the difference matters.

Here is where the main hotel, residential and infrastructure projects in Antigua and Barbuda stand as of late October 2026, checked against the most recent public reports, and what the pipeline means for buyers, owners and anyone planning to build.

At a glance

Opening soon

Moon Gate Hotel & Spa, Half Moon Bay. The first phase of Moon Gate, 47 suites including seven penthouses above Half Moon Bay on the east coast, is due to open on November 15, the Tourism Minister said in September. A second phase of 22 one- and two-bedroom suites is planned. Moon Gate is approved for citizenship by investment, and the suites and prices are on our Moon Gate page.

Under construction now

Nikki Beach Resort & Spa, Jolly Beach. The Ayre Group's resort and branded residences, run with Nikki Beach Hospitality Group, is the most advanced large project on the west coast. In mid-October the developer reported that land clearing and grading were finished, ground improvement work was more than 85% complete and piling had begun, the last foundation stage before the buildings go up. Opening is expected in 2030. Sales of the residences open at the end of October, and the plans, prices and payment schedule are on our Nikki Beach Residences page.

Marriott at Yeptons. A new Marriott resort is going up at Yeptons, on the Five Islands peninsula west of St. John's. Presenting the 2026 budget, the Prime Minister said construction milestones were being met and the resort was on track to open for the winter 2027 season.

Nobu Beach Inn, Barbuda. On Barbuda's southwest coast, the Nobu Beach Inn is being built within The Beach Club, a 400-acre development with two miles of beachfront, alongside the Nobu restaurant that is already there. It will have 36 bedrooms across 17 single-storey villas. Construction had been due to finish in late 2026, and the latest reports put the opening in 2027.

Barbuda Ocean Club, Palmetto Point. Discovery Land Company's Barbuda Ocean Club is in full swing. Its Tom Fazio-designed 18-hole golf course at Palmetto Point is complete, and construction of new homes there has begun. Palmetto Point alone is planned for more than 350 residences, from beachfront casitas to estate homesites.

Long Bay Zen Resort. In May the government broke ground on the US$200 million Long Bay Zen Resort, on the site of the old Long Bay Hotel on the east coast. It is planned as a 113-room resort built around "quiet luxury", with China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation as the contractor, and major construction is due to start later this year.

In planning

One&Only Half Moon Bay. Kerzner's US$465 million One&Only resort at Half Moon Bay, on the east coast, is one of the largest projects announced for the island. In its 2026 budget presentation the government said work would begin in the second quarter of this year. The project is still at the planning stage, so dates for construction and opening are not yet set.

Rosewood Barbuda. Rosewood and the developer Murbee Resorts plan a resort on 85 acres of Barbuda, with more than 2,950 feet of beachfront, 50 suites and 35 Rosewood Residences. Rosewood is targeting 2028 for the opening.

Proposals

A Ritz-Carlton at Jolly Beach? On September 13, Prime Minister Gaston Browne said an investor had proposed turning the Jolly Beach Resort site into a Ritz-Carlton, and that the government had sent back a counterproposal. "Provided we get a good deal, it will be a go," he said. He added that Iberostar, Club Med and Marriott had also shown interest in the site. Until terms are agreed, treat this one as a proposal, not a project.

Hotels backed by local money. The government also wants more of the island's hotels owned at home. In June, Cabinet approved a public-private hotel on about 15 acres of beachfront at Yeptons, with up to EC$40 million from the public side and EC$20 million committed by a local investor. On October 26, the Prime Minister proposed raising up to US$60 million from the Treasury and public institutions for two hotels of about 150 rooms each, one near Jolly Beach and one at Yeptons. Both are at an early stage, and the funding still has to be settled.

New homes

Most of the new homes are on the west coast, in and around Jolly Harbour.

Jolly Harbour's redevelopment. The old commercial centre and the Grand Princess Casino have been demolished, and businesses have moved to a temporary Commercial Village nearby while the marina front is rebuilt. Phase One is 80 one- to three-bedroom condominiums in five-storey buildings facing the marina, with a wide boardwalk of restaurants and shops. The Development Control Authority has approved the condominiums, and the developer is targeting completion in early 2029. MORA was part of the design team for the redevelopment, working with the developer's leadership on the plans, so we know the project well.

Sugar Ridge, Phase 2. On the hillside above Jolly Harbour, Sugar Ridge's second phase is approved and under way: 17 luxury villas of three to five bedrooms, above the existing condominiums. The first phase, fully furnished condominiums approved for citizenship by investment, is move-in ready, with units still available from US$300,000. Sugar Ridge is a MORA partner development, and you can see the condominiums on our Sugar Ridge page. We will be up on the site soon with a drone and cameras, and will share how the build is going.

Passion Village, Valley Church. A few minutes from Jolly Harbour, Passion Village is at the pre-construction stage, with suites, apartments and villas from US$315,000 and completion expected in mid to late 2027. It is approved for citizenship by investment, and the details are on our Passion Village page.

Pearns Point. On a private peninsula in St. Mary's, waterfront land is being developed as plots for custom villas, for buyers who want to design their own home. See our Pearns Point page.

Getting here: the airport and the cruise port

Two infrastructure projects matter for anyone who visits, rents out or buys here.

V.C. Bird International Airport. All paving on the runway rehabilitation was finished in July, a major step in the airport's multi-million-dollar airfield upgrade.

St. John's cruise port. A new 10,000 sq ft cruise terminal opened early this year, and the waterfront development beside Heritage Quay, with shops, a signature restaurant and a pool, is in its final stages and due to open later this year.

What the pipeline means if you are buying

The brands follow demand, and the demand is there. Antigua and Barbuda had the strongest first quarter in its tourism history in 2026: 110,832 stayover visitors, up 7% on 2025, with January, February and March each setting a record for the month. International brands bring their own marketing and loyalty members, and they push for more flights. That supports rental demand across the island, not only at their own gates.

More supply is coming too. Branded residences, new condominiums, villas and hotel suites will add to the rental stock over the next few years. If you are buying to rent, location, quality and good management will matter more, not less. A well-run home in the right spot competes well. An average one will feel the competition.

Two clusters are forming. On the west coast, Jolly Beach, Jolly Harbour, Sugar Ridge, Valley Church and Yeptons are all seeing new building. On the east coast, Half Moon Bay and Long Bay have Moon Gate, the planned One&Only and Long Bay Zen. Expect construction traffic and some noise around the sites for several years, and more restaurants, shops and services once they open. If you are comparing homes in either area, ask what is being built nearby and when it is due to finish.

Builders will be busy. Large projects compete for the same contractors, labour and imported materials as private homes. If you are planning to build or renovate, line up your team and order long-lead items early, and leave some slack in the programme. Our guide to building in Antigua covers the rest.

An announcement is not a building. Treat plans and proposals as signals, not guarantees. Before you pay a premium to be near a future resort, check what has actually been approved, whether work has started on site and who is funding it. We are happy to tell you what we know about any project, including the ones we are not involved in.

An announcement is a signal, not a guarantee. Before you pay a premium to be near a future resort, check what is actually happening on site.

Talk to us

We follow these projects closely because our clients ask about them every week, and we will update this page as they move. If you are weighing a purchase near one of them, or want to build your own home, we would be glad to help.

You work directly with an experienced team that lives here, led by Monique and Ray. Email hello@morarealtyantigua.com, call or WhatsApp +1 268 779 4437, or book a consultation.

Sources: Antigua News, September 27, 2026 and February 9, 2026 (Moon Gate); The Ayre Group, via Business Wire, October 13, 2026 (Nikki Beach Resort & Spa construction and opening); Antigua Newsroom (Marriott at Yeptons); Caribbean Journal, February 18, 2026 and Resident, October 23, 2026 (Nobu Beach Inn); Barbuda Ocean Club and MORA, October 2026 (Palmetto Point); WIC News, May 29, 2026 and Antiguan Herald, June 23, 2026 (Long Bay Zen Resort); Antigua Newsroom (One&Only Half Moon Bay); Luxury Travel Advisor (Rosewood Barbuda); CaribPulse, September 13, 2026 (Jolly Beach and the Ritz-Carlton proposal); Antigua News, June 25, 2026 and Antiguan Trumpet, October 26, 2026 (government-backed hotels); CaribPulse, August 20, 2026 (Jolly Harbour redevelopment); the Sugar Ridge developer, October 2026 (Phase 2); the Passion Village and Pearns Point developers (stages and prices); ABS TV, July 29, 2026 (runway paving); Global Ports Holding, September 3, 2026 (cruise port); Jamaica Gleaner, May 25, 2026 (first-quarter arrivals). This article reflects the situation as of late October 2026.