THE TRIP
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The short answer
At a glance
Maundays Bay curving away from Cap Juluca, the beach I would fly back for.
Choose between quiet and variety first, because that one decision picks your resort. I’d put couples at Cap Juluca for the beach and the people, and families and friends at Four Seasons for the pools, the restaurants and the kids’ club.
Anguilla is small and flat and all about the beach, so the hotel you choose is really the beach you choose. I stepped off the boat in July 2025 and felt my shoulders drop about two inches, and I spent four nights here, three at Cap Juluca and one at Four Seasons, so I can tell you what I loved and where I’d do it differently.
The thing I’d tell a friend over wine is that Anguilla isn’t one kind of holiday. It’s a quiet one or a lively one, and the happiest guests pick on purpose. Everything below is built around that, and my Anguilla Rolodex has the rest of the island, from how to get here to what to eat.
Looking out through a Cap Juluca arch to the pool and the sand beyond.
Wading into the shallows at Maundays Bay, where the waves barely break.
Belmond Cap Juluca · Maundays Bay · my first call for couples
This is a 113-room, Moorish-style resort on a crescent of powder-soft sand, with every villa and suite facing the water head-on. The whitewashed arches and domes reminded me of Marrakech and Amanjena, which may be why I felt calm within the first hour. I had Junior Suite 404 after an upgrade at check-in, and honestly I remember the beach and the staff far more than the room. Our Villa Host, Evan, had every reservation sorted before I thought to ask, and when I mentioned in passing that I wanted fresh coconuts, he tracked me down on the beach with two. If I went back I’d ask for the beachfront Casita, the general manager’s own favourite. Dinner is by reservation at all three restaurants, so call ahead. My full Verdict on Belmond Cap Juluca has the rooms and the food, and the postcard is the five-minute version.
Four Seasons Anguilla · between Barnes Bay and Meads Bay · for families and friends
This is the bigger, livelier one: 181 keys, Kelly Wearstler interiors that are soft and composed rather than tropical-loud, four restaurants and three pools. I stayed one night in a Deluxe Ocean-View with its own plunge pool upstairs, upgraded from the Garden View I’d booked, so I’d ask for that category by name when we book. Lunch at Bamboo Bar & Grill on Meads Bay was the ceviche trio and a basket of chips I finished by myself, and dinner at Salt was lobster pasta. It’s the Anguilla resort I’d send a family or a group of friends, and not a couple after the quiet. My Verdict on Four Seasons Anguilla goes through it, and if you’re torn, the comparison sets the two side by side.
Malliouhana · Meads Bay · the third name for a quiet trip
An Auberge resort on a bluff above Meads Bay with direct beach access, and about sixty rooms, suites and villas spread over a big estate according to the trade press. I haven’t stayed, so I’m describing it as an advisor, and it’s the third name I think of for a quiet couples’ trip after Cap Juluca. I’d want to look at the room categories with you before choosing it.
Rates move a lot with the season and the room, so ask me for current numbers when you’re ready to book. My clients typically enjoy daily breakfast, a hotel credit and an upgrade whenever one is available, wherever they apply.
Ask about low season before you fall for a week
Anguilla’s resorts close for a few weeks when the Atlantic hurricane season peaks, and Cap Juluca shuts from mid-August into early October. My July stay caught the very tail of the open season, warm and humid with a short shower most afternoons that was gone before I’d decided whether to move my towel. The forecast said fifty per cent chance of rain on days that turned out mostly sunny, so don’t let a rain icon put you off, but do check each hotel’s dates. Bring a stronger mosquito repellent than you’d normally pack, too, because the humidity brings them.
If you ask me what Anguilla gave me, it’s the feeling of being properly away without trying hard, and I’m still thinking about that lobster omelette at Pimm’s. Tell me who’s coming and whether you want quiet or variety, and I’ll tell you where I’d put you.
Asked often
Where should I stay in Anguilla?
Cap Juluca if you want the beach and the quiet, Four Seasons if you’re bringing family or friends and want variety.
What is the best area to stay in Anguilla?
Maundays Bay for the longest, softest beach, and the Meads Bay and Barnes Bay stretch for the livelier resort with more to do.
Cap Juluca or Four Seasons Anguilla?
Cap Juluca for intimacy and one-on-one Villa Host service, Four Seasons for infrastructure and variety.
Where should families stay in Anguilla?
Four Seasons, with three pools, four restaurants and Kids For All Seasons, a real kids’ club.
Is Anguilla good for a honeymoon?
Yes. Cap Juluca is a couples’ and honeymooners’ property first, and the staff will make a fuss of you.
How do I get to Anguilla?
Fly to Clayton J. Lloyd airport, about three hours from Miami, or into St. Maarten and take the boat across.
I’d love to arrange it. Inquire about a private Anguilla trip
Pair it with the Anguilla Rolodex.
Umbrellas and palms on the Four Seasons beach, the livelier end of the island.