jennydohair

Okay, I think Anguilla is our frontrunner for the honeymoon. Now, where to stay? Budget is not really a concern, but desire room on beach. Also, not looking for a megaresort with 500 rooms.

Oh, and does anyone know if there are ferries or day trips to nearby islands?

MaryD

There are no mega resorts in Anguilla but Cap Juluca & CuisinArt are larger than others (Frangipani, for example, has eight units). Why don't you start with Cove Castle, CuisinArt, Cap, in that order (web sites accessible thru www.news.ai -- just click on the hotel link at the top of the page). The ferry runs every 1/2 hour to St. Martin ($10 each way/$2.50-$3.00 departure tax). There are nice charters to take you to other uninhabited islands -- Chocolat is a catamaran; Offshoresunsations is one of the speed boats. I think you'll find links to that info at news.ai, as well. There's a ferry to St. Barts but I think it only goes out once a week during the high season. Cap Juluca has its own boats available for charter, too.

meta

I could be wrong, but is Cap Jaluca the resort which is very spread out and one needs to take their little shuttle to get around.

I ask because when we were planning out trip there, my husband and I decided against a resort for that reason.

travleis

If you look in the archives there are many, many detailed reports on the main resorts on Anguilla. Just search by name. You'll find more details than any one person will have the time to re-write for you on this thread.
There are no large resorts on Anguilla. Anguilla has comparatively few visitors per year. Literally one hundred times more people visit Hawaii each year, for example, so mega resorts aren't an issue (and that's part of the charm on Anguilla).
The best resorts are CuisinArt, Malliouhana and Cap Juluca.
Overgeneralizing, I'd summarize Malliouhana as an 'old money' type place, not flashy, not modern, understated luxury, mediocre beaches.
CuisinArt is the new kid on the block. Better beach than Malli but nowhere near as nice as CJ's. The website gives an accurate impression regarding the rooms and resort ambience IMO.
CJ has long been the overall favorite on Anguilla. There are definitely people who prefer the other two, but if you talk to lots of people who have been to all three, and you look at traveller's polls, etc, CJ comes out on top most often. The beach is among the prettiest resort beaches anywhere in the world. All rooms are on the beach. Rooms are all spread along the beach so there's no crowded feeling. Some rooms have private pools and private rooftop decks. CJ is a quintessential honeymoon destination.

cartera45

If you have access to AOL, go to the anguilla message board under travel and post there. There are some real Anguillaholics that post there that know that island like few others.

travleis

"Budget is not really a concern" and "$200 a night maximum" (posted on another thread) are very different situations.
You should have stated this from the outset because most of the info you'll get will be useless to you.

jennydohair

My two postings did contradict themselves in a way. Budget is not an issue. However, we have found in our travels, especially south Pacific, that the most expensive is not the best. So by posting a lower per night rate, I was hoping to pull a "diamond in the rough" out of it. Honestly, Cap Juluca is our favorite right now and that is what we will more than likely choose.

travleis

While it is true that high price does not guarantee high quality, I've rarely seen a top quality resort or hotel that did not charge a high end price in the Caribbean, Hawaii or any other island tourist hot spot. This is particularly true on islands with minimal competition for luxury travellers (Anguilla, St. Bart's, etc).

traveldoc

We stayed at CJ, loved the room, which was probably the nicest base level room we've ever had in the Caribbean. It was actually a suite with a large porch. Recommend the second floor and try to get as close to the restaurant as possible. The beach is miserable as you move down the beach.

traveldoc

to continue, my son picked Mali for his honeymoon, we checked it out, and agree that the restaurant is the best on the island, and if you can get a room down on the beach, it is probably better than CJ. Mali faces more to the west and there is less wind than on CJ's beach.

Carola22

Just to clarify: 'Mali' probably means Malliouhana, a hotel on Anguilla, rather than the country in Africa.

kimber8

When I was there I stayed at the Allamanda Beach Club (http://www.allamanda.ai/) and it is nothing fancy, but is right on the most beautiful beach on the island - Shaol Bay. We had a kitchen and a car every day which helped. We drove around looking at other spots and felt lucky at where we were - Shoal Bay is breathtaking. Have a great time!