car rentals, currency and electricity
 

We will be in Anguilla staying at Paradise Cove the end of this month for 3 days and want to rent a car. Any suggestions on car rentals? Can we use American dollars or do we need the British pund. Lastly, do we electrical adapters for our hair dryer and digital camera and ipod batteries. Any other suggestions are appreciated. We love the beach and good restaurants.

US dollars are widely accepted in Anguilla. Eastern Caribbean dollars are the local currency not British Pounds. Conversion rate is around $1US=$2.70EC (exchange rates will vary slightly from vendor to vendor). Make sure you ask before purchase if prices are being quoted in $US or $EC and if at all possible try to keep your transactions in the same currency, i.e. if you pay in $US ask for $US in change - if you pay in $EC get $EC in change otherwise you will lose a little in the transaction. Take a small "credit card" size calculator with you to help figure conversions or if you are good at doing math in your head use this simple formula - divide $EC price by 3 and add 10%. The resulting figure will be very close to $US equivilent.

Most of the hotels have 110 current with standard two prong "American" sockets. You do not need electrical adapters for your dryer, camera or iPod.

We have used Island car ental & Carib on the island (all companies will drop the car at your hotel -- when you leave, you leave the car at the airport or ferry dock). This year, we got the best rate from Avis, booking before we left. All the restaurants & resorts deal in U.S. currency -- you will only run into EC at local grocery stores & mini-marts.

Thanks for responding so quickly as the information is very helpful.

We're going to Cap for our anniversary in August and I've been looking at car rentals as well. Checking out Avis, the choices seem to be sedan versus 4x4, and I'm wondering if a 4x4 is needed on the island?

4WD is probably not necessary, as many people rent the small cars on the island. I prefer the 4WD for the unpaved roads to restuarants and sandy parking lots in places like Sandy Ground.