Curtain Bluff or Jumby Bay. Please help time is limited!
 

We are planning a family vacation in March and I'm trying to decide between these two properties. We have 6 and 7 year old boys. Price for both resorts is just about the same. I'm seeing mixed recent messages for Jumby and not much recent info at all for Curtain Bluff. We love good activities, nice rooms and good food. Please help! Thanks so much.

We have been at Jumby many times, it is a wonderful spot. The Harborfront villas might be just the rooms for a family. Great private island, lots of water sports, great food. I have never been to Curtain Bluff, but I understand it is wonderful too. I will be happy to answer your questions about Jumby.

Penny:

I've seen you name pop up so many times. Thanks for being so quick to help. I think I've researched every place to stay imaginable! I've read that staff are not that interestd at Jumby and grounds are not what they appear on the website. What do you think? I've also read that service and staff and Curtain are second to none. Lastly, are these high rates at both resorts really worth it? I'm used to luxury properties, but when rates top 1,000 / night I have to wonder. I was hoping for Anguilla but just cannot justify the two rooms required for a family at places like Cap Juluca. How does Antigua compare to Anguilla. Any other places I've missed. Sorry so many questions!!

Between these two, Jumby Bay without a doubt. Curtain Bluff is absolutely gorgeous, but it does not really cater to families. (It is the MOST upscale resort on Antigua.)

The staff at Jumby are the absolute best, they are one of the main reasons we keep going back. The grounds are lovely, lots of walking paths, plantings and serenity. It is your own private island. The food is excellent, we never get bored. The rooms have a nice West Indian feel. I just remembered they are redoing the rondavels, they might be a good choice for you. No planned activities for children. Again I would look at Curtain hotel, it has set the standards for the caribbean. Are the high rates worth it? It really depends what you expect.

How does Angtiqua compare to Anguilla, its hard for me to answer that question. We love Anguilla, for its many fine dining spots, its wonderful people, its ease to get around, beaches, and hotels. I chose this island as I am not a fan of the all inclusive. You might check out Frangipani, or CuisinArt, or Covecastles. On Antiqua we have only left the hotel a few times for an occasional dinner. It is very hilly, and the roads could be better. The dining choices are spread out all over the island, not as easy island to go all over.
Have you also thought of Little Dix Bay.
I was only there once, for a short stay, but I loved the spot. One of my other favorites is St. John, for its fun little town of Cruz Bay. Caneel is an interesting resort, its prices are steep too. The snorkeling there is the best. Although the resort does not have the initmate feeling of Jumby or
LDB.
Hope this helps!

Penny:

Thanks so much for the help. I am currently booked at Cuisinart, just because I could not justify the final totals at the other two resorts. Do you feel this resort will live up to my expectations? I have also found a pretty good rate Malliouhana. Which would you choose between those two. Thanks again for all of your help. We're so lucky to have such knowledgeable people on this board.

CuisinArt and Malli are wonderful choices. As I come from a different perspective, not having young children,
both would be wonderful. Malli has a special pool play pirateship, right on the beach. The hotel is set up on a bluff, so it is a walk down the hill to Mead's Bay, some rooms are directly on beach. I stayed in this hotel a few years ago for a few days. I loved my morning walks on the beach. Also there is a little private cove, Turtle Cove, directly under the junior suites. All very nice. The junior suites have an area for a sofa bed. Both hotels have top spas.

CuisinArt is nice too. Its flora and fauna are beautiful. I love the fresh vegetables grown in the hydroponic green house. Most of the rooms are beachfront, another top Anguilla beach, Rendezvous Bay. The hotel has a central
infinity pool, also a pizza oven popular for adults and children. The junior suites are all on a small bluff,
on the beach, have lots of room with the small folding bed. Actually a family I met at CJ a few years ago preferred this hotel over CJ. Also Cusinart has a TV in every room. I also stayed here, its a nice new addition to the island. Just had a wonderful lunch there a few weeks ago. I would be happy to stay at either hotel again, although I prefer CusinArt over Malli as I love
the twinkling lights of St. Martin.

My post above is a bit choppy as it posted by mistake! I would like to add that Anguilla is a wonderful choice, as you can easily get around, and have family fun all over the island. Do rent a car, and explore.
Not sure where you have traveled in the Caribbean, but CuisinArt will not disappoint, it is very much like its website! Anguilla is not your palm tree island, its arid, scubby and flat, nor the architecture of Bermuda. The beauty lies in its hard working people, its beaches, its fun little restaurants, the wondering goats, the chickens that cross the road, its amazing rainbows, and the ease to safely get around this small island. How can you not have fun! I hope you have explored www.news.ai

I've been to all the places you're considering except Curtain Bluff. Haven't been motivated to visit CB since up until a couple years ago the rooms were apparently rather out of date and worn. I've read they've been completely renovated (though the photos don't impress me all that much). The location is excellent and I've always heard the service is top notch.

Jumby Bay's service is fine. It's not bend over backward service like at a Four Seasons--but everything we ever needed was taken care of with a smile. Many of the staffers have been there for many years, even through the change in management (Rosewood took over awhile back).
Are the grounds at JB green and lush? No. (But neither are the grounds at Cap Juluca or Malliouhana). Jumby Bay island (Long Island) is very arid and receives much less rain than Antigua which is right next door. Good thing is that means better weather. But also means they can't grow vast expanses of grass (the grounds at JB simply dwarf the grounds of CJ, CA and M cin terms of size).
JB offers one thing for families that the other places don't: seclusion and safety. The resort and private homes are the only things on the whole island. There's no tourism or associated traffic. So the peace of mind and peace and quiet are unmatched at JB. That's one of the biggest reasons we love it and are returning again in April.

CJ has the best private beach in the Caribbean IMO. You just can't beat it for the combination of sand quality, color, privacy, shape, water color, views (of St. Martin) etc. I have not had uniformly great experiences with the staff there and the rooms are not as well suited to my taste as at some other places.

CuisinArt's grounds are prettier than those at CJ or Malli, but the rooms are a little sterile for my taste. Also, almost none of the rooms are truly 'beachfront'. Same at Malli. This is one area in which CJ is unusual as all the rooms either front the beach or are 2nd story above beachfront. Many of CA's rooms aren't even close to the beach and most of Malli's are on the bluffs above the (small) beaches.
I like CA's restaurants and I like the new, clean feel to the resort's public areas. It doesn't really have any character like Jumby Bay or CJ, and Malli has a feel of permanence and history since it's older than the others.

One big advantage of all the Anguillian resorts is that you get access to all the great restaurants island-wide--a very unique plus Anguilla offers compared with other Caribbean islands.

CA is usually priced lower than CJ and Malli. I have to believe that this is because CJ offers things no other resort on Anguilla has (so it stays booked at top rates throughout the year), and Malli has a lot of return business from people who have gone there for many years. CA is kind of the new kid on the block still trying to find its niche.

In the end, it's hard to have a bad vacation at any of these places (weather notwithstanding) so once you make your decision, just go and enjoy and don't second guess yourself.