Would love to spend our vacation on Anguilla!<BR><BR>Our airfare and accomodations will take up a good bit of our vacation savings. Is it possible to enjoy a week there on a tight budget?<BR><BR>We've researched prices of entertainment, restaurants and realize that many restaurants are expensive (even by NYC standards).<BR><BR>Can anyone who's been there comment? Any tips, suggestions would be warmly appreciated.

One thing that we try to do when island hopping is find accomodations with a kitchenette. This allows us to cut down on dining out and make those fewer meals out more special. We stock up on simple meal ideas from the local grocery store and eat in for breakfast and lunch, as well as some dinners.<BR><BR>This option always saves us a bundle and leaves more money for other fun things we'd like to do. <BR><BR>

Jayne,<BR>Yes, it's very possible to enjoy a week on Anguilla on a tight budget. And if you plan a bit, you won't have to deny yourself the things you really want out of your trip.<BR>Statia's suggestion is a VERY good one. I always enjoy having basic kitchen facilities on vacation. Not because I like to cook all the time, because I don't. But I like to have the ability to brew a pot of coffee when I get up in the morning, and enjoy coffee on my balcony or patio while we plan our day. Having a fridge allows you to keep basic foods and drinks on hand, both convenient and cost-effective. Simple breakfast and lunch foods in the fridge give you the option of not eating every meal in a restaurant.<BR><BR>Definitely rent a car! Although the driving is on the left, Anguilla is still easy to get around, and a car is cheaper and more convenient than taxis.<BR><BR>Have you decided yet where you want to stay? If you are undecided, I could make some recommendations, but would need more info on your prefences.<BR><BR>Enjoy Anguilla!

Try Ararwak Beach: [email protected]<BR>or Shoal Bay Villas: www.sbvillas.ai. if you haven't cruised www.news.ai, do so. It has a link to all the hotels in Anguilla by price. You can definitely do it on a budget but you need to set aside money to rent a car so you can get to the very reasonable retaurants on the island.

I've copied the following for you from another post, hope it helps. To save money bring as much of what you'll need so you don't have to buy it in Anguilla. Things like film, sunblock, coffee, etc. Some people who spend the winter here also bring down frozen meats, etc, but you may not want to go that far for a week. Bringing a foldable cooler bag would be good, because you can use it for picnic lunches and save the money to spend on dinners. <BR>Yes the restaurants are expensive, on average we pay about $100.00 for two. This includes a bottle of wine, appetizers, main courses, and coffees, sometimes an after dinner drink. (We're not dessert people.) <BR>Instead of relying solely on the maps as they are a bit useless, ask your hotel concierge to help with directions. Or, stop and ask on the road. People are very friendly here and happy to help.<BR>Don't be afraid to try local restaurants. Pick up some rotis from the Roti Hut on the George Hill road, take them to the beach with your own drinks (ask your hotel for a cooler, the grocery store if they sell a bag of ice). Most bakeries make nice enough sandwiches. Just go before noon when they fill with workers and school kids. Try the pizza at the Corner Bar Pizza in North Hill. Other posters have mentioned English Rose, Pumphouse, etc, they're also great. In fact would you believe the airport restuarant is very good at lunch. In my humble opinion, their chicken ceasar sald is better than English Rose. All these places do take away. For lunch or if you're too tired after a day in the sun to go out at night.<BR>As the other poster mentioned, Bob Green's website is very useful.<BR>Other accomodation to look into is Ferryboat Inn.<BR>Renting a car is essential; two taxi rides can equal a days rental.<BR>

The Maderiman Beach Club is right on Shoal Bay East, very good standard and reasonably priced. Only 5 rooms, with kitchen, and right on the beach.<BR><BR>Lots of nice local restaurants with inexpensive meals, also Roy's Place on Friday night for Happy Hour, meals at $10. Ripples has Happy Hour on Saturday, unless I am mistaken.<BR><BR>Do rent a car and explore, go to Tropical Flower and stock up on water, soft drinks, beer and wine (small selection). Proctors and Ashley are good supermarkets, although prices are higher than the US as everything gets imported.<BR><BR>And the beach is free! Enjoy!<BR><BR>Hope this helps.

Hi Jayne. You can do Anguilla on a budget! I agree with an earlier writer about staying at a place with a kitchen. We stayed at the Carimar Beach Club right on Meads Bay. Had breakfast and lunch in our room (grocery store was just a short walk away) and had dinner at home twice. Saved lots of money doing it that way. Also, there are a quite a few places that you can have dinner (albeit not gourmet, but simple, homecooked BBQ) that are not exepensive. Oh yeah, rent a car. We did and it was worth the money. And it is not so difficult to drive on the left! Good luck. Susan.

Most of the "best" things about Anguilla cost nothing at all: gorgeous beaches, friendly people, peace and quiet, and the occasional serendipitous rainbow after a quick rainshower.<BR><BR>If you haven't booked accomodations yet, consider staying in a villa. If you're going during the low season, a villa can offer terrific savings over a hotel. Checks out www.villas.ai and also www.mycaribbean.com. We've stayed at La Petite Maison d'Amour and Bow Green (which is only a couple hundred yards from the beach at Rendezvous Bay) and would stay at either place again in a heartbeat.<BR><BR>Tasty's Cafe has delicious food at reasonable prices, as do all the other places mentioned above. Uncle Ernie's and Johnno both offer fabulous bbq ribs, chicken and fish and very moderate prices. <BR><BR>You'll have a great time!!

I stayed at the Sonesta,two summers ago and I didn't feel it was overly expensive once you were there. I say this because I read on another forum,that they had been bought out ,but were offering rooms at $125 per night this summer untill they changed hands. This is no Cap but was a very nice property to stay at.

Carimar on Mead's Bay is gorgeous; Blue Waters accommodations are great (beach not as fantastic, but OK). Car needed!

Does anyone know if The Fountain Beach Hotel on Shoal Bay East is still in operation and if not, has something else replaced it?

Sorry, it's no longer in operation and nothing has replaced it to my knowledge.

If you wish to save money then there are many apartments to choose from where you would have kitchen facilities--they are listed in the "Island Marketplace" section of Caribbean Travel & Life magazines.

The Anguilla Tourist Board has listings of several cheaper inns and small hotels, some with kitchens. For example, Ferryboat Inn at Blowing Point is on a beach and has a restaurant.they have cute one bedroom apartments with kitchens overlooking the water. <BR>You may want to contact them to request information. <BR>Also, look up the website www.news.ai<BR>That has a lot of Anguilla info.