INTRO
We just returned from a trip to Anguilla where we stayed at both Cap Juluca and the Four Seasons. Our extended family of 11 (including 2 “littles”) decided to join us for the Four Seasons portion of our trip. We booked through DavidO under the Preferred Partner program and received upgrades, breakfasts, and room $$$ credits; and some members of our family were also able to take advantage of a FS 5th night free promotion.

The Four Seasons Anguilla was originally built as a Viceroy. It’s a lovely property, with two distinct beaches, clear turquoise water, multiple unique pools and some strikingly beautiful public spaces.


RESIDENCE
Mr. Ericka, our 13 year old son and I booked a Deluxe Ocean-View One Bedroom Suite. At check in, we accepted an upgrade to an Ocean-View One Bedroom Residence thinking it would be a good gathering place for our extended family.

The Residence was much bigger than a suite! It was on the first floor so it had a limited view of the ocean… only when we were standing. The outdoor patio was surrounded by shrubs for privacy screening and a small path led to the children’s pool and Meads Bay Beach. The patio also had a small plunge pool. Inside, there was a very large living room with seating for 10, a beautifully stocked full kitchen, bar, dining table, powder room, and best of all, a washer and dryer. The master bedroom was also large. And the master bathroom was so big it almost felt like wasted space with the toilet room, shower, deep soaking tub, double vanity and walk-in closet all clinging to the outer edges of the giant room.

While we found the Residence to be beautifully decorated, we noticed some discoloration on our bathroom mirror… a little wear and tear. And for all its grandeur, the Residence didn’t give me the ocean view I had hoped for. I regret not asking to see the Suite we booked before accepting the upgrade. The front desk was very accommodating and I’m sure they would have given us this opportunity had we asked.


SERVICE
The service was very hit or miss at the Four Seasons Anguilla.

On the plus side, the front desk made a lot of effort to accommodate everyone in our group, including pushing through upgrades and then following up with everyone after we had settled in to make sure we were happy. The concierges were also very good in responding to requests prior to our stay. They made sure we were properly outfitted before our excursions with taxis, towels, sandwiches to go, etc. And my family loved all of the Four Seasons kids amenities including the baby gear, stuffed animals, mini robes, and beach toys.

The beach and pool service, on the other hand, were mostly poor. We often had to seek out our own towels and had to walk around to find someone to take our food and drink orders. Think more reactive than proactive. Of the 4 days we spent on the beach, we only had one particularly good beach attendant. We often also waited long periods for a golf cart transfer, sometimes having to call twice before one showed up.

And one more odd thing… a member of our family group had the bottom of her hair turn green after sitting in her room’s plunge pool. It’s possible this was a reaction to an algae treatment. The Four Seasons handled it very well by giving her $200 to have her salon take care of it once she got home. Thankfully this happened on the last day we were there.


DINING
The Sunset Lounge was really the hub of the resort. Its sunset views attracted people from all over the island, making it both incredibly beautiful and incredibly crowded. The restaurant didn’t take reservations, so it was a scrum of instagrammers and twenty something’s fighting for a table. We made arrangements with the Food and Beverage manager to allow our group of 11 into the private party area, which was certainly quieter. Service was still slow, but the Asian themed food was quite good.

The once weekly Barefoot Beach Barbecue was a smaller intimate dinner with fewer tables and more consistent service. The tables were set in the sand, and there was a buffet of local seafood, beef brisket, local salads, plantains, johnny cakes, etc. And as is typical of the Four Seasons, there was a separate children’s buffet as well.

Our favorite restaurant was Half Shell, due to its combination of perfect beachside view, excellent authentic Mexican food, and smaller quieter setting.

The Salt restaurant sat high on the rocks offering panoramic views of the property. It was here we enjoyed a delicious and varied breakfast buffet. This restaurant was also open for dinner offering a fine dining menu.

Lastly, the resort had an adorably decorated coffee shop called Cafe Nai.


ACTIVITIES
The Four Seasons Anguilla had two separate beaches. Meads Bay Beach was the larger of the two with complimentary water sports and lots of lounge chairs. Our favorite beach though was the more private, prettier Barnes Bay. There was decent snorkeling off of Barnes Bay as well, in the rocky area just under the Sunset Lounge pool.

The resort offered organized daily activities; some for free, some for a fee. And there were three different pools (adult, family, kids) and a Kids for All Seasons club, which our littles were too small to attend on their own, but they were able to visit with their parents. The fitness club and spa looked nice as well, but we didn’t visit either.

The highlight of our stay was a 45’ sailing catamaran that we chartered. The hotel only offered a few charter options and we found this boat on our own. We sailed to Little Bay where we had lunch, snorkeled and played with paddle boards and a lily pad. It was a gorgeous, newer catamaran with a wonderful crew. PM me for more info.


SUMMARY
We had a great stay at the Four Seasons Anguilla… not because the hotel had particularly high service standards… but because of its amazing hard product in a spectacular setting. And we were with our dear family! This Four Seasons had a different vibe than most and we think it best suits a younger crowd (20s, 30s) as well as young families with small children.

For a more mature traveler and families with older children, we recommend Cap Juluca, which we visited for our final 3 nights on the island. Trip report coming soon!

Unfortunately, we haven’t been through our photos yet. If we have any good ones, we’ll certainly post them later!