Where to Stay in Anguilla
Caribbean Guides
Where to Stay in Anguilla
A 2026 Local Guide, Part of the Where to Stay in the Caribbean Series
When someone asks me where to find the best beaches in the Caribbean, I don’t hesitate.
I send them to Anguilla.
This isn’t the island for casinos, cruise ships, or late nights. Most evenings are winding down by ten o’clock, and that’s part of the charm. You come here to slow down, eat incredibly well, and spend your days on beaches with sand so white it almost doesn’t look real.
Over the years I’ve been fortunate enough to spend time here, including getting to know Anguilla’s own Bankie Banx. I’ve seen him perform more than once, and I’d still consider him a friend. Like so many people from Anguilla, he embodies the island’s easygoing spirit. It’s impossible for me to think about this place without hearing his music in the background.
If your perfect vacation is doing as little as possible in one of the most beautiful places you’ve ever seen, Anguilla is hard to beat.
If You Only Read One Paragraph
Stay on Meads Bay if you want luxury resorts, incredible restaurants, and one of the Caribbean’s best beaches. Stay on Shoal Bay East if your priorities are beach bars, snorkeling, and powder-soft sand. Stay on Rendezvous Bay if you want peace, quiet, and long walks on an almost empty beach. If nightlife is important to you, I’d choose another island.
Fast Facts
Anguilla in 30 Seconds
Best for
Beach lovers, low-key luxury, incredible food, and doing absolutely nothing
Skip if
You want nightlife or a major international airport
Airport
Clayton J. Lloyd International (AXA), though many visitors fly into St. Martin and take the ferry or a water taxi across
Rental car?
Absolutely. The island is small, but you’ll want the freedom to beach hop
Ferry access
About 30 minutes from Marigot, St. Martin
Average hotel cost
About $200 to $2,000+ per night
Best months
December through April
Should You Rent a Car?
Absolutely.
Anguilla is small enough that nothing feels far away, but you’ll want the freedom to explore different beaches and restaurants every day. Taxis are expensive, and half the fun of Anguilla is discovering your own favorite stretch of sand.
Best Areas to Stay
The Luxury Strip
Meads Bay
Beautiful resorts, outstanding restaurants, calm turquoise water, and sunsets that remind you why you came to the Caribbean in the first place.
If luxury is your priority, this is where I’d stay.
Best for: Luxury travelers and couples.
The Iconic Beach
Shoal Bay East
Many people consider Shoal Bay East the finest beach in the Caribbean. I’m not sure I’d argue with them.
Soft white sand, crystal-clear water, snorkeling just offshore, and enough beach bars that you can spend an entire afternoon without ever leaving the beach.
Best for: First-time visitors and beach lovers.
The Quiet Stretch
Rendezvous Bay
Long, quiet, and wonderfully uncrowded.
If your ideal vacation involves a beach chair, a good book, and almost no interruptions, this is the place.
Best for: Peace and quiet.
The Arrival Point
West End & Blowing Point
Convenient if you’re arriving by ferry from St. Martin or planning to spend time hopping between the islands.
Best for: Easy arrivals and departures.
My Favorite Hotels
Rendezvous Bay.
Rendezvous Bay · Value ($200-320/night)
Anguilla Great House
One of the best values on the island, with classic Caribbean cottages directly on one of Anguilla’s quietest beaches.
Why I love it: One of the best values on the island, with classic Caribbean cottages directly on one of Anguilla’s quietest beaches.
Stay here if: You want beachfront without luxury prices.
Skip it if: You’re looking for a full-service resort.
Crocus Bay.
Shoal Bay West · Mid Range ($350-550/night)
CeBlue Villas & Beach Resort
Spacious villas that work especially well for families or groups wanting extra room.
Why I love it: Spacious villas that work especially well for families or groups wanting extra room.
Stay here if: You’re traveling with family or friends.
Skip it if: You prefer a traditional boutique hotel.
Meads Bay.
Meads Bay · Upper Mid Range ($400-650/night)
Frangipani Beach Resort
Meads Bay without the flash. It’s intimate, personal, and one of my favorite recommendations for couples.
Why I love it: Meads Bay without the flash. It’s intimate, personal, and one of my favorite recommendations for couples.
Stay here if: You want boutique luxury.
Skip it if: You’re looking for a large resort.
Shoal Bay East.
Shoal Bay East · Luxury ($600-1,000/night)
Zemi Beach House
One of Anguilla’s most polished boutique resorts, with direct access to Shoal Bay and one of the Caribbean’s most unique spas housed in a centuries-old Thai teak house.
Why I love it: One of Anguilla’s most polished boutique resorts, with direct access to Shoal Bay and one of the Caribbean’s most unique spas housed in a centuries-old Thai teak house.
Stay here if: You want luxury with easy beach access.
Skip it if: You’re traveling on a tighter budget.
Rendezvous Bay.
Rendezvous Bay · Luxury ($650-1,100/night)
Aurora Anguilla Resort & Golf Club
A full-service resort with golf, beautiful grounds, and even its own hydroponic farm supplying the restaurants.
Known for years as CuisinArt Golf Resort & Spa, the property closed in 2021 and reopened under new ownership as Aurora Anguilla, spanning both Rendezvous Bay and Merrywing Bay.
Why I love it: A full-service resort with golf, beautiful grounds, and even its own hydroponic farm supplying the restaurants.
Stay here if: You want every resort amenity.
Skip it if: Boutique hotels are more your style.
Meads Bay.
Meads Bay · Ultra Luxury ($900-2,000+/night)
Malliouhana
If someone tells me they’re celebrating something special and budget isn’t a concern, this is usually where I send them. The bluff-top views over Meads Bay are spectacular, and it still feels like the hotel that defines luxury in Anguilla.
Why I love it: If someone tells me they’re celebrating something special and budget isn’t a concern, this is usually where I send them. The bluff-top views over Meads Bay are spectacular, and it still feels like the hotel that defines luxury in Anguilla.
Stay here if: You’re celebrating something unforgettable.
Skip it if: Budget matters.
Don’t Miss
- Shoal Bay East early in the morning before the beach fills in.
- Meads Bay at sunset.
- Sandy Island, just offshore and well worth the short boat ride.
- Little Bay, if you’re up for the climb down.
- The Dune Preserve, Bankie Banx’s legendary beachfront music venue. If you have the chance to hear him play live, take it.
- Blanchards for lunch.
- The Sunshine Shack for grilled lobster and a rum punch with your feet in the sand.
My Take
When Jimmy Buffett recorded Live in Anguilla, it didn’t surprise me.
Anguilla has a way of getting under your skin. Spend a few days here, and you’ll understand why he kept coming back.
It’s an island with its own rhythm. Relaxed without being sleepy, refined without feeling exclusive, and beautiful without trying too hard.
Nobody comes here because they want a packed itinerary.
They come because they want to wake up, walk barefoot to the beach, spend the day in impossibly clear water, enjoy a long lunch with fresh seafood, and watch the sun disappear into the Caribbean.
Sometimes the best vacation isn’t about doing more.
It’s about finally slowing down.
That’s Anguilla.
Next
Continue exploring the rest of the islands in the Where to Stay in the Caribbean series, including nearby St. Martin, the easiest jumping-off point for a ferry across.
Written from Palma, Mallorca.
39° 33.35′ N, 2° 37.57′ E
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The Caribbean, Island by Island
Where to Stay in the Caribbean
Anegada · Antigua · Dominica · Jost Van Dyke · Nevis · St. Barths · St. Kitts · St. Lucia · St. Martin / Sint Maarten · Tortola · Virgin Gorda
