The Weather’s Always Great in Anguilla!
The Weather’s Always Great in Anguilla!
Let your mind wander to the Caribbean… sparkling aqua water, palm trees, relaxation… ahhhh… There’s no better escape from the winter blues! But which of the many beautiful islands should you visit? Our travel consultant Sissy Bolcar shares why Anguilla tops our list. She recently planned a trip for two families to visit the island for a holiday gathering of great friends and celebration of a 50th birthday. The families, teenagers included, were in need of an escape from the hectic metro NYC lifestyle. A stay at the Viceroy of Anguilla was the solution!
A little background from Marylyn: I first visited Anguilla when I was expecting my first child in 1990. My husband and I stayed at the economical, now-defunct Mariners on Sandy Ground. We returned to Anguilla three more times over the next 15 years, as time allowed. We enjoyed stays at the Malliouhana and Cap Juluca hotels on subsequent trips. I’ve not been back for a few years, but have sent some clients, and my resort of choice today is the Viceroy.
Why Anguilla?
Part of the British West Indies, the island of Anguilla has retained its ease and sense of community. Although the landscape has changed in the last 25 years, the fabric of the citizens has not. You are quickly welcomed and set at ease by the warm and relaxed reception of your hosts. Anguilla is one of the few islands that allows you to rent a car and just get lost, exploring over 33 beaches in just a 16 mile island. It is not lush with forests and mountains, but the beaches are simply beautiful. They’ll compel you to sit for a while and maybe even take a nap!
You come to Anguilla to relax, swim, sun, and enjoy the people around you. Visitors love the infamous Rum Punch cocktail, and eating grilled lobster and crayfish. Anguilla does not take itself too seriously, even amidst the continued development of upscale resorts and a new designer golf course. Anguilla still prides itself on it’s “Goat Crossing” signs, and its beach fish fry. Note – Anguilla is not the best island for golfing nor is it a place to hobnob with the rich and famous (although they do vacation there).
Why the Viceroy?
The Viceroy, a 5-star property that has earned its perch at the top of the Caribbean “A” list, keeps careful to blend itself into the feel of the island. The property sits on a peninsula between two beautiful beaches, Meads Bay and Barnes Bay.
The design of the hotel is chic, yet natural. The common areas are open and combine the island’s colonial wood with organic fabrics. The feel is laid-back luxury, just like the island itself! Various dining options include the upscale Coba (where my clients enjoyed a holiday dinner), casual pool and beach-side grills, and the fabulous Sunset Lounge. My clients loved viewing the sunsets while sipping a cocktail and dancing to the DJ! They also took advantage of the in villa dining prepared and served by the Viceroy’s acclaimed kitchen.
What is there to do at the Viceroy? Our travelers relaxed at the private pool at their villa, the main resort pool, and the beach! Paddleboarding, snorkeling, and swimming were the main activities. They even hit the fitness center and took a yoga class. The plan was to decompress, and that they did!
More Anguilla Destinations
Elsewhere on the island…
We recommend dining at Anguilla’s classic restaurants Blanchards and The Barrel Stay, for a fun time and delicious treats.
The Dune Preserve at beautiful Rendezvous Bay is an island institution and a must visit. Bankie Banx has assembled top up & coming island musicians to perform nightly at this rustic sprawling beach shack. It’s a priceless experience, especially if you get to hear Bankie perform!
Our travelers also visited Scilly Cay, and as instructed, went to Island Harbour and waved for a boat. They spent an afternoon eating the amazing island BBQ, listening to reggae, and enjoying rum punches. Scilly Cay is pricey for lunch, but the grilled lobster is one of my most memorable meals, and the vibe is priceless.
What Our Travelers Said
“Hi Marylyn, Thank you so much for organizing my 50th birthday trip. Everything was AMAZING! We loved the Viceroy, the dinners you organized were yummy and the travel to and from was seamless! As you can imagine, we lit up the Viceroy a bit with our crew. We were the talk of the island with our Thursday night dance party in the Sunset Lounge with DJ Sugar. When we arrived at the ferry on Sunday we were told everyone heard about the party with people dancing on tables. Again, thank you so much. I had a smile on my face all week! We look forward to returning. ~ JoAnn and Jeff
trio
Final thoughts from Marylyn: When you get this type of feedback, it makes you realize the magic of trip design. The recipe? Listen to the client, select a fitting and extraordinary place (such as Anguilla), and match the property to their personality. It seems to have worked. I am currently planning my return to Anguilla as we speak. I will report back upon my return!
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Africa… a Magical Journey
By Travelong | Our Blog
Africa… a Magical Journey Africa has become a popular destination for many of our travelers – with good reason! Here we share some accounts of their fabulous journeys. This will surely help others planning to experience the continent…. February 2015, travelers Diane and Ted shared a lively account of their African Adventure with our Ginger Morrissey: The gorilla trekking was absolutely over the top for each of us. That we could get so close and be completely ignored (I think that there were about 11 of us) was spectacular. Cameras were clicking. After our treks, and with lovely accommodations in each place we stayed, we’d arranged for a flight to Ethiopia, to visit the single mom of the student we are supporting through our local private university. Mekdi is now half-way through her junior year, all As, which makes us feel proud for her. I am completely well from the bout of stomach problems, and am waiting for my raised bruise on my right shin to heal after a mother gorilla and her baby came careening down the trail and bumped into me. We’d been warned by Cyn that the way back we would expect slip and slide, but it apparently hadn’t rained for a couple of weeks, so the ground was blessedly dry. No slipping! I wish we’d had time when in Rwanda to see the Memorial Museum as you had suggested. Not pleasant, but definitely part of its history. We did take two hikes up the mountain, and even Ted remarked on how difficult it had been–tiring, but accomplished. That was the easy part. The hard part was when I was standing to the right of the trail when out of the blue came a 350 lb. mother gorilla down the path, and there just wasn’t room for both of us, so her 350 lb. heft bashed into my right shin. The gorillas seemed so passive and secure, knowing that we humans wouldn’t do them any harm. Thank you SO much for making the trip possible. It was just perfect in every regard–even the hotels were spectacular. But the best part was actually being with the gorillas, who seemed to contentedly pretend that we weren’t even there! The babies were adorable! We were knocked over by the luxury of our hotel(s), and the organized drives to the gorilla areas were smooth and positive. It was sad to observe the obvious signs of poverty, but we have been all over Africa in the past, so it was no surprise…only sad. You outdid yourself in providing the best possible experience. Ben was a fabulous driver/guide, and our rooms were comfortable and luxurious. The organization to put all eleven of us in separate vehicles to get to the animals was handled without flaw, and best of all, our gorilla trekking was a “one-off” experience that was made permanent in our memory banks. We definitely had plenty of time to quietly observe the gorilla families in their encampments. Thanks for everything you did to make the trip so positive! The trip materialized beyond expectations. As neither of us had time to read to read Gabriella’s itinerary it was a sequence of delicious surprises. The first day’s “speedboat” ride with Chris to Jane Goodall’s Chimps was the first unforeseen thrill. The next day it was the little plane across the equator into the luscious south. The trek after Uganda’s gorillas was one of the most strenuous hikes I’ve had since my summers in the High Sierra, and WELL worth it. The animals were very real! That morning we met our exceptionally capable and sagacious driver/guide, Ben, who on the next excursion ushered us into Rwanda with illuminating dialog. Our second gorilla trek was fortunately somewhat easier, and just as rewarding, but felt the same back at the truck….. Rwanda was an eyeopener. Nearly as neat as Switzerland, thanks to a tidy dictator, and its infrastructure impressive, the population crunch, as with much of the undeveloped world, hinted at the roots of their genocide, so well dealt with in Kigali’s Memorial Museum. It was hard saying good bye to Ben. He was like traveling with your own professor/Indiana Jones. We regard this expedition amongst our most rewarding, and it’s all your fault! Many & most sincere thanks, Diane and Ted A special trip to South Africa, 2014: Recently, we returned to South Africa on a magical journey (they always are) and wanted to share some of the highlights. SA Airways took good care of us in their Business class section; no sleep but the movies and the service were up to expectation, with French Champagne and a marvelous South African wine. Upon arrival in Cape town, our Ellerman House driver whisked us off to our residence for two nights; unfortunately not more, as this property is everything their web-site says it is – Moet on arrival, cocktails before lunch and dinner and a view to die for. Cape Grace for two nights, elegant, on the waterfront and their car is available for local trips, as in Table Mountain, which was spectacular, as it always is. The Blue Train overnight was fun, the accommodations ample and the food ample, not great – the local wines made up for it. The Saxon Hotel driver met us and transported us to this modern, sophisticated establishment with large rooms and the best restaurant in the country, the 500. Their service is, as expected, impeccable. Onwards to Rattray’s at Mala Mala, wonderful accommodations and the animals always turn out to impress us. Our young, knowledgeable ranger took every precaution to ensure we weren’t the lion’s next meal and it is always amazing to experience wild animals up close. At Ulusaba, the Branson camp, we had an affable, loquacious ranger who regaled us with his many close encounters, mainly with elephants. Their chef, Jess, made every meal a special culinary delight and the view from the property is stunning. Back to the Saxon, then on to Botswana, Savute Elephant camp, where our ranger, Watch, took us wherever game had been spotted and we sighted a pair of lion cubs frolicking on top of a termite mound, determining who was going to retain possession of the fabulous viewpoint. Back to Johannes burg, two nights with relatives and then back home on the non-stop SAA flight. This time I took a sleeping pill and was rewarded with 8 hours – enough to be back at the office on the day of arrival at JFK. As the saying goes: You can never brush the dust of Africa off your shoes… So… I know you will return someday.
