Travel

Anguilla: The Perfect Destination for Even the World’s Most Hard-to-Please Traveler

Anguilla, BWI – You’ve seen the travel brochure — parents lazing by the pool, a couple of adorable kids in water-wings splashing next to them, plus a laundry list of local attractions for children.  But there’s a group of travelers missing from this picture that is often hard to please, with attitudes that can be difficult to ignore.  Teenagers.   It takes a lot to pry them away from posting, liking, tweeting and snap-chatting long enough to spend time with their families.   And once you do, you could still be faced with those dreaded words, “I’m bored.”

Beaches Edge Villas in Anguilla, BWI:
The Perfect Destination for Even the World’s Most Hard-to-Please Traveler…

We have the solution.  Skip the usual ho-hum hotel and pack your family’s bags for a memorable stay at our spacious, private Beaches Edge villas on the unspoiled Caribbean island of Anguilla in the British West Indies.  This intimate island, with its easy-going vibe and breadth of activities, offers families a chance to escape “the rules” and obligations of everyday life and just be themselves.

Designed by an award-winning architect to be the threshold between the island’s interior landscape and the drama of the water, the sleek and stylish Beaches Edge East and West are two oceanfront, sister villas overlooking Anguilla’s azure Pelican Bay.  These upscale, contemporary villas are a modern mix of glass, stone and natural woods and can be rented individually (amenities are not shared so guests won’t disturb each other) or together to create a two-villa, 10 bedroom estate for extended families, wedding parties and groups of friends. Even the most jaded teenager will be impressed.  Eye rolls and “whatever” will be replaced with smiles and “what’s next!”

“Once families experience a private villa vacation, they never want to go back to conventional hotels,” says Beaches Edge Villas General Manager Neil Freeman who also owns Villa Alegria on the island, “Families appreciate the space, the flexibility and the level of service that villa living provides, along with the ability for adults, teens and kids to enjoy time together as a family, yet still have a chance to do their own thing.”

Be Together, Yet Give Everyone Space

Unlike one-room hotels, each modern, two-story Beaches Edge villa provides ample room for your family to spread out.  You can be together, yet have the personal space everyone needs to avoid unnecessary drama and ensure a happy vacation.  With five bedrooms, three with king beds and two with queen beds, and all with their own spa-like ensuite bathroom, teenagers can stay up late watching a movie on the 55-inch flat-screen TV in the great room and then sleep-in as long as they want in peace.  There’s even enough room to allow your teen to bring along a friend or two for company.  The villas each sleep 10 people, and unlike hotels and resorts there isn’t an extra per person charge.  Extra rollaway beds and cribs can be provided.  Or for larger families or groups of friends, rent both Beaches Edge East and West and put the adults and kids in one villa and designate the other villa as “teenagers only.”  Adults will get peace and quiet, and the teenagers, the privacy they crave.

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Your family can congregate in the villa’s spacious great room with floor-to-ceiling windows and Instagram-worthy views of St. Martin’s mountains and the Caribbean Sea, or sit down to a real family dinner prepared by a local private chef, at the formal dining table or alfresco under the stars.  You can also grill up a feast on the built-in outdoor gas grill.  The adults can soak in the Jacuzzi while the kids splash in the pool (attached wading pool is great for the little ones), leaving the teenagers to “lime” (aka hangout) uninterrupted on the expansive, sundrenched terrace.  And with a small stretch of sandy beach just a short walk away, swimming and snorkeling are easily accessible for everyone.  Parents can have some alone time enjoying a glass of wine or early morning cup of coffee on the master bedroom French balcony, listening to the ocean waves while enjoying panoramic vistas.  Our concierge can stock the villa wine fridge for you.

Cool, Laid Back, Barefoot Elegance with Very Few Rules

Teens and their parents will find the island’s easygoing personality a refreshing change from their normal lives.  Anguilla doesn’t concern itself with lots of rules on where to park, what to wear, where to drink, or how old you are (carding is not usual), instead trusting guests to use their own judgment and preferring to treat them as real people.  Teens will welcome the chance to spread their wings and be independent.  Take it from Neil, he has three grown kids who all experienced and embraced it firsthand!  There are a few decency rules such as no nude bathing, which keeps things family-friendly.  The island’s laid back vibe, combined with upscale accommodations, extensive watersports, high-end restaurants and a thriving island music scene, plus the ability to blend in with the crowd, also makes Anguilla popular with celebrities from around the world.

“Your teen can wear flip flops to dinner, and may still find himself or herself seated next to a famous pop star, sports icon, Hollywood starlet or the latest action hero,” says Neil.

You might bump into someone famous catching some reggae tunes by the Anguillan Bob Dylan, Bankie Banx while you “mash sand” (aka dance) at what’s been called “the coolest place on earth,” the popular beachside venue, Dune Reserve.  You can get your groove on listening to British Dependency, Omari Banks, the Musical Brothers or other chill Anguilla musicians at beach side restaurants nightly.

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The Ideal Jumping off Point for Epic Adventures

Beaches Edge East and West are conveniently located near Anguilla’s popular West End, making your villa the perfect home base while on the island.  When your family is ready to leave the comfort of the villa for some adventure, there is much to see and explore around the island for guests of all ages and our concierge will do everything to make it happen for you.  Getting around is easy.  Anguilla is very safe, with friendly, welcoming people, and you can bike, take a taxi, arrange for an on-demand driver, or rent a car.

Teenagers will love telling their friends how they learned to kite surf.  Or they can repel by rope down the cliffs to the island’s secluded Little Bay.  The only other way to get to this idyllic snorkeling spot is by boat.  It’s also a popular spot for rock jumping and thrilling night dives.

Treat the whole family to swimming with dolphins at Dolphin Discovery, or swimming with horses — a ride into the sea is a tradition after a leisurely trail ride.  Board a catamaran to the secluded oasis, Prickly Pear Cay, for an afternoon of ribs, cold drinks and some of Anguilla’s best snorkeling and diving. Novices and experts will marvel at sea turtles, stingrays and exotic fish in every color of the rainbow. Or feel the cooling trade winds on your face aboard a sailboat.  Grab your scuba gear or get certified and explore the island’s underwater world with Special D Diving’s Dougie Carty, who knows all the sea creatures on a first name basis.  Anguilla is home to seven marine parks and offers wall, ledge and wreck dives, including to a sunken Spanish Galleon.  Neil is an avid diver and can share tips and his favorite dive spots.  Head out to sea and try your hand at catching marlin, tuna, wahoo and swordfish on a fishing boat, or beach hop Anguilla’s 33 pristine beaches with sugar sand, balmy turquoise waters for snorkeling and swimming, and “teen-friendly” toys such as banana boats, wave/paddle boards and kayaks.  Teens may choose to hit the island’s natural clay and lime roads for some fast mountain biking and access to isolated spots most visitors miss.   Or head out on a hike to a more remote shoreline.

If your teenager is a shopaholic, there are a few nice jewelry and clothing stores around the island and the Caribbean “Paris” is just a short 20-minute ferry ride away in French St. Martin.  Or take a boat or plane for a day or overnight trip to one of Anguilla’s other neighbor islands. Have a golfer or tennis player in the family?  The villas are close to the $50 million, Greg Norman signature-designed, championship golf course at CuisinArt Golf Resort & Spa and the Anguilla Tennis Academy.

“One of the charms of Anguilla is the island offers something for everyone,” says Neil.  “Whether you have a specific wish or want insider recommendations on unique places to visit and new activities to try, I and our concierge Michelle are here to assist you.  We take care of the details, so you don’t have to.  And in between adventures, you can return home to refresh and revive in the comfort of your Beaches Edge villa.”

The Perfect Backdrop for Your Happy Memories

Want to learn a new skill as a family?  We can arrange for a local bartender to come to you at the villa to give a private, hands-on lesson on how to mix Anguilla’s specialty cocktails (rum for the adults and alcohol free for the younger set) or cook alongside our chef as you prepare an authentic Anguilla barbeque (served family style of course).  Feeling a little zen?  How about a private yoga session as the sun rises over the villa’s terrace or a workout down at the beach or in the pool with a private trainer?

Is it your teen’s birthday, graduation, bar/bat mitzvah, or are you in Anguilla over a holiday? Throw a party with themed decorations, favors, music, entertainment and treats at Beaches Edge or on a nearby beach.  No need to worry about the details, just tell us what you want and we will work with our local event partners to make it completely turnkey.  With the villa’s open, spacious floor plan and exterior space, only the Caribbean sky’s the limit!

“Villa living is easy,” says Neil, “We want our guests to relax, unwind and reconnect as a family.  They can layer as many additional services as they need to customize the ideal villa vacation experience at Beaches Edge that creates lasting memories and fits their family and budget perfectly.”

Memories of your Anguilla villa experience will seem hard to forget, but why not have us engage a professional photographer or videographer to capture them for you?  Your family will love reliving their time at Beaches Edge together for years to come.

A Caribbean Culinary Hotspot, With Options to Please Everyone

Widely regarded as a top-five luxury Caribbean resort, Belmond Cap Juluca is a fantasy oasis in breathtaking Anguilla.

Anguilla is world-renowned for its amazing fresh food and award-winning restaurants.  The seafood redefines “freshly caught,” practically jumping out of the water onto your plate, and the vegetables are locally grown with no pesticides, additives or preservatives.  Delectably prepared ocean fish, lobster, crayfish, farm-raised vegetables and succulent barbeque are sure to tantalize everyone’s taste buds and can be enjoyed at a casual beachside shack, at an elegant candlelit 5-star restaurant, or poolside at home at the villa prepared by our optional professional chef.  Neil is friends with many of the chef/owners around the island for top restaurants such as Tasty’s, Straw Hat, Veya, Blanchards Beach Shack, Barrel Stay and Picante, and is happy to make introductions and offer recommendations.  Have a vegetarian or vegan in the family?  Need gluten- or peanut-free selections?  Dealing with a super picky eater?  No problem, there are delicious options for everyone.  Plus, Beaches Edge East and West have fully-equipped, gourmet kitchens with premium appliances, along with the built-in outdoor gas grill.  You can stock your fridge (or we can do it for you) with all the food your family loves.   Meals can be when you’re hungry, without a strict schedule or the need to shower and be on time for a reservation. Teens can help themselves to a late breakfast or midnight snack and avoid getting “hangry.”

 Lifting a Finger is Optional at Beaches Edge East & West

Best of all, everyone gets a vacation at Beaches Edge.  No chores, no schedules, no errands, (no nagging, no yelling, no sighing) and you don’t even have to make your bed.  The villas are professionally managed and maintained by our friendly, experienced, local staff.  Daily housekeeping is included to keep everything spic and span, and the helpful on-call concierge, Michelle Owen-Vasilis will assist with booking anything guests desire including in-villa services, travel, excursions, tee times, car/bike rentals and special requests.  The added luxury of a daily villa butler will be added later this fall for guests who rent both villas.  Parents can also pamper themselves and their teens with optional services such as in-villa massages, facials or mani/pedis, or engage our professional chef to prepare made-to-order omelettes in the morning, a gourmet picnic lunch for the beach or a multi-course family dinner where everyone actually sits down and has a conversation with each other.  Childcare can also be arranged so adults and teens can stay out late or have the opportunity to try outdoor activities and excursions that might not be suitable for younger children

Off the Beaten Path, But Near What You Want

And while the physical beauty of Anguilla may make the digital world pale in comparison, teenagers who want to stay connected while at the villa can.  There is wireless Internet access in both of the Beaches Edge villas and calls are free via the Internet.  Local cell phones can be provided so families can stay in contact around the island.  Plus there are flat screen TVs in the master bedroom and great room of each villa and an ipod docking station.  Both villas are also stocked with a library of DVDs.  And if your teens do take a minute to catch up on their social media, you can be sure your Beaches Edge villa vacation will earn a “like” and you may see tweets with #bestvacationever and #doitagainnextyear.

Affordable Luxury: Rent 6 Nights Get 7th Free for Limited Time!

Rates and minimum number of nights vary by season and start at $1,250 per night for one villa, and $2,400 per night for two villas and a minimum stay of 4 nights. There is an additional 5% service fee and 10% tax.

*For stays between now and October 31, 2014, guests who rent for six nights will get a seventh night free, subject to villa availability.  The seventh night is for the same villa/number of villas as previous six nights.  Reservations received before 4/24/14 are not eligible.  Offer and rates are subject to change without notice.

Daily housekeeping, welcome refreshments, concierge advice and booking assistance are included.  Excursions, optional services such as grocery/supply pre-stocking, private chef, childcare and in-villa spa/exercise services, as well as event planning, equipment rental and island activities, may have additional charges.  Our concierge can answer any pricing questions for you.  Once your stay is officially booked, Neil will connect you with the concierge, Michelle.  Michelle will work with you to plan your stay to your specifications.

 

South Florida Caribbean News

The SFLCN.com Team provides news and information for the Caribbean-American community in South Florida and beyond.

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