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ANTHONYBOURDAIN

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ST. BARTHS TEL AVIV DEHRADUN BUENOS AIRES ANGUILLA

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SPRING 2014

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40 ultratravel

This sleepyCaribbeanisland iswaking up tobig changes.BY PAUL RUBIO

ON ANGUILLA

n the shadows of glitzy St. Barths and casino-strewn St. Martin, Anguilla has long positioned itselfas the quiet, simpler alternative to its neighbors,embracing unpretentious luxury over flash andfame. However, in the past several years, thisultra-laid-back island nation has propelled intofast-forward—and there’s no pushing pause.

The catalyst: 2009’s design-savvy ViceroyAnguilla, a half-billion-dollar modern masterpieceof 166 rooms, suites and villas straddling twoexquisite beaches and redefining Caribbean cool.

With its infinity-edged excess, South Beach swank andKelly Wearstler interiors, the Viceroy effectively instigatedAnguilla’s love affair with modernity. Later that year, theunveiling of the jaw-dropping Àni Villas estate, a duo ofhigh-design, 10,000-square-foot luxury villas on a cactus-laced promontory towering over Anguilla’s azure LittleBay, also spawned major waves. As word spread of thisnew paradigm, “classic Caribbean” developments acrossAnguilla were quickly scrapped for contemporaryalternatives.

Drive through Anguilla today and roadside billboardspreview the modern sanctuaries that lie ahead for 2014and beyond. Atop Meads Bay, the iconic 55-roomMalliouhana—rebranded as an Auberge Resort—hasembarked on a head-to-toe renovation led by TAL Studioand SB Architects, of Hotel Jerome and Dorado Beachfame, respectively.

Over on the powdery beaches of Shoal Bay East, theZemi Beach Resort and Spa has completed the first ofseven tropical chic enclaves, which together will house55 hotel rooms and 28 two-and three-bedroomresidences priced from $2 million to $3.1 million.Construction has already begun on The Reef by CuisinArt,a hipper, younger sister hotel to the more traditionalCuisinArt Golf Resort & Spa.

Not to be outshined by the new kids on the block,Anguilla’s original grand dame, Cap Juluca, spent most of2013 under the knife. The first changes are immediatelynoticeable: a bolder, more colorful open-air lobby, drapedin ornate chandeliers and light fixtures, opens directlyonto the sea. A high-end boutique replaces the originalcheck-in area, which has moved adjacent to the commonbeachfront living room. While all 69 rooms have receivedsoft upgrades, a brand-new 3,290-square-foot villa, theJonquil Suite, now stands as the resort’s premierreservation, inclusive of two master bedrooms, a full-service kitchen, an oceanfront dining terrace and aprivate, freshwater infinity pool and Jacuzzi. A fourthresto-bar has been added on-property, the Moroccan-inspired Spice lounge, which kicks into full gear on Mondayand Friday evenings with local live music.

Renovations notwithstanding, Cap Juluca will alwayshave something the newbies don’t—Anguilla’ssuperlative beach. The property perfectly nestles theentirety of what is arguably the Caribbean’s mostbreathtaking unity of sun, sand and sea: Maundays Bay.The turquoise hues here seem almost surreal, especiallyas they wash ashore the steps of the resort's distinctiveGreco-Moorish buildings. With a fresh look and all itsnatural bounties, Cap Juluca is not just enshrined in thehistory books of Anguilla luxury—it has decidedly foundits way into the next chapter, right alongside itscontemporary counterparts.

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The Viceroy Anguilla helped to propel a waveof modernization among the island’s resorts.

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