3 days ago
Hotel Review: Aurora Anguilla Resort & Golf Club
I am generally not a fan of resorts—they're too-big, impersonal and generic-feeling for this seasoned traveler.
Except, that is, in Anguilla.
Because in fabulous Anguilla—the flat shrub of a Caribbean island that epitomizes barefoot chic and is the poster-child for low-volume, high-cost tourism; the island that boasts Michelin-starred chefs but also one of the most rootsy reggae festivals in the region (my take on Moonsplash here)—even a sizable resort can still feel like a divine boutique property.
Case in point: Aurora Anguilla Resort & Golf Club. The expansive hotel boasts many grand 'onlys': it's home to the island's only golf course, water park, hydroponic farm, amphitheater, pickleball courts, double-decker bus, steakhouse and Teppanyaki dining experience. With 178 suites and villas, it spans 300 beachfront acres. Yet during my stay, the hotel still managed to make me feel as if I was the only one there. Here's how Aurora Anguilla—busy prepping plenty of new offerings for the upcoming busy season—serves up the conveniences of an all-inclusive resort without losing an ounce of chic, boutique style.
SLEEP Aurora has a split personality—it's really not one resort but two, with Rendezvous Bay and Merrywing Bay each acting as the Ying to the other's Yang. On the Merrywing side is The Tower: a high-rise, currently being renovated, that offers modish rooms and suites featuring sweeping vistas of neighboring St. Martin. Rendezvous Beach at Aurora Anguilla, meanwhile, is more horizontal than vertical; its gorgeous, newly remodeled sea-front suites and multi-bedroom villas make for quite the scene: Mediterranean-style white angles against a backdrop of dazzling blue skies, impossibly florescent sea and bright white sand—so vividly pristine it almost hurts your eyes.
Both sides of the property feature stellar beaches, pools and eateries (more on these later) but they have distinct identities, which makes sense: for the 'chill' experience, stay on serene Rendezvous Beach; if you're more of a doer, Merrywing—where the waterpark, the golf course and most of the sporting activities are—is your place.
EAT Back to those Michelin stars I mentioned: They set Anguilla's bar very, very high, making it a true culinary capital of the Caribbean. Aurora's manifold eateries rise to the occasion thanks especially to a secret weapon: profound freshness, courtesy of one of the hotels 'onlys': its gorgeous hydroponic farm, capable of growing ridiculously fresh produce on an arid island where agriculture is all but impossible. This means that breakfast at Chef's Table includes touches like homemade hot sauce and garlic and ginger spread, perfect for pairing with your eggs and grilled veggies; dinner there complements just-caught fish and seafood—the seafood curry was my favorite—with hydroponic salads and garnishes.
At C Level—featuring beachside bites like West Indian Creole conch, house-smoked baby-back ribs and homemade gelato—the lobster salad with tarragon vinaigrette won my heart. And at the steakhouse D Richard's, perched majestically above it all at the Aurora International Golf Club, the feted steaks looked delectable but I couldn't resist the colossal Anguillan lobster, served with fennel, kaffir-lime black garlic sauce and chives; there was also hydroponic salad; snapper crudo with horseradish cream and dill oil, scallop with squid ink orzo pasta and tiger shrimp. The restaurants on the Merrywing side—Tokyo Bay, serving sushi and sashimi, Teppanyaki and Japanese steak; Breezes, boasting New England favorites like clambakes, lobster rolls and fish taco; and Oliva, with Italian fare—are all getting remodeled in time to welcome peak-season guests from November on.
DO My stay had just one big 'do': luxuriate in that perfect Anguilla beach, cocktail in hand. But for those wanting action—and especially those with kids to entertain—Aurora's options are staggering. On land, the sporting fun to be had includes 11 pickleball courts (the Caribbean's largest), a climbing wall, a world-class tennis center, beach volleyball, clay bocce, cycling, basketball, a 9-hole mini-golf course and the resort's crown jewel: Greg Norman's signature 18-hole golf course, with breathtaking views. In water, adults enjoy Aurora's partnership with SCUBA SHACK, Anguilla's only PADI 5-Star Dive Resort, while kids find their heaven at the massive waterpark, complete with slides and a lazy river. There's an island tour on a double-decker bus every Wednesday, movie nights at the impressive amphitheater every Friday and options for hikes, cave exploration and flora-and-fauna tours.
BE WELL Sorana Spa is a temple to wellness, with a gleaming fitness center, steam room and sauna, beauty salon and an array of treatments. Traditional Balinese and Thai massages are on the menu, along with some quite creative options: the VDM Marma Facial Massage uses Ayurvedic techniques; a golf ball massage is in homage to the course; 'Sand Bed Therapy' immerses you in alpha quartz during a 'touch dynamic flow' massage—it's inspired by the ancient practice of 'Psammotherapapy,' or sand bathing.
LOCAL TIP I planned my trip to coincide with August Monday, part of Anguilla's summer Carnival celebrations, known as the Anguilla Summer Festival. This Carnival connoisseur patted herself on the back many times for that sage decision. The massive boat race, party and concert on the beach, totally free of cost, is one of the least commercialized and most authentically community-driven Carnivals I've ever been to. Performances by big-name Caribbean artists like Mical Teja, Kes the Band and Kassav were phenomenal, and ogling the gorgeous Anguilla-made boats was pure joy.
LOCAL TIP The easiest way to get to Anguilla is by boat from St. Maarten/St. Martin, and it's an island definitely not worth just passing through. Check into Le Petit Hotel on the French side, which—along with its sister property down the road, L'Esplanade—remain my favorites on the island, decades after my first flawless stay there. It's all about the size: Le Petit Hotel has only 10 rooms, all with kitchens and balconies beckoning with magical views, all within steps of the beach, all decorated with French Creole flair; breakfast of fruit, yogurt, cafe and croissants is served on a grand tray in your room by your gracious hosts. The hotel is in Grand Case, a small fishing village that has everything you need in a holiday in just a few square miles: incredible French restaurants like Rainbow Cafe and Ocean 82, boutique shops selling chic bikinis and jewelry, nighttime Caribbean vibes at Tropic's Beach Bar, the famous lolos (barbeque stands), and the overall local feel of, well, a world before AI took the gorgeous grit out of life. You'll need to get around to explore the rest of the island—there's lots to see and do—and Marcus of Justice Car Rental is your man, with both taxi service and rentals that do justice to 'good service.'
