The Credentials:
These insanely luxurious 10 and nine-bedroom (all en-suite) neighboring villas are located in acres of beautiful tropical gardens with multiple swimming pools, two private natural beaches, a beach pavilion, tennis courts, gyms, a personal cinema and beautiful water gardens. Located within idyllic Little Harbour, both Villa Le Bleu and Villa Indigo are sheltered by Cinnamon Reef, providing unrivalled panoramic views of the stunning Caribbean Sea and the islands of St Barts and St Martin.
Dine:
Both Le Bleu and Indigo came with enough staff to fit every gastronomic demand. A world class chef, butlers, and a multitude of staff all working in an entirely separate building where they prepared the most fantastic dinners. Sometimes the 20 members of our party would be found dining by the sea, sometimes in a gazebo, each night more wonderful and more of a surprise than the last. Lobsters, fresh fish, salads, jaw-dropping presentation, fine wines and, of course, lots of Champagne.
Sleep:
I moved around between the two villas as members of our party came and went. At first in Indigo, I was greeted by my own private swimming pool each morning. Not to mention the comfiest bed I had ever slept in. International TV channels (not that you needed them), power showers and huge baths, White Company bath products and anything you could possibly have forgotten all provided for you with careful thought and consideration.
Next I moved into one of the grander rooms at Le Bleu, losing my private pool in the transfer but gaining ocean views and more space than my whole apartment in London.
Who Goes There?
Before arriving, I had been told by another member of the party that Villa Le Bleu was where the American reality TV show The Bachelor was filmed – not something I had seen, but as a result I expected a tacky Nouveau-style that screamed ostentatious. In all honesty, the villas were beautiful, tasteful and finished to an extremely high standard in both service and design. The staff were excited in the knowledge of which celebrities had previously stayed there, but remained professional and confidential enough to keep things to themselves.
Out & About:
Located in a private bay on tiny Anguilla, nothing was further than a 15-minute drive. We had sunset drinks at the bar at the Viceroy hotel, hit some of the beach fish restaurants at the recommendation of the Villa Staff and even managed to put in a few reggae gigs at a bar called Dune (which was made out of an old boat). Every venue in Anguilla is famous for a certain night of the week. Wednesday night at The Ferryboat Inn gave us more food and culture than we could have possibly expected.
The Best Thing:
Anguilla is undoubtedly beautiful. The inhabitants are extremely friendly and all the staff at our Villas were discreet yet humorous and unbelievably helpful. The landscape was divine – the sort of place which will stick with you for life, even for the most seasoned traveller. I loved taking the kayaks out and exploring around the island from our private bay. I found an abandoned hotel and bar, still with chandeliers and light fittings – we were in the perfect place to go and explore.
The Worst Thing:
Other guests who had been to my London home (full of colour, art and character) could understand why I was deterred by the sea of white in both the villas. I noticed that most of the other guests didn’t mind this, but I had a strong urge to call the concierge and ask for a tin of electric blue paint to cover a few of the Villa ‘Le Bleu’ and Villa ‘Indigo’ walls. I know that most hotels and resorts aim to please as many guests as possible with bland colour schemes, but for prospective guests who think like me, pack some brightly-coloured clothes. It became a running joke amongst our party that I had stolen all the colour from inside the house.
