One among Anguilla’s First Luxurious Motels Is Nonetheless One among Its Greatest — Learn Our Assessment

Attending to Anguilla is a little more difficult than another Caribbean islands: The one direct flights from the U.S. are from Miami, or you may fly into St. Martin and take a 30-minute ferry experience (however you want to undergo customs on each side).

All that’s to say that when you arrive, you actually need to chill out in a ravishing surroundings — and Malliouhana delivers in spades. As you pull into the resort perched atop a dramatic bluff, the white exterior stands out towards the plush inexperienced crops and bushes, and the turquoise blue water you glimpse by the signature arches in the back of the foyer beckons.

From there, I’m blissful to say that it solely will get higher. By the point my husband and I, plus our two sons (ages 8 and a couple of), reached our room, we had walked previous the glittering, two-tiered cliffside pool dotted with ruffled yellow umbrellas and sweeping views of the Caribbean Sea, the comfortable poolside Bar Soleil, and the leafy backyard path punctuated with small indicators sporting scannable QR codes resulting in webpages explaining particulars about every plant.

Our room was sun-bathed and spacious, with a generously sized outside space. Days started with breakfast on the ocean-facing Celeste after which moved on to the pool, the pristine Mead’s Bay seashore, and for one superb afternoon whereas the children have been on the child’s membership, the serene spa. In between, we found a few of the magic and historical past of this boutique property, which is celebrating its fortieth anniversary this yr.

Admittedly, I used to be considerably skeptical after I discovered the resort was now not a part of the Auberge Resorts Assortment (it was a member from 2014 to 2023), however new administration Storey Resort Administration (who additionally run Nanuku Resort in Fiji and the Ameswell Resort in California) have carried out a nice job persevering with one of the best components of Auberge whereas sustaining Malliouhana’s distinctive and historic boutique identification.

Here is my evaluate of Malliouhana.

The Rooms

Our household of 4 stayed in a Junior Suite boasting a coloration palette of white, yellow, and turquoise, with a yellow-and-white striped carpet and painted partitions in pale yellow and turquoise, with white grid strains as accents. It was embellished with coral-shaped turquoise-colored lamps, a grey patterned couch, and a large-scale triptych portray in the identical model as a lot of the opposite art work (from the unique proprietor’s assortment) hanging across the resort. Vibrant, lush unique animal and jungle scenes — harking back to Henri Rousseau’s distinct model — full the design story.

Our room had a big entryway lobby with a sizeable spherical desk (good for dropping our keys and sunscreen on) and two closets with a minibar in between. To the suitable was a marble rest room with two sinks and an extra-large bathe. Down just a few steps from the lobby was the outsized fundamental room, outfitted with two queen beds (a king can be an choice). One aspect of the room had a sitting space with an oblong glass eating desk holding a complimentary field with house-made jerk-spiced nuts, tamarind balls, and coconut sugar cake. The patterned L-shaped sofa was in a single nook, and a large, full-length mirror that doubles as a tv was within the different.

Ground-to-ceiling glass doorways opened onto a roomy, two-level lined patio and terrace with an ocean view. The lined patio had a eating desk and chairs and a big round yellow-and-white-striped daybed, whereas the open terrace under had two turquoise-and-white-striped lounge chairs overlooking the ocean.

Every night time at turndown, we have been handled to a unique native deal with in honor of the resort’s fortieth anniversary. One night time, we bought guava cheese, a well-liked Caribbean deal with of chewy guava jelly sweet, whereas on one other, we bought native Anguillan bush tea. Our favourite was a glass jar of freshly harvested aloe and an oozing leaf for us to placed on our sun-kissed pores and skin.

There are 63 rooms and suites (one-, two-, or three-bedroom) at Malliouhana, and most have almost the identical design and coloration palette. Backyard, ocean view, and oceanfront rooms can be found, and they’re unfold amongst principally two- or three-story white buildings across the 25-acre property. It’s price noting that some upper-level backyard suites have ocean views within the distance. The biggest lodging is the 4,500-square-foot three-bedroom villa suite above the spa, full with a non-public infinity plunge pool and devoted 24/7 butler service. All rooms and suites have outside house.

Meals and Drink

There are three meals and beverage shops at Malliouhana, every satisfying a unique want. The blue and white maritime-themed Celeste overlooks the glistening Caribbean Sea in the primary constructing, open for breakfast and dinner (the one outlet open within the mornings). The meals has each Mediterranean and Caribbean accents, with contemporary tropical juices and each American and Caribbean-style egg dishes at breakfast, whereas dinner brings loads of freshly caught native fish in plates like marinated conch, grilled Anguillan lobster, and pan-seared pink snapper fillet. Native goat stew, pink wine braised quick ribs, and rooster and serrano ham croquettes additionally make appearances.

Bar Soleil is the poolside bar and restaurant open for lunch and dinner, providing a extra informal choice than Celeste. Right here’s the place you’ll discover ceviche, salads, flatbreads, shrimp tacos, and sandwiches like an Anguillan lobster roll, juicy wagyu beef burger, and an area grilled mahi mahi sandwich. Add beer, wine, or a cocktail just like the Malli Rum Punch, Soleil Mojito, Watermelon Mule, Riviera Daiquiri, or one of many 5 martinis. Prime-quality Cuban and Honduran cigars are additionally on supply right here. You possibly can eat and drink on the intimate bar, patio tables, or the two-tiered pool lined with chairs and cabanas.

Lastly, there’s Leon’s at Mead’s Bay, which capabilities like a seashore membership, serving informal Caribbean fare proper on the seashore for a toes-in-the-sand lunch or dinner. Addictive conch fritters, BBQ fried rooster wings, sushi, pizza, and extra can be found right here. Weekends convey dwell music.

Actions and Experiences

Unsurprisingly, most actions right here give attention to the seashore and the pool. A two-level infinity pool (the highest tier is for adults solely) is lined with shiny yellow umbrellas and cabanas. There are two seashores, though one (Turtle Cove) is commonly not swimmable. A lot of the motion occurs on Mead’s Bay seashore, a ravishing stretch of white sand with loads of chairs and umbrellas arrange. A watersports shack is on one aspect, providing actions like complimentary snorkeling and kayaking and, for a payment, issues like banana boating, wakeboarding, water snowboarding, and extra. Sundown cruises, fishing excursions, free bikes, and tennis courts are additionally out there.

One among our favourite actions was the rum and chocolate tasting, that includes infused rums (suppose passionfruit and mango) made by Malliouhana’s unique bartender, Gloria Leveret, every rigorously paired with crammed goodies made by pastry chef Tim Franklin. It’s led by longtime worker Chesney Hughes, who shares a few of the resort’s historical past and rum-making in Anguilla.

The Spa

The spa is in its personal constructing and contains six therapy rooms, an adults-only infinity pool overlooking the ocean, a full-service salon, smooth health coaching rooms, an expansive health heart, and an out of doors health space. The deep turquoise and white palette references the remainder of the resort’s design and coverings, which make the most of native components like coconut, ginger, and aloe vera.

Every day complimentary health courses can be found, together with outside dawn yoga and kickboxing and a full-body exercise class within the health coaching room.

Household-friendly Choices

The wonderful Mini Explorer’s Child’s Membership proper on the seashore at Mead’s Bay is led by a dynamic employees and options rotating actions like Nautical Knot Tying, a Style of Anguilla, Hermit Crab Racing, the Artwork of Anguillan Fishing, pickleball, and soccer. My older son liked studying to play the metal drums and taking a look at coral underneath a microscope. And each children couldn’t get sufficient of the pirate ship-style play space exterior within the sand.

Licensed babysitters are additionally out there, and all of the eating places have child’s menus. Child gear like cribs and highchairs can be found on request.

Accessibility and Sustainability

The property is on a bluff, so it’s hilly, with many stairs. That mentioned, Celeste restaurant and the primary foyer are accessible, as are a number of guestrooms.

The resort makes a concerted effort to preserve native crops within the panorama, grey water is used for irrigation, and an eco-tour is out there to visitors. Photo voltaic water heaters are utilized in guestrooms, there are not any plastic water bottles used (however bottle refilling stations all through), and most meals components are regionally sourced.

Location

Malliouhana is on the West Finish of Anguilla, seven miles from Clayton J. Lloyd Worldwide Airport and 10 minutes from the Blowing Level Ferry Terminal, the place you may take a 25-minute ferry experience from St. Martin (which has extra direct flight choices). The resort can prepare a pick-up from both location, so that you solely have to hire a automotive if you wish to discover the island by yourself, however taxis are plentiful.

Find out how to Get the Most Worth Out of Your Keep

Malliouhana is an unbiased resort, however it’s a part of the American Specific Wonderful Motels + Resorts community and the Capital One Premier Assortment, so in case you e book by a kind of, you’ll get perks like an early check-in and room improve when out there, every day breakfast for 2, a $100 resort credit score, and a 4 p.m. check-out. It’s additionally a part of the Virtuoso community, so in case you e book by a Virtuoso journey advisor, you’ll get perks like upgrades when out there, free nights, and resort credit score.