Four Seasons Resort and Residences Anguilla

I recently stayed at the Four Seasons Anguilla for a second time unexpectedly. My wife, seven-month-old daughter, and I were on vacation in Anguilla at nearby Cap Juluca, but a surprisingly poor stay there (reviewed separately) caused us to leave early and finish our vacation at the Four Seasons. We were impressed and appreciative that the Four Seasons accommodated us, and we were so happy that the service was top notch and family-friendly all the way through to our departure. Trip Planning/Pre-Arrival: My wife and I first stayed at the Four Seasons Anguilla four years ago to celebrate my 30th birthday. Our previous stay was enjoyable, and we liked the property and island. However, some service issues made us consider other options for this year’s trip, so we decided to try Cap Juluca instead, hoping for better service. Two days into that stay, we felt increasingly uncomfortable at Cap Juluca with a baby, and there were too many service issues, so we decided to move. When we looked on the Four Seasons website, the only rooms showing as available were the very large villas. Just to make sure that nothing else was available, our Preferred Partner travel agent contacted the Four Seasons to confirm if they might have anything else. Luckily, despite being very full, the Four Seasons found an Ocean View Studio for us very quickly. We booked a room around 4:00 pm, and arrived for our stay about two hours later. Arrival: Upon our arrival, I was so impressed that the staff didn’t miss a beat and were ready to greet us with open arms on short notice. When we arrived at the check-in desk, Ghiz, the Front Desk Manager, came out immediately to say hello and welcome us. She also brought out two very cute stuffed animals for our daughter. Cap Juluca hadn’t done anything special for our daughter at all, and within five minutes, the Four Seasons proved to be a warm, hospitable environment when traveling with a child. They encouraged us to relax in the lobby with a rum cocktail while check-in was completed, and during that process, Ghiz went over our room options. We had reserved an Ocean View Studio with two queen beds, but she said they also had a Three Bedroom Residence they could offer us as a complimentary upgrade. The only wrinkle was that the larger room didn’t have an ocean view, while the room we had reserved had one. We didn’t mind, and were very excited for the extra space of the Residence. David, the resort’s Guest Experience Manager, also came and found us during check-in to welcome us back to the resort for our second stay and make sure we were set with everything we’d need. He also found us again the next morning to check-in, which was very nice. Room: Our room (151) was on the ground floor of the Manta building, which is on the far eastern end of the resort, adjacent to the family pool and the Bamboo Bar & Grill. The building was also directly across from the recreation area that includes the tennis courts. While it was the furthest building from the core of the resort where the lobby, Sunset Lounge, and SALT are located, it was fine for us. We loved having a path from our patio right out to the family pool, which could not have been more convenient. We liked that when walking elsewhere in the resort, we had the option of taking the meandering paths through the grounds, or a quicker and more direct walk up the service road right to the lobby, which wasn’t far at all. At check-in, they also let us know that we could call for a ride around the resort anytime. We were impressed by the variety of things that were waiting for us in the room when we arrived. There was a card on behalf of our travel agent, as well as a bottle of wine, a fruit plate, a crudité and hummus plate, and some cookies and brownies. This was nicer than most hotels offer, and put together on such short notice in preparation for our arrival. Our room was too much space for just two adults and a baby, but we loved it. The residence was massive, with three bedrooms and three full baths, plus one half-bath. The primary bedroom on one end had a king bed, as did one of the other bedrooms, and the third bedroom had two double beds. The living area was in the middle, and was huge. There was a fully stocked kitchen, a washer and dryer, a full dining table for six, and a large living room. Having a dishwasher and washer and dryer was particularly helpful with a baby. We also appreciated that a beach bag was provided. On top of all of the indoor space, there was a large patio with a heated plunge pool, a dining table, and an outdoor couch and armchairs. To initially heat the plunge pool, it took about 1-2 hours of using the heater, but it worked well, and it was faster to heat the pool after that when it already had some retained heat. While we loved the room and were so happy with the upgrade, there were a surprising number of small issues that I would not have been happy about if we were paying full price for that room. These items included: -I really like the neutral décor of the rooms, and we were very impressed by them four years ago, but things are starting to look tired. I don’t believe the rooms have been updated since 2016, and it shows. There were stains on several fabrics in the room, and certain aspects of the design are starting to look dated. In the kitchen, the dishwasher had parts that were rusted and the control panel seemed to be on its last legs. -The primary bathroom had one sink that was clogged, as well as a toilet that ran every time we flushed it. We reported these issues and were told that engineering would come to fix them. They did fix the sink, but the toilet continued to run our entire stay. The knobs to turn on the water for the tub were also really hard to use, and we almost had to call maintenance because we thought one was stuck in the “on” position and was very hard to move. -Shortly after check-in, we used the Four Seasons app to ask about baby amenities. They said they had available a crib, diaper pail, baby tub, hooded towel, toiletries, a play mat, and beach toys. We asked for all of it except a crib, since we had our own, and later that night, we came back from dinner to find a very large quantity of baby shampoo and body wash in the room, along with one extra stuffed animal. However, nothing else on the list was delivered. The next day, we followed up again and the tub and diaper pail (the key items we needed) were delivered almost 24 hours after the initial request. Not a big deal, but we never received some of the other items that were mentioned, so there was a gap in communication and follow-through along the way. -We noticed early on that our room was lacking a ‘do not disturb’ sign, which we wanted to have, particularly for times when our daughter was napping. We requested one, and similar to the baby items, nothing had arrived after 24 hours. We followed up a couple times and were told they were “looking for one,” but we never ended up getting one during the stay. Staff members did enter the room multiple times when we didn’t want them to while our daughter was sleeping. I’m sure they knocked, but it could be hard to hear them knock in such a large room, so a ‘do not disturb’ sign would have been very helpful. -The room also appeared to be missing dishwasher detergent to run the dishwasher, so we requested some. We were told twice that it had been delivered, but we didn’t see anything, and eventually a housekeeper came to follow-up. She told us the dish soap should be used in the dishwasher. That’s definitely not what you’re supposed to use, but we just gave up and did that. -Housekeeping didn’t do the best job in general. With good housekeeping, a cleaned room looks and feels palpably different from when you left it, but it was hard to tell when the room had been cleaned here. The daytime housekeepers seemed to do the bare minimum. Little things were missed, like the beach towels for the plunge pool not being replenished we used most of them on the first day. Normal extras I expect at a Four Seasons, like organizing toiletries and charging cords, didn’t occur until our second night during turndown. During the day, we would also always request housekeeping at a particular time when we’d be out of the room. One of the days, the housekeeper came before we were ready, and she said she would come back around 10:30 when we’d be out of the room. When we got back to the room from the pool after 12:00, housekeeping was just then starting to service the room, which was frustrating, since our daughter needed a nap and we had requested an earlier time both via the app and from talking to the housekeeper directly. -If we had paid for this upgraded room, there were also a few things we would not have loved about the location, but it was great as a free upgrade. For example, it was on the ground floor directly right next to the Bamboo Bar & Grill, separated from it only by a hedge. It didn’t bother us much, but whenever we were outside on the patio, we could see and hear things going on at the restaurant. There was also a service area for the pool and restaurant that we could see through the hedges on the side. As disclosed at check-in, the room also lacked an ocean view by being on the ground floor. You could sort of see the ocean through the trees and past the pool, but it was not a direct ocean view. Finally, the tropical landscaping that was the majority of the view was nice enough, but not the most well-manicured, and we found a large number of cigarette butts in the mulch outside the room, which wasn’t nice. Beach & Pool: We were especially appreciative of all of the pools that the Four Seasons Anguilla has, since Cap Juluca is sorely lacking in that category. We also loved that none of the pools ever felt crowded or competitive to find a spot to sit. The family-friendly Bamboo Pool on the edge of the Meads Bay beach was right by our room, and was very nice, with a zero-entry section and several shallow ledges our daughter could sit on and enjoy, as well as a hot tub that wasn’t particularly hot, but just warm enough to be nice, since the main pool water was chilly. The service at that pool was also friendly and attentive. We also really like the Aleta Pool in the middle of the resort. There were fewer families there, so we felt a little more comfortable at the Bamboo pool, but we like that the Aleta pool area is large, with lounge chairs nicely spread out, and the palm trees scattered throughout the middle of the pool create a nice look. The final pool is the adults-only Sunset Pool near the lobby and Sunset Lounge. This is a beautiful infinity pool, and we spent a good bit of time here during our last stay. However, since we now have a child, it was not for us on this trip. It did appear to be competitive to get chairs here early in the morning. One of the only things that was lacking when we visited the pools were the little extras and treats that you usually receive at high-end resort pools throughout the day. I’m not sure if we just missed them. We also found the pool water temperature to be very cold in all pools in December, and other guests were saying the same. We were really surprised the pools weren’t heated, and they absolutely should be in cooler months. We didn’t visit either of the two beaches on this trip, but there are beaches on Barnes Bay on the side of the resort with the large villas, and at Meads Bay, by the family pool on the regular hotel side. While the beach and very placid water at Cap Juluca were some of the few things we felt were far superior to what the Four Seasons offers, the beaches at the Four Seasons are still nice. The Barnes Bay beach is more of a hike from the regular guest rooms on the villa side of the resort, but feels more private than the Meads Bay beach, which is at the end of a longer stretch of beach that a variety of other businesses and accommodations are also on, with the Malliouhana at the opposite end. Dining: We tried almost all of the hotel’s dining options and generally found the food to be good. SALT is the main hotel restaurant, which offers breakfast and dinner. The restaurant itself is very pretty, perched right on the water with great views, including rainbows every morning we were there. We enjoyed the breakfast, which was included in our room rate (but is $60 per person otherwise). The staff were very kind to us and our daughter each morning. The egg and waffle stations were nice to have, and there was a large variety of items to choose from. Nothing stood out to me as particularly amazing, but the food was solidly fine. We did, however, very much enjoy and take advantage of the included mimosa bar (with a choice of orange, strawberry, or passionfruit juice), which we didn’t recall from our previous stay. We also had dinner at SALT on our last night, which was much improved from a bad dinner on our past trip. Service was friendly, and we enjoyed little extras like the welcome drink on the way in and the “salt sommelier” who brought out the bread. The goat curry was good, as was the fresh catch of the day. The restaurant was abnormally hot and humid for December the night we dined there, with no breeze or air flow, which was the only thing that made the meal slightly unpleasant. We also visited the Sunset Lounge almost every day, either just for drinks or for dinner, and it is a beautiful spot. They don’t take reservations, but it was never difficult to get a table. It’s great for sunset, but we also enjoy it later in the evening, when there is live music starting at 8:00 pm several nights a week. We really love the laid back and family friendly vibe at the Sunset Lounge, and thought all of their sushi was excellent, as was the Korean fried chicken. From the bar, the Caribbean old fashioned was very good, as were espresso martinis. We also like that you can sit by any of the more private fire pits along a grassy area next to the Sunset Lounge and be served there if you let the host know, which ended up being a great option one night when our daughter was tired, but we still wanted to get drinks and hear the live music. We had one dinner at Half Shell Beach Bar on Barnes Bay, which was excellent. We were pleasantly surprised to see the previously very tiny restaurant had been expanded since our last stay, and now serves dinner in addition to lunch, which is great for more evening options. The Mexican cuisine comes from a chef at the Four Seasons Punta Mita, and was absolutely delicious, along with service that was warm and caring. Marvin was a great server, and even volunteered to walk our daughter around the restaurant for us when she was getting fussy. So many of the other restaurant employees also were very kind and enjoyed keeping our daughter entertained, which we were grateful for. The only suggestion I would have is to have better signage at night to get to the restaurant. The walkway to the restaurant is tucked between two villas, and we missed it in the dark initially. We also ate at Bamboo Bar & Grill by our room, which is a convenient additional option for breakfast in addition to SALT, but with a regular menu, rather than a buffet. We love having two breakfast choices. We tried it one morning, but unfortunately weren’t really fans of the food. We thought Bamboo Bar’s better meal was lunch. Their pizzas were solid, and the snapper sandwich and shrimp quesadilla were quite tasty too. We also appreciated Café Nai, the new coffee shop off of the lobby that was not there during our last stay. It’s a very pretty little space, and it’s nice to have an option to grab coffee to-go. The iced lattes we got there were good. We are very appreciative that dining options at the resort continue to evolve, which added nice extra variety as compared to our last visit four years ago. Every change they’ve made was for the better and increases choices for guests, so we’re definitely in favor of it. Groups: During our last stay, we were frustrated with various corporate groups that were at the hotel, but this time, it was a wedding that was mildly frustrating. I was surprised how much the Four Seasons allows weddings to take over the property. One night, SALT was closed since they were using it. On the day of the wedding, which was held on Meads Bay, the Bamboo Bar closed early, and they basically made everyone get off of the beach early so that it could be cleared for the wedding. The day after the wedding, the wedding group was taking over the Aleta Pool. This is all great if you’re attending the wedding, but not nearly as fun when you’re not part of it and have to sidestep unexpected wedding festivities. Bugs: While we did use bug spray each night when we left our room (there was some provided), we ended up with a lot of mosquito bites by the end of the trip. I’m not sure if the Four Seasons just needs to spray more for bugs, since we didn’t have this issue at all at Cap Juluca. Staff Service: Staff service is really crucial for us when traveling to luxury properties. It was ultimately our main complaint last time we stayed at the Four Seasons Anguilla, but this time, service was really top notch and much improved. Other than some frustrations with housekeeping, we truly had no complaints about a single staff member that we met. Everyone was just so friendly, accommodating, and helpful, and it meant a lot that everyone seemed genuinely interested in our daughter and viewed her as a valued guest, not a nuisance. There were lots of kids around, and both other guests and staff seemed totally comfortable with kids. One of my only comments from last time that still stands is that you can feel relatively anonymous at this resort. The Four Seasons Anguilla is a large property, so it’s easy to not really encounter the same staff members repeatedly. However, I didn’t have a problem with that this time because everyone was so warm and welcoming from the moment you met them. Plus, we met multiple members of management at check-in which had not occurred during our previous stay, so we knew exactly who we could reach out to if we needed anything. I’m glad service was great, because the resort does add an 18% mandatory service charge to absolutely everything. I wish there was more clarity on what this covers, since every check also had a separate tip line on it. We did have a staff member on one occasion make a comment indicating that the service charge doesn’t go directly to him, but rather is split amongst everyone (and by extension suggesting that we tip him separately). I was happy to give a bit more when the service was good, but it was confusing. Departure Experience: Our experience departing from the resort was very smooth, starting with a helpful letter delivered to our room the day before check-out that outlined all of the options to get from the hotel to either the Anguilla or Saint Maarten airports. We were flying directly from Anguilla to Miami, so at the time we were ready to depart, we called for bell assistance and a taxi, and everything was very smooth. Someone came immediately to take our bags, and we had a friendly and quick checkout with a perfectly accurate bill (a rarity that I really appreciate). A taxi was waiting to take us on the 20 minute-drive back to the airport. We arrived at AXA about 90 minutes before our flight, which was about right, given that everything at the airport is slow-moving, despite being tiny. Overall: The staff at the Four Seasons Anguilla went out of their way for us on this trip, finding us a room on incredibly short notice and really turning our vacation around. We are so grateful for that, and left Anguilla with excellent memories and a definite desire to revisit this property in the future. Some small things in the rooms could improve slightly, but it’s a beautiful resort with great service, so we won’t make the mistake of trying another option in Anguilla next time.

Amazing experience at the FS Anguilla. Best check in experience of any hotel we’ve ever stayed at (loved the welcome drinks!). Ocean front room was incredible , the lobby bar and pool were incredible although we spent majority of time at the beach. Beach was beautiful - soft white sand, clear turquoise water. Loved that they gave us canteens of water all day and menus right away to order from. My ONLY recommendation would be putting cushions on the beach chairs for added comfort. Otherwise flawless stay!

Loved every minute. We enjoyed our welcome drink and easy check in process. Our room was very clean and comfortable. Didn’t have an ocean view but still had an amazing view. We loved the breakfast and dinner at Salt. The beach was soft and white sand for a mile. The ocean is turquoise blue and warm. The bamboo restaurant was terrific for lunch everyday. The sunset lounge was the best every night for drinks and watching the sunset. We ate dinner there one night too and it was great. The whole staff was so friendly, welcoming and kind. Can’t wait to go back one day.

My wife and I went here for our honeymoon, and everything about the experience was nearly perfect. Can't recommend it highly enough. The staff, the food, the setting, we had a great mixture of relaxation and activities - and, of course, time to just be with each other in a beautiful place.

This was an amazing trip for me and my wife. We travel around world, and we have had many memorable experiences. By far this stands out as one of our best experiences since we have been married. The property is located perfectly with amazing views and sunsets. The food is amazing and the hotels rooms are breathtaking. Lastly, the staff made the experience even better. Everyone was just pleasant and accommodating to me and my wife. We felt like we had known the staff for years. Everyone was personable and very easy to engage with. Beach is amazing as well as the 3 pools.