Where to stay in Anguilla comes down to two choices: which beach you want to be near, and whether you want a hotel or a private villa. The West End (Meads Bay, Rendezvous Bay, Maundays Bay, Barnes Bay) has most of the big resorts. Sandy Ground has the bars. Shoal Bay East and Island Harbour are quieter.
Anguilla is a tiny island with no cruise ships calling and no high-rise hotels, and all 33 of its beaches are public. So there is no wrong part of the island, only a better fit for your trip. We own a villa above Shoal Bay East, so we will be upfront about that, and we will also tell you when an Anguilla hotel makes more sense.
What are the best areas to stay in Anguilla?
Here is a quick guide to the main places to stay in Anguilla, beach by beach. The island is small, and with a rental car you can reach a different beach every day.
| Area | Best for | Type of stay |
|---|---|---|
| Meads Bay | Couples, honeymoon trips, dining on foot | Beachfront resorts and small hotels |
| Rendezvous Bay | Long beach walks, golf | A large golf resort and smaller inns |
| Maundays Bay | A classic luxury hotel stay | One luxury resort |
| Barnes Bay | Full-service resort with residences | One large resort |
| Sandy Ground | Nightlife, boat trips | Guesthouses and small hotels |
| Shoal Bay East | The top-ranked beach, families, villas | Boutique hotels, apartments and hillside villas |
| Island Harbour | A quiet harbour village | Small inns and villas |
Meads Bay: where should couples stay in Anguilla?
Meads Bay is a mile-long stretch of white sand on the West End and ranked #20 on the 2026 North America top 50 beach list. It is the easiest part of Anguilla to explore on foot. Malliouhana, one of the island’s first hotels, sits at the end of the bay. Frangipani is home to the Straw Hat restaurant, Jacala is an open-air French restaurant at the eastern end, and Anacaona Boutique Hotel sits in gardens a few paces from the sand.
Carimar Beach Club offers one and two bedroom units with full kitchens and no pool, because the beach is right in front. With its location on Meads Bay, good restaurants are within walking distance along the sand. That makes Meads Bay beach the easy pick for a honeymoon or a couples trip.
Rendezvous Bay and Maundays Bay: the big resorts
Rendezvous Bay is a long, gently sloping beach on the West End. Aurora Anguilla Resort & Golf Club sits here. It was formerly the CuisinArt Golf Resort and reopened as Aurora in November 2021, with the only golf course on the island. Anguilla Great House, a small beach resort with gingerbread-style cottages that has run since 1988, and the Rendezvous Bay Hotel are smaller, older options on the same sand. In March the Dune Preserve on this beach hosts the Moonsplash music festival.
Next door, Maundays Bay is home to Belmond Cap Juluca, a high-end beach resort set on the smooth sands of a curved bay. For a classic Anguilla stay with service on the beach, the West End is where most of it is.
Barnes Bay and the far West End
Four Seasons Anguilla sits on this bay and runs onto Meads Bay. It took over the former Viceroy Anguilla property, so older posts that mention the Viceroy are describing the same site. Shoal Bay West is quieter, with a few small apartment buildings on the beach.
Sandy Ground: where is the nightlife?
Sandy Ground sits on Road Bay, with calm, shallow water and a small playground near the sand. It has the island’s best-known run of beach bars and restaurants, including Elvis’ Beach Bar, and it gets lively after dark. Boats to Sandy Island leave from here, about 10 minutes away. La Vue and a handful of Anguilla guesthouses sit nearby. Stay here if you want to walk to dinner and drinks, and accept that it is less quiet than other beaches.
Shoal Bay East: is it the best beach to stay on?
Shoal Bay East was ranked #1 in North America and #6 in the world on the World’s 50 Best Beaches list in 2026. For many visitors to Anguilla it is their favorite beach, with calm water and a reef close to shore. The beachside places include Zemi Beach House (home to 20 Knots), Manoah Boutique Hotel (with L’Etoile), Shoal Bay Villas and Allamanda Beach Club. Uncle Ernie’s, Elodia’s, Madeariman and Gwen’s line the sand for lunch.
This is the eastern side of the island, quieter than the West End, with restaurants a few minutes apart. It is where we are. Villa Okeanos sits on a hill above Shoal Bay East. It is not right on the beach: guests drive down, which takes 2 to 3 minutes.
Island Harbour and The Valley
Island Harbour is a small harbour village. Falcon Nest by the wharf serves fresh fish and lobster, and boats run from the pier to Scilly Cay, an electricity-free lunch spot on a tiny cay open Wednesdays and Sundays. Easter weekend brings Festival del Mar. It suits long-term visitors and anyone who wants space and privacy. The Valley is the capital, home to Wallblake House (1785) and Princess Alexandra Hospital.
Where to stay in Anguilla: Anguilla hotel or private villa?
After the area, decide on the type of place. A beach resort or boutique hotel suits couples and short stays, because you get restaurants, a bar, a spa and staff on site, with no minimum stay. Villas suit families and groups. You pay one nightly rate for the whole house instead of one rate per room, and you get bedrooms with their own bathrooms, a private pool, a full kitchen and room to spread out. A good rental feels like a home away from home.
Villa vs hotel at a glance
| Private home | Hotel or resort | |
|---|---|---|
| How you pay | One rate for the whole house | Per room, per night |
| Best for | Families, multigenerational trips, groups of friends | Couples, solo travelers, short stays |
| Space | Separate bedrooms, living room, outdoor terrace | A room or suite, shared public areas |
| Pool | Private, used only by your group | Shared with other guests |
| Food | Full kitchen, grill, groceries, optional chef | Restaurants and room service |
| Service | Housekeeping, plus whatever you arrange | Front desk, concierge, daily service |
| Minimum stay | Often several nights (ours is 5) | Usually none |
| Beach access | Some on the sand, many a short drive | Most big resorts sit on the beach |
When is a hotel the better choice?
- You are a couple or traveling alone and do not need the space.
- Your trip is shorter than a rental’s minimum stay.
- You want a restaurant, bar, spa and gym close to your room.
- You want a kids’ club, which some Anguilla resorts run.
- You want to be right on the sand with chairs and umbrellas set up for you.
Is Anguilla expensive?
Anguilla is a high-end island by Caribbean standards, but for a group a villa often costs less per person than several hotel rooms. A resort charges for every room you need. A house charges once, however many bedrooms you fill.
At Villa Okeanos the low-season rate is $1,150 a night for up to 8 guests, about $144 per person. Guests 9 to 11 add $50 each per night, so 11 guests is $1,300, about $118 per person. In high season the rate is $1,400 for 8 guests plus $100 per extra guest. All rates are in US dollars and are before the 13% Anguilla Goods and Services Tax, a 10% staff service charge and a $475 departure cleaning fee.
To compare fairly, price the number of rooms your group needs for the same dates, then add each property’s taxes and charges. The kitchen helps too: breakfast at home and a few dinners on the grill cost far less than three restaurant meals a day.
How do you choose between Anguilla places to stay?
- Pick the beach first. Meads Bay for dining on foot, Sandy Ground for nightlife, Shoal Bay East for the top-ranked beach and a quieter pace.
- Ask whether the beach is a walk or a drive. Many hillside homes, ours included, are a short drive.
- Check what the quote includes: tax, service charge and cleaning fees.
- Read recent hotel reviews on Tripadvisor, and browse its Anguilla forum for current tips from people who have visited Anguilla lately.
- Plan on a rental car unless you stay put at one resort. Anguillians drive on the left, and the rental company arranges the temporary local permit.
Arriving through St. Maarten, the ferry or sea shuttle lands at Blowing Point. Our arrival guide covers both routes, and the best beaches in Anguilla covers each beach in more detail.
Frequently asked questions
For couples, Meads Bay, with restaurants along the beach. For nightlife, Sandy Ground. For the top-ranked beach and a quieter base, Shoal Bay East on the east end.
A villa usually works best. Separate bedrooms, a private pool, a kitchen and laundry are easier than several hotel rooms. Sandy Ground and Shoal Bay East both have calm water.
A 13% Goods and Services Tax applies. Some properties, including ours, also add a 10% service charge, so check whether your quote includes both.
Usually yes, unless you stay at a resort on the sand and stay put. Taxis are available, but a car makes beach and restaurant trips easier.
Yes. With no cruise ports and no high-rise hotels, it is quieter than many Caribbean islands, especially on the east end.
See if Villa Okeanos fits your group
Villa Okeanos is a private four-bedroom villa on the hill above Shoal Bay East, with an infinity pool and room for up to 11 guests. The beach is a 2 to 3 minute drive. See the photos, check open dates, or ask Leigh and Dave anything at all.
