Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the weather like?
The weather is pretty consistent throughout the year in Anguilla, with an approximate four degree temperature variation between summer and winter. The temperature range for winter is 73 to 86 F (23 to 30 C) and 78 to 88 F (26 to 32 C) for summer. You will feel like getting into the sea or the pool on any day of the year. Some people prefer to visit in the summer because it seldom gets very hot, and the humidity (65 to 70%) is lower than at home. There almost always is a refreshing breeze, especially at Beach Escape (where the nearest village is called “Blowing Point”). Anguilla is an arid island but it is not unusual for it to rain in brief bursts, with the sun typically shining on another part of the island. The rain rarely spoils your plans, and creates breathtaking rainbows.
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Is the house air conditioned?
Yes, all five bedrooms are air conditioned, as are the guest suites in their entireties. Since Beach Escape is in a breezy location, most guests prefer to sleep with a ceiling fan and windows open, to be soothed by the gentle sounds of the sea.
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Is it possible to rent the other suites without the main house? Is it possible that another party will rent the other suites when we rent the main house?
We do not rent the other suites to parties who do not rent the main house. Beach Escape is a private villa—the entire gated and fenced grounds will be exclusively yours during your stay, whether you rent two, three, four or five bedrooms.
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Does Beach Escape have maid service?
Yes. Our housekeeper, Dorothea Gumbs, is at Beach Escape Monday through Saturday. She’s there to take luxurious care of you, including such things as doing your dishes. You’re on vacation, and she wants you to relax and enjoy.
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Is there Internet access at Beach Escape?
Yes. If you bring your laptop we have wireless broadband access to the Internet. If you prefer, you may use your 802.11g (supporting 802.11g or 802.11b) wireless adapter to connect or plug directly into one of the routers with your CAT5 (RJ45) ethernet cable, or you can simply turn on your wireless-enabled laptop and access the Internet throughout the buildings and grounds.
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How do we get to Anguilla?
You can fly directly to Anguilla on American Airlines-American Eagle via San Juan, Puerto
Rico. The airport in Anguilla is called Clayton J. Lloyd International; the airport identifier is AXA. The San
Juan airport identifier is SJU. Note: American Eagle is ending their service to Anguilla in April 2011.
You can fly directly to Anguilla via Cape Air, twice daily between San Juan (SJU) and Anguilla
(AXA). Cape Air connects with major US carriers including American, Continental, Jet Blue, United
and US Air, with tickets purchased through sites such as Travelocity.
(www.capeair.net, (866) 277-3247 or (508) 771-6944)
Another option is to fly to St. Martin/St. Maarten (Princess Juliana Airport, SXM), which is
seven miles from Anguilla. This is a much larger airport than Anguilla’s, with non-stops to
major US and European cities. From St. Martin/St. Maarten, there are several ways to get to Anguilla:
- You can fly from St. Martin to Anguilla via Anguilla Air Services (www.anguillaairservices.com, (264) 498-5922 or (264) 235-7122), Trans Anguilla Airlines (www.transanguilla.com, (264) 497-8690 or (264) 235-7783 or (917) 338-3642), or LIAT Airlines (www.liatairline.com, (264) 497-5000 or toll-free from the US (800) 549-5428).
- You can take a taxi across the island, which takes about 20 minutes, to the town of Marigot on the French side, and catch the public ferry to Anguilla. The ferry runs every half hour, and arrives quite near Beach Escape. The fare is $20 per person each way. Please note that the ferry does not travel very early in the morning or later in the evening, so depending on when your flight arrives or departs, this option could require an overnight in St. Martin/St. Maarten.
- You can take a ferry directly from the St. Maarten Princess Juliana Airport to the Anguilla ferry terminal. There are scheduled services by Funtime Charters (www.funtime-charters.com, (264) 497-6511, (264) 235-8106 or toll-free from the US (866) 334-0047); GB Express (www.anguillaferryandcharter.com, (264) 235-6205 or (264) 584-6205 or (264) 235-7010 or toll-free from the US (321) 406-0414); Link Charter (email fbconnor@anguillanet.com, (264) 235-3290 or (264) 729-0664, fax (264) 497-2231; or Shauna SXM Shuttle (email myshauna6@hotmail.com, (264) 772-0542, (264) 772-2031 or in St. Martin 011 599553 1820).
- You can charter a boat for your party from the St. Maarten Princess Juliana Airport to the Anguilla ferry terminal. Among the options are the boat called Gotcha! (www.gotcha-garfields-sea-tours-anguilla.com, (264) 497-2956);
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What’s the currency? Can I use credit cards?
US dollars are accepted everywhere on the island. Most prices are quoted in US dollars, especially in places that cater to tourists. You occasionally will be given change in the local currency, which is the Eastern Caribbean (EC) dollar. Both currencies are used everywhere, are easily interchangeable, and merchants use the same exchange rate as banks because the Eastern Caribbean dollar is fixed to the US dollar at a constant rate of 2.68 EC to one US dollar.
MasterCard and Visa typically are accepted in restaurants, grocery stores, car rental agencies and other places such as shops that cater to tourists. They are not accepted as universally as in the US or Europe, however.
Beach Escape has electronic safes in each bedroom, so you don’t need to worry about carrying large amounts of cash when you go out.
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Where can I buy groceries?
Grocery shopping is easy on Anguilla, and you can find almost everything that you are accustomed to at home. There are four
large, well-stocked supermarkets on the island, and many smaller convenience stores. There is a very nice small grocery store
in Blowing Point, Ashley’s Market, which is less than five minutes from Beach Escape.
Please note that the large supermarkets are closed on Sunday afternoons and national holidays. The Ashley's Market in Blowing
Point is closed all day on Sunday and holidays. There are some smaller that are open on Sundays and holidays.
Fresh fish can be purchased from the fish market along the main road in the area called Water Swamp. It is also possible to buy
fresh fish early in the morning near the People's Market in The Valley.
Since Anguilla has many outstanding restaurants, excellent produce, meat and seafood can be found. One such source is the
Merchants Market, located in The Valley. Merchants Market primarily sells to restaurants but they accommodate retail customers.
Beer, wine and liquor can be purchased from some of the grocery stores, as well as liquor stores and bars. A wholesale liquor
importer that also sells retail is called Tropical, which is located on the north side of the Long Path Road, east of The
Valley. Anguilla caters to upscale tourists, hence there is ready availability of fine wines.
If you would like, Beach Escape staff can stock the villa with your preferred snacks and drinks for your arrival day or first morning.
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What are the restaurants like on Anguilla?
The restaurants on Anguilla are outstanding, with several typically rated among the best in the Caribbean and beyond. The list is
so long that it’s useless to try to include them all. The chefs at the five-star restaurants sometimes leave to run their own
restaurants, which provide outstanding cuisine at more affordable prices.
There is a wonderful beachfront open-air restaurant just a short walk down the beach (to the left/east after you pass through the
Beach Escape beach gate) at the Ferryboat Inn. They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner, with good food, reasonable prices, a full
bar, and the location you can walk to with bare feet. A stroll down the beach under the stars back to Beach Escape is a fine way
to end an evening.
There also are many casual and very affordable restaurants. Examples include English Rose in The Valley, Uncle Ernie’s at Shoal
Bay East (a classic beach bar/restaurant), and Gwen’s (a beautiful beach bar at Shoal Bay East). A favorite for breakfast pastries
is Le Bon Pain at Island Harbor, where you can sit in the shade of their patio. They make delicious French pastries for delivery
to fine restaurants on the island.
An excellent alternative to restaurant dining without having to cook is to bring home carry-out meals. A business that exclusively
provides carry-out meals is Fat Cat Gourmet, located adjacent to Lake’s Supermarket in The Valley. We also often carry out meals
from Cocono’s in Blowing Point or English Rose in The Valley. You can call in your order and pick it up at the appointed time, or
order in person at the restaurant, enjoy a drink while it’s being prepared, then be on your way. These restaurants provide large
portions for very reasonable prices.
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Should I rent a car?
Although Anguilla is only 35 square miles and we provide two bicycles, you will want easy transportation during your stay. There
are many car rental agencies on Anguilla. Our property manager, Catherine Orchard, will be happy to make car rental reservations
for you. At your request, most car rental agencies will deliver the car to Beach Escape for your convenience.
If you have not been to Beach Escape before, we recommend that instead of picking up the rental car at the airport or ferry
terminal, our property manager, Catherine, will meet and greet you when you arrive on the island. She will take you to Beach
Escape and get you oriented. The rental car can be delivered to Beach Escape for your arrival, or the next morning, as you prefer.
Navigating around Anguilla is relatively easy because there aren’t that many roads, but typically the roads aren’t marked so you
may have to stop and ask where you are. That’s no problem—the people you ask will know where you are and will be happy to direct
you on your way. You’re never more than about 30 minutes from Beach Escape, because the island isn’t that big!
The only other challenge for some is that since Anguilla is British, driving is on the left. That takes a bit of getting used to,
but most people adjust pretty quickly. If you goof occasionally, motorists are forgiving. If driving on the left doesn’t appeal
to you, then taxis are readily available.
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What do visitors do in Anguilla?
The most popular activity on Anguilla is going to the beach, because Anguilla has some of the nicest beaches in the Caribbean, maybe
in the world. There are about 33 beaches on Anguilla, so you won’t get to all of them. Beach Escape provides beach umbrellas, beach
chairs, beach towels, coolers, etc. which you might want to take to most beaches, since they’re uninhabited and therefore such services
are not available. At the most popular beach, Shoal Bay East, you can rent chairs and umbrellas if you prefer, and eat at restaurants
on the beach. All beaches on Anguilla are open to everyone, which means you can park your chair, your umbrella and yourself on any
beach, including in front of very exclusive hotels. The beaches are never crowded, even on the most popular days of the year.
One of the nicest small beaches on Anguilla is Sandy Point, the beach in front of Beach Escape. Because there is a small island
offshore, the water is always calm and it’s slightly warmer than at the other beaches. The sand is firm, the slope is gentle, and
there is a beach shower on the path between the villa and the beach.
Besides hanging out at the beach, we recommend:
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How do I get to St. Martin?
The ferry to St. Martin departs every half hour from the ferry terminal in Blowing Point, about a third of a mile from Beach Escape, for a fare of $20 US each way. St. Martin is seven miles from Anguilla and its closest neighbor, and the ferry takes about 20 minutes to cross between the islands. St. Martin is the French side; St. Maarten is the Dutch side, but there is no impediment (or even awareness, really) when traveling between the two sides. Be sure to bring your passport, though, because you’ll need it as you depart and return to Anguilla.
The island of St. Martin/St. Maarten is the same geographic size as Anguilla, but St. Martin’s population is several times larger and it’s a very hustle-bustle place compared to Anguilla. Unlike Anguilla, St. Martin has casinos, cruise ship ports, high-rise hotels, chic shopping, a plethora of stores that sell nearly everything, merchant kiosks selling clothing and jewelry, timeshare resorts, beaches with personal watercraft and parasailing rentals, clothes-optional beaches, night clubs, numerous French restaurants and patisseries, and traffic.
Visiting St. Martin can be lots of fun. You arrive in St. Martin on the French side, in the very appealing town of Marigot. There you can rent a car or take a readily-available taxi to tour the island or go to your desired destination. The most famous beach on the island is Orient Beach, on the French side. The large airport where nonstop commercial jets land from Europe and the US, Princess Juliana, is in Phillipburg, on the Dutch side. Some of the best restaurants are in Grand Case.
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How do Anguillians feel about tourists?
Anguilla residents do not resent or exhibit hostility toward tourists, and are never aggressive such as trying to sell you things. You typically will find Anguillians to genuinely welcome you to their island, and often they are interested and curious about you. There are many reasons for this friendliness toward tourists, including less economic disparity between visitors and residents than many other places. But perhaps the biggest reason is that tourism as a significant economic force is relatively new for Anguilla. Anguillians well recall when their fathers and brothers had to leave their homeland for long periods of time in order to support their families, typically by fishing or working on other islands. The tourism industry has enabled these men to stay home throughout the year because there now is full employment in Anguilla, whether directly working with tourists such as in hotels and restaurants, or indirectly affected by the tourism industry such as working in construction, banking, law, or health care. Anguillians are genuinely appreciative of tourists because they remember when the men all had to leave.
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Is Anguilla safe?
Anguilla typically is a very safe island. Nonetheless, like anywhere you go, it makes good sense to protect yourself and your possessions. We have provided many ways to do that, including excellent locks, five programmable safes, and a user-friendly but sophisticated security system that detects movement within the property boundaries and within the villa and guest suites. It’s very tempting in a paradise location such as Anguilla to forget the kinds of safeguards we use at home, such as locking doors and vehicles, but we urge guests to use the same common sense precautions they likely use at other times. Our property manager will instruct you in the use of the security system and whom to contact if you have any questions or problems.
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Will you answer my other questions?
If you have other questions, please contact us directly. We’re happy to answer any questions you may have.
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