I used to do broader travel recaps, but given that when we travel to the Carribean we get so relaxed that we rarely leave the resort, I switched the title and focus of these reviews to focus on only the resort!
One of our favorite things to do for our annual winter Carribean trip is research resorts thoroughly and select our destination based on the place we find. This time it was easy — we had visited The Belmond St. Martin a couple of years ago and were obsessed with it. Since then we’ve been looking up other Belmond properties and Belmond Cap Juluca in Anguilla has been high on our list.
Getting There
Anguilla is a French overseas territory in the Carribean, located in the British West Indies. It is the most northern island in the Leeward Island chain, less than ten miles north of St. Martin and 200 miles east of Puerto Rico. Anguilla has a very small airport but we opted to fly to St. Martin rathter than connect to Anguilla through Miami. From St. Martin, you can take a ferry over (about a 20 minute ride) or a little hopper plane (about a 7 minute ride). Due to some weather complications on our way in, we actually ended up taking a plane on the way in and the ferry on the way back. I preferred the ferry — we booked a private ferry so it was a little boat all to ourselves and a very smooth experience.
The Belmond did not disappoint and was a 10 out of 10. Probably my favorite place we’ve ever stayed! Every part of this resort seemed designed to elevate the experience for every guest.
The Resort
The resort has 64 rooms and 44 suites. It never felt full or even remotely crowded. We saw other people at the restaurants for meals, but the days felt almost like we had the beach to ourselves.
It was built in 1988 and fully overhauled in 2018, the year that Belmond bought the resort. The architecture is unique with memorable Moorish-style villas. The best part is that the beach in front of your villa is reserved for you every day!
The Rooms
We booked a one-bedroom suite facing the ocean. It was spectacular. We loved the space in the room and the huge back patio overlooking the ocean. The closet area and bathroom was huge, and complete with a two-person bathtub and shower overlooking a little private garden!
The Amenities
The Beach
The beach wins here and truly, defines the entire stay. The resort is set on Maundays Bay which is a long, crescent-shaped stretch of coastline. Since it’s inset, it’s protected on both sides so you can’t see or hear any other resorts in either direction. It has powdery white sand with incredibly clear, calm water that feels almost unreal in color and texture.
Even better, though, is how it’s set up. As I mentioned before, every room is directly on the beach, with loungers already assigned, so there’s no early-morning scramble or crowding. Amazing!
The Pool
In addition to the beach, we also spent time at the pool. There is a small entrance pool on its lobby patio deck, and then through a cascading waterfall, it empties over an infinity edge into the lower pool that serves as the resort’s main pool deck. The main pool offers bench seating along the entire beachfront facing side to allow a perfect spot to look out over the ocean.
The Spa, Getting Around, and More…
We tried the spa and thought it was good but not amazing, given how off-the-charts everything else was. But, just after we left, Belmond completed and unveiled a top-to-bottom new spa which is sure to deliver. The new spa is co-branded with Guerlain and built around their skincare and wellness philosophy with polished, European spa feel. It has a full hydrotherapy circuit with hot and cold plunge pools, sauna, and even an infinity pool.
The property is easy to navigate, with bikes and golf carts available for getting around, though most of the main areas are within a comfortable walk.
One of my favorite things to do was drink champagne and watch the sunset every night from the lobby area — just gorgeous. I even got to sabre the champagne bottle myself, which was so much fun!
The Restaurants
Belmond Cap Juluca has four restaurants on site:
Pimm’s
Pimm’s sits directly on the water, and when I say waterside, I mean a handful of feet from the ocean! The waves creep close enough that you feel a part of it. It is super elegant and romantic and the cuisine is elevated Anguillan — Carribean classics with an international twist and a focus on the freshest seafood. We ate here a handful of times and enjoyed many things on the menu.
Uchu
Uchu has relaxed Carribean vibes with a Peruvian twist — light, flavor-driven dishes and a strong cocktail program centered around a great bar. The space is flexible with cozy seating indoors or poolside tables. At night the setting is really gorgeous with the the softly lit pool creating the atmosphere.
Cip’s by Cipriani
Cip’s is named after its sister restaurant at Belmond Hotel Cipriani, and carries through with a lighter Italian influence. We didn’t experience it at dinner, but it became our go-to each morning—set right on the water, with an amazing spread for breakfast.
Cap Shack
Cap Shack is the most relaxed spot on property—set right on the beach, with a casual, toes-in-the-sand feel. It has grilled seafood, lighter bites, and easy drinks. We ordered fresh lobster and it was to die for!
I was living my best life at Cap Juluca — it was one of those vacations that felt private, rejuvenating and a few days there felt like a week. I would return in a heartbeat. Until next time, Anguilla!
Cheers!
xx—BB
awesome review thank you so much this is so helpful!
So glad! Let me know if you have any other questions.
Great review! The resort looks like it did when I visited 30 years ago (in a good way). Can’t wait to return! What is the ideal number of days, ie. how many nights were you there?
It’s amazing that they have been such a special place to so many people for so long! We were there for 4 days and 4 nights, plus travel time. I thought it was a perfect amount of time. That said, I would not have complained to stay longer 😉
thanks for the review! which villa # did you stay in?
Ami, I’m actually not sure. They are all in a line, and I remember it being somewhere in the middle of the group of villas. I don’t think you can get a bad view there as they all overlook that same gorgeous slice of ocean in front of the resort!