24-Hour Room Service: CuisinArt Resort and Spa Anguilla

It may sound like a catering company, but CuisinArt is in fact the most luxurious resort on Anguilla.

It may sound like a catering company, but CuisinArt is in fact the most luxurious resort on Anguilla. The land was bought by a businessman who also owns the brand of kitchen equipment after which the place is named. But what he has created is anything but functional. Turn off what passes for a main road, and prepare to be dazzled by the greenery and flowers that are splashed across the arid landscape. On the left of the main entrance is a hydroponic farm, where the hotel's herbs and salad vegetables are grown, and on the right is the spa. All around is pure luxury: cool verandas, comfortable furniture and a line of pools drawing the eye towards the beach.

LOCATION

CuisinArt Resort and Spa, Rendezvous Bay, Anguilla, British West Indies (00 264 498 2000; www.cuisinartresort.com).This beautiful bay is on the south side of the island, and although there are a couple of hotels and the Cap Juluca resort on the same bay, if you go in low season you could have the entire beach to yourself.

Time to airport: Wallblake Airport, the departure point for short flights to nearby islands, is six miles away, a journey of under 20 minutes by taxi($18/£9.50).

Time to harbour: Blowing Point, from where the ferries depart to St Martin, takes 10 minutes by cab, fare $16 (£8.50).

Transport: You could hire a car (try Island Car Rentals, 00 264 497 2723), or rent a bike.

COMFORTABLE?

There are a few rooms in the main building, but most are in the white, Greek-style villas along the beach - so if you are on the ground floor you can walk off the veranda straight on to the sand. Each room has a large bed, sofa, coffee table and desk. Sliding mesh doors keep the mosquitoes out, so you can drift off to the sound of the Caribbean lapping against the shore. The bedside alarm has a choice of equally relaxing sounds to wake you up. The bathrooms are enormous, with tubs big enough for two and a shower that could take a whole family. For luxury, try one of the two penthouses in the main building. There's no direct access to the beach, but the outdoor hot-tub is a compensation, and the main bedroom has two en suite bathrooms.

Freebies: Mineral water, colourful soaps, Rusk hair products and moisturiser

Keeping in touch: Each room has a combined television and video player, 50 TV channels (most of them in English) and a good selection of videos available for free. There are two phone lines and an internet point in each room, and a fax machine can be put in if necessary, or you can use the one at reception.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Doubles start at $550 (£290) in the winter (January-March) and $350 (£185) 1 May-16 December.

I'm not paying that: Try Lloyd's Guest House, a homely place atop Crocus Hill (00 264 497 2351; www.lloyds.ai); doubles from $102 (£54).