In June, I travelled on a fam (a travel agent familiarization trip) to the island of Anguilla, and stayed in the new Viceroy hotel. It was a real treat.
This is the first Caribbean hotel built by the LA-based Viceroy Hotel group, apparently with different styling from their other hotels. (There is definitely not a California-feel here.) As it says on their website: “Situated on 35 lush acres, with more than 3,200 feet of beach frontage along both Barnes and Meads Bays, Viceroy Anguilla evokes a relaxed yet polished Caribbean sensibility. The 166 superbly designed accommodations at the luxury hotel in Anguilla include private oceanfront villas, beachfront suites, and blufftop guestrooms, all with private pools.” See http://www.viceroyhotelsandresorts.com/anguilla/
And the Viceroy Anguilla truly is a luxury five-star hotel.
Apparently, the hotel opened to mixed reviews in 2009, and management has been working hard to improve service and continue to put the final touches on amenities. There was still some construction underway during our visit, although it was unintrusive. (For example, the spa was temporarily housed in one of their villas as it’s intended location was being completed. )
At check in, we were presented cooling cloths, and a refreshing drink. That attention to detail continued throughout our trip. 
The reception lobby offered views of the picture-postcard views of immaculate landscaping, sweeping to the ocean.
The sprawling resort does have the look of a bit of a concrete jungle when viewed from another hotel. (One of my colleagues compared it, unflatteringly, to a prison). However, there is definitely no institutational feel on the inside. The hotel and its finishings are spectacular. Walking into the lobby, you feel as though you were plopped into an ultra luxurious Miami or Indonesian resort.
The location is spectacular, and the gorgeous white-sand beach was surprisingly empty the week we were there. In between appointments, we relaxed at their barefoot Half Shell beach club (which offers drinks, snacks, and child beach toys too).
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I stayed in a four-bedroom villa with 3 other travel agents, and was shuttled to and from the main building in a little open-air vehicle. The accommodations were extremely spacious, luxurious, and invited full-on pampering. The pictures of our villa’s living room and the dining room are a testament to that.
I was in one of the three master bedrooms in the villa (the other bedroom was a spacious double children’s room), and had an outdoor shower, plus a huge bathroom with all of the amenities.
We had an infinity pool that I swam in each morning and night, taking in the peace and quiet, and enjoying the glorious view of the ocean. When I returned to my room, I had the same terrific view of the ocean.
After a busy day of touring, at night, we enjoyed rum drinks at the Sunset lounge. It is a wonderful lounge that offers breath-taking views of Meads Bay and Barnes Bay, and is a great location to unwind. The finishings are a little funky in the lounge, as they are througout the resort (driftwood pieces, and beaded African art), and at times there was a feeling of opulence, but everything is interesting, and apparently chosen to be conversation pieces.
The signature restaurant, Coba, offers a smorgasborg buffet for breakfast, and terrific finer dining for dinner – Anguillan seafood, and other traditional fare.
There are also several little verandah-type shoots off the main walkway between the lounge and main restaurant, too, and I saw several honeymoon couples enjoy private dining while taking in wonderful vistas.
There is no doubt that if you want five-star pampering, the Viceroy is the spot to be!
