The Easter holidays often catch us out with two school-free weeks popping up out of nowhere. It always feels so soon after February half-term! But there was an itch I’ve been meaning to scratch for a long time and we finally made it happen this April.
18 years ago, after shooting a modelling campaign in St Maarten, my fabulous old friend Wendy (who was with me on the shoot) told me she was going to Anguilla to see her fella. “What and where is Anguilla?” I wondered. She invited me to join, so I spontaneously jumped on the boat with her. My jaw hit the floor at the pure, unspoilt beauty of the island, the happy, generous people and the most beautiful beaches I’d ever seen. I had wanted to return ever since seeing a shooting star whilst there, and wishing to come back one day with my own little family.
Finally it felt like time, and the perfect excuse to swap grey skies for turquoise water and properly unwind as a family with old friends. We traded home for an altogether slower-paced and sun-soaked experience: a week in Anguilla with Inspiring Travel.
What followed was a dreamy mix of beach-hopping, boat days, great food and just enough adventure to keep everyone — from adults to kids — very happy.
✈️ Sunday: The journey & island arrival
There isn’t a direct route from London so getting to Anguilla is part of the adventure.
We flew from London to Princess Juliana International Airport, St Maarten via Paris with Air France, landing on one of the most famous runways in the world — low over the beach, with planes roaring just overhead the perimeter fence. The plane had a birds-eye camera attached, viewable on the inflight screens so you can see the approach, which the kids just loved.
From there, it was a short transfer to the ferry terminal and across to Anguilla, arriving into Blowing Point Ferry Terminal via Funtime Charters, who serve complimentary rum punch for the 25 minute voyage. Don’t mind if I do 😉
A quick taxi later, we arrived at the iconic Malliouhana Hotel, perched above the ocean with sweeping views and that immediately tranquil “We’ve arrived!” feeling.
Even better, we had arranged car hire in advance, which was delivered straight to the hotel by Hertz Dollar Firefly — a seamless experience and essential for exploring the island over the next week.
🌊 Monday: Beach life begins
Waking up at Mallihouana was a dreamlike scenario; the crashing waves below our adjoined rooms invited us on to the balcony to take in the view across the ocean before breakfast.
Mallihouana has an incredible history. Upon discovering Anguilla in the 1980s, British businessman Leon Roydon founded the island’s first luxury destination above Mead’s Bay with Giorgio Armani the first guest to stay in residence.
All somehow escaping severe jet lag with a surprisingly decent sleep, we were the first down to breakfast at the cliff-side Celeste by Kerth Gumbs restaurant.
The bubbly Miss Kissy was to be our host each morning, who our kids took to very fondly. The breakfast menu was incredible with options such as steak and eggs, shakshuka, giant omelettes and even a curried lobster bowl. Naturally, our brood opted for pancakes every day.
Our first full day set the tone for the week: slow, sunny, and centred around the sea.
A quick turnaround and we headed to Meads Bay beach — a picture-perfect stretch of soft sand and calm, clear water — and spent the morning at Nim’s Nook, a sheltered bay below the hotel.
Lunch was at Leon’s at Meads Bay, a relaxed beachfront restaurant that’s part of Mallihouana (and named after the revered founder, of course) with grilled snapper, pizza and poke bowls. No reservations required, free pool tables to keep the children entertained and sun loungers/hammocks on the beach too.
That evening brought something a little different after dinner: a Celestial Stargazing Experience from the Celeste restaurant balcony at Mallihouana. With minimal light pollution, Anguilla’s night skies are incredible — and spying the stars through the powerful Unistar Odyssey Pro telescope was a surprisingly magical highlight for us all, with popcorn and punch to boot.
⛵ Tuesday: Boats, cliffs & island flavours
After another leisurely breakfast (with the daily world newspapers curated into neat print outs by Mallihouana), we headed out on the water with Funtime Charters, hosted by the fabulous Dylan and Bryan. A short car journey to Sandy Ground in the middle of the island is where many boat journeys set sail, with Johnno’s seemingly the unassuming car park.
Boat days are where Anguilla really shines. We explored hidden coves, the famous Anguilla Arch rock formation and stopped at Little Bay for a (slightly daring) cliff jump by my eldest son and snorkelling. We then ventured on to the paradise beach in the middle of the ocean, Prickly Pear Cays, and spent hours swimming in impossibly clear and clean water.
Back at the hotel in the afternoon, my husband and I rotated childcare as we enjoyed incredible massages at the Mallihouana Spa and a poolside lunch at Bar Soleil, taking some well-earned downtime before sundowners at the gorgeous infinity pool for sunset.
For our first dinner out and about we chose Picante — a lively, flavour-packed Mexican spot that delivered a fun change of scenery for all with build-your-own tacos, cocktails and a great merch store on the way out for souvenirs and presents. It was also my first chance of the trip to see Wendy! I hadn’t seen her since my wedding in 2014. My kids were so excited to meet her and together with her local knowledge, we schemed some good plans for the rest of the week.
🚗 Wednesday: Exploring the island
Midweek, and after 3 fabulous nights at Mallihouana it was time to check out and get ready to check in to our second hotel experience. But first we wanted to see more of the west side of the island. We swapped boats for wheels and hired a beach buggy from Moke Anguilla — an instant hit with the kids and a fun way to explore before heading to the east of the island for the rest of the week.
We made our way to The Coral Club on Rendezvous Bay for lunch, where calm waters and a long stretch of sand made it ideal for a relaxed afternoon. It was uncrowded and very relaxed, and the crayfish lunch was superb! Absolutely recommended for an alternative stop-off point.
Later, we checked into the incredible Zemi Beach House, our second destination of the trip, set on the dazzling white sands of Shoal Bay. Depending on what type of hotel set-up you prefer, our two experiences were both brilliant at each end of the spectrum. Whereas Mallihouana has an intimate, relaxed and boutique aura, Zemi provides the larger scale offering with beach, pool, bar and restaurant in close proximity.
Dinner that evening was Caribbean Night at 20 Knots restaurant within the hotel — colourful, live music and a great introduction to local flavours with grilled lobsters, exotic salads, jerk chicken and a huge range of desserts. The perfect introduction to our new retreat.
💆 Thursday: Waterparks & wellness
Our room set-up at Zemi was the Two Bedroom Penthouse Ocean View with Kitchen + Pool. There was plenty of space for us including a generously sized kitchen, living room, storage, three bathrooms and even a rooftop plunge pool. We felt right at home straight away.
Thursday struck a perfect balance between family fun and total relaxation.
The morning was spent at Aurora Anguilla Water Park, where slides, lazy rivers and splash zones kept the kids entertained for hours. Refreshingly it wasn’t overly crowded or chaotic like many water park experiences we’ve had in the past. We could always see the children and the onsite restaurant was great for a simple and quick lunch.
In the afternoon, we slowed things right down at the spa back at Zemi’s Thai House Spa, home to a beautifully restored 300-year-old Thai House — an unexpectedly serene setting for incredible massages and relaxation.
🌊 Friday: The ultimate boat day
Our final full day was the kind you wish could last forever!
We met with Wendy at Sandy Ground. Together with Captain Jel and First Mate ‘Bounty’, we headed out on their trusty boat, Good Living, for a full day on the water — complete with a Seabob (basically an underwater scooter, and a huge hit with the boys, pretending to be James Bond all day).
Stops included the striking Anguilla Arch again for a group picture, Little Bay for some snorkelling, the pristine sands of Sandy Island where I recreated the same photo Wendy took of me 18 years ago, and the tiny, characterful Scilly Cay — a floating island restaurant in the middle of the ocean for one final crayfish feast.
Dinner that evening was at the highly recommended Blanchards Beach Shack, a casual, family-friendly eatery, and exactly what we wanted for our last night with Wendy and Jel before the voyage home the next day.
🌅 Saturday: Goodbye (for now)
All good things come to an end. For now at least.
After checking out of Zemi Beach House, we made our way back to St Maarten by boat with Funtime Charters, retracing our steps complete with a final rum punch. We were all sun-kissed, salty-haired, and already missing island life. We will be back!
Final thoughts
Anguilla is one of those rare places that manages to feel both luxurious and completely laid-back — perfect for families and old friends who want a memorable mix of relaxation and adventure together.
From boat days and beach hopping to stargazing and barefoot dinners, it delivered exactly what we needed: quality time, warm weather and a chance to properly catch up and switch off.
And while it may take a little more effort to get there, it’s more than worth it. Thank you to Inspiring Travel for helping us piece together the most perfect itinerary and treasured memories for life.
Inspiring Travel’s expert Travel Specialists tailor make luxury holidays to create the dream trip for every client. To create your perfect Anguilla holiday, visit their website or call the team on 01244 729 525.
For more information about Anguilla, check out visitanguilla.com.
Louise x
*Ad/PR/Discounted Stay, reviews and advice are all my own.