My husband and I stayed here for 6 nights, which flew by like nothing!

We arrived at the Anguilla airport and there was someone from the resort with a sign, and she put us in a taxi right away.

When we got to the resort, we were immediately greeted by the GM Stephane, and he greeted us warmly. They handed us a cold towel and he had one of his employees give us a brief tour. They offered us a rum punch, which was nice also.

Room: We stayed in a junior suite and it was very spacious. The bathroom and its amenities were nice. Many a night there was no hot water, but it didn't really bother us, since it was quite warm outside. The king sized bed was actually two twin beds pushed together with a connecting thing in the middle. My side was fine, but my husband's side was slanted and he didn't get good sleep. I thought it was quite funny, and when we mentioned it to the desk person, she chuckled and said she would look into it (I doubt she will).

Room Service/Housekeeping: Everyone for the most part was pleasant and friendly. They do have a more laid-back attitude to things in Anguilla and it took some getting used to for us. The staff seemed to operate slowly at times and I can't quite put a finger on it, but they were polite and indifferent at the same time. You sometimes can get a sense that they are weary doing their job and are almost forced to be nice to you because you are a guest. Service at the restaurant was pretty slow and they seemed to drag their feet.

You mark when you want breakfast (if you choose to eat the continental breakfast on your balcony) and I think 3 out of the 7 days we were there, they got the time wrong (came too early). The turn-down service was sporadic also. We didn't mind because we didn't need new towels everyday. The concierge was helpful and friendly and provided us with all the info that we needed. On the beach, they set up your beach chair for you, with towels and they bring you chilled bottle water. They also come by with complimentary sorbet with biscotti around 3, which was a nice touch.

Food: The breakfast consisted of croissants, fresh fruit, juices, coffee, etc. The food at Cafe Meditteraneo was consistently fresh and the flavors were good. The salads were good and they take great pride in their hydroponically grown veggies. People might think that the food in Anguilla is grown organically, when in fact, they get much of their food (meats, fruits, etc.) from elsewhere. Food overall on the island is very pricey and we went into it knowing that was the case. They also automatically add on a 15% gratuity at most of the restaurants AND on the minibar items. My husband and I think due to that fact, there's no incentive for the servers to try hard, but overall, service wasn't too bad. We stocked up on snacks at one of the local markets. Be careful of checking your final bill at checkout because like another guest had previously written about, they tried to charge us for something regarding the minibar, and had we not caught it, we would have paid for something we didn't even eat.

Grounds/Beaches: The landscaping is really beautiful at Cuisinart. The flowers and plants provide a great environment. The gym, albeit small, is nice, with state-of-the-art equipment. The pool is small, but we didn't even spend that much time there because we were always at the beach. The beaches of Anguilla were the main reason we decided on Anguilla and not the other handful of places we had researched. It lived up to the expectation. The water is turquoise blue and the white sand is so soft beneath your feet. The water is warm and ideal to swim in and there weren't any rocks or anything. It is a little windy, but it actually felt really nice and had there been no wind, it would have been really hot. We also visited Shoal Bay east and the beach in front of Ku was also spectacular. The sun is hot and in spite of wearing SPF 45 sunscreen, both of us still got burned. Use a generous amount of sunscreen! There's a dog that is a resident of the beach at Cuisinart and he'll come and jump onto your beach chair when you're sunbathing. If you're not a dog lover, this is an unpleasant and rude surprise, but most of the guests didn't seem to mind him. At night, wear bug spray because my husband and I both got bitten by either sand flies or mosquitoes. They provide Bug Off at the resort.

Rental car: We got a car through Avis and had no problems driving around. You get used to driving on the left side of the road. There are some bumpy parts of the island, but overall, it was fun getting to see the locals and the school children running around in their uniforms. Even though there is a lot of development going on with more nice resorts and villas being built, the majority of the island is spotted with half-built homes, dilapidated buildings, etc. We wanted to purchase some souvenirs for people, but could not find anything to buy (I ended up getting a small keychain from one of the Cuisinart stores for $12. HAHA) When we went to St. Maarten, there was a lot of shopping there. BTW, the ferry ride there can be bumpy and rough (the waves, coupled with the fumes) and my husband and I almost got seasick. It's not really a "ferry," but more like a boat that carries a handful of people. There are a bunch of restaurants in St. Maarten too. When getting gas, be careful because people will try to rip you off. They offer to pump your gas for you and then quote you a random price. We told the lady to fill up the tank, and she claimed she couldn't fill it up anymore, so we paid her. But when we started the engine, the meter hadn't even budged.

Overall, everything was expensive and some things were not worth the price IMO. It was hard to stomach the prices sometimes, but we felt the beaches made up for any shortcomings and walked away with no regrets.

My husband & I (couple in our early 30's) stayed at Cuisinart from May 24-30. Do not believe the negative reviews that are posted here. This is a beautiful hotel with excellent service.
We stayed in a junior suite that was huge and was steps from the beach. The continental breakfast on our patio was wonderful. The hotel grounds are well kept. The spa is being expanded but we did not hear any construction noise. We used the fitness center which has great equipment.

While we liked the hotel, we probably would not stay here again. Not because of any negative experience, mainly because this hotel is quite expensive, but we spent very little time there except to sleep and shower. We also did not eat any meals at the hotel.

Trip report: flew into SXM and took the Funtime charter ferry ($70 pp one way) to Anguilla. I highly recommend this. Rented a car from Ronnie Bryan - very nice guy with reasonable rates. We ate at dinner at Bananas (twice), Smokey's, Picante and Un Amore (pizza place). Bananas is great and has a beautiful view. Spent most of our time at Shoal Bay. The beach at Cuisinart is nice but very windy at times. Shoal Bay is very calm and has good beach bars. We had lunch at Gwen's, Uncle Ernie's and Elodia's. Food was good. Gwen's makes a great Pina Colada. (Note: drinks at Cuisinart are expensive - 2 frozen drinks = $24, on Shoal bay you can get better tasting drinks for $5 each). Took a day trip to St. Maarten which was fun.

We loved Anguilla and definitely want to return. Next time we would probably stay at Ku on Shoal Bay. We met people that were staying there and they showed us their room. The rooms there are big & clean, plus have a kitchen area.

Overall, excellent trip. Cuisinart is a great hotel, and I would definitely recommend it.

Just returned May 31 from a week stay. Almost all of the rooms are junior suites with balconies and are oceanfront. We got upgraded to a 1 bedroom which as mentioned in a previous review is terrific:it is the size of 2 junior suites with 2 baths and located on the top floor. For a junior suite I would highly recommend a 2nd floor unit with the "06" number. These are end units and are non-connecting.

The beach is perfect and there is a constant breeze which is welcomed on hot days. Unlike previous reviewers, we found the staff to be very friendly and we were constantly greeted with smiles. I truly believe that those reviewers who found the staff unfriendly are the types of guests who expect the hotel staff to treat them like gods.

There is construction at 2 locations at the resort: the spa & at the opposite end of the resort near Building 10. The noise at the spa can be heard sometimes while you are at the pool, We were staying in building 10 and did not hear any noise inside or on our balcony.

FOOD: Lunch: Mediterranio, Zurra & Dune Preserve
Dinner: Oliver's, Straw Hat, Tasty's, Veya

All in all, a truly blissful stay. We will return!

I made my third trip to Cuisinart in May. Despite the fact that I am a fully functioning member of society, my feelings for this place may be starting to take on a form similar to a drug addiction. First trip several years ago was fantastic and my love for this special place continues to grow. I am certainly picky, consider my standards to be pretty high, and for the life of me cannot understand some of the negative reviews that have come up in the past several months. I urge those thinking about a stay not to be dissuaded by the negative reviews and give it a try.

For more deep details, pls see my review posted after trip last year (5/22/07) as I would reiterate all those positives this year as well.

*Grounds are immaculate (and the flowers make the place smell amazing).

*Beach is pristine. I found service on the beach to be just right. Chair, towel, umbrella set up was quick and attentive. Attendants came around several times an afternoon to check on drinks. They have added extra cushioning to beach chairs that make them a bit more comfortable than in the past.

*Food is excellent. My opinion is that Cafe Med is to die for-fresh grown herbs and veggies make even the most simple salads heaven. If you don't see exactly what you want on the menu, ask. My experience was that the staff was pretty much willing to make whatever you wanted off the menu (within reason of course). If you are looking for a non-alcoholic drink and like Lemonade make sure to ask for it. They will make it fresh and it was the best I have ever had. Don't miss the Tues night Lobster BBQ, YUMMY, with a broad variety of choices.

*In the past have stayed in the jr. suite. This trip was in the 1 bedroom suite -- WOW. All the rooms were huge and nicely appointed (didn't make a bit of difference to me that the TV was not a flat screen -- despite the fact that I have them at home I never even noticed those in the room weren't flat screen until reading someone else review -- I maybe watched the news once -- why watch TV when you can sit on your balcony looking out at the beach and most beautiful ocean in the best "High Definition" there is?). Right off the master bath there was a private patio with outdoor shower and sunning area. Needless to say I am now obsessed with outdoor showers at all hours of the day and night. As with all the suites this room had a balcony right on the beach, was just 3x the size of that with jr. suites. Housekeeping services were perfect. Timing was always perfect and job done was top notch. One point that really impressed me was that our room had two foldout futon beds that were being used. Each day housekeeping would strip sheets and fold them up, and then in the evening while we were out they would come back and make everything up again. Never had to call and remind anyone to do this. This is the type of little thing that goes a long way with me.

*I found everyone from the front desk staff, to the bell hops, wait staff to housekeeping, beach attendants to groundskeeper, to be warm, friendly and funny (query whether those with a different opinion made any effort to appear or be friendly themselves).
The staff really seem to enjoy their jobs and have a good time working together, which makes for a very nice atmosphere. This trip I had the pleasure of meeting the GM Stephane. At least on the day I checked in it appeared he made the effort to personally greet all the guests checking in. And if you don't meet him at check in, you can rest assured you will some time thereafter as he is out and about the grounds interacting with guests throughout the day. Really appears to have great care that everyone has the best stay possible and it is this kind of attitude, coupled with the fact that he is in your face accessible, which in my view puts this place over the top.

*The addition to the Spa is still under construction. Only one afternoon while working out in the gym did I hear any noise from the construction, so I would not let the construction factor into any decision making.

A few quick tips:

Nicky, massage therapist at the spa, is a god and worth every penny.

If (like me the past) you have never been a believer in the hair of the dog theory, take a walk on the wild side and don’t miss a Bloody Mary made by Garvey at the beach bar – changed my life.

Don’t miss a Hobie Cat ride with Morise, he is a great sailor and it is FREE! Don’t wait till the end of your trip as once you do it you will be mad you didn’t partake earlier.

Walking distance down the beach is the Dune Preserve, a beach bar music spot. Live Reggae Sunday afternoons is a lovely way to spend the afternoon without leaving the beach.

If you make it over to Shoal Bay East (gorgeous, gorgeous beach on a different part of the island with a different scene than the quiet beach Cuisinart is on) make sure to stop by the beach bar at Ku Resort. Bar is literally right on the beach and the resident bartenderette, Marva, is a blast and makes a mean Rum Punch. Food is good also.

If you want to hear some great live music and dance a few calories off, don’t miss Pump House on Thursday and Saturday nights.

Finally, for those not brave enough to venture the car rental thing, call Morette “Mo” Romney – 264-476-2633 – honest cab driver that will take great care of you and is good for a lot of laughs.