Anguilla / Malliouhana

One of Anguilla’s original luxury properties is perched atop a dramatic bluff and rolls down towards the pristine sands of not one, but two beaches.

Plush, palatial and a little bit playful, Malliouhana seems more like a private members club than a hotel. From the moment you enter, the theme of sky meeting the sea is reflected again and again. There’s twinkling mirrored mosaic floors like water, entryways and doors allowing for a constant visual connection to the sea and meandering pathways through vibrant gardens that open up to blindingly blue ocean. Inside all is clean and light with splashes of pastel mint, mango and saffron, inspired by the effect of the water on Anguilla’s soft sugar-white sands. Expect cathedral-sized rooms, with nothing as vulgar as a TV screen in sight (they are neatly hidden in walled scalloped mirrors). Furnishings are a clever mix of Art Deco and rattan, chinoiserie and British colonial pieces – a bright low-key aesthetic that will make you smile.

A befitting player in Anguilla’s diverse food scene, we’d probably hazard to say it was "the" venue who helped raise the bar on the island with the opening of the first fine dining restaurant all those years ago.

Travel notes:

• 63 rooms and suites
• Overlooking Meads Bay and Turtle Cove
• Seasonal menu and themed cuisine presented across 2 restaurants
• Auberge Spa and a couple of infinity-edge freshwater pools, one of which is reserved for adults only
• Water sports, sailing and horseback swimming available