A parade of balmy breakers rolls in steadily. Incidentally, most Caribbean hotels price their rooms the same for one or two guests. The island of Anguilla has more than its fair share of superb beaches, and a dozen or so are occupied by exorbitant resorts selling varying degrees of fabulous. There is no better sweep of pearly white sand on the island than Meads Bay, and although Anguilla's poshest landing sits at one end, just a stone's throw away is Carimar Beach Club, an unpretentious condo project wrapped around a garden. All have sea views and some sit on the sand.
Tennis courts are across the street, and a few watersports are available.
Carimar doesn't have facilities like a restaurant or bar, but you'll find three of the island's best dining rooms within a 10-minute walk. In exchange for the bare-bones infrastructure, the rates are reasonable. In summer, when prices drop 56 percent, there is no better buy on Anguilla than Carimar. If champagne is your style, but beer is your budget, a happy medium can be found at a handful of smart Caribbean resorts, ones that work hard to keep rooms full year-round yet still manage to deliver a dash of unfettered island style. But you, too, can cavort within shouting distance of Hollywood and New York power scenes without breaking the bank, at Village St. Jean, one of the island's most endearing hotels.