My wife and I stayed 4 nights in March, 2006 at Syd-Ans after reading a travel report on Anguilla in the Washington Post that referenced Syd-Ans. The price was very inexpensive especially for Anguilla, about $95 per night.

An important fact to know is that when you stay at Syd-Ans you are staying in a neighborhood; this has both pluses and minuses. The pluses are the friendliness and helpfulness of the neigbors who kind of hang out with Anne Edwards, the proprietor of Syd-Ans. Everyone makes you feel very welcome. The downside is that at times the noise level at night can be fairly high. One night of our stay a neighboring resident kept loudly imploring his wife to let him in, his loud pleas went on until 2:30 a.m. and made it difficult to sleep. There are other noise factors to also be aware of, the area of Sandy ground (where Syd-Ans is located) has the island's only cargo pier and trucks can come and go into the wee hours of the morning unloading cargo. The noise can carry across the salt pond that backs up to the Syd-An units.

The unit we stayed in was a called a "duplex", on the second floor, that type of unit basically consists of a large, high ceiling room with a loft for a sleeping area (Syd-Ans also has several other room configurations). The front door of the unit opens onto a small internal court yard area; the back door opens onto a balcony overlooking a large shallow salt pond. The downstairs area of the unit has a full kitchen and living room with tile flooring and a bathroom with a marble tile shower. The upstairs loft area had a queen size bed and a second bathroom with a tub and a shower unit. The unit was generally clean although there was a significant amount of deferred maintenance e.g. windows without screens or windows that won't open. The carpeting in the loft area was a bit worn but nothing really terrible.

The unit had ceiling fans but no air conditioning; however there was always a cool breeze off the salt pond in the back (after we managed to get some upper windows to open) so there was no need for ac. There was also cable TV for both the upstairs and downstairs TV; there is no telephone in the unit. All in all the unit was spacious and comfortable.

There is a beach at Sandy Ground, a few hundred yards away and although it is a nice enough beach my wife and I did not spend any time there since there are numerous fabulous beaches elsewhere on Anguilla. There are also a number of good and reasonably priced restaurants in the Sandy Ground area that are within easy walking distance of the Syd-Ans. The central location of the Sandy Ground area makes Syd-Ans a good location to stay at since all parts of the island are accessible. My own opinion is that Syd-Ans is best utilized as a home base for exploration of the island rather than a destination itself.

In summary, Syd-Ans is an incredible bargain if one has adjusted expectations. This is not a resort but a base from which to explore the island and it has its own idiosyncracies. Anne Edwards and the people at Syd-Ans are incredibly nice; so there is the added
benefit of seeing your tourist dollar going directly into the island economy rather than to a corporation running a resort. Overall, I can recommend Syd-Ans with the caveats described above.

Syd ans accommodation is in the perfect location for those who want a beach within 200 feet of the door and a choice of restaurants within minutes walk. It is a simple accommodation and this is clearly reflected in the price. However, for those who do not need the luxuries that many of the hotels offer, it is a perfect choice. I stayed there 3 times for 4-6 weeks at a time over the past few years. I now live in Anguilla full time. I think the location best suites younger travellers as it is in close proximity to the main night life on the island, that being Johnnos bar and grill on the beach, Ripples bar and restaurant and the famous Pump house which serves great food and has live music 3/4 nights a week.
Ann Edwards is hospitable but by no means on top of you. you can come and go as you please, it is extremely casual and for me this was perfect. She can organise car rental if necessary and has just completed refurbishments which take the interiors to a very acceptable standard.