I had a good chuckle reading the reviews by the fraidy-cat couple from Philadelphia. I stayed there for a week last month and loved every minute of it. The Arawak is actually near the village of Island Harbour, within walking distance of the local supermarket, and a stone's throw from the village public school. Quite a few of the school kids walk over and have lunch. I felt perfectly safe the whole time, both at the Arawak, and on the island as a whole. In fact, every Anguillan that I met was very friendly, helpful, and happy to extend their amazing hospitality to visitors. One of the big plusses about the Arawak is that Shoal Bay Beach, which is truly one of the finest beaches that I have seen, is only ten minutes away by car. Maria, the manager, is a gem, and does a great job looking after your every need without getting underfoot. I felt no need for air conditioning and was very happy to sleep with all the windows wide open so that I could hear the sound of the surf, and if that appeals to you as well, you should request an upper deluxe unit. The pool is right outside the restaurant/bar area and is well maintained. It's nice to be able to have dinner on the teak patio furniture poolside in the evening, and enjoy the great view since you are only steps from the ocean. The dinners that I had there were all great - especially the grouper in a cream sauce - very nice. I can also recommend the lime cheesecake with choclate drizzle - I had to have that more than once! Maria makes sure the coffee is always freshly brewed, and you are free to help yourself to beer, wine, etc. just note it down, since it is via the honour system. The Arawak upper unit that I was in was great. The shower rod was tired and could use replacing, and the shower soap/shampoo caddy was getting rusty, but these are minor items and I am sure they will be upgraded in the near future. Maria ensures that the Arawak has the special feel of being with "family", rather than just another hotel guest. I am already making plans to return there next November.....
Room Tip: Ask for Stella in the NY booking office. She will look after you and also co-ordinate all your loca...
See more room tips
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC