My wife and I arrived on Anguilla and were promply met at the ferry terminal by our taxi driver that Royal Palms arranged to transport us. Upon arrival at Royal Palms, we were greeted by Mary Busby and her daughter, who assisted us with our luggage and let us choose what room we wanted. We choose the top floor (3rd) for the view but have to admit that the stairs can be tiring, especially with groceries. We rented a car from them as well and filled out the registration form and temporary drivers license. I should note that they did not ask for a credit card and was not required to secure my reservation with one either. That shows how easy going and laid back it is there!!

We had been traveling all day and the sun was going down. We wanted to go to a grocery store to pick up some basics for our room, which all have a full kitchen. Mary was kind enough to have us follow her to the grocery store so we didn't get lost! After about 30 minutes of shopping, to my surprise Mary was still there waiting on us to lead us back!!

The apartments are very comfortable, clean and well maintained. The balcony overlooks the pool and Rendevous Bay, with St. Martin in the distance. Rendevous Bay, in my opinion, is the best beach on Anguilla, although I have not seen them all. No crowds and generally calm waters being on the Caribbean side. It is about a 3 minute drive from Royal Palms.

I would definately recommend renting a car while visiting Anguilla. I would also recommend renting an SUV, as most of the roads are in bad shape and some are only dirt that are very bumpy. We explored all over the island and it would have cost a fortune to do that by taxi.

This was one of the best trips we have ever taken and we will definately be back! Without a doubt, we will again stay at the Royal Palms.

In a couple of weeks, we'll be leaving for our fourth trip to Anguilla in four years and our fourth stay at The Royal Palms. My parents have been going every year for almost a decade. That should tell you all you need to know.

The Royal Palms is, for us, about as close to perfect as you can get. The owners, Tracy and Mary Busby, and their delightful staff have created a place that, from the moment you arrive, feels like home . . . except with better weather! With just six units, it's wonderfully quiet, casual and relaxing, but it's run and maintained with the efficiency and attention of a much bigger place. Need something? Anything? Tracy and Mary can get it for you. They've done just about everything you could imagine for us at some point over our many visits: car rentals, cribs, waterwings, driving permits, recommendations on restaurants and secret beaches, a ride to the ferry. Their daughters have even babysat our kids. And you just know that all of this is done not because they think it's good for business, but simply because they think it's good. That's the way they are and that's the way it always is at Royal Palms.

If you're thinking about a trip to Anguilla, I could not recommend this place more highly.

With about 3 weeks notice that Jimmy Buffet was playing a small charity concert in Anguilla, I was determined to get my parents (parrot-heads) and siblings there to see the show. Anguilla, being a tiny island hosting a popular event, didn't seem to have a hotel room left. I had scoured the internet for options without luck, and finally called the Chamber of Commerce in Anguilla (which I'm pretty sure is a one-man operation). The person there referred me to the Royal Palms which had several rooms open!
I was concerned as to why everything was booked, but the Royal Palms, and then I became a bit more concerned because when I compared the price of the Royal Palms to the prices of the sold out hotels. It was SUCH a deal--almost too good to be true.
Well, it turns out it wasn't too good to be true at all. It was fabulous. The 3 level pink building, had six villas and a pool. Everything was shiny and new. The building is not waterfront, but on a hill and had a very clear view of the ocean, and neighboring island St. Marten. Our unit had a master bedroom with bath, and an additional bedroom with another bathroom. There was a sizable living/dining/kitchen area, and then a very sizable balcony with table that sat 4 and a chase lounge.
The property manager arranged to have a driver pick us up from the dock and gave us a warm welcome on arrival. We actually had one additional person come with us and when she learned this she had another bed brought into the unit immediately. We were even offered a personal tour of the island by her--although my Philly based parents were overwhelmed by her island friendliness (which I thought was great) and declined.
We were able to rent a car that was owned by the villa, although it was pretty terrible. Rusty, and the auto lock was broken so every 5 seconds you would hear "click!" which got annoying. However, it did get us around the island without a problem which was all we really needed I guess.
The concert was held at Bankie Banks Dune Preserve which ending up only being a 3 minute drive from our villa. Bankie is a Caribbean reggae favorite and hosts several musical events there through the year. Also pretty close was the Sandy Ground Village which had several dining options, and is where we picked up our sailing charter on "The Chocolat" which was probably the highlight of the trip, and not the Jimmy Buffet concert.
If you are staying in Anguilla I would highly recommend The Royal Palms. Especially for a family because the unit which accommodates 5 or 6 is far less expensive that most of the hotels and possibly twice as nice.
The only thing I would warn about in general (an praise Anguilla for at the same time) is that Anguilla is a very very rustic island. My parents whom are more partial to cruises, Disney and other staged environments, were a little out of their comfort zone. The roads are 95% dirt, at night it is dark and much of the island is genuine wilderness and a little rough looking. On the other hand, the beaches are pristine and a genuine paradise. Bring your own snorkel set and go anywhere along the coast and your will find yourself surrounded by tons of tropical fish. Their are numerous places on the beach, especially around shoal bay, that have great cabanas for rental (like 5 to 10 dollars for a day) and bar service with restroom facilities. We lounged under straw thatched umbrellas, drank rum punch and walked along sand that it looked like no one else had ever walked on...

My husband and I, and my sister and her husband stayed for a long weekend at the Royal Palms. I did not expect such a pleasent experience. I call them condo's, and they certainly felt like a very well maintained condo. The service was excellent, the setting was private and peaceful and most of all it was affordable on an island with such prohibitive prices. I have passed on this secret to only my closest friends because I really want there to always be room when we return. Thanx Tracy