 |
| View from the balcony of the Three-Bedroom Penthouse Suite at Viceroy Anguilla. // Photo by Joe Pike |
Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts has announced plans to assume management of the Viceroy Anguilla resort and Travel Agent spoke to some Caribbean specialists to see how this news will impact tourism on the luxurious island of Anguilla.
“When I let my clients know about the changeover, they did express some concerns about how the atmosphere of the resort may change,” says Caroline Fridley Bracewell of Easy Escapes Travel in Atlanta, GA, “but I'm hopeful that Four Seasons will stay true to the original feel of the property, just adding their signature touches to offer guests an even more luxurious and personalized stay.”
Following the resort’s annual closure from August to October, the property will reopen as Four Seasons Resort and Private Residences Anguilla.
"I am excited to hear Four Seasons is moving to Anguilla,” says Ashley Walker, a luxury travel advisor with TravelSmiths, which is based in Point Pleasant, NJ. “Anguilla is such a beautiful, sexy island. People come there for the beach and the luxury resorts like Cap Juluca and CuisinArt (Resort and Spa). Four Seasons is a revolutionary hotel group in the industry. I think this will raise the bar for other hotels on the island.”
The new Four Seasons resort is on the island’s northwestern shore, with 3,200 feet of beachfront and unobstructed views of the Caribbean.
“I think this is a good thing and I'm excited to see what comes of it,” says Aurelio Giordano, a travel agent and owner of Ace World Travel, which is based in Brooklyn. “Viceroy is already a respected name among the boutique luxury hotel market. I believe the Four Seasons brand, also highly respected and established in the luxury market and centered around quality and the client experience, will only continue to expand on this for the future.”
Four Seasons Resort and Private Residences Anguilla has 166 accommodations, including dedicated resort guest rooms, whole-ownership beachfront private residences, 5,000 square-foot villas and vacation rental units.
“Four Seasons is one of the most luxurious names in the business, so perhaps this will generate a new level of interest and excitement,” says Camille Sperrazza, owner of The World Awaits Travel in Brooklyn.
There are also on-property restaurants, an 8,100 square foot spa, pools and watersport activities.
“I think the Four Seasons name will be good for Anguilla as the name is more recognizable,” says Katie Rahr Kapel, owner of Mode TRAVEL Agency, Inc., which is based in Fargo, ND. “I have to look into it further to see what changes are going to be done, but they are both luxury names.”
Travel Agent visited Viceroy Anguilla last year for our sister publication, Luxury Travel Advisor, and came to the conclusion that the location is what sets Viceroy Anguilla apart from other notable luxury resorts in Anguilla; it sits on two beaches, Half Shell Beach and Meads Bay.
We stayed in room No. 212, modestly sized with a king bed, flat-screen TV and a patio equipped with a hot tub and lounging area. For couples who don’t need all the bells and whistles, this room is a good fit.
"The Viceroy Anguilla is absolutely beautiful, has gourmet dining and is really trendy right now,” says Nicki Squittieri, an agent with Legacy Travel, which is based in Chicago. “So Four Seasons is certainly taking it over at the best possible time. I'm looking forward to seeing how this will play out."
Visit www.fourseasons.com and keep visiting www.travelagentcentral.com for all the latest Caribbean travel news. Be sure to follow Travel Agent’s Joe Pike on Twitter @TravelPike.