First off, the staff were very friendly and helpful as far as they could be, but we didn't get a feeling of their going above and beyond what is expected. And the property is just a short walk to one of the most beautiful beaches on Anguilla -- at Meads Bay. That said, the actual condition of the property is just very tired and worn. It was probably quite a boutique place once, but now needs a big investment to bring it back. You don't get this from their photos but, once there, you start to see this close-up. Its not one glaring bad thing but lots of small things: broken screen slider in the room, AC too cold with no way to modulate it, low-end uncomfortable bed, light switches that don't appear to serve anything, knobs that come off the closet door, poor lighting in the room (loose bulb fixtures), many areas in need of paint, loose railing on stairs (safety issue), grounds in need of work, holes in the restaurant deck canopy, pool in need of cleaning, and roosters roaming the property and crowing at all hours (especially early morning -- before sunrise). I guess you get what you pay for, but this place wasn't exactly cheap either (actually, everything on AXA is $$$). We ate at the hotel restaurant a few times for breakfast/lunch and it was pretty good. All in all, Anacaona was a decent base of operations for getting out to see and experience the island. If you want higher end (and you'll pay for it) check out Viceroy, Cuisinart and Malliouhana -- all stunning.
