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Anguilla Hotel, Resort & Villa Reviews
Rendezvous Bay Hotel 03/25/2003
Reviewers Rating:  Great
It's easy to see why this matriarch of Anguilla resorts has scores of regular guests who return year after year after year. For one thing, it's got the best location on what I think is the best beach in Anguilla. Naturally the locals knew where to build and it seems somewhat ironic that the fanciest and most expensive resort on this fabulous stretch of beach has the worst location. Of course a bad location on Rendezvous Bay is better than some of the best locations anywhere else in the world, but still... While others complained of sand stinging their faces as they sat at CuisinArt, I was blissfully being buffetted by a gentle breeze that helped hold off the intense feeling of the heat when sitting in the full sun and kept me delightfully cool while under the umbrella. Another thing is because of the smart set up the beach front rooms are TRULY beachfront - three steps off your front porch and you're smack dab in the middle of some of the sofest, whitest sand you've ever seen in your life. Another 6 steps and you're entering water a color I can't even begin to describe. It's blueish green or greenish blue, it's sort of turquoise with an emerald green sheen - it's as crystal clear as a big glass of gin.
We had a downstairs room and while our view was somewhat impeded by a very large seagrape tree I liked the privacy it also offered us and it wasn't too hard to move my gaze by a few degrees and still have a fabulous view. The room is HUGE with VERY high ceilings - two sets of french , louvered doors lead out to your porch. We had a room with two double beds (which were very firm but comfortable), a small table with two chairs, a dresser, two bedside tables, another low table for the phone and two more chairs. There was also a small set of tables with a pretty fish mosaic tile on the top and a small refridgerator for drinks and snacks from Fat Cat Gourmet. There is a very large closet, an entry way with a luggage table and a large bathroom with a small outter room that has a sink and counter and built in blow dryer that works very well (I usually find hotel blow dryers wimpy, this one was great) . The bathroom itself could use some help - the shower curtain was "threaded" on the shower rod and was a pain to pull closed and the room could use a touch up of paint. It's typical of the time the hotel was built and it's fine but don't expect luxurious. Much like AGH the rust fairy has been thru this bathroom with her wand and left a few signs of age but nothing too bothersome.
The room itself was very nice - pretty and fairly bright, attractive and cool tile floor, great island colors on the furniture and bedding, ceiling fan and AC. My goal of finding the perfect spot with AC was ALMOST accomplished. Sadly the poor AC has a very hard time cooling off the huge room with the louvered doors - even though you can close them up - lets just say it's a leaky room (but there are screens and if you close up before 4pm you're pretty ok with the gnats etc.). If you can stand to have the room shut up all day it does cool off VERY well, but who wants to do that? (well, I did but my roomie didn't LOL). I also had my typical problems with making phone calls on Anguilla - they have a switchboard service at this point - but I understand from manager Bart that the phone system at RBH may soon be upgraded.
This brings me to the other best thing RBH has going for it - Bart van deventer. Bart is totally hands on - checks on just about every guest every day from what I could see and is always willing to help with anything. He even brought room service a few times when I ordered breakfast for on the porch. They do a great job on the room service - it's really nice to be able to eat on your own porch with that wonderful view. Bart is a wonderful asset to Rendezvous Bay Hotel and I'm sure is one of the reasons people have such good feelings about the place. The rest of the staff is also top notch.
I would go back to RBH in a heart beat. I enjoyed it very , very much. I like trying new places and might be somewhere else next year if I get to go at all but I know I WILL be back to RBH someday soon. It really feels like Anguilla there.
Ellen Dioguardi
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