The living area of one of the beachfront villas at the Viceroy Anguilla.
The living area of one of the beachfront villas at the Viceroy Anguilla.

The Viceroy hotel, Anguilla



The small island of Anguilla, in the British West Indies, is ringed with some of the best beaches in the Caribbean. Most visitors fly in via Antigua or go to nearby St Maarten and transfer by boat. The drive from Wallblake airport to Viceroy Anguilla takes around 15 minutes, its entrance heralded by an impressive avenue of 165 palm trees. The lobby, filled with contemporary art and handsome bellboys in loose grey uniforms with natty white hats, makes it clear that this is a luxury beach resort that takes style very seriously. Opened in November 2009, the Viceroy is the latest hotel from a collection that already has popular outposts of cool in Los Angeles, Miami and Aspen, along with a sister group of urban retreats, The Tides. The brand is currently developing properties in Abu Dhabi at Saadiyat beach and on Al Sowwah island.

Anguilla is only 25km by five km. Flat and dry, its white sand beaches are the prime attraction, backed up with high-class hotels and an exceptionally good restaurant scene. Most visitors are wealthy, including many celebrities who can relax here without attention. The Viceroy lies in the west of the island, set between two fine beaches, Barnes Bay and Meads Bay. Taxis are expensive and it is worth hiring a car for a few days to explore at your own pace.

The Viceroy has 166 rooms ranging from spacious doubles to ocean-view penthouses and five-bedroom beachfront villas with private pools. All have been styled in natural tones by LA-based designer Kelly Wearstler, who has drawn inspiration from seashore finds. My two-level rooftop studio offers a grandstand view over the main pool area with engaging people-watching. The marbled bathroom is generously sized, and the four-poster bed with Italian linen assures a sound sleep, but it is surprising to find no full-length mirror in such a narcissistic property.

Good by Caribbean standards - elsewhere it can be notoriously slow. A request for a "Do Not Disturb" sign is never fulfilled, but lobby and beach staff are chatty and welcoming. Wi-Fi is complimentary and a shuttle takes guests to the resort's private beach club two minutes' away. The Viceroy is family friendly with a Kids' Club and activities for teenagers. Jet skis are banned in Anguilla - after waiting just 10 minutes, I'm out in the bay sailing a Hobie Cat over the glistening waves.

Cool. The Viceroy attracts well-heeled guests, principally from the US, who are tanned, toned and dressed in on-trend resortwear. A plain T-shirt from the hotel boutique will set you back by US$60 (Dh220) and even the gardens must conform - at Kelly Wearstler's behest, the only permitted flowers are white. Housed in a luxury villa, the oceanfront spa complements the resort's high standards with a serene ambience and extensive menu of treatments including massages from $130 (Dh477) for an hour.

There are five dining options at the Viceroy, including the principal restaurant, Cobà, which is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and unexceptional. At night it is so romantically low-lit, waiters carry a torch to help guests read a menu that includes local dishes such as Anguillan crayfish ($38; Dh139) and jerk chicken with plantains ($35; Dh128). My Caribbean prawn curry ($38; Dh139) is underwhelming and dessert fans will be dismayed by a standard issue list featuring cheesecake, fresh fruit and ice cream. But don't worry, Anguilla has many excellent restaurants - for a list see www.anguilla-vacation.com.

The palm-shaded pools. Both the adults-only Sunset and the kids-welcome Point House pools are blissful. Dive in for a pre-breakfast swim, kick back on a sunlounger with an iPod, enjoy a drink at dusk - it all works as a replenishment for mind and body.

The ceaseless piped music. Groovy lounge beats are fine for the cocktail hour, but not at breakfast. What's wrong with the sound of the waves?

Anguilla's latest and largest hotel is a smart beachside sanctuary that will please the sun-seeking, style-savvy international traveller with deep pockets - but it offers a muted taste of the Caribbean. And what do Anguillans think? "It's great," reflects one storekeeper. "Now I can go to Miami without having to take a flight."

Double rooms cost from $715 (Dh2,626) including taxes. Viceroy Anguilla, Barnes Bay, Anguilla (www.viceroyhotelsandresorts.com; 001 264 497 7000).

Brief scores:

Juventus 3

Dybala 6', Bonucci 17', Ronaldo 63'

Frosinone 0

The five stages of early child’s play

From Dubai-based clinical psychologist Daniella Salazar:

1. Solitary Play: This is where Infants and toddlers start to play on their own without seeming to notice the people around them. This is the beginning of play.

2. Onlooker play: This occurs where the toddler enjoys watching other people play. There doesn’t necessarily need to be any effort to begin play. They are learning how to imitate behaviours from others. This type of play may also appear in children who are more shy and introverted.

3. Parallel Play: This generally starts when children begin playing side-by-side without any interaction. Even though they aren’t physically interacting they are paying attention to each other. This is the beginning of the desire to be with other children.

4. Associative Play: At around age four or five, children become more interested in each other than in toys and begin to interact more. In this stage children start asking questions and talking about the different activities they are engaging in. They realise they have similar goals in play such as building a tower or playing with cars.

5. Social Play: In this stage children are starting to socialise more. They begin to share ideas and follow certain rules in a game. They slowly learn the definition of teamwork. They get to engage in basic social skills and interests begin to lead social interactions.

The Al Barzakh Festival takes place on Wednesday and Thursday at 7.30pm in the Red Theatre, NYUAD, Saadiyat Island. Tickets cost Dh105 for adults from platinumlist.net

MATCH INFO

Liverpool 0

Stoke City 0

Man of the Match: Erik Pieters (Stoke)

What to watch out for:

Algae, waste coffee grounds and orange peels will be used in the pavilion's walls and gangways

The hulls of three ships will be used for the roof

The hulls will painted to make the largest Italian tricolour in the country’s history

Several pillars more than 20 metres high will support the structure

Roughly 15 tonnes of steel will be used

Secret Pigeon Service: Operation Colomba, Resistance and the Struggle to Liberate Europe
Gordon Corera, Harper Collins

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Manchester City (0) v Liverpool (3)

Uefa Champions League, quarter-final, second leg

Where: Etihad Stadium
When: Tuesday, 10.45pm
Live on beIN Sports HD

THE LIGHT

Director: Tom Tykwer

Starring: Tala Al Deen, Nicolette Krebitz, Lars Eidinger

Rating: 3/5

David Haye record

Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4

MATCH INFO

Real Madrid 2 (Benzema 13', Kroos 28')
Barcelona 1 (Mingueza 60')

Red card: Casemiro (Real Madrid)

Wydad 2 Urawa 3

Wydad Nahiri 21’, Hajhouj 90'

Urawa Antonio 18’, 60’, Kashiwagi 26’

Our family matters legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

MATCH INFO

Manchester City 4 (Gundogan 8' (P), Bernardo Silva 19', Jesus 72', 75')

Fulham 0

Red cards: Tim Ream (Fulham)

Man of the Match: Gabriel Jesus (Manchester City)