Caribbean resort in which Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston stayed, Belmond Cap Juluca, opens after US$110 million makeover

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What’s the story? Since it opened in 1988, Anguilla’s Cap Juluca has become one of the Caribbean’s most iconic motels, way to its remarkable blue waters and high vicinity, inside the secluded cove of Maundays Bay. Under the watchful eye of owners Charles and Linda Hickox, the hotel has played host to Brad Pitt, Jennifer Aniston, Penelope Cruz, and Harrison Ford (now, that might be a beach volleyball healthy really worth looking at!).
The change came in mid-2017, whilst the couple offered the inn to resort group Belmond, which promenade­ised a glitzy US$35 million preservation and rebranding. Not lengthy after, Hurricane Irma hit and the project widened in scope. Fifteen months and a US$one hundred ten million preservation later, the motel is returned in the enterprise.

Water Sports
So what’s modified? Plenty! The hurri­cane – which became one of the strongest ever recorded within the Atlantic and took 134 lives – left little standing in its wake. The inn’s signature Greco-Moorish-fashion villa partitions remained intact; however, almost each­factor else, which includes a maximum of the free regions and gardens, changed into blown to bits.

It turned into most useful after a clean-up that concerned greater than 100 personnel individuals operating 24/7 for 45 days that reconstruction should finally start, in January final 12 months. The inn now boasts an outdoor terrace and a sea-view infinity pool; and the Arawak spa, com­plete with a yoga pavilion, health club, and seven all-suite treatment villas.

How about the rooms? The Moroccan-inspired interiors of the vintage are gone. The 113 guest rooms and suites had been redesigned in herbal tones, such as veggies and blues, with layout info that pays homage to island lifestyles in addition to artwork and tour. Bathrooms characteristic mini-courtyards surrounded by tropical gardens, while each room comes with a non-public veranda or bal­cony overlooking the ocean. The three- and 5-bed room villas encompass modern-day kitchens and private pools.

What is there to devour? Food is part of Cap Juluca’s heritage – earlier than it developed right into a hotel, iconic eating place Pimms stood in this spot, attracting travelers from neigh­bouring islands inclusive of St Martin, which is a 20-minute ferry experience away. Pimms nevertheless exist and now champions local substances (many discovered inside the chef’s garden out lower back), including salt, which is still hand-picked from the evaporation ponds that pepper the island, and Mauby, a drink made from tree bark.

For a greater informal experience, there’s Cip’s with the aid of Cipriani – the first after the original, in Venice – which features Italian favorites. The new pool terrace is home to Maundays Club, which serves traditional seaside fare with the aid of day. At night, it’s transformed into a graceful cocktail and Peruvian tapas spot whole with live song and a DJ.

The rustic Cap Shack, at the farthest, give up of the beach, serves clean seize of the day and barbecue tapas from a restored Citroën truck imported from London at the same time as reggae track performs in the historical past. Ah, island lifestyles! What else is there to do? Arrange a boating excursion to sister property La Samanna, on St Martin, or to discover the many islands that lie a little also across the Caribbean Sea, one in every of which is Scrub Island, domestic to the break of one of overdue Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar’s planes.