Staying at the Arawak-y

  The valley, Anguilla
Sunday, February 11, 2007

There are so many things I could say about the Arawak Beach Inn.  I guess I should start with what I realized in the end, which is that it isn't about the place you stay, it's about the people you meet.  I wasn't expecting to travel so far to meet two couples- and join the circle of friends- who lived just an hour away from home.  Nor did I plan on meeting two other great couples from NYC who also provided some great company during the trip.

But we'll get back to that.  Going to Anguilla is no inexpensive feat.  Many of the hotels offer their rooms for a thousand dollars or more a night, which is somewhat more than I am willing to pay for a place to sleep.  There are a few more reasonable options, and I had it narrowed down to two- one located steps from what is perhaps the best beach on the island, and the other, which was the Arawak.  

Like many of the hotels, the Arawak had a driver to pick me up at the airport.  The warm ocean air was intoxic ating, the conversation with other guests was entertaining, and the collection of the stuff no one was using anymore as we approched the Arawak was rather shocking .  The buildings were pink and aqua, just like the website, but with more missing paint and an overall run down appearance.  We were dropped off at the gift shop/restaurant/front desk, which would be the focal gathering point of the group for the duration of the stay.  The main building was well kept and followed the tropical theme.  Perhaps the biggest draw- the serve yourself bar.  You could help yourself to whatever as long as you jotted it down on the notepad underneath the seashell.  I'm sure this has provided for many an entertaining evening at the Arawak, as it certainly did during my stay.

As we made the way up to my room (I sprung for an upper room with a tv) the stairs began to wobble; I prayed they would hold up through my trip.  The room was spacious, but a bit worn, with the white wicker furniture no longer so white.  The towels in the bathroom had seen their better days, and, as I learned quickly, would not be replaced on a regular basis.  It wasn't a huge deal, just wished I had known ahead of time to plan accordingly.  The shower was a real trip- I had to hold the knob to the wall when I turned it on because I feared I would pull it out of the wall.  The shower drained only after I had finished showering, but my feet were quite clean by the end of the stay!  The only other thing that bugged me were the sheets, which were the clingiest, roughest feeling sheets I have ever slept on, and the pillows, which despite layering the two on top of each other, barely raised my head off the mattress.  But I could sleep with the window and door open or sit out on the balcony, with the sound of the ocean waves providing the background noise, so I'll stop complaining!

The best part about the Arawak was the food- breakfast was included with the stay, but I usually stuck with the fresh fruit (especially after finding my way to the french bakery down the road).  Most of the rest of the group (as there were nine of us that ended up meeting up for meals or at the beach) enjoyed a bit heartier breakfast.  People came from across the island to have the pizza, and I can understand why.  I enjoyed one of Maude's pizzas before making my way to the airport and I really wished I could have taken the leftovers with me.  But the best meal was by far the grilled lobster...it was fantastic!

So the rooms, not the best, but it was a place to stay.  I probably wouldn't have met the people I did if I had stayed anywhere else.  There were plenty of laughter and story telling and a few new friends, which is perhaps the best souvenier one could find.