Caribella Beach Resort
Six villas, one quiet stretch of Barnes Bay
Why Go
A pocket-sized cluster of two-bedroom villas tucked onto one of Anguilla's most photogenic west-end beaches, where daily life bends around the sea rather than a sprawling resort schedule.
The Experience
Caribella sits on Barnes Bay in Long Bay Village, a slim ribbon of powder-white sand and glass-clear turquoise on Anguilla's leeward coast. There are only six villas on the property, so days feel closer to a private beach house than a hotel: you unlock a fully furnished two-bedroom villa with a master suite, king bed, full kitchen and living area, wander a few steps to loungers with an umbrella already staked out for you, and the loudest sound is usually the surf. Housekeeping quietly resets the villa each day; cable and Wi-Fi keep the outside world in reach when you want it. The on-site Mango Bar & Restaurant handles the days you don't feel like cooking, and the resort will happily send you off to other beaches with their sand chairs in tow.
What to Try
Claim a shaded lounger on Barnes Bay early, then swim out over the reef fringing the north end (bring goggles — the visibility here is Anguilla at its clearest). Cook one dinner in your villa using fresh snapper or lobster from a local fisherman, and eat one on the sand at Mango Bar with a rum punch. Borrow the beach chairs and umbrella and go bay-hopping to Meads and Little Bay before circling back for sunset at home.
Insider Tip
Barnes Bay drops off quickly and can pick up swell in winter — great for stronger swimmers, less so for small kids. If the surf is up, walk two minutes over to the calmer, shallower end near the point, or drive ten minutes to Meads Bay for glass-flat mornings. And because it's a six-villa property, request a villa on the beach-facing row when you book; the difference in view is significant.
The Practical Stuff
Location: Albert Hughes Drive, Barnes Bay, Long Bay Village, on Anguilla's west end. Layout: six standalone 2-bedroom villas, each with master suite, king bed, second bedroom, full kitchen, living area, and beach access. Included: daily housekeeping, cable TV, Wi-Fi, beach chairs and umbrella. On-site: Mango Bar & Restaurant. Getting there: roughly 20–25 minutes by taxi from Clayton J. Lloyd (AXA) airport or from the Blowing Point ferry terminal. A rental car is strongly recommended — there's no walkable village and the best restaurants and beaches are scattered across the island. Reservations: call ahead to confirm availability, as the property has run limited operations in recent seasons.
Pair It With
- Meads Bay — Ten minutes east — the classic long, calm Anguillian beach with the island's best sunset dinners at Blanchards and Straw Hat.
- Mango Bar & Restaurant — Literally on the property; the easiest lunch or sundowner you'll have all week without moving the car.
- Little Bay — A hidden cove reachable by boat or rope-assisted scramble, perfect for a half-day snorkel trip using Caribella's loaner beach gear.
- Sandy Ground — Fifteen minutes away for live music at Elvis' Beach Bar and Johnno's — the counterpoint to Barnes Bay's quiet.