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In partnership with Belmond
On breeze-kissed Anguilla, Cap Juluca has pulled off a clever sleight of hand: conjuring Mediterranean savoir-vivre on one of the Caribbean's most beautiful beaches.
Sheltered between two rocky headlands on Anguilla's south-western coast, Maundays Bay's perfect crescent of powder-soft sand shelves into water so calm and clear that it changes hue throughout the year, shifting with the whims of the blue skies above. Here, Cap Juluca, A Belmond Hotel, stretches languidly between sea and salt ponds, where egrets, herons and pelicans stop to feed.
This is arguably the most beautiful setting in the Caribbean – and Cap Juluca's entire raison d'être. "The main attraction is the beach," says General Manager and Area Managing Director Eleonore Astier-Petin, "It's all ours and only ours." Every room, suite and villa faces the sea, each with its own sun loungers right on the sands. It's this sense of seclusion – and discretion – that's brought everyone from honeymooners to rock royalty back to these shores for close to 40 years. 
Cap Juluca's story began here in 1987, with the opening of Pimms restaurant – a Moorish fancy of arches and domes, perched dramatically over the eastern headland, that established the resort's architectural language. The original owners, Sue and Robin Ricketts, borrowed the name with permission from the most British of summer drinks, creating in passing one of the Caribbean's most distinctive dining destinations.
"Working with local fishermen," says chef Justin Hughes, "gives us a direct connection to the waters around us and allows us to showcase the quality and character of the island through our cooking." That character is evident in local delicacies, such as the familiar Anguillian dish of grilled red snapper, given an elevated Julucan spin with mussel coconut curry, braised greens and burnt lime. Sharing this passion for local flavours is award-winning chef Gregory Gourdet, whose Portland restaurant Kann was ranked No.27 on North America's 50 Best Restaurants 2025 list; from December 17-19, he joins the teams at The Cap Shack and Pimms for a three-day pop-up spotlighting the island's produce. 
As the dining spot's popularity continued to grow, guest rooms soon followed: low-rise, whitewashed villas taking their cues from the Ricketts' travels around Greece and Morocco, transporting arabesques, cupolas and shaded courtyards to this blessed stretch of the Caribbean. But the resort's appeal lies in more than just good bones. "We call it the Julucan spirit," says Astier-Petin, referring to the warm welcome that keeps guests returning, first with children and then grandchildren in tow. There's Gene, the head bellman of 25 years, who sees something shift and loosen in guests as soon as they pull up in the driveway; or Patson 'Patty', down at the toes-in-the-sand Cap Shack, bent on bringing her "If Patty's around, everything's good" motto to life every day. Each room, naturally, comes with butler service tailored to each guest's whims and needs.
Following the Belmond takeover in 2017, a sensitive renovation added a beachside infinity pool, Peruvian restaurant Uchu and Cip's by Cipriani, a trattoria taking its cues from traditional Italian recipes. A Guerlain Spa opened in 2024 with a singular mission: to help guests reconnect with themselves and with nature. Design highlights include the emerald-tiled courtyard and its central fountain inspired by the indigenous Arawak fountain discovered in Anguilla more than 1,500 years ago, as well as the Calichi Garden with its multi-temperate plunge pools harnessing the therapeutic powers of water. 
"At Guerlain, wellness is both a science and an art," says Sandrine Silvestre, Training and Quality Director of Guerlain Spas, explaining both the maison's perfumery traditions and its Longeviskin treatments incorporating high-tech cryogenics, plasma or ultrasound. One particular standout is the immersive Ocean Vibes, a face-and-body ritual exclusive to Cap Juluca, using ice bubbles and the rhythmic beating of an ocean drum to recall the rolling and crashing waves of the Caribbean.
Beyond the treatment room, a stay at Cap Juluca is a chance to connect to Anguilla's rich culture and laid-back pace of life. Early risers can cast a line from Maundays Bay with local fisherman Shawn Romney, who generously shares stories of his native island and secret fishing spots; in the drier months, curious guests can book a salt-picking excursion to learn about the industry that sustained the island long before its tourism boom.
Caribbean rum tastings are the perfect excuse to sample the region's one-of-a-kind spirits; come sundown, guests gather by the sea front to saber bottles of champagne and toast a day well spent. Even the welcome drink tells a local tale: infused with island herbs and served in bubbled blue glasses designed to evoke Maundays Bay and produced from Cap Juluca's recycling initiative. It's just one of the ways, says Director of Engineering, Fritz Smith, in which the resort "reduces waste, repurposes materials and makes thoughtful use of the resources already around us."
In a setting whose beauty depends on responsible stewardship, this considered approach is taking root. Next on the cards, for Cap Juluca, is the Contemplation Trail, reclaimed from a forgotten footpath that once ran alongside the hotel's internal road – a densely shaded, pleasingly cooler track leading to a serene clearing just made for mindful movement and self-reflection. It's this sense of inner peace, perhaps, that best encapsulates the Cap Juluca experience. "When guests are sitting on our beach," says Astier-Petin, "they experience nothing but bliss." Now that's something worth raising a glass of sabered champagne to.
Images courtesy of Cap Juluca, A Belmond Hotel
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