When one considers an island escape, it typically goes hand-in-hand with blue waters, beachside chaise lounges, fresh seafood, and naps in the sun. Epitomized at the Four Seasons Anguilla, travelers who find themselves on the resort grounds will experience this and more when staying in one of the property’s luxurious accommodations.
Choosing from a selection of 181 rooms, suites, villas, and townhomes while on the island of Anguilla, guests will want to take the fullest advantage of the hotel’s offerings. For those in search of relaxation, the property’s spa and three pools should do the trick. If your vacation of preference holds a little more adventure, then water sports on the private beach, tennis, basketball, and rock climbing might be more your style. At the end of the day, guests can unwind over modern Caribbean fare at SALT (also open for breakfast and lunch), followed by drinks or dessert at one of the hotel’s other dining options like Bamboo Bar & Grill and Sunset Lounge.
To learn more about the magic of the Caribbean escape, Whitewall caught up with the Four Seasons Anguilla’s General Manager, Diego Angarita.
Diego Angarita, courtesy of The Four Seasons Anguilla.
WHITEWALL: You’ve been with the Four Seasons brand since 2001, but first joined the Anguilla property as its Resort Manager from 2016-2017. How has your experience since then led you to becoming the General Manager?
DIEGO ANGARITA: After that, I served as Hotel Manager of Four Seasons Beverly Hills from 2017-2020 and then, in 2020, returned to Four Seasons Anguilla to serve as General Manager. I love where I work and love what I do!
I would say my role is all about dealing with people. Anguilla’s secret recipe is the warm and caring people who live here. I love walking the resort and connecting with the employees. They are truly the difference makers. At the same time, the reason I love resorts is that I get to meet and spend time with guests from all over the world.
WW: How did the property work with Kelly Wearstler to achieve the design we see at the resort today?
DA: We are super fortunate to have been the beneficiaries of Kelly Wearstler’s incredible eye and talent for all of the resort’s interiors. Kelly is well known for her mastery of combining texture, color, and instinctual design elements and this is visible throughout the property from common areas to guest rooms. In true Kelly Wearstler fashion, the resort feels contemporary yet warm, comfortable, and authentically aligned with the vibe and energy of the island.
WW: Can you describe for us what guests can enjoy, explore, or experience at the property?
DA: The resort is truly heaven on earth! From the soft white sand to the turquoise blue oceans, there is no shortage of natural beauty to take in while lounging on the beach or by one of our pools. For the more active visitors, our complimentary amenities include snorkeling, paddle boarding, kayaking, tennis, rock-climbing and so much more. We also have an amazing fitness center offering spinning, weight-lifting, and personal training services. Our spa, which offers a variety of back, neck, foot, and scalp massage services as well as expert facials, also features an impressive variety of wellness practitioners in residence that bring their unique premium services to the island for a limited time. Most recently, we were fortunate enough to partner with Sarah Bradden of The Bradden Method, who offered our guests her cosmetic acupuncture, reiki, and light therapy expertise. Previous talent includes two-time Golden Gloves Boxing Champion, celebrity personal trainer Ngo Okafor, and British Olympian Louise Hazel.
Photo by Christian Horan, courtesy of the Four Seasons Anguilla.
WW: How do you recommend newcomers experience the property, and the island?
DA: The resort is incredible and offers access to some of the best activities there are on the island like snorkeling and fishing; however, no trip is complete without a visit to one of the Anguillan Keys! My personal favorite is Sandy Island. Here you can enjoy delicious local crayfish for lunch, go for a swim, snorkel, or just lounge on what feels like your own private beach in the middle of the ocean. There’s nothing quite like it!
WW: The hotel has delectable food and drink offerings. Our favorite was the rock shrimp tempura at Sunset Lounge. What are some of your favorite items?
DA: I agree with you that the Rock shrimp is incredible! We have such a wide variety of options throughout the resort that it’s hard to pick a favorite. Chef Manu has done a great job this past year in elevating the options and working with the local community. For that reason, I will have to go with the Vinty’s Salad from our Salt menu. Vinty’s Garden is a local vendor where our chef gets fresh veggies every day and, depending on the produce in season, Chef Manu will build the dish around that. Talk about Farm to Table at its best!
WW: What is your favorite space on the property?
DA: You’d have to see it to believe me when I say, the entire resort is something to marvel at. You really cannot go wrong wherever you are on property and whichever room you stay in. That said, I particularly love Sunset Lounge, it offers the best sunset views on the entire island accompanied by a delicious selection of cocktails and Asian fusion bites. Once a week, we also have live music here and the combination of the views, F&B, and live performances are just wonderful.
Courtesy of the Four Seasons Anguilla.
WW: What are some of your favorite spots to spend time in Anguilla?
DA: My wife and I love to start our morning off early with a walk on the beach with our dog Ulu. Barnes Bay beach is our favorite and we love to go for a swim early in the morning, you feel like you have the beach all to yourself!
WW: Is there any special seasonal programming this summer/fall we should know about?
DA: Throughout the year, the resort offers programming across different sectors including collaborations with top talent in F&B, wellness, fitness, and music. We recently partnered with Founder of The Bradden Method, Sarah Bradden, to bring her signature cosmetic acupuncture, reiki, and light therapy expertise to the island for the very first time and it was a huge success. Our next activation will be a culinary partnership with acclaimed Chef Kerth Gumbs, who will be making his homecoming by taking over SALT during Anguilla’s annual Carnival this August.
WW: What are you working on next?
DA: We’re thrilled to be working on our tennis clinic and to have the opportunity to collaborate with star athletes. We have such incredible facilities, so we’re always eager to do more with them! We’re also very excited to be bringing celebrity trainer, Ngo Okafor, back to the property during festival. His ultimate body transformation sessions will be available in both group and private settings and offer guests amazing access to best-in-class fitness training.
Photo by Christian Horan, courtesy of the Four Seasons Anguilla.
