Can I ask where in Little Harbour? We stay on the east side (opposite from Cinnamon Reef).

There were 4 separate projects underway when we were on Meads Bay in November and when they start the building on Rendezvous, that will be a mess, as well.

The exact villa we were in is Fletch's Cove which is a beautifully designed one bedroom villa on two floors with a pool and a carefully navigated path down to a small beach. However the beach has a house going up on the side just yards from where you are meant to lounge.

The construction is everywhere so I write to point this out to anyone coming in the forseeable future to check on their accommodations and then check again--then keep checking up until the day they are leaving because conditions change rapidly.

We have pictures of the heavy equipment and construction sights that are near the villa in question. I wasn't advised of the severity of the construction in the area directly affecting us and I want to be sure any one else looking in this area has the facts. I hold no ill-will towards the owner or Anguilla, which we love. I want everyone who visits the island to have the best time they possibly can and return.

MaryGG,

Could you tell me what are the four projjects going on on Meads Bay? We're staying at Turle's Nest next week and I know that is one of them.

Thanks, Sun Nut

There's a villa development going up next to Bananas (used to be Cocoplums); Viceroy broke ground for condos/villas next to Turtle's Nest while we were there; Turtle's Nest is putting up the 2nd building & swimming pool (they had just started the 2nd floor when we were there -- it will be 4 stories); and, the villas between Frangi and Turtle's Nest were still under construction in November -- they have since been finished but when we were there, the decks, pools and landscaping were not done. I think the villas on the other side of Frangi are about to be started. Good thing Meads Bay waves are so darn loud!

There is also the Viceroy project at the tip of Meads/Barnes Bay.

Would not recommend staying at Caribella, it is right up to the site, noise from the trucks moving around from 7 am, only stops 1 hour for lunch until evening. Thanksfully the sound of the waves drowned out the "beep beep" for us when we stayed at the far end of Barnes.

We are leaving tomorrow for Fletch's Cove. Needless to say, we are quite concerned after reading your message. Our main reason for going to Anguilla is to have a quiet and peaceful vacation.

Any advice? Where is the "alternate accomodation" that you found? Did you get any help from the villa manager and/or the owners?

I would like to echo Kathy,s post as I have just returned from Anguilla on 2/18. In renting my villa in the Sea Rocks area, I had access to the ownners website which had a photo of the villa from the sea showing empty lots on both sides of the villa. This was a concern, since last year my villa in Cabo haqd an empty lot next to it(which,thankfully, had yet to be developed). Before I signed my lease, I confronted my rep at the villa rental agency about my concerns about development adjoining my villa and was assured that there would be no construction. When I arrived with my group, I was stunned to find a completed villaon one side and new constuction on the other. As we had arrived after the normal workday hours,we remaimed hopeful. At 7:00am(on a Sunday) my worst fears were realized and I lost it. Iwent to the site, confronted the crew, and they left until 9:30. I then started making phone calls. The villa rental company hid nder their desks; I never did hear from them. Their concierge on the island(who was a subcontractor) did respond. Iwill not bore you with the details but after looking at the only comperable villa available(unacceptable), A financial adjustment was reluctantly agreed to. It did not make the noise any less distracting(at 7:00). On Wed. they began their activities at 8:30, which was a bit of an improvment. Beware, there is no seasonal building restriction in place on Anguilla. Aside from the obvious, I loved Anguilla. The beaches were off the charts, the people very nice and once we had the food buying thing figured out we had some very nice meals at the villa. I would like to return to Anguilla, But I would require an ironclad constuction out clause rider attached to my rental aggreement.. I wonder, not being compurt savvy, whether one could Google Earth a particular site and would the be current enough

To Black Lab Nickie,

The manager and ownder were NOT helpful at finding alternate accommodation. The rental agency did make a couple of phone calls with no results. The actual rental agent was not on the island so her colleague made a couple of calls but I felt this was inconvenient for her to do so, although she seemed very sympathetic to my plight I was told they could do nothing and it was between me and the owner of the villa.

It took the owner an entire day to get back to the property manager and deliver the news that we would be held to a 3 night non-refundable situation. As we had been on the island once before I was aware of properties and made calls myself. We were able to find a unit at Carimar that was available, but ended up at Cuisinart which we enjoyed. As you would expect there was very little availability in high season.

The ownder had offered us a small discount upon my insistance a few days before we arrived. No discount makes up for the fact you hear banging, hammering and workmen's voices in close proximity to your high priced villa.

I have heard that supposedly we were there at the time of the most noise--lucky us. I hope you have better luck.

Surfcity 04, I do not believe any villa owner would enter into an agreement where they guarantee no construction takes place in the immediate vacinity of their property and they really have no control over adjacent properties and what or when they do their construction. The owners can present an honest assessment of the current situation and help the renters to find alternate accommodations.

ctkathy--

We were entertaining staying at Fletch's Cove a year from now...while I expect the construction to be completed next door, how will the new buildings/homes impact privacy around the pool. We like it private, with no prying eyes.

Earl