|
|
| |
Staff Choice: Cerulean, Anguilla
Up Close and Very Personal
By Heather Whipps
We work hard, but perks like this make the job well worth it. The manager of Cerulean had invited eight of our staff members to stay at the villa like a guest would, in order to better convey the experience. Stay three nights at one of the most luxurious properties in all of Anguilla? It was an easy sell. Everything about the whole trip would turn out to be easy, in fact, from the first moment they walked off the plane.
"They take care of you from minute-one, before you even clear customs in St. Martin," said Director of Sales Ben Tuff. "When we got there, there was someone waiting who escorted us past the huge line up. With our passports stamped, we hopped on the private taxi they’d arranged and sailed to Anguilla with Bob Marley playing in the background. It was a seamless start to a seamless trip."
Upon arrival at the villa, guests get a sense for what Cerulean, and villa holidays in general, are all about. Through the doors the staff waits, with a panorama of the beach and ocean spread out behind them. After first introductions—your bags, meanwhile, have somehow whisked themselves away into the proper bedrooms—the staff becomes invisible, always there when you need them but never intrusive. Baskets of warm towels appear, drinks materialize and mood music plays in the background. "They even left CDs of different music styles lying around, just in case we wanted to listen to jazz in our room at night or R&B by the pool," said Angela Franz, a member of our Villa Network department.
Nighttimes were usually their favorite times at Cerulean, when the lights would turn the house into a piece of architectural art and everyone would sit down together for a gourmet meal. Some of the crowd-pleasing favorites were blackened red snapper and a dish of fresh lobster, but all the food Cerulean served could compare to a five-star restaurant. Not only that, the staff would constantly have trays of cookies baking: there’s absolutely nothing like smelling fresh chocolate chip cookies from the beach! Speaking of...
  
"The beach was amazing," said Wade Manricks, a villa specialist who has traveled to many of the destinations featured by CaribbeanWay. "It was soft, the water calm and the most crystal-clear I’ve ever seen." The team spent a lot of time snorkeling and even went horseback riding along the sand.
Our staff was blown away by the service, for sure, but the house stood out on its own, too. Every bedroom at Cerulean has a unique theme and they all look out to the sea, meaning you’re lulled to sleep by the sound of the waves and little else. The living areas are great for entertaining: one of the most memorable nights was when the house manager hired a reggae band to serenade us during (another) gourmet meal. The musicians afterwards and played throughout the night, taking requests and leading sing-alongs while we sipped strawberry-guava daquiris. Now that’s a villa holiday.
Yes! I am interested in the Cerulean - send me more info!
What’s in a Name?
The name Cerulean sounds striking and exotic, but its origin is one that most people—especially those under the age of 12—should be familiar with. The villa was named after the Crayola crayon’s second most popular color, an aquamarine blue the company says is calming, soothing and relaxed. Appropriate, we believe. |
For more information on Cerulean and other villas in the Caribbean, please contact us:
Call 1-877-953-7400 or E-mail
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
