KUANGUILLA

For most of the year a suite at Kú is available for just over £100 a night. For a hotel that aims to offer a blend of the minimalist cool of South Beach and the relaxed sophistication of St Barts, this is amazing value, especially on Anguilla, an island famous for its luxury resorts. The people behind one of those, Cap Juluca, bought the property, formerly a tired, self-catering concern, and gutted it. Adding gallons of white paint and container loads of lightweight white furniture, several reams of natural fabrics and a smattering of colourful cushions, they have created 27 spacious suites. Flooded with sunlight, they have a very acceptable contemporary ambience with TV/CD/DVD units and well-equipped kitchens (there is even a gleaming blender for homemade cocktail experiments). Shoal Bay is a brochure-perfect two-mile arc of white sand lapped by the Caribbean sea. Its pleasantly busy with local families at the weekends when reggae bands play at the beach bars and cafés late into the evening. Most of the time the beach is un-crowded and decidedly laid-back. Such ingredients are enough to provide a stylish setting for families or romantic couples wanting a great beach holiday at an exceptional price. But achieving its ambition as a cool spot for the party crowd will depend on word getting out, particularly about resident DJ nights at the open-air designer bar.