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The villas at Altamer stand in a trio of distinctive, stark white modern buildings that hover above Shoal Bay West, overlooking the beach and point near the western end of the island. They offer the height of modern luxury in idiosyncratic Anguillan style. With their geometric and saw-toothed rooflines (taken from the triangular shape of Anguillan sails), they are very much part of Anguilla’s recent tradition of modern architecture and as ‘supervillas’ they are at the leading edge of Anguillan hospitality, with extremely high levels of service and cuisine. The three villas, each decorated slightly differently, on themes of Russia, Africa and Brazil, can be taken individually or together, accommodating up to 40 guests in all.
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KEY FEATURES
| A spectacular Anguilla resort, three villas built in abstract, almost geometric style, each with 5 bedrooms, up to eight rooms in the third, private chef, butler service, pool, hot tub, tennis court, some watersports, fitness centre, games room, digital sound system, conference centre. The villas can be taken individually or as a three together. Also restaurant on property (slightly separate). |
STYLE
| Stark white, abstract modern architecture, their modern tropical interiors touched with Russian, African and Brazilian decoration and artefacts. |
CLIENT PROFILE
| Wealthy travellers from all over who are used to extremely high levels of privacy and personalised service. |
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Altamer is the height of new-age Anguilla luxury. Its ultra-modern villas stand near one another, each four storeys high, three towers with bright white walls and square tinted windows. Set slightly apart from the three, but with the same serrated roofline, is Altamer’s restaurant.
The name, which trips so naturally off the tongue, is in fact invented, but gives a hint of the resort. Altamer is an amalgamation of Alta, meaning high in Italian (which at four storeys Altamer is, for Anguilla), and Mer, the French for sea, which of course is right there and spectacular, in true Anguillan style. The villa resort is definitely in the tradition of Anguilla’s striking modern architecture, an extraordinary assembly of geometrical features. And with its high style and top levels of service it is also at the leading edge of Anguilla hospitality. It is one of Anguilla’s ‘supervillas’.
Set near the western tip of the island, on Shoal Bay West, Altamer stands at the opposite end of the beach from the villa resort Covecastles. They were designed by the same architect, Myron Goldfinger, but while they are visibly from the same creator, Altamer has also clearly developed in the dozen years between their construction. The geometrical shapes have now been added to, with flourishes such as curved balconies and pools, and the rooflines have changed too. Now, in place of sweeping curves, they show a series of half cylinders, blocks and right angled triangles which take inspiration from the shape of Anguillan sails. The interiors were also done by June Goldfinger and are much less lean.
Altamer is also more in keeping with current leading levels of luxury in the island, as required by the most modern and demanding Caribbean traveller. The villas have every hi-tech amenity and an immense attention to detail, in design and service. Each of the three villas have a whole team of staff, including butlers and chefs, that are able to provide you with cutting edge service for the Caribbean.
The three villas at Altamer are each different in layout, reflecting their position on the beach (they do not overlook one another), but they each have the same terra cotta tile floors, massive white interior walls and wooden louvred doors, and on their facades, an acreage of tinted plate glass to give you the best of the view across to St Martin. The main furniture is rattan, outsize armchairs and sofas with arms at unusual oblique angles, bedheads made of rattan and spectacular under-lit, frosted glass dining tables, supported on rattan pillars.
They differ in their decoration, however. Each one has its own theme and colour scheme and goes by the name of a precious stone: the Russian Amethyst, the Brazilian Emerald and the African Sapphire. Sculptures, prints and paintings and other decorations are drawn from the various countries and of course their colour schemes are based accordingly in bright shades of, Purple, green and blue, on the silk cushions and covers.
There is a reception area to the resort, from which you walk to the rear of the villas and enter them into the main living space, with the Great Room, the main living area, to one side and the dining area on the other. Ahead of you, through the massive façade of tinted glass, is the pool and deck with sunloungers and hammocks. Beyond there is the sandy garden and eventually the beach. One of the villas has a grand piano at which you can be entertained if you wish, before or during dinner. The ceilings are double height, which gives the rooms a great sense of light, particularly with the huge expanse of white wall. Attached to the dining room is the kitchen, where the staff prepare meals and drinks.
The top two floors contain the bedrooms and the entertainment rooms, the layout depending on the villa. Each villa has at least one master bedroom, which is huge, usually with a double-height window looking out to St Martin. The masters are considerably larger and more spectacular than the other bedrooms, which can seem a little narrow by comparison (though in some case adjoining rooms can be made into larger suites), but which have tall ceilings into the triangular eaves roof space. They are all furnished in the same rattan, with beds and outsize armchairs splashed with bright colour. The bathrooms are made of marble, with huge double vanities, a shower, Jacuzzi bath-tub and Floris soaps wrapped in Italian fabric. If you do not want to be disturbed, Altamer has a Turkish version of the evil eye to hang on your door.
The entertainment rooms each have a pool table and bar, a number of board games and books and a cinema. The villas also have a fitness centre and they each have an office with high-speed internet links and wireless access. The other key feature to note is that the upper floors obviously have the best views. Whole walls of glass look out to the south, some for more than 180 degrees, covering the whole of St Martin five miles away and the sea either side.
Each of the villas has a whirlpool and sunbathing areas (in the Russian Amethyst this is on the roof). They also each have a state of the art sound system which carries throughout the house and has around 30,000 tracks in all sorts of different styles of music to choose from. Another common theme is the custom made cutlery and plates, made from silver inlaid with frosted glass, designed by June Goldfinger. The villas at Altamer are of course air-conditioned, but for those who prefer natural ventilation, the rear of the buildings have louvred doors that can be opened to encourage a through-flow of air through opened glass doors at the front. This area of Anguilla often has a breeze. Lastly, though it might seem a little unlikely for the Caribbean, the villas each have a lift, meaning that they are handicap accessible.
Altamer is set in six acres of sandy grounds that give onto a point, near the end of which is the restaurant, see below. Other features of the resort, also built in the same striking architectural style, include two tennis courts and pavilions and a pied à terre which can be used as accommodation for a nanny or a nurse travelling with you. There is also a full-equipped conference centre.
The owner and President of Altamer is Rebecca Eggleton. She is quite often on property and will greet you but then will generally fade into the background unless needed. She has lived all over the world and was intimately involved in the design and decoration of the villas, having travelled with interior designer June Goldfinger to the various countries to collect the artefacts that decorate the villas.
Conferences
The conference centre consists of one main board meeting room with seating for up to 30 and two break-out rooms. Facilities include computer projectors and screens, video-conferencing and high-speed internet access. A conference co-ordinator, IT co-ordinator and offered and secretarial services can be provided on request from US$15 per hour. Villa guests receive 20% discount on the conference centre rates which are US$100 per hour for the entire facility with a 4 hour minimum. The daily rate is US$800. |
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Beach & Swimming
Altamer is set on Shoal Bay near the western tip of Anguilla, a half mile curve of bright white sand. The beach is right in front of the villas, accessed through the sandy garden, and it gives onto a classic bay of blue Anguillan water. The beach is excellent for walking. Along it are just a couple of other places to stay and a beach bar.
The bay is often referred to as Shoal Bay West, in order to distinguish it from the other, busier beach of the same name. Generally when they say Shoal Bay people are referring to the other beach, which is on the north shore beyond the Valley.
Each of the villas has a large pool at their front, sometimes with a whirlpool next to it. They also have another whirlpool on their roof terrace. |
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Sports & Recreation
Some limited watersports equipment is provided by the resort, snorkelling gear and kayaks, but guests also have the option to go to Cap Juluca to use the watersports facilities there (at US$10 per person per day). There you will find windsurfing, small sailing dinghies and waterskiing.
There are two tennis courts at Altamer and of course each villa has its own gym. |
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Staff
There is a full time staff of ten in each of the villas, including two butlers, a chef and assistant. There is also a concierge and two housekeepers and then there are two groundskeepers. |
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The Villas
The Russian Amethyst (five bedrooms, six bathrooms)
Periwinkle and mauve colour scheme with tropical and temperate nature scenes by Jan Aronson, hand made Murano stained-glass light sconces, Turkish wall-hangings, Russian inspired silverware including candelabra. Please see here for Altamer’s own description of this villa.
The Brazilian Emerald (five bedrooms, seven bathrooms)
Green and periwinkle colour scheme, on a theme of carnival, triangular glass dining table for 14, grand piano, decoration includes carnival masks, a life-size birdcage and urns. Please see here for Altamer’s own description of this villa.
The African Sapphire (eight bedrooms, nine bathrooms)
Blue and green colour scheme, tribal wall features and sculptures dotted around the house. Please see here for Altamer’s own description of this villa. |
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Dining
Each villa has a professional standard kitchen and if you purchase in-villa dining then you will get a villa chef and assistant in addition to the butlers that work in the villa already. The cuisine across the whole resort is overseen by Maurice Leduc, a Frenchman originally trained at Maxim’s who has been in Anguilla for many years. Altamer will be in touch with you before your arrival to discover your preferences and work on a menu for your stay. An extensive wine list is also available.
Altamer the restaurant is set near the point at the end of the beach, a little removed from the three villas. It is set in a familiar stark white building, its roof four triangles chasing one another across the night sky. The tables are set indoors and out and the kitchen is on view through a glass pane. There is a private dining room with a ‘Chef’s Table’ for six attached to the kitchen itself. The atmosphere is similarly elegant to the villas and the furnishings are similar as well, with rattan armchairs and frosted green glass dining tables lit from below, set with similar tableware. The cuisine is fundamentally French with Caribbean features. Entertainment is provided by a pianist. |
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Weddings
Altamer makes a spectacular setting for a wedding. There is the privacy of a large villa to begin with, and the large spaces inside the main room of the villa and then outside as well, around the pool and overlooking the spectacular water offshore, where you can hold a gathering. And of course there is the space age backdrop of the villas themselves. If you take all three villas you can have a party of up to 40. The villas are set up for entertainment and they have trained staff. Lastly, any of the master suites at Altamer is a suitably grand place to spend your wedding night.
But Altamer also has a restaurant, which can make a slightly more formal setting for the reception or dinner. While you might hold a smaller rehearsal dinner in one of the villas, by prior arrangement Altamer restaurant can hold up to 100 guests for the main celebration itself. Finally, French executive chef Maurice Leduc can oversee all of the culinary arrangements for you. Originally a pastry chef, he is able to turn out some superb wedding cakes. |
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Practical Facts
Annual Closure dates: Open year round
Dress Code: Elegantly casual is the Anguilla way
Facilities: reception, restaurant, conference centre, 2 tennis floodlit courts with basketball hoops, 1 volleyball court
Complimentary: Concierge Service, Caribbean breakfast (fruit, assortment of breads, cereal), cocktail hour canapés, selected beverages (mineral water, coffee, tea). Beach volleyball, snorkelling gear, badminton, kayaks, cooking class for children or adults, wine tasting (wine extra). Billiards, table tennis, cards and poker chips, chess, DVD, Video and reading library plus over 30,000 songs on the music server
Other Services (extra): Island Tours and excursions, Piano lessons, Steel Pan lessons, Laundry and dry cleaning, high speed internet connection and WiFi access, Conference organiser, Secretarial and Executive Secretarial Services, Specialist IT manager, spa and beauty services including yoga and a personal trainer
Accommodation: Each villa, located on the beach, comes with its own
private swimming pool, hot tub, fitness centre, personal butler with 8 other dedicated staff (chef available if meal plan selected), home theatre, state of the art villa sound system, LCD TVs in all bedrooms and elevator
Children: Children of all ages are welcome. Complimentary cribs. Fence around the pool available on request. Scrapbook creation for young children (photography cost extra), children's entertainment such as building sand castles, crab races and treasure hunts, children's movie and games library
Weddings: Altamer provides the complimentary services of a dedicated wedding co-ordinator as well music, a pianist (at the restaurant) and live video feed over their website to all your guests from around the world that could not attend. You will need to be on the island for at least 2 working days before your wedding and register for a marriage licence at the Anguilla Court House. The legal fees, registration and administration costs will be about US$300. Otherwise, Altamer will make all the arrangements (extra) to order such as - minister, flowers, wedding cake, photographer, local or international musicians, hair and beauty, wedding favors and miscellaneous accessories, transport for guests not staying at Altamer etc.
Credit Cards: Visa, MasterCard and American Express |
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Rates
| | 28 Apr- 30 Nov 2007 | 01 Dec- 14 Dec 2007 | 15-Dec- 05 Jan 2007-08 14 night minimum | 06 Jan- 25 Apr 2008 | 26 Apr- 28 Nov 2008 | 29 Nov- 12 Dec 2008 | | Russian Amethyst 5 bedrooms | 27,500 | 38,500 | 75,000 | 42,350 | 30,250 | 42,350 | | Brazilian Emerald 5 bedrooms | 30,250 | 41,250 | 80,000 | 45,375 | 33,275 | 45,375 | | African Sapphire 8 bedrooms | 33,000 | 44,000 | 85,000 | 48,400 | 36,300 | 48,400 | | Pied a terre Extra accomm. with any villa | 4,000 | 6,500 | 13,200 | 7,150 | 4,400 | 7,150 | All rates are quoted in US$ per week, include Caribbean breakfast (fruit, selection of breads and cereal), selected beverages (coffee, tea, mineral water) and cocktail hour canapés. Rates are subject to 10% Government Tax and 10% Service Charge. Rates are subject to change without notice. To secure a reservation, a non-refundable deposit of 50% is required. The balance is due 60 days in advance of arrival, and 90 days over Christmas and New Year. |
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How to Book
If you wish to make further enquiries or a reservation, please use the WEB LINK or DIRECT EMAIL ENQUIRIES facility at the top of this page to make contact with Altamer, or if you wish to telephone them, please click on TELEPHONE CONTACT to reveal the number. |
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Locality
Altamer is located on the southern side of the island near the western tip. Although it is tucked away in its own bay, it is very much a part of the ‘West End’, where many of the big hotels are situated, and some of the top restaurants such as Blanchard’s. Don’t forget the other hotels when it comes to eating out because many of the best dining rooms in Anguilla are actually in the hotels. Try Malliouhana and Cap Juluca. Right on Shoal Bay itself you will find the small restaurant at Covecastles and a beach bar, which has simple food by day and good Italian fare in the evenings.
There is not much to do inland in Anguilla, but of course there are plenty of beaches if you want some variety from Shoal Bay (West). The busiest beach on the island is the other Shoal Bay, where you will find several classic beach bars and simple restaurants as well as watersports outlets. It can be lively on Sundays and holidays. Sandy Ground has less of a beach scene, but it can be lively at lunchtime and has a good mix of locals and visitors, and then it can also be very lively in the evenings. |
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Meet & Greet
You will probably arrive at the airport outside the Valley, whose runway has recently been accommodated to take private planes, but if you are travelling via St Maarten Altamer can arrange for you to be transferred by private motorboat, price from US$285 one way, depending on the size of the boat. You will be picked up from the marina opposite the airport, transferred to Blowing Point to clear Customs and then taken to the Cove before a short taxi transfer to Altamer. They can also arrange a VIP arrival service in which you will be met at the airport in St Maarten and escorted to the motorboat.
If you do arrive at the airport on Anguilla or independently at Blowing Point, staff from Altamer will greet you and arrange a taxi transfer. Fares should settled locally and cost US$20 for one or two people, with a surcharge for additional passengers, from Blowing Point and US$22 from the airport. |
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Getting Around
A hire car is always recommended with a holiday in a villa resort like Altamer. It is useful for visiting beaches by day and then (particularly in Anguilla) the restaurants in the evenings. It is a good idea to book in advance via your travel organiser or we can recommend Avis/Apex Car Rental. They will deliver to the property and issue your Anguillian driving licence, price US$20. Vehicles can be left at the airport or be collected from the property at a pre-arranged time on your departure day.
Be aware that around Christmas there can be a shortage of cars in Anguilla, so you are advised to book well in advance. Also book early if you want one for a week or more because the pre-booked rates can be better. Taxis are readily available through the reception at the hotel, through drivers who remain on property. No regular public bus service runs in Anguilla. |
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