Review: Zemi Beach House, LXR Hotels & Resorts

Why book?

Zemi Beach House is an approachable yet luxurious hotel for travelers who want to unplug and lay out on the beach for a few days.

Set the scene

Anguilla has long been considered an ideal destination for travelers looking for a sunny, sophisticated getaway—and part of its appeal is that it’s relatively less-expensive than neighboring St. Barths, but more secluded than nearby St. Martin. Located just 10 minutes from the Clayton J. Lloyd International Airport, Zemi Beach Hotel is situated on six acres of Shoal Bay East, one of the island’s most coveted beaches. During my stay, I passed couples strolling the beach and families with young kids lounging at the pool. Though the hotel is popular with families, guests traveling sans children can opt for the serene, adults-only pool that’s set back from the beach.

The backstory

Zemi Beach House, LXR Hotels & Resorts is Hilton-branded, but privately owned by the Goldstein Family in New York. The hotel was built in 2016, and welcomed to the Hilton’s LXR Hotels & Resorts family in 2019, as the first property in the Americas under the Hilton luxury collection. Despite the hotel’s size, the boutique property feels like a Hilton hotel chain; the contemporary Caribbean aesthetic includes teal-colored couches, beach umbrellas, pillows, and glassware. It may seem a bit on-the-nose, but set against the dark wood furniture and white-washed exteriors the result is clean and cohesive.

The rooms

Like the rest of the hotel, guest rooms are nature-inspired with teal accents, anchored by queen and king-sized beds with stone-carved or wicker headboards. The natural feel extends to palm-frond fans; nautical-inspired art adorns the walls. Generously sized bathrooms have glass walk-in showers and deep soaking tubs, and the suites come with washers and dryers. Standard rooms start at 600 square feet, and my palatial one-bedroom suite came with a full kitchen, living and dining room, and wrap-around deck with a sexy plunge pool that overlooked the water.

Food and drink

You’ll want to make reservations at Stone, the resort’s fine dining venue for the miso black cod and the chef's specialties like spiced citrus cod. After dinner, stop by the Rhum Room for rum and dessert pairings curated by Princess Anthony, the bar’s gregarious “rhummelier.” There's also 20 Knots, the hotel’s all-day casual restaurant—try the Johnny cakes dusted with cinnamon sugar at the breakfast buffet, and consider the ceviche or generously stuffed New England lobster roll for lunch or dinner. For live music and themed nights (Saturday sushi-and-jazz night is popular) stop by the Bohio Bar & Lounge, which draws an older, kid-free crowd. The resort isn’t an all-inclusive, but dishes are fairly priced (most entrees under $35). The 24-hour room service was quick and convenient, and pasta, soups, and sandwiches were available around the clock.

The spa

Thai House Spa was the highlight of my stay. Living up to the name, it's partly constructed from a 307-year-old Thai house that was shipped here from Thailand and reconstructed on-site. It includes a Hamman (a Moroccan bath house) room that was the first of its kind in the Caribbean. The hour-long exfoliation and mud bath followed by a 50-minute massage was sublime.

The neighborhood/area

Outside of the resorts and residential neighborhoods on Anguilla, the island can feel almost barren, but an absence of casinos, cruise ports, or high rises is the island’s calling card. That's all to say, there’s not much within walking distance of the resort, but if you can pull yourself away from the hypnotic waves, take a taxi to Mead’s Bay for some of the island’s most popular restaurants: Blanchard’s, a long-time favorite among visitors and locals, was founded by an American couple; a menu highlight is the crispy braised short shank served alongside garlic naan. There's also Straw Hat, a patio restaurant where you can enjoy a heaping portion of peas and rice topped with curried goat while watching the passing yachts.

The service

Service at Zemi Beach is friendly and attentive. Guests were routinely greeted by their first names, and the staff seemed to be in good spirits when guests were out of sight. With St. Barts and St. Martin so close, some popular excursions include day trips to the neighboring islands along with fishing charters and sunset sails. You can also arrange to have the concierge print your boarding pass since the Anguilla airport doesn’t take mobile boarding passes.

For families

The resort has a kids program with a dedicated playroom of age-appropriate activities like puppet shows and jewelry making. Connecting rooms and in-room babysitting are also available.

Eco effort

The hotel runs exclusively on solar power during the day thanks to a newly installed solar farm. Low-consumption LED lighting is used across the property, and the resort also allocates two percent of profits to restoring Anguilla’s coral reefs.

Accessibility

Though there are ramps alongside the stairs, elevators are small, only accommodating two to three people at a time, and could be an issue for wheelchair users.

Anything left to mention?

Many pool cabanas here are complimentary, which feels indulgent, and because the premium suites have private, heated plunge pools, the main pools never feel crowded. Wi-Fi is strong across the resort, so working at the resort is an option—if you must.