Anguilla, which has already made a name for itself as a paradise island with classy hotels and a leading destination in the region, is soon to have what has been described as “the Caribbean’s most exclusive residential resort.”

A Panoramic view of the Golf Course and St. Regis Residences

The description is no exaggeration because seeing is believing when one visits the 284 acre ultra high-end property, with the residential area spanning some 4,400 feet of beach front on the island’s south-west coast.

Artist impression of a completed estate home

The local media had an opportunity to see the project at firsthand recently when the Anguillian Director of Public Relations, Arnie S. Hodge, with the involvement of some of the top executives, arranged a comprehensive guided tour of the St. Regis Temenos property being developed by Flag Luxury Properties, a world-class luxury resort and residential community developer with headquarters in New York City. Obviously delighted for Anguilla, he described the project as “a remarkable development for its architecture, design and luxury,” and the media representatives readily agreed as they surveyed the breath-taking expanse before them.

One of the estate homes under construction

It is a stunning project which has transformed a once bush land, yet precious natural setting, into one of Anguilla’s most beautiful, inviting and preserved areas (the thatch palms traditionally used for brooms being significant plant life). The project comprises an already commissioned 18,000 square-foot Greg Norman 18-hole Golf Course and a 27,000 square-foot state-of-the-art Golf Club also in operation. The centrepieces are a big shopping area of fine clothes and golf equipment as well as locker rooms and the lovely upscale food and beverage Zurra Restaurant.

Project Managers representing Flag Luxury Properties

The project under construction comprises an array of estate homes and villa residencies providing 114 units of which 95% will be rentable by the owners as part of a four-building hotel of some dedicated 32 rooms within the St. Regis Manor area. There will be such ancillary service facilities as a state-of-the-art spa, two restaurants, a retail shop, beauty saloon, a children’s club, fine and casual dining areas, four tennis courts, a fully-operated laundry facility and a multi-layered swimming pool in addition to individual pools and other facilities at the residences.

Chinese chef in action

The gleaming white estate homes are the most advanced residential buildings on the property and many of them have already been sold, ranging in price from 7-13 million US dollars. They are indeed edifices of rare architectural design and beauty, standing against the sky-line like sentinels over the beachfront with unrivalled views of the Temenos Golf Course and mountains and rolling hills of nearby St. Martin/St. Maarten. Construction of the villa section, comprising smaller buildings, is soon to commence and should be completed in 12-14 months.

Chinese national enjoying television

According to Jeffrey Blake, Project Director, the development work is proceeding on schedule. Up to five of the estate residences should be completed at the end of this year, others by April 2008 and the remainder by the end of that year when the project should be officially opened.

Living area for chinese workers

The construction work is being carried out by some 800 workers employed by the Israeli company Asthrom (Anguilla) Ltd headed by Chief Project Manager, Ronan Arava, and Flag Luxury Properties. Mr. Arava likes to refer to the workers as ‘the United Nations workforce.’ This takes into account the fact that the employees comprise Anguillians, other Caribbean nationals, Chinese, Israelis and Europeans – all working together in harmony.

“United Nations” workers

Mr. Arava made the point that the 250 Chinese workers living on the property, but some distance from the actual construction site, were well looked after and there were no complaints. They are housed “in a nice neighbourhood” in converted containers with air-condition, hot and cold water and other modern conveniences to enjoy themselves after a hard day’s work.

Another view of the Chinese living quarters

There is a sprawling and separate dinning room with an overhead large television dish purchased in China and having up to 30 channels. There is also a large cooking area where breakfast and dinner meals are prepared by Chinese chefs while the company sees about lunch on the construction site. The media had the opportunity to see some of the cooking at Chinatown with one of the chefs methodically and gleefully stirring a huge pot of chicken under a bright fire while also attending a nearby big container of vegetables simmering under a low flame.

Mr. Arava told the media that the Chinese workers were being paid US$1800 per month which he described as being very good salaries both in China and in Anguilla. He said the paper work regarding the wages was shown to the Ministry and Department of Labour officials who were pleased with the pay arrangements.

Meanwhile, Mr. Blake, commenting on the overall work situation on the project said there were no labour issues and that everything was under control there. According to him, the biggest challenge was the enormity of the project in Anguilla and the large volume of resources, experience and expertise needed for the type of construction.

He stated that as the largest resort in Anguilla, the St. Regis Temenos project required a lot of workers and a lot of processes to ensure the quality of services and management consistent with the objectives of the project. He saw the possibility of many Anguillian workers now employed in the technical trades there being the first to be transitioned from the construction side of the project into the operations of the property later on, following the necessary training.

Like the Golf Club and the Golf Course, the St. Regis Temenos estate homes, villas, hotel, St. Regis Manor and other related structures will be nestled among the natural shrub environment of the area along with exotic plants and trees imported from the United States, many of which are currently in the property’s nursery under the watchful eye of Director of Landscape Operations, Kerry Knotts.

The project is further enhanced by an engineering feat whereby at least two natural but once dead ponds have been rejuvenated and flooded with sparkling clear water. This is in addition to a number of constructed and attractive water ways which criss-cross the great expanse of the property development.

There is every reason that the St. Regis Temenos exquisite property development will take Anguilla to a grander and more definitive position of influence, competition and attraction as a destination of choice in the up-market tourism industry. It is a prospect that should make all Anguillians proud.

An attractive promotional brochure on the property made this note-worthy claim: “At Temenos you will feel like an honoured guest at home with the signature service of the St. Regis Butler. All your needs are anticipated – ownership that is carefree, maintenance you can take for granted.

“At St. Regis Residences, Temenos Anguilla, seclusion does not mean isolation. In fact, Temenos was voted one of the ‘All-Time Favorite Destinations’ in the world, according to Town & Country Magazine’s 160th Anniversary Tastemaker Panel from around the globe.”

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