Anguilla GST: 13% of headline
Anguilla introduced a 13% Goods and Services Tax on short-term lodging on 1 July 2022, replacing the prior accommodation-tax structure. The line is itemized on the contract and collected by the villa operator. The island has no income tax, no capital-gains tax, and no property tax beyond a small stamp duty; the GST is the principal lodging tax. On a $42,000 weekly headline, the GST line is $5,460. On a $135,000 Christmas-Week trophy headline, the GST line is $17,550.
Service charge: 10 to 15% (operator-dependent)
Anguilla operators typically invoice a 10 to 15% service charge on top of the headline. WIMCO runs roughly 12%. Onefinestay runs 10 to 12%. The Quintessence Villas portfolio runs 10%. Direct Meads Bay and Barnes Bay managers typically run 10%. Verify the line on the contract. The service charge supports the full-staff bench and is not a gratuity; staff gratuities are an additional line.
Full staff: typically included in the headline
The standard Anguilla luxury villa includes a daily housekeeper, a second housekeeper at the six-bedroom-plus band, a gardener, pool maintenance, a property manager or butler, and an in-house cook in the headline rate. The trophy estates (Meads Bay beach-front, Cap Juluca-adjacent) typically also include 12-hour security, a houseman, and a dedicated concierge. Cook is the unusual market inclusion; food cost is the buyer’s line. Verify the staff bench in writing before signing. The villas that do not include a cook (roughly 25 percent of the reviewed inventory) run $300 to $700 per service for an in-and-out independent chef.
Chef food cost: $80 to $180 per person per service
On the villas that include the cook in the headline, the food cost is the buyer’s line. Plan for $80 to $180 per person per night depending on protein (Anguillan crayfish, snapper, line-caught wahoo, US-imported beef, lobster on the in-season days), wine, and breakfast or lunch service. For a family of ten across five chef nights, food cost typically lands between $4,000 and $9,000. The villa cook does the shopping at Vista Supermarket or the smaller specialty grocers; the manager handles the wine through Le Vinier or the Roy’s portfolio. The wine line runs higher than US mainland equivalents because of import duties; plan for $50 to $120 per bottle on standard well wines.
Restaurant nights: $90 to $260 per head
The Anguilla restaurant line is moderate-to-strong by Caribbean standards. Veya (Sandy Ground) runs $160 to $260 per head before wine. Blanchards (Meads Bay) runs $140 to $220. Tasty’s (Long Bay) runs $90 to $140. The Cap Juluca Cip’s by Cipriani runs $200 to $320. The Malliouhana Bar & Restaurant runs $140 to $220. The Four Seasons Aurora runs $180 to $280. A family of eight at Veya with reasonable wine lands between $2,000 and $2,800. The reservation lead time at Veya and Blanchards runs eight to twelve weeks at Christmas Week, three to four in shoulder.
Sport-fishing or sunset charter: $1,800 to $5,800 per day
A 32 to 38-foot sport-fishing day with captain and mate runs $1,800 to $3,200 plus fuel ($200 to $360) and 15% tip. A 45 to 55-foot Hatteras or Bertram charter with two crew runs $3,800 to $5,800 plus fuel and tip. A sunset cruise on a 50-foot catamaran (Funtime, Calypso) runs $1,800 to $3,200 for the boat. Many editorial-list villa concierges arrange the day; book through the Sandy Ground or Blowing Point operators rather than the dock walkers.
SUV rental: $120 to $260 per day
An SUV rental from Andy’s, Bryans, or the Bennie’s desk runs $120 to $260 per day during Christmas Week. Anguilla is a left-hand-drive island with British driving rules. A temporary Anguillan driver permit ($25) is required and is handled at the rental counter. Self-drive is the working pattern on the island; the road network is short (Anguilla is 16 miles end-to-end) and well-paved. A second SUV for the week runs $560 to $1,200.
SXM transfers: $400 to $800 each way (private water taxi)
Anguilla has no commercial jet airport. AXA serves only small regional turboprops (Anguilla Air Services and Trans Anguilla operate the SXM-AXA shuttle at $120 to $180 per person each way). The standard arrival pattern is St Maarten (SXM Princess Juliana International) with a 25-minute private water taxi from the Blue Beach terminal at $400 to $800 each way for up to eight passengers. The Marigot scheduled ferry runs $35 to $50 per person. The St Maarten ground-plus-ferry combination from SXM (Calypso Charters, Funtime, GB Ferries) runs $200 to $480 per group of six. The villa concierge coordinates.
Pre-stock and provisioning: $800 to $2,400
Arrival provisioning (oils, vinegars, bread, wine, breakfast supplies for two days, Caribbean pantry staples) runs $800 to $1,200 for a family of six and $1,400 to $2,400 for a group of twelve. The villa cook or property manager coordinates through Vista, Best Buy, or Marie’s. Most well-run operators offer the pre-stock service as a standard inclusion.
Staff gratuities: $800 to $1,500 per staff member per week
Anguilla villa staff are paid through the operator at the editorial-list tier. A cash gratuity on departure of $800 to $1,500 per staff member per week is the practice at the Anguilla tier, materially higher than the Cabo or Mexico market. For a six-staff villa on a seven-night stay (two housekeepers, gardener, property manager, cook, occasional butler), plan for $4,800 to $9,000 in cash gratuities. On a 14-night Christmas stay, double the figure. The villa manager distributes. USD or XCD (East Caribbean Dollar) both acceptable; staff prefer USD.