The Ferryboat Inn: Anguilla's Beachfront Family Secret at Blowing Point
A family-run beachfront inn where the ferry docks fade away and St. Maarten glows on the horizon
Why Go
Most travelers rush past Blowing Point on their way to somewhere else. The ones who know better stop a five-minute walk from the ferry terminal, where a small family-operated inn has been quietly serving some of the island's most honest cooking on one of its most underrated stretches of sand.
The Experience
The Ferryboat Inn sits directly on Sandy Point beach at Cul de Sac, Blowing Point, wrapped in an expansive garden of oversized bougainvillea with a panoramic view across the channel to St. Maarten. This is not a resort experience ΓÇö it's a stay-with-locals experience. Lodging is a handful of generously sized apartments plus a beach house, each with a full kitchen, air-conditioned bedrooms, and unfussy, comfortable furnishings. Days here move slowly: coffee on the terrace watching the morning ferries cross, an afternoon swim off the quiet beach, and dinner steps from your door at the on-site restaurant, where the family's cooking has earned a loyal following among repeat Anguilla visitors. At night, the lights of St. Maarten shimmer across the water ΓÇö one of the best free shows on the island.
What to Try
The beachfront restaurant is the heart of the place ΓÇö open for lunch and dinner every day except Sunday. Regulars swear by the wings and the cheeseburgers, both island cult favorites, and the kitchen's home-style Caribbean plates are consistently among the best-value meals in the Blowing Point area. Come at sunset, order simply, and let the view over the channel do the rest. If you're staying in, the full apartment kitchens make it easy to cook your own catch from the island's fishermen.
Insider Tip
Book here if you're doing a St. Martin/St. Maarten day trip ΓÇö the public ferry terminal at Blowing Point is a short stroll away, so you can hop the morning ferry with zero taxi hassle and be back for dinner on the beach. And plan around Sunday: the restaurant closes that day, so stock your kitchen or head out to a beach bar.
The Practical Stuff
Located at Cul de Sac, Blowing Point 2640, on the south coast of Anguilla, roughly 5ΓÇô10 minutes on foot from the Blowing Point ferry terminal. Accommodations: four oversized apartments and a beach house, all with full kitchens, air-conditioning in bedrooms, and beachfront garden access. Restaurant serves lunch and dinner daily except Sunday. Pricing sits in the affordable-to-moderate range ΓÇö rare for beachfront Anguilla. A rental car is useful for exploring the wider island, though the ferry, beach, and dinner are all walkable.
Pair It With
- Blowing Point Ferry Terminal — A short walk away ΓÇö perfect launchpad for a day trip across the channel to French St. Martin's markets and bistros.
- Rendezvous Bay — One of Anguilla's most celebrated beaches is just minutes away by car, ideal for a full beach day before dinner back at the inn.
- ALAK Art Gallery — A nearby stop for local Anguillian art ΓÇö a low-key cultural detour that suits the inn's authentic, island-paced character.