Rendezvous Bay, Anguilla, British West Indies, April 18, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / Renowned Businessman Richard M. Schulze, the founder of Best Buy, today selected Salamander Hotels & Resorts to manage Aurora Anguilla Resort & Golf Club. Set on the idyllic white beaches of Rendezvous Bay, the 300-acre property (formerly Cuisinart Resort) was purchased by Schulze in 2020 and has since undergone a multimillion-dollar renovation which has created a Caribbean paradise that is elegant, refined and playful.
The 178-suite resort offers a collection of world-class amenities, including seven restaurants and lounges, a 27,000-square-foot spa, and Aurora International Golf Club – the stunning 18-hole Championship Golf Course recently re-designed by Greg Norman. A nine-hole short course, also a Greg Norman Signature design, will also be introduced this summer.
“We are dedicated to making Aurora Anguilla the finest resort in the Caribbean and I’m very proud of the enhancements that we have made to date,” said Schulze. “With a new hands-on, collaborative partner, we will provide guests the thoughtful, anticipatory service and experiences for which Salamander Hotels & Resorts is renowned.”
Schulze’s goal is to make Aurora Anguilla appealing to a broad range of luxury travelers, inclusive of families. And, through his Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation, Schulze is also supporting a variety of causes on the island, including food insecurity, educational technology and health care. He is also instrumental in developing a local school lunch program and a neighborhood health clinic.
“One of the most rewarding aspects of my ownership of Aurora Anguilla is the rare opportunity to give back to this wonderful community and to continuously improve the lives of Anguillans,” said Schulze.
With an extensive knowledge of resort repositioning, Salamander will assume management of Aurora Anguilla on April 26. The company was founded by noted businesswoman and entrepreneur Sheila Johnson, who, like Schulze, has a deep commitment to the island of Anguilla where she owned a home for over a decade.
“Anguilla is such a special place for me, and I have a deep love for the island, its people and their authentic passion for hospitality,” said Johnson. “The improvements that have already been made are incredible and Salamander is committed to helping realize Richard’s vision of excellence. We look forward to introducing Aurora Anguilla and the beauty of its people to our Salamander loyalists.”
With a reputation built upon thoughtful, unexpected amenities, impeccable service and a truly creative approach to the guest experience, Salamander provides innovative and luxurious hospitality that is equal parts comfortable, kind, respectful and welcoming. Aurora Anguilla is in good company as it joins a Salamander Collection that features the Forbes Five-Star Salamander Resort & Spa in Middleburg, VA; the legendary Half Moon resort in Montego Bay, Jamaica – the only Forbes Four-Star rated property on the island; Innisbrook Resort in Tampa Bay, which hosts the annual PGA TOUR’s Valspar Championship; and Hotel Bennett in Charleston, SC, recently ranked as the top luxury hotel in America by USA TODAY. Next month, the company will assume management of the iconic Aspen Meadows Resort in Aspen, CO, providing another world-class destination for Salamander’s guests.
The Aurora Anguilla Experience
Surrounded by turquoise waters and the shimmering sunsets of the island, there are a variety of accommodation options at Aurora Anguilla, including ocean view Island Suites with wraparound terraces and private Jacuzzis. For larger groups or families, the resort also has stunning three and five-bedroom villas, as well as private 6,300-square-feet Estate Homes which include a dedicated butler and private pool.
The varied culinary offerings honor the gastronomic heritage of Anguilla by utilizing the ingredients grown, caught, and raised around the island and marrying them with culinary techniques from around the globe. A defining element of the resort’s food and beverage offerings also comes from its Hydroponic Farm and Orchard. Of the seven restaurants and lounges, D. Richard’s is the newest and the island’s only steak house serving freshly caught seafood and hand-crafted cocktails. This complements the other unique outlets which feature authentic Caribbean flavors and seafood-centric dishes, a casual menu offering sizzling items straight from a wood-burning oven, and Italian fare with Anguillan twists to handmade pasta. A newly designed version of the resort’s former storied Japanese restaurant is currently under development and will be reintroduced this summer.
Aurora International Golf Club, which features spectacular views of the Caribbean Sea and shoreline, has undergone a comprehensive remastering overseen by Greg Norman Golf Course Design. Schulze engaged Norman directly to work with him on the new chapter of the 18-hole Signature Design championship course, the only golf course on the island, which was created with the goal of being among the best in the world. A nine-hole Short Signature golf course, also designed by Norman and unique to The Caribbean, will be introduced this summer. The first hole opens with panoramic views of the Caribbean Sea and the course unfolds with a rich variety of shot angles, distances, and carefully integrated design elements to make it playable and fun for accomplished and novice golfers alike.
Committed to both wellness and sustainability, the 16-treatment-room spa, one of the largest in the Caribbean, is a serene sanctuary of wellness and revitalization. Set in an idyllic locale, the spa offers treatments that refresh and revitalize, using natural elements from the island paired with refined and traditional techniques.
Schulze further plans to improve the Aurora Anguilla experience, including adding a one-of-a-kind entertainment center with waterpark which includes a 500-seat amphitheater for live entertainment, and courts for sand volleyball, pickleball, tennis, basketball and bocce ball.
Traveling to Anguilla has never been more accessible. Commercial flights to the US mainland are now available, in addition to Aurora Anguilla’s own fleet of private jets. Aurora Anguilla is also easily accessible via a 30-minute ferry ride from Saint Martin.
About Aurora Anguilla Resort & Golf Club
Owned by Richard M. Schulze, Aurora Anguilla Resort & Golf Club is a Caribbean paradise created for the most discerning travelers in search of an authentic island getaway that is elegant, refined and playful. Set on the idyllic Rendezvous Bay, Aurora Anguilla spans over 300 acres, features 178 suites and is home to a collection of world-class amenities. The resort includes seven restaurants and lounges, a 27,000-square-foot spa, and Aurora International Golf Course, an 18-hole Championship Golf Course envisioned by Greg Norman Golf Course Design.
About Salamander Hotels & Resorts
Salamander Hotels & Resorts delivers comfortable and immersive experiences which enrich the lives of its guests. The company is privately owned and operated, and based in Middleburg, VA, just outside Washington, D.C. Founded by entrepreneur Sheila Johnson in 2005, it has a luxury portfolio featuring the Forbes Five-Star Salamander Resort & Spa in Middleburg, a 340-acre equestrian-inspired property near Washington, D.C.; Half Moon, the storied resort in Montego Bay, Jamaica, which features three distinct experiences including the newly opened Eclipse; Aspen Meadows Resort, a 98-room sweeping destination property located on 40 beautiful acres in Aspen, CO; Hotel Bennett, a spectacular 179-room hotel in Charleston, SC, overlooking the city’s historic Marion Square; Innisbrook Resort in Tampa Bay, which hosts the PGA TOUR’s Valspar Championship each year on its famed Copperhead Course.