Touches of grace at the elite development include this stylish pool deck.

Inside/outside shower is a feature of this elegant washroom.

Temenos Golf Club is a 7,100-yard championship course designed by Greg Norman.

The number-one attraction of the Caribbean will always be the weather. For Canadians and Americans used to the grind of caffeinated capitalism with all of its attendant stress, the Islands represent the other end of the spectrum -- a place where, after just a short stay, you are not quite certain about ideology any more. Even better, you don't care.

Anguilla is that sort of place. The natives, most of African descent, have that sensibility peculiar to island dwellers everywhere -- that God may have endowed all places in the world with equal beauty, but somehow he showered an extra dollop here. Vacationing there, it's not difficult to understand how they arrived at that conclusion.

The best advertisement for island living is the Islanders themselves -- poised, dignified and seemingly extraordinarily healthy and a joy to be around.

A photographer on a recent trip was shooting a grandfather and what appeared to be his grandson out spearing for fish. The young man powered his way out of the water and up to the photographer. He wanted a peek. "You send me the shot?" he asked. "Sure," the photographer said, "what is your email?" To which the young Anguillan replied without batting an eye: "Lady's man at Yahoo.com."

Anguilla, surprisingly, is one of the last of the Caribbean islands to come to development. There have always been hideaways for the rich and famous, of course (it would be impossible to keep white sand beaches of this beauty a secret), but nothing like St. Maartin's or St. Bart's, no port for cruise ships, no gambling or large commercial shopping centres.

The island may be late in joining the tourism game, but with the development of the Temenos Golf Club and a resort titled The Baccarat Hotel and Residences at Temenos, Anguilla, it has placed itself firmly on the world's exclusive luxury map.

This is how Osbourne Fleming, one of the island's chief ministers, described it: "The establishment of this resort on Anguilla must be considered the singular moment of this decade [and] it defines the way we want the outside world to view our country and people."

Developed by Manhattan-based Flag Luxury Property and managed by Starwood Hotels and Resorts, this is 277 acres of breathtaking ocean-side real estate. Prices start at $1.3-million U.S. and run to more than $13-million so this is not for everyone, but you do get what you pay for. The resort, which will include a 10,000-square-foot, is scheduled for completion this year.

Estate homes are four and five bedrooms with 4,700 to 5,100 square feet of air-conditioned space and an additional 4,600 to 5,800 square feet of outdoor living area. Villas are four bedrooms with four and a half baths and offer 3,600 square feet of air-conditioned space and 3,100 square feet outdoors.

Spa Villas provide three or four bedroom layouts with 3,000-3,300 square feet of air-conditioned interiors, and over 4,300 square feet of indoor/outdoor space. They feature an ultra-private, landscaped interior garden with swimming pool, expanses of floor-to-ceiling glass, and views of the golf course and/or ocean. The palm-shaded poolside courtyard creates an expansive yet totally private domain.

Temenos Golf Club is an 18-hole, 7,100-yard championship course designed by Greg Norman. It features breathtaking water views from each hole and integrates the natural terrain of Anguilla to create a challenging layout for players of all levels. The Robb Report described the course as "...the Caribbean's answer to the 18th at Pebble Beach."

For more information on Flag Luxury, please visit: flagluxury.com.