By Alexander Britell
There’s a particular delight in the feeling of having found a destination before everyone else.
In the Caribbean, it’s something that’s not that easy to do anymore. Or is it?
Enter Grenada, the lush, gorgeous Eastern Caribbean island that’s just now finding itself in the spotlight, thanks to its intoxicating blend of beautiful beaches, diverse topography and a growing luxury hotel product that’s getting a major boost next month with the debut of the new Silversands hotel.
BBC Beach in Grenada.
But now’s the time to go, because Grenada is booming.
Last year, the island welcomed 146,359 stayover tourists, an eight percent increase that was one of the highest in the Caribbean.
That was buoyed by a 16 percent increase from the crucial United States market and a six percent jump from Canada.
“We are even more excited about the fact that Grenada is trending as a destination in the global tourism industry,” said Patricia Maher, CEO of the Grenada Tourism Authority. “The future for Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique looks bright.”
All these travelers have been drawn to an island that has something for everyone, from its place as the Caribbean capital of chocolate, to an impressive slate of local rums and a host of uncrowded, picture-perfect beaches, an impressive selection for a relatively small island.
And then there’s the varied hotel product, ranging from the luxe boutique Calabash, home to the island’s destination restaurant, Rhodes Restaurant (the brainchild of top British Chef Gary Rhodes) to the funky, authentic True Blue Bay resort to the all-inclusive Sandals LaSource Grenada.
Next month sees the debut of Silversands, a new kind of hotel for the island, ultra-chic and sleek, already a member of Leading Hotels of the World.
It’s part of a wave of new properties that also includes Kimpton’s second Caribbean property, Kawana Bay, set to open in 2019.
So what are you waiting for?
See more in the latest CJ video at the top of the page.