Five Ways to Experience Grenada

Grenada is one of the most deliciously diverse destinations in the Caribbean, with the aroma of its native spices wafting through the air and redolent in the fresh local cuisine served everywhere from local roadside stands to the finest hotels. Beaches, waterfalls, rushing rivers and colorful reefs provide a sublime backdrop for active outdoor adventures as well as relaxation (and make sure you experience the chocolate).

Grenada and its sister island of Carriacou also have a diverse selection of resorts, with most of the luxury hotels found along Grand Anse Beach but a few interesting properties found in more secluded locations, including villas and a growing list of bed-and-breakfasts and even decidedly affordable rentals.

Here are five ways to experience Grenada.

Silversands.

For Personal Attention and Pampering

A combination of fine, mostly independently operated resorts and the beauty of Grand Anse make Grenada one of the best destinations in the Caribbean for a luxury beach getaway, especially if you prefer a unique and authentic vacation to a cookie-cutter chain resort. You’ll find the longest pool in the Caribbean at the Silversands Grenada, a 43-room boutique hotel in a modern yet warm property that opened in November 2018. The resort has all the amenities you look for in a full-service resort — villas, a spa, fine dining, cigar lounge, beach club — wrapped up in a compact and attractive package.

The Calabash Luxury Boutique Hotel is a Relais & Chateaux property with a smattering of 30 suites suites and villas, most with views of Prickly Bay and all with private balconies or patios. Relais hotels are known for their cuisine and Calabash is no exception with two of Grenada’s finest restaurants, Rhodes and the Beach Club, on site. The intimate scale of the resort ensures personalized attention and service for guests.

The Spice Island Beach Resort.

For an All-Inclusive Getaway

Along with the nearby Radisson, Sandals Grenada is among the few “brand name” hotels on Grenada. The 225-room Sandals boasts the brand’s “luxury included” suite of included amenities, including dining at 10 restaurants, water sports and diving, a daily schedule of events and entertainment, and of course all the Carib beer and tropical drinks you want. Lodging choices range from more affordable hotel rooms with outdoor soaking tubs to Love Nest Suites with private infinity pools, elevated beach views, and butler service.

The Spice Island Beach Resort is a legendary Grenada hotel owned by Caribbean hospitality pioneer  Sir Royston Hopkin, who can sometimes be found in the lobby greeting guests. The focus here is on local culture as well as luxury, with a popular Friday night Caribbean buffet served as part of the resort’s all-inclusive program, which also covers non-motorized water sports, tennis, golf, bicycles, use of the fitness club, and the Nutmeg Pod children’s program. With 64 rooms on 12 beachfront acres, the resort never seems crowded, but you can meet fellow guests over the daily afternoon tea that’s symbolic of the resort’s relaxed sophistication.

For an Affordable Beach Vacation

The Radisson Grenada Beach Resort has 229 rooms and sits directly on Grand Anse Beach. It won’t wow you with its overall looks, although rooms have been recently renovated, but the hotel has a nicely designed, multi-level Oasis Pool and attractive rates. The hotel’s size, location, and meeting facilities make it Grenada’s go-to resort for larger weddings, groups, and meetings, too.

The Radisson Grenada is one of the destination’s great values.

This family owned and operated Petite Anse Boutique Hotel has 11 private cottages and a pair of hotel rooms in red-roofed buildings edged by lush tropical foliage and steps from a secluded beach. Nearby gardens supply the hotel restaurant, which serves West Indian food like roti and fresh local fish. The local waters can be rough so there are times when swimming isn’t safe, but the beach is always open for lounging and the hotel has a pool as well.

For an Eco Friendly Getaway

Grenada’s reputation for environmental friendliness and sustainability extends to its hotels, from budget-friendly hideaways to ritzy beach resorts. The Blue Horizons Garden Resort was the first property on the island to achieve Green Globe Gold certification and has studios and one-bedroom rooms amid 6.5 acres of landscaped gardens, all within a short walk to Grand Anse Beach. The hotel’s La Belle Creole restaurant is one of the finest Caribbean eateries on the island.

The True Blue Bay resort in Grenada.

The “eco-chic True Blue Bay Resort has stylish guest rooms and an extensive recycling and waste-reduction program. Located in a marina in the capital city of St. George, the hotel offers easy access to dive charters, has a spa and a beach bar modeled after traditional rum shops, and serves a mix of Caribbean and Mexican food at its Dodgy Dock restaurant. Posh Mount Cinnamon, another Green Globe resort, has a variety of hillside villas and suites peering down on Grand Anse Beach, each brilliant whitewashed unit accented with bright colors to complement the cobalt blue of the Caribbean Sea below.

Where to Get Away from (Almost) Everything

If even a boutique hotel doesn’t offer the type of privacy you’re looking for, Grenada has several luxury villas that deliver all the comforts of home in exclusive settings that showcase the island’s copious natural beauty. The Beach Cliff villa has five suites and 5,000 feet of private living area on the quiet Lance Aux Epines peninsula, with water views from nearly every indoor and outdoor space and a private, 100-foot beach. The 473 Grenada Beach Resort has nine private villas and shared amenities like an infinity pool, beach, sun deck, and water sports gear. You can also stay on a working cocoa plantation, Mount Edgecombe or set sail for the extremely chill neighbor island of Carriacou, which has a small collection of three-star, Old Caribbean flavor hotels like the beachfront Mermaid Hotel and the Hotel Carriacou.