It’s raining in Grenada.When I open the car door, there’s a surprise: the cover of an umbrella waiting for me, along with a smile. A staff member has rushed through the drops to ensure I get back to the lobby dry.
I can’t think of a time that’s ever happened to me at a hotel before, Caribbean or otherwise, but it’s a small symbol of the kind of service you get at the legendary Spice Island Beach Resort in Grenada.
The resort, set on the sparkling sands of the island’s stunning Grand Anse Beach, is one of the most celebrated places to stay in the Caribbean for a reason — it’s just that good.
Carefully stewarded by Grenada’s Hopkin family for more than a half century, first by hospitality icon Sir Royston Hopkin and then his daughter Janelle Hopkin, this 64-suite property has few peers in the region: it’s a timeless, grand, thoughtful resort that has for decades redefined the concept of the luxury all-inclusive resort.
Of course, as you sip Westerhall rum at the edge of the sand or dine on tempura frog legs, kingfish with black bean spaghetti or a callaloo soufflé, it’s easy to forget that you’re at an all-inclusive at all. Because even at the greatest all-inclusive resorts in the region, you’d be hard pressed to find food quite like this, with a menu that changes every day and a three-week cycle to ensure culinary originality.
The capacious suites are a mix of toes-in-the-sand rooms right on the beach and garden suites, many with their own private plunge pools, along with Molton Brown amenities, minibars, Nespresso machines and Alexa voice remotes.
The feel is rarefied and serene, no matter whether you’re lounging by the central pool, strolling through the gardens or sitting at the lovely beachside bar. That’s what we want at a luxury resort — the endless delight of quiet and tranquility, of catered indulgence.
The calm is only strengthened at the resort’s Janissa Spa, where you’ll find waterfalls, outdoor showers, a sauna and four treatment rooms perfect for an afternoon of rejuvenation.
At the Sea and Surf Bar, the counter quickly turns into your own private club when the sun goes down. It’s the rare Caribbean bar where your cocktail is immediately joined by a multi-tiered tray of delicious, handmade snacks, the kinds of little, thoughtful touches that separate luxury resorts from great luxury resorts.
But one amenity towers above them all: Grand Anse itself. When the sun hits this sand just right (and it does so just about every day), it’s one of the best beaches the world, with that perfect alchemy that turns white sand and turquoise water into unbridled bliss.
And here at Grand Anse, even on a beach that’s the most popular in Grenada, you’ll feel like it’s your own private slice of sand.
It’s almost indescribably beautiful on this beach, as you wade in the water and look back at the charming, sun-covered roofs of Spice, as just about everyone on the island calls it.
For a moment, you almost don’t know which way to look. But at a place like Spice, it’s a dilemma as easily solved as a missing umbrella.
For more, visit Spice Island Beach Resort.