Spice Island Beach Resort

A very quick and cheap cab ride from Grenada airport brings you to the Spice Island Beach Resort at Grand Anse beach. We were greeted by name on arrival having done the majority of check-in on line the day prior, and the remainder of the process was efficient. No arrival drink though we saw others getting them in the week. Taken up to our room for the weekend. Superior Oleander suite (rm 64) which was very well appointed and maintained, and spotlessly clean. Balcony overlooked the gardens - beach front rooms are available but with less privacy. The hotel is very much old school colonial in both look and feel. It’s family owned rather than part of a giant chain and it shows in a good way. The beach is long with white sand and whilst public (as are all beaches in Grenada) it was extremely quiet. Plenty of sun loungers on the beach front. The pool area is also lovely with loungers and day beds. Food is excellent. Breakfast buffet is very underwhelming but the a la carte choices are very good. Lunch is a 3 course affair but is quite casual. Dinner is a more formal affair and it’s lovely for it. Dinner changes daily, but lunch is fixed. Don’t discount ice cream as the dessert - it’s all fresh made and very, very good. The hotel hosted an international conference while we were there with multiple dignitaries staying including a few Prime Ministers. This was all managed extremely well with minimal change to regular guests (and very Death in Paradise with all the local police in uniform!!) The best thing though are the staff. Everyone is helpful and friendly. Things just get done and nothing is too much effort. From day one, they know who you are and any food issues or preference. It’s very quiet, though July is not prime season. There are times when it seems no one else is around. Nice to get away from the world, but it lacks a little atmosphere. One major annoyance was a credit card mix up. You are requested to put USD500 down for incidentals even if on the AI plan. This is not a problem, but on the next day, the hotel then used the details to charge the entire room cost which was prepaid. It was returned immediately, but I happened to spot the in-out on my card. Questions about it were answered very vaguely, despite asking two different reception staff, stating it was “an error” - mischarging USD5,000 without having the card is more than an error and I found it most concerning from both a card/cyber security and GDPR perspective.

We have been wanting to stay at SIBR for some years .We have been to Grenada a couple of times before.We stayed in the seagrape suite that goes straight out onto the beach.Grande Anse is wonderful beach which is about a 45 minute walk from one end to the other.Incorporating good fun public areas.I tried the jet car which was great fun .The food and service throughout our stay was exemplary.Kevin ,Lyndonna and Kalisha were excellent . The Gardens were a joy to walk through everyday. It is not until you have been home awhile that you realise what a lovely culture the Grenadians have.When going back to Grenada, Spice island Beach Resort here we come .

First time to Grenada and blown away by Spice Island Beach Resort. The moment we arrived the greeting from Darvina (a force for good and setting the standards for others) and team was warm and genuine, which continued throughout our stay. People make the difference and the staff here are absolutely wonderful. Genuine, friendly and caring. This is reflective of the Hopkin family and their attitude to customers. Nia who welcomed us most days into the restaurant with a smile, humour and elegance. The restaurant staff from start to finish. Just staggering. The food quality, variety and range simply unequalled on the island. The team at SIBR even managed to cater for a very important lunch for the Grenada government and associates guests from the Caribbean and African governments while we were their without any impact of guests. The Seagrape suites with beach access are large, well appointed and very comfortable with Molton Brown toiletries and great facilities. We used rhe gym and spa which were very good indeed. To everyone at SIBR a genuine thank you for your kindness, care and warmth. Please don't change. We will return.

An Unsurpassed Vacation Experience After 30+ years of travel, we've just returned from an exceptional resort experience. Pampered by a property and staff which appears to outnumber the guests, we relished each day except the last, having to go home. Thank you to the Hopkin family for continuing such a personalized and exquisite resort experience for ~40 years! BEFORE leaving home, the resort sent an inquiry email AND a follow-up phone call asking about any special room, food or vacation requests. Impressive service we’ve never experienced! LOCATION - about a 11-12 minute drive from the airport, we rented a car to explore the island more than we had during our previous Grenadian visits. However, Spice Island offers transport. The resort is located on the best stretch of the Grand Anse beach. ARRIVAL - greeted with our names by the front office manager and the bellman in the covered circular portico, we were escorted and efficiently registered. Accompanied by the front desk staff to suite 30, the Royal Clove, we had the courtyard, room, and amenities tour. They also provided a Spice Island cell phone to contact them while on resort property or touring the island. Getting used to the rainy season humidity took about a day. COURTYARD - The tropical foliage and plantings are varied and well-manicured. Surprising to us, we saw that there was a sauna which worked well and warmed up quickly. There is also a very useful and decorative drying tree. Having the private POOL and perimeter wall are what really made the room experience the best that we have ever had. ROYAL SUITE LIVING ROOM and BEDROOM - Some room attributes: full-size living room, four-poster bed, love seat, chairs, tables and ceiling fans. Notable features include: plenty of drawer space, one A/C unit per room, several remote controls and Alexa, great for music! Cabinet amenities: tea kettle/tea, Nespresso coffee machine/capsules, toaster, Gordon’s gin, Absolut, Johnny Walker Black, Grenadian dark rum, red wine and champagne. The champagne was iced-chilled each day until we consumed it. Refrigerator amenities: sauvignon blanc, tonic, club, canned juice, ginger ale, Coke, beer, rum shot bottles, and several water bottles. THANK YOU to the gentleman who helped us with the TV remotes. BATHROOM - very large area with a double vanity and plenty of counter space, huge jacuzzi/tub/shower, excellent water pressure and temperature controls, toilet/bidet/scale (not private), laundry bin, and closet area with hangars, iron/board, hairdryer and safe. Nice room and pool towels as well! There is a laundry service. The bathroom tends to be warmer than the bedroom and living rooms since there is no A/C in the bathroom. THANK YOU to the plumber who replaced the leaking sink valves within a couple of hours. PUBLIC AREAS - lovely, serene ‘clover-shape’ pool and beach area cabanas/chaises, no observable ‘towel-chair saving,’ The beach is public. Resort public areas and landscaping staff are always visible and friendly tidying or maintaining the property and foliage; many even greeted us with our names! And if there is a rain shower, everyone is out in force squeegeeing, mopping and drying every floor and surface. RESTAURANTS’ STAFF - First off, kudos to managers we met - head chef Brenda Joseph and assistant food and beverage manager Caralena. Resort servers and bartenders are amazing! Shirlyn and Kevin made the first impressions only to be quickly followed by a myriad of others: Kenitta, Tracy, Gillian, Rachel, Dainisha, Danah, Dellorna, Jeron, Shawna, Lyndonna, and Katrina. THANK YOU to Fabian for trying to locate a preferred liquor. RESTAURANTS - Situated in a garden terrace venue with vines, trellises, and lattice, you will find Oliver’s and Sea & Surf restaurants, quite enjoyable! Whether you have breakfast/most dinners at Oliver’s or lunch/some dinners at the Sea and Surf Terrace-Bar, the food was delicious and perfectly timed at every meal. The dinner menu varied every day. Daily breakfast and weekday lunch menus are the same, but because of the numerous offerings, we still never ate the same meal twice. Three special moments for us during the week: (1) the fish catch of the day - swordfish, tuna, mahi, kingfish, and local couvalli (sp?) our favorite because of its texture, taste and not one we’ve seen in the US. (2) Wednesday - Caribbean night…we tried the local ‘Oil Down’ with chicken, pork, codfish, breadfruit, potatoes and, of course, the coconut milk. Heavy but tasty! (3) Lastly, we had mentioned to Caralena that the sample menu online showed frogs’ legs. Even though they were not on the menu, Caralena coordinated with the chef Brenda for us to have them on our last evening along with another of our French favorites, sweetbreads. Such a sensational epicurean delight for the finale! HOUSEKEEPING - The “Shhh… / Service” sign was helpful. Calling to arrange a daily room service is fine. We only met Tonya, who was also so pleasant and efficient. The staff met every room need. And if we had special requests, each was met within the hour, if not minutes. There is also an evening turndown service. The ice bucket is refilled most of the time twice a day. CAR VALET and ‘DOOR’ MEN - always pleasant and efficient. One in particular, Chard, was in-training and showed such enthusiasm and hospitality. SPA & GYM - Janissa spa offers numerous body and facial treatments. We tried several and each session was rejuvenating. The staff is very pleasant and professional, especially Audrey. The gym abuts the spa. While the gym can be a bit warm, there is plenty of equipment: 2 Technogym treadmills, 1 bike, machine equipment for core, chest/back, and shoulders. Free weights, bands, ab and kettle balls and more… Never more than three guests in the gym, it opens at 7 am but will be opened by the front desk if you wish to go earlier. RECOMMENDATIONS of NOTE: Heed the public areas/courtyard signs “Slipper When Wet.” They are not kidding. Take bug spray and After Bite. There were only two times at dusk when it was needed, but it was very helpful. The ‘same/next day’ laundry service may not occur unless the request gets processed before 9 am. If you desire privacy, the Royal and pool suites provide that atmosphere compared to the ocean front. The ocean front accommodations, however, have the best view.

Spent 2 amazing weeks at Spice Island 24 June - 8 July. The hotel is set on the beautiful Grand Anse Beach. We had a Sea Grape room which open directly onto the beach and are the best rooms in our opinion. They are well designed and styled and have everything you need. The sound of the sea in the rooms is amazing. The hotel was at low occupancy while we were there so we had the beach to ourselves most days. The choice of food is excellent and we enjoyed some lovely meals and delicious cocktails. The Pina Coladas were some of the best I’ve ever had!! The staff are all very welcoming and really make your stay very special. They are all excellent but a special mention for Katrina and Lyndonna. The grounds of the hotel are beautiful and brilliantly maintained by the staff - shout out to Junior who does a great job. We will definitely return to Spice Island - this was our 3rd visit to the beautiful Island of Grenada ( previous visits we stayed at Mount Cinnamon) but now we’ve stayed at Spice Island we realise that this is where we want to be!!! Spice Island is understated elegance and class. Well done Spice Island and look forward to returning.