Grenada experts - Help convince us to go to Grenada this fall.
 

We are planning our fall trip and want to go to an island that we have never been to before. We had looked at St Kitts but I can't get past the green monkeys. We also looked at St Lucia but we think Grenada might be a good fit for us. It will be my husband and I who are both in our early forties. As you have probably read from our past trips, we love small hotels, great beaches and restaurants and some nightlife even if it's just a bar with some music in the background. My husband would like to go on a hike which would have to be something small if I'm going along. I'm not a very athletic person. Please help convince us that Grenada is good island for us and give us your suggestions for where to stay. We are considering Coyaba and Calabash but would love to hear recommendations on other places in the same price range. Thanks.

We visited Calabash last December & it is lovely. the rooms are good & although I wasn't looking forward to having breakfast on the terrace, really enjoyed it. The evening entertainment was just enough, a singer, small group etc.
We hope to go again sometime. The food was excellent!

DianeC - I have a few more questions about Calabash.

Calabash looks like it's farther away from the Grande Anse beach and restaurants. How long of a driving distance was it? Was it difficult to drive or get a cab to dinner?

How long did the bar stay open at night? If you wanted to hang out until midnight or so are they still open or is there somewhere within safe walking distance or convenient cab ride distance?

Having someone cook breakfast for us in our room and eating on the terrace is a big plus at Calabash. We've never had that at a resort before. How did the system work? Is it a set time that you agree on? Do they just come in and start cooking or do you let them in? What is the menu like?

How is the beach? Do they have beach bar/food service?

Thanks for the info.

I'm not sure what you meant about the monkeys and St. Kitts. We also saw monkeys in Grenada, although it was at Grand Etang Park (hope I spelled that rightj), rather than where we stayed. On St. Kitts there was a monkey outside the kitchen window eating the flowers.....

We looked at Timothy Beach Resort. I saw pictures of the green monkeys that hang out on the property and was kind of freaked out by them. The idea of walking by trees with monkeys in is a little to Wizard of Oz for me - lol! I never liked the flying monkeys in that movie.

Be sure to check out Petite Anse Hotel and Restaurant too.. right next to a beautiful beach, not not near Grande Anse at all - right up the other end of the island. Great food and more than good value for money.

It was Timothy Beach Resort on St. Kitts where we had monkeys outside the window. I enjoyed seeing them. I never saw them get very close to humans.

I'd have a hard time choosing between Grenada and St. Kitts for a return visit. We really enjoyed them both.

I do think Grand Anse is one stunning beach.

I haven't been to Grenada yet, although I also want to to go to the Calabash or Spice Island (but I hate all inclusive). I was in St Kitt's in April-Green monkeys are not hanging out all over. It's like Barbados, you'll see them if you look for them. Some Kittian hawkers has small monkeys leashed for photos with tourists

Thanks for the info on Grenada. Does anyone have any thoughts about the area that Calabash is in vs Coyaba? We are looking at them both. Any restaurant recommendations for a fancy dinner, a local style or a beachside casual dinner.

As an aside on the monkeys - I saw them in pictures that people posted on Trip Advisor and the image just stuck with me. I haven't been able to get past it. TBR looks like the kind of small resort that we like with other local type restaurants on the beach near it. It looks like it's not as fancy as ones in Grenada.

The Calabash is located in a residential neighborhood in the Lance Aux Epines area. It is a very nice property, definitely has the boutique feel to it. The beach is nice with very calm water. Grand Anse is a mere 5 minutes drive away, 25 minutes walk if you walk real slow like I do.

Coyaba is located centrally on Grand Anse beach, which is busier but a much longer beach so it will never feel crowded. It is across from Spiceland Mall shopping centre where there are some shops and a grocery store. There are restaurants within walking distance.

My favorite restaurant in Grenada is Boots Cuisine, about a 15 minute drive from either Grand Anse or LAE area. It is run in the verandah of Boots & Ruby's home, both of whom are wonderful hosts. Dinner is prix fixe (75EC last I was there) for a small appetizer, salad, soup, entree with provisions, and dessert. Lunch attracts a much more local crowd.

For a good, solid, local meal, we love Le Chateau in the Grand Anse area. It's a good value. Gibson's in the same shopping plaza is a good value for breakfast and lunch.

For a fancy dinner, we absolutely loved Rhodes at the Calabash. We liked it better than Oliver's at Spice Island.

The Aquarium restaurant is popular for their Sunday bbq.

Another hotel choice would be Mt. Cinammon. The drawback is it is not right on the beach, but across the street. The plus is that you'll get wonderful views of Grand Anse beach.

Thanks for the info Mymoosie. Do you have to make a reservation for dinner at Boots Cuisine? I don't think Mt Cinnamon would work for us. Being on the beach is a deal breaker for us. The only exception we made was Alamanda in St Martin.

Yes, you'll need to make a reservation for dinner at Boots. They may not be open for dinner if they don't have a reservation. It's truly a unique experience. Try to call at least a day ahead. Also note that it is cash only.

I know what you mean about having to be right on the beach. The less step to the sand for me, the better! :-)

LaSource and Laluna are two other beach resorts that are in a similar price range to Coyaba and Calabash - both have secluded, small beaches. Grenada has a rainforest with many trails from mini-trails to longer mountainous hikes. There are lots of other activities, such as mountain-biking, kayaking, river-tubing, etc. The Underwater Sculpture Park is also worth a visit - it is a short ride away by speedboat (7-10 mins) where you can snorkel above the sculptures and other marine life. Grenada is an excellent choice - you will have a great time!

Suzi - Thanks for the input. The river tubing sounds interesting. I'd like to get some details. I can't swim but it sounds like fun. Do you know how it works? Do you wear like jackets? How deep is the water?

My husband would like to go hiking. I think a mini trail would work for us. Do people get guides or just hike by themselves?

We hiked to the top of Mt. Qua Qua by ourselves. I think it was about three hours one way. We took local transport to get to the park. It was a wonderful day.

JeanH -Where is Mt Qua Qua in relation to the hotels? How difficult was the walk?

We stayed at Spice Island Inn - many years ago - and it was AMAZING! It has been all rebuilt and even tho it is "all-inclusive".......it is nothing like what you are probably thinking. The chefs are top notch and the food is amazing. We ordered off menus every meal and had everything custom made. Our unit included a private pool and high privacy wall. We would love to go back ut we can no longer afford the prices there.

Mt. Qua Qua is towards the center of the island. We took one of the local mini-buses to the trailhead in Grand Etang Park.

The hike took several hours, but wasn't what I'd call difficult. I was tired when we were finished though.

Just so you know, the trailhead is where we saw the monkeys....

Ahhh - the monkeys!!! I guess I'll have to watch out for the Trialhead area - lol.

Grenada is a great island that could suit both your and your husband's wants in a vacation. I wouldn't recommend most of the hikes if you're not especially athletic, and though a hike around Crater Lake isn't too difficult, it's where you're most likely to see some monkeys. If you like waterfalls, there's one called Mt Carmel that is a very mild walk. It's off the road that runs from Grand Anse up to Grenville.

I've not stayed at either Coyaba or Calabash but I've seen the grounds of both. I personally prefer the feel of the Calabash, but Coyaba is on the much nicer beach, in my opinion. And it's a great place to stay if you'd like to have more dining and/or beach bar options within walking distance.

I absolutely second mymoosie's recommendation for dining at Boots. Reservations are essential for dinner, perhaps not quite as so for lunch.

La Sagesse is a beautiful place to spend the day--it's a beach that's about 25 minutes away from Grand Anse and it's gorgeous. Go during the week if you prefer fewer people. The restaurant on site is quite good, particularly if you're a fan of fish.