Grenada - Spice Island Beach Resort
 

Trying to decide between Pine Cay, Meridian Club and Grenada,Spice Island Beach. I was excited to hear that the former managers of Meridian C. are back.The place at it's best is for me like a week long fabulous massage.
My biggest concern has to do with March cooler weather. (It is a big concern,because it's not the kind of place you want to be stuck inside or under grey sky and spits of rain too long.I played an awful lot of Scrabble on a couple of March trips.)
I'm "in charge" of picking the beach vacation for March 2008. My husband thinks Grenada sounds appealing despite being somewhat pricier, espec. flight. Thinking we should stretch a bit, try something different, I was about to say "Okay, we'll book SIBR." Looking at some of the beautiful pictures, I suddenly noticed that there did not seem to be beach umbrellas or little thatched huts. Shelter from the sun beyond shady palm tree areas is pretty (medically)crucial for my husband though he fights me on it. *Anyone know if there are some sort of umbrellas or huts at Spice Island? Perhaps they are simply not pictured as would be less scenic?
I think I sound a bit obsessive- This is my no Caribbean vacation year- I probably really need one.

Ahh, the agonies of choosing the perfect vacation. I hear ya! It's a lot of pressure when just one person makes all of the decisions about a vacation.

I don't remember seeing umbrellas or bohios on the beach at Spice Island, but the beach front rooms do have ample shade on their patios, which are steps from the beach. The only shade on the beach that I remember seeing was provided by palms and seagrapes. Since this is a make-or-break factor, definitely email the hotel about what shade they can provide. They're so service oriented that they might be able to provide something for your husband.

LaLuna is definitely out of the running, then, because of the beach? Because it offers the thatched bohios on the beach as well as the open air lounge by the pool & bar.

We were at Spice Island with another couple before the BIG hurricane and it was lovely. Our friends were back last year and said it is a bit nicer but the food was uneven between pretty good and good. When we wnt 5 years ago it was very good.Snorkeling is fair due to hurricane damage and global warming.

Grenada is a beautiful island, and "Spice" is special. When we were there, there were many sea grape trees on the beach which provided plenty of natural shade. But check with them to see if they lost too many sea grapes in the hurricane. If there are a few, you'll be fine.

Just wanted to let you know that the resort does have some thatched umbrellas on the beach for shade. I saw some when I went there for lunch today. Nobody was using the three that I saw--most folks were sitting around the pool.

Went to Spice Island resort for a week in March and loved it. Have not been to Pine Cay or Meridian Club but have been to Parrot Cay. Main difference between Turks & Caicos and Grenada is at T&C the water will be more turquiose and sand whiter and finer. Snorkeling will be better in T & C. Grenada is a more lush island. T&C is flatter and scrubbier. The spice island beach is very nice - there are palapas on beach but not quite enough for all. But if you get beachfront room you are almost on the beach and have shade available there also. I'd recommend a beachfront room - I didn't particularly think I'd like to be in other room locations. S.I. isn't a large resort - long and narrow. But they did an absolutely beautiful job upgrading it after the hurricane. You'd have alittle more to do on Grenada sightseeing wise. Hiking, waterfalls, plantations. I think at T & C you are mostly limited to water activities. We really enjoyed food at Spice island but dinner was the evening's event. Not much night life and if you go primetime it could be alittle slow but we didn't care as enjoyed experience and had nothing to rush too. Again only stayed at Sands and Parrot Cay on T & C but they are 2 fairly different experiences. If I remember both times we went to T & C was in March and water on beach temp-wise was fine but it was cold snorkeling.

Thanks to all who responded. My Husband decided he would prefer the slight weather (warmth) risk and another year at Pine Cay for the absolute no- brainer relaxation. (He has experienced the benefits of a relaxed me on Pine Cay.) This was helped along by the return of Bev & Wally P. who seem to make for a different experience than the nice, but less experienced gentleman managing in the interim.
I have been promised a future trip to Grenada when I have more than my very limited 8-9 day break. Now I just have to hope development stays slow there... There seems to be much that I would enjoy experiencing in addition to the beach. (Worth 10-14 days!)
(It amazes me the difference between the Provo I visited with my sister in 1994 and stayed at Ramada Turkoise and tumble weeds blew down the main "highway" compared to what I read about Providenciales today...) I imagine this will soon reach Anguilla and Grenada. I hope I get there before it happens.