Raffles Resort Canouan
 

Has anyone been to this new resort? The beaches and rooms look beautiful. Food? Service?

It's not so new. It's the former Rosewood resort that has been closed for the past two or three years. It has been taken over and refinanced by Trump/Raffles et al and extensively refurbished. A lot of the renovation work was undone by Hurricane Ivan which among other things, reportedly, destroyed two brand new spas that had been built out over the water. That said, as of Sept 16, the word was that the grand reopening was still planned for November 20th. So you might want to keep an eye on the Tripadvisor reports.

As one who remembers Canouan before this monstrosity took over half the island, I join many of the locals in wishing the hotel a speedy demise. (Just thought you should know my bias!)

CuriousX: As a former resident of the USVI, we do not want to play the part of the controversial tourist. We have booked 2 weeks at Tamarind. Any advice on how to build trust/respect with the locals so we can take advantage of all the island has to offer. We love beaches and the water. Any chance of a good contact for day sails, tours, etc?

Well, in terms of getting along, you are starting off on the right footby having a great attitude, and by using the word 'locals' to describe the inhabitants. Some foreigners still use the word 'natives' which has a bad taste in this part of the world, given its history.

Chatting and lots of social preamble is appreciated, as opposed to getting right down to business. Buying some drinks, crafts etc in the local stores with EC currency and/or accepting EC change instead of US$ is also appreciated.

It's also useful to appreciate that people in this region do not like to say 'no'. Putting someone in the position of having to say 'no' is considered rude - so if you ask someone to do something and get a lot of obfuscation back...understand that this is a polite way of refusing you. Change the subject and take your request elsewhere.

Also people are shy - it's not considered polite to look someone straight in the eye...although this is changing. Some tourists, not understanding this, have told me they found the local people 'shifty' - jeesh.

As you know, the Tamarind was built to house the management and senior construction crew who built the Raffles thingy. Reviews (see Tripadvisor) have not been too kind. The Tamarind was built on the site of the Crystal Beach hotel - you will still see its A-frame chalets moved off the beach and further up the road toward the airport.

I'm not aware of any tour operators based in Canouan but I'm sure that your hotel could set up day sails to the Tobago Cays and Mayreau with Passion (from Bequia) or Captain Yannis (from Union).

You could probably do the same trip with a local fisherman in his speedboat, and arrange a beach BBQ with one of the Tobago Cays boatboys (now that would be a great day).

There is a dive shop at the Canouan Beach Hotel and also at the Raffles. Also Glenroy Adams, a great guy, who runs Grenadines Dive on Union could probably take you out.

Check out the Usual Suspects website to give you a good feel for the whole region as well as links to the people and services I have mentioned.

I went to Canouan and loved it, as did my family. The food, beaches, rooms, and service are fabulous. The bathrooms are very large, with huge bathtubs that you can sink into. I'm an avid snorkeler and would probably do more excursions next time (do go to the Tobago Keys on the catamaran with Captain Phil and his wife Nicola). I snorkeled along the left side of the main beach, and also swam way out to the reef. I would have gone farther but I was alone (my family wouldn't go with me!). The Canouan staff offered to take me out in a boat, but I decided to go on my own. The resort's golf course is stunning, and should be toured even by the non-golfer. We saw tons of fairly large tortoises and wonderful bird life. The beaches were lovely, and the staff is right there with bottled water, towels, etc. as soon as you go to a chair. I loved the food, especially the Italian restaurant (and I've lived in Italy). The fitness center was good for a small gym, and as you walk in, the manager brings bottled water, a headset, and a towel to whatever machine you choose first. It also has its own fine locker rooms, showers, etc. Some reviewers have complained about the prices, and yes, it is expensive. But I was coddled during my entire vacation. I came home to Manhattan feeling relaxed and fresh, and still do (and it's been almost two weeks since I came home.) My only regret is that I did not spend more time on Canouan. I would stay at least ten days next time, and explore the island more.

Does anyone have any updated information on the Raffles Resort? The reviews on trip advisor are not to great!!