Where to stay in Grenada?
 

My wife and I are thinking about traveling to Grenada for a week in the late fall and are on a tight budget. We've never been there and are looking for advice. We love to get up early to enjoy the cool mornings, love to snorkel, hike, site see, and take in local atmostphere for dinner. We tend to like quaint areas without the Americanize strip shops, but still want some of the American comforts and safety. We've been to the USVIs and loved it, but have a hot deal on Grenada airfare. Any suggestions on where to stay and what to do?

I am a great fan of Grenada, having visited 3x, most recently last December (see my trip report of the most recent trip at my personal website -- www.homestead.com/islandtime/MainPage1.html). If you are on a tight budget, you might consider staying at Coral Cove, in the L'anse Aux Epines area; my husband and I stayed there several years ago at an absurdly low price, and it has not gone up substantially since then. Off season, their rates for a 1-bedroom cottage are only $80/night. In the past, we've also stayed at Secret Harbour (my personal favorite) and the Grenada Grand, both of which are pricier. <BR> <BR>Coral Cove is sited on windward side of the L'anse Aux Epines peninsula of southern Grenada, facing Mt. Hartman Bay (and not Prickly Bay). The grounds slope down to a small beach which, while not great for swimming and too small for strolling, provides easy access to snorkeling. There is a pool and tennis court on-site. The cottages and rooms are clean and HUGE, with balconies or decks and beautiful views of the water; they also have kitchen facilities so you don't have to eat every meal out. Because of the location, you will probably want to rent a car, but the money you save by staying here and not having to eat out all the time will more than offset the cost of car rental. <BR> <BR>Other places you might consider are Blue Horizons, the Flamboyant, and La Sagesse, but I'm not familiar with the specifics or prices of any of these properties. Check out www.grenadaexplorer.com and www.wheretostay.com for more information. <BR> <BR>As for what to do ... the options are endless. Grenada offers it all, from golden beaches with gentle seas on the Caribbean side (and you have your choice of seclusion or some activity), to dark sand and surf on the Atlantic side. Volcanic crater lakes, sulfur springs, lush rain forest, waterfalls and mountain hikes. A bustling and vibrant harbour town to explore. Unique industries like nutmeg harvesting and production, rum-making, cocoa processing, etc. Great local dining. It's impossible to do it all in a single trip, and you'll want to come back. <BR> <BR>Feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions.

You may want to check out the Gem on Mourne Rouge. We stayed there in 99 for less than $100 as I recall. The beach is lovely and quiet. The beach bar is very reasonable and the food is good. There is a nightclub on the property but we never noticed it much.

I stayed at the Grandview Inn for a week last month. It's on top of the hill overlooking Morne Rouge Bay and Grand Anse Bay, above the Flamboyant Hotel. It's nothing fancy. An efficiency cottage with a kitchen costs US$75 a night. More deluxe units cost a little more. There was no A/C, but it wasn't needed due to the constant breeze. Overall I enjoyed my visit, but at the time they were having some water pressure problems. When you turned on a faucet you didn't know whether or not anything would come out. It was particularly annoying when you were in the middle of a shower and the water stopped!

I think we've narrowed it down to La Sagesse or Coral Cove from other's opinions. Like I mentioned we do like less crowded areas and secluded beaches and we will be renting a Jeep which makes La Sagesse seem nice. But do plan to go out for dinner every night and don't want to spend hours driving around. What do you think any or other suggestions? — miler

Hi. If you want something different try Mama's Lodge on the outskirts of St. George's it's a true west indian guesthouse with a friendly staff, family run. Good restaurant onsite as well. Not touristy but safe and fairly close to shopping and beach/bay.