When we disembarked the plane, it was late afternoon so the sun was setting, however the warmth still hit you, giving you that unmistakable feeling that you were far from home. As the airport was fairly small, we got through it fairly quickly and were at our first hotel within 30 minutes… the quick airport transfers a definite upside to visiting Grenada.
The first hotel we stayed at was Coyaba Beach Resort. We checked in, had a quick freshen up and went down to enjoy our first rum punch at the manager’s cocktail evening. It was a lovely relaxed setting, however we were all quite tired after a long day travelling, so we made it to a local restaurant for a quick bit to eat, and then all called it a night.
That evening we headed to Laluna for a hotel inspection and dinner. This was one of my favourite hotels, a small boutique property, peaceful and idyllic, set in its own private bay. The rooms were luxurious and after a look around the property I got to enjoy a nice glass of wine whilst watching the sunset – truly stunning! Dinner was amazing too, catch of the day in a tasty creole sauce. After dinner we headed to Dodgy Dock for some cocktails, live music and dancing. They also had street vendors there serving local street food, all set on the edge of a harbour – a great place with a really fab atmosphere.
The following day we went to the Radisson Grenada Beach Resort to inspect the property and for lunch. Although it’s unmistakably a chain hotel, I was impressed. The setting was breath-taking, the rooms were modern and done to a really high standard. The facilities were excellent including the best gym on the island, it had a great dive centre, a large lagoon style pool offering plenty of space to relax and the food was amazing.
Next we went for a site inspection at True Blue Bay which was actually next to Dodgy Dock where we were the previous evening. Although not on a beach, it’s based in a harbour so still offers a waterfront setting. The rooms were large and luxurious, and for someone in to activities this resort can’t be beaten. Cooking classes, water-sports galore, yoga, rum tasting the list is endless. You’re also next to Dodgy Dock which is a definite bonus!
The following day we checked out of the Coyaba and went on an Island tour. We headed through St George and headed in to the rainforest. The scenery quickly changed to a dense jungle-like interior. We passed people with machetes and our guide felt he should explain that they were simply working their patch, picking fresh avocados, bananas and a range of other fruits. We first stopped at a picturesque waterfall and one of our group even went for a swim. We then headed to a nutmeg factory and was walked through the processing plant and told about the benefits of nutmeg to your health. Next we headed further in to the rainforest and it lived up to its name with the heavens opening. It was the first rain we’d seen and our guide explained that around the south of the island where the beaches were it hardly ever rained, just the occasional light shower of ‘liquid sunshine’ as they call it.
The next hotel we checked in to was Mount Cinnamon, set on a hillside overlooking Grand Anse with the resort rolling down to the sea. The rooms were huge with everything you could ever need, and they boasted the best views on the island, overlooking the whole of Grand Anse with St George in the distance. That evening we went to their Friday night barbeque on the beach, with a bonfire roaring in the background and a local band playing it was the perfect setting for a great evening. It got us that much in the mood, that after it had finished we headed down the beach to some local bars, and even tried a club, Grenadian style – amazing!
A little jaded the following day we headed out to explore St George and it lived up to its name as the most picturesque town in the Caribbean. The locals say it’s a ‘Tale of 2 Cities’, as one side is a bustling harbour, with historic buildings and businesses spread over the hillside, then through a tunnel taking you to the other side of the peninsula is the market and shops which hum with life. It’s winding streets and enchanting buildings give this place great character, the choice of places to visit and explore definitely keep you entertained, it’s no wonder the locals are so proud of it. We next went up to Fort Frederick which boasts a great vantage point where you can take in some amazing views of St George, and we also learned about the history of Grenada and it’s turbulent past.
Next it was in to the rainforest for some river tubing, the sun was shining in the forest today, so we were set for a great afternoon. The river was full from the rain the previous day and it was such a fun experience, I would definitely recommend it. Next we headed for lunch at Patrick’s on the edge of St George, which was small local restaurant serving local dishes tapas style. What a great place as we got to try a range of local and Caribbean dishes. That evening we had dinner on the beach at the Flamboyant Hotel and whilst enjoying our meal a sea turtle came and laid its eggs just a few feet from us, an unbelievable thing to witness.
The following morning we headed out on a snorkelling trip. The diving was amazing, with such an array of fish, all just a short distance off the coast – no long boat trips needed here. We also visited the underwater sculpture park which is amazing and very unique. After our dive trip we headed to the Aquarium Restaurant for a barbeque lunch, where we enjoyed some great food and an amazing setting.
After lunch we headed to check-in to our final hotel, Spice Island, where we’d be staying for our final 2 nights. We had some time to freshen up and I had a pool suite so managed to squeeze in a quick dip before meeting for an inspection of the hotel. This is a small and tranquil property, offering a level of service above what you’d expect from a 5 star deluxe property. They take care of every detail to make your stay as comfortable and as relaxed as possible, it truly is luxury at its finest.
The following day we went for a gentle rainforest trek which was beautiful. We had lunch at Sandals La Source and had a look around the resort. If you’re in to the all-singing all-dancing all-inclusive resorts where you don’t leave the complex this is great, it offers everything on site and is definitely one of the liveliest action packed hotels on the island.
That evening our visit to Grenada was coming to an end. Sir Royston hosted a meal in their main restaurant and I have to say the food at Spice Island was some of the best I’ve ever tasted. We enjoyed some live music in their bar and then our final night in Grenada came to an end.
I have to say a big thanks to all the hotels and restaurants for welcoming us… and also a huge thanks to the Grenada Tourism Authority for arranging the trip which was such an amazing experience. The island is beautiful and offers everything you could want from a Caribbean holiday and I would definitely recommend it. It’s also worth considering adding it on to the end of a trip to the USA or combining it with other Caribbean islands. Contact us and we can help ensure you make the most out of your visit to Grenada.
Why choose eShores?
One to One Service
Our experienced personal travel consultants will ensure you find the most suitable holiday, whilst taking care of every last detail. Everything from start to finish will be effortless.
100% Tailor Made
We can use any hotel, in any destination, so we will craft an itinerary to suit your exact needs. Also, as we can provide any itinerary, the only holiday we'll offer, is the one that's right for you.
Fully Protected
Our ATOL bonding provides you with the financial protection you need and as a member of the Travel Trust Association, you'll have 100% financial protection. Covering you for any eventuality.
Competitive Pricing
As a tour operator & travel agent, we'll search the market to ensure that we find you the best price. Also as an online business, we can ensure our prices are as competitive as possible.
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AlisonFletcher
Brilliant trip organised by Dave, included Helsinki, Tallin, Vilnius and Riga. (4 different countries) Everything ran smoothly. Dave organised hotels, flights, taxis, ferry and coach. Have used this company a few times and can't recommend highly enough they are fab 😀
Posted 2 days ago -
Sandra
As always, Chris was extremely helpful and knowledgeable. He gave me good advice on my travel plans and booked the holiday on my behalf. I've used eshores a number of times, and will continue to do so.
Posted 5 days ago -
Harrison
We haven’t been on our trip yet but based purely on the experience of booking the trip we are pleased with the result. It started with a bit of a hiccup as we spoke to a member of staff who never came back to us but when we reached back out again we were placed in the hands of Andy who has helped us book a 2 week trip to India including the golden triangle and then a few days on the beach. Andy was very patient with us with our changes to our tailor made holiday, even when we asked him to explore different areas only to revert back to the original plan. He also recommended moving the holiday back one week which created a saving of over £700 which meant we could upgrade the room for our beach stay in Goa. Andy was also available on weekends if we wanted to speak and regularly picked up the phone as opposed to keeping it to purely email dialogue. Hopefully the holiday will be amazing but based on the booking experience I would recommend eShores if you’re looking to book a tailor made holiday
Posted 5 days ago -
Wendy
I spoke to Lynette who was extremely helpful in understanding the trip that myself and my sister in law wanted from Thailand. Myself and my sister in law are both 72years young and we are really looking forward to our trip.
Posted 6 days ago -
Dawn
Excellent service from Matt at eShores. So very helpful and nothing was too much trouble. I booked Mya holiday after all his hard work finding me the perfect holiday that I wanted. Superb service and not pushy all all.
Posted 1 week ago -
Amrik
We have booked two big holidays this year for a group of 8 and a group of 10, Rachel has coordinated our holidays with the utmost excellence, during the consultation we changed countires hotels and even flights but it did not phase Rachel one bit. Exceeds customer expectations by helping advising and supporting throughout the holiday. We are off to Thailand and Dubai in August and then followed by India and Thailand in November, I have rang emailed Rachel many times during the booking and I got very prompt responses even on her days off. Rachel is a credit to EShores and EShores is setting standards regarding customer focus.
Posted 1 week ago -
IainWilliam
I can’t praise Lynette at EShores enough. She has organised my trips perfectly to the point that I wouldn’t use anyone else. She listens to what I want or to the problem I have and comes up with a solution. Nothing is too much trouble. Try them out yourselves and I bet you become a repeater too!
Posted 1 week ago -
Kevin
At short notice, I needed a quote to travel through the USA (July the 20th) I emailed eShores with an idea of what I wanted to do, within a short period of time I had a response from Matthew, After several amendments to my holiday which wasn't any trouble to Matthew, Holiday all booked, now looking forward to travelling through the USA Have to say, the service I had through eShores was fantastic, well done Matthew for working through the changes,
Posted 1 week ago -
Marcus
Dealt with Adam who was great, I went back and forth many times, nothing was a problem for him. We got there in the end and Adam arranged a 3 place holiday to Malaysia and Singapore. We go on 5th August, will if update review when we return. EShores so far brilliant hats of to Adam.
Posted 1 week ago -
Jill
We as a family used eShores last year to go to USA, and they were brilliant, my husband and 1 are going to Italy with them this September and we have just booked again to go back to USA with them next May, very efficient and Matt is lovely to deal with
Posted 1 week ago