Grenada - Flamboyant

Grenada has once again won it's place in my book of travel. This time the entire family went on the trip and we had lots of fun. I should note that this vacation was post Hurricane Ivan. We stayed at The Flamboyant Hotel http://www.flamboyant.com/ which is located on the popular Gran Anse beach. That has just got to be the best location in Grenada.


The hotel location was exceptional and the views from the room was great. You've got to be somewhat fit to stay at this hotel though since it's on a hill - a very steep on at that. You'll find yourself doing some walking to get to the pool area, restaurant as well as the beach. Hey, I looked at it as a good legs workout while on vacation :) The room was clean and spacious enough for a family of three. We got a crib for the baby as well as 'linens' however, next time we'll bring our own - not that it was dirty just that it didn't seem to be used recently and would have probably been better if we got some 'baby linens' instead of the standard white hotel linens.


I wasn't too impressed with the Hotel's restaurant. The food tasted OK, but the quantity served was far to small. I had only two meals there but was able to get food at the nearby restaurants. The hotel is located 5 minutes away from a mini mall with a small food court. Be sure to check the supermarket for a wide array of wines and drinks. You'll come out much better that way.

There is a grill and a chinese restaurant which both serves good food. You can also dine on the various 'street meat' caravans that set up shop on a Friday and Saturday night - I did not try any. Close to the mall is also a KFC restaurant. Located a stones throw away from the mall is a sushi restaurant and an itallian restaurant. So you can definitely see that there are many food places nearby. We got a full kitchen in the room we rented so there was always the option of buying stuff from the grocery to prepare - but hey we're on vacation - who's cooking?!?!?


I'd definitely look at staying at The Flamboyant again and would recommend it to anyone.

We had some company on this trip, Kerry & Marissa. We decided to rent a vehicle and scope out the island. We drove and drove and drove. Checked out a 'waterfall' and a few goats and pommerac trees on the way :) It was all good. Make sure though that you get well maintained vehicle. You'll be heavy on the brakes driving through this mountainous island. One stop at the gas station is all you'll need as well. If you have a chance, check out the St. Georges University - it's on the way to Bananas.

Grenada

Grenada...

I've visited Grenada twice. Once before Hurricane Ivan and the other time after the hurricane for the ICC Cricket World Cup. Each visit was different in their own right. The first time was spent at Coyaba Hotel & Resort as an anniversary gift in July 2006. Both my wife and I were pleased with the Hotel staff and room. There was a problem with our bookings though and it turned out to be the travel agent's fault. This was quickly rectified by the concierge at Coyaba.


Coyaba was located right on the Gran Anse beach which was ideal. The beach and the weather was ideal for a weekend getaway. There was an aquanauts nearby for those interested in the watersports. I was impressed by the cleanliness of the beach and the daily maintenance. The Gran Anse beach itself was calm and made it very nice for bathing. This was especially inviting for Sasha who isn't much of a swimmer. You could have taken lounge chairs on to the beach to relax under the shade of a coconut or almond tree.

I faintly remember dining at the restaurant in Coyaba. For us it was convenient to have a mini shopping centre right over the road from Coyaba. There are a few places to eat - Grill and Chinese food - both of which tasted well. There was also a supermarket which came in handy for snacks, beer and wine.

Coyaba was damaged by Hurricane Ivan and they have rebuilt. I have not returned to Coyaba since that time however, I understand that they have upgraded all of their facilities. In 2006, the price was very affordable - I am not sure what it would be like post hurricane.

My second stay in Grenada was for the ICC Cricket world cup earlier this year - April 2007. I stayed at Deynas City Inn. This newly built inn is in the heart of the city, located opposite to the taxi hub. It's just about 7 minutes walking distance from the newly built cricket stadium so this was an ideal location for my 2 day cricket trip. I was suprised to see how well space was used in this building. The room that I stayed in was neat but good enough for the purpose of the visit. I would not suggest more than 2 adults stating in these rooms. The one we stayed in had two queen beds, air condition, full (compact) bathroom and a mix of local and cable TV. There wasn't any coffee machines or mini fridge in the room - however, there is a full bar and kitched just down the corridor. Breakfast was included in the cost and it was really good. Definitely something to comment on. The dining area included an enclosed balcony overlooking the port. This was cool to see the cruise ships coming in for the cricket. The staff at Deynas Inn was extremely polite and helpful. I would return to Deynas if going to Grenada on business or for cricket. I won't recommend it as a place for a family to stay for vacation since it's a bit small and there isn't any pool or beach within walking distance. The hotel also did not have reserved parking spots however, there was a 'parking lot' right over the road from Deynas.