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Maca Bana has a delightful setting in the south of Grenada, in one of the lovely secluded coves looking north from the Point Salines peninsular. Five two-bedroom and two one-bedroom cottages, dressed in earthy Caribbean colours, are ranged across a steep hillside full of flowers and trees. Inside, they are modern and comfortable, with full kitchens and plenty of space, lightened by touches of artsy rusticity. Each has a hardwood deck and a whirlpool tub with a fantastic view over the sea and to Grenada’s mountains beyond. The cove itself is home to the Aquarium, one of Grenada’s classic beach bars, so there is a lively restaurant right there. And then, for true peace and quiet, you only have to retreat to your villa with a view.
RATES INCLUDE: Airport transfer and a welcome fridge stock on arrival for first breakfast. Shopping service comes with an extra charge and ‘in-house’ catering is available on request.
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KEY FEATURES
| Stylish at an affordable price, small Grenada villa resort, seven one and two bedroom cottages, air-conditioning, full kitchens, cable TV, CD player, stereo surround system, WiFi internet access, washing machine and drier (two bedroom villas only), solar-panelled energy, infinity edge, saline pool, whirlpools with a view. The ever-popular The Aquarium Restaurant and La Sirena Beach Bar. Wedding co-ordinator. Beauty and health spa treatments. Private art and cooking classes. Personal chef service available. Yoga and Pilates classes on request. No smoking policy inside the villas. |
STYLE
| Modern Caribbean buildings with some artistic touches and some stylised rusticity. Cool Caribbean cottage hideaway, easy-going atmosphere |
CLIENT PROFILE
| Independent travellers, couples, small families |
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Maca Bana is in a quiet corner of Grenada, but one which has a distinct charm and a certain off-beat activity. It shares its cove, tucked away on the Point Salines peninsular, with the Aquarium, one of the island’s excellent beach bars and restaurants. You approach on the quiet road running west from the airport and then turn into the grounds, as though you were heading down the hill to the Aquarium. You will find Maca Bana’s Reception in a small octagonal building on your left. The villas stand on the hillside beyond it, in two acres of grounds, looking to the North and East.
The resort is small, but it has a very pretty tropical setting and a strong character, one that encourages contemplative tranquillity. In addition to the usual activities that you might expect of the Caribbean - the liveliness of the beach and watersports - there are art classes and alternative therapies on offer. Maca Bana is not a mix of the words ma and cabana as you might think at first glance, though it is almost appropriate enough. Instead maca is an Arawak word for tree and bana means place of dwelling. Combined, they mean more than a simple cabin, and instead give a sense of true relaxation and absorption in natural and luxurious tropical abundance.
There are two one-bedroom villas at Maca Bana, which sit farthest out on the point, and five two bedroom villas (deluxe), ranged among the trees to the side and above them. The two-bedroom villas are set in both two-storey buildings (three of them, above), and in two bungalows, on the lower level. They are all linked by concrete walkways that meander through the gardens, crossing a lily pond with terrapins and leading to the main pool shared by all the villas. This is a non-chlorine, infinity pool with a lovely view of the bay.
Each of the villas is named after a tropical fruit – coconut, mango, pineapple, rock fig – and the name brings a theme to them, in the colour of the building itself – Mango is a light orange and pineapple a yellow wash – and in the interior décor. Cherry has cherry-coloured drapes in the bedroom and Coconut has a mural of palm trees on its bench seats.
The buildings are modern, stylish and comfortable and have been satisfyingly designed to include traditional Caribbean architectural features. There are pitched pickled-pine ceilings supported by a starburst of beams, wooden four poster beds and ‘paddle’ ceiling fans. In places local stone is built into the walls. Elsewhere polished wood is used in the window surrounds and as pointing on interior walls. The rooms might almost feel a little formal, but the impression has been spiked by artful disguise and light, in places rustic, touches. On the outside walls, stones have been inserted into the render to break up the lines and the balustrades on the decks are made with twisted branches of local cedar. Solar panels on the roof provide 21KW – enough energy for Maca Bana to be self-sufficient. Inside you will find an occasional impish mural on the walls, of a lizard, say, or a monkey. A general earthiness in the decoration of the villas, in the use of wood and colours, makes them comfortable and friendly to live in.
The villas are also very well equipped. There are full kitchens fitted with European standard stainless steel appliances and there are 40" wall-mounted flat screen TVs (some in the main living rooms, some in the bedrooms), telephones and wireless internet throughout the small resort. The furniture is a mix of classic pieces and more modern ones. Some of the beds are four posters made with handsome wood and topped with slender wrought iron. While the living areas can be opened to the natural air, the bedrooms are air-conditioned and in some cases fan-ventilated too. The bathrooms are modern and well equipped, and have locally made soaps and a shampoo dispenser. Each cottage has outside space, a secluded sitting area and a wooden deck, made of Guyanese greenheart, on which there is a hot tub with a view.
And the view is one of the lovely features of Maca Bana. The view of the beach below varies, but beyond here all villas look down to the sea, which is aquamarine and azure blue, patched in places by reefs. The seascape is made by the fact that it is framed in the distance by Grenada itself, which rises in waves of green between the blues sea and the sky and seemingly tethered white clouds.
Maca Bana is owned by Uli and Rebecca, who designed them in the first place. They live on the property. In the 1990s, when they first came here to open the Aquarium beach bar, they were thought of as slightly crazy, choosing a beach miles from Grand Anse which was rarely used. But it has its own action now. This is a delightful corner of the island.
The Aquarium is so close that it can be an integral part of the experience of staying at Maca Bana if you choose. It is both beach bar by day (La Sirena) and a restaurant in the evenings and it sees a good crowd of visitors and at the weekends particularly Grenadians too. On the other hand, because it is invisible over the slope, you can also choose to ignore it completely and hide yourself away in your villa. |
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Beach & Swimming
Aquarium Beach (officially known as Magazine Beach) is right below the property, just a couple of minutes walk away. It is an excellent half mile stretch of light sand that (usually) shelves quite steeply into the sea. There is good swimming. There can occasionally be big waves.
There is a saline central pool among the villas which is for the use of all the guests. It is 27ft by 24ft, 5’6” deep and it has an infinity edge that takes in the view. All the villas have whirlpools on their deck and most have a view looking out north into the distance. |
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Sports & Recreation
The Aquarium is right there of course, tucked into the corner of the bay right beneath the villas, so you can base yourself there for the day if you wish. Use of Ocean kayaks and snorkelling gear is free to guests of Maca Bana. There are reefs straight off the bay and around the corner to the west of Aquarium’s beach. Other sports are available through the watersports shop at the nearby Rex Resort. Dive operators will happily pick you up from the bay.
If you fancy something a little less energetic, then the in-house massage therapist will come to your cottage and give you a massage, perhaps on the deck outside your room, where you will hear the sound of the waves. Maca Bana can bring in someone who specialises in beauty treatments such as manicure and an Ayurveda facial. They can also offer holistic treatments (seasonal) such as Thai-Yoga massage, Chakra Balancing and Reiki. |
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Staff
There is daily maid service to the villas. If you would prefer not to cook for yourself then it is possible to have chef service from the restaurant, see below under Dining.
Maca Bana is owned by Uli and Rebecca, who live on the property. Rebecca is a trained artist and is the driving force both behind the spirit of the resort as well as the art courses that are held here of course. The resident manager is Michaela Karger. |
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Art & Cookery Lessons
Art Lessons
Maca Bana offers one-on-one art classes to artists of all standards, under the guidance of Rebecca Thompson, the owner of the resort, who is a trained artist. The rationale behind the sessions is to use Grenadian nature, around the resort certainly but usually elsewhere on the island, as inspiration for sketch work that can be developed into finished pieces while on island and once you have returned home. These tuition sessions are not intended to be an ‘art week’. Instead they are most appropriate for one or possibly two guests who would like to spend part of their holiday working on their interest. Guests can book a single lesson, starting with a sketching field trip, or the whole package of three different three-hour lessons. These are tailored to your wishes, based on your individual level of experience, skill and knowledge. Cost US220 for the field trip and US$560 for all three lessons.
Cookery Lessons
You can also take one on one cookery lessons in your villa, with a chef from The Aquarium Restaurant. Learn how to prepare your favourite dish from the Aquarium's menu or learn how to cook Grenada's national dish, oildown, or another local speciality. Cost US$65 per hour plus produce. |
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Special Interest Tours
The owners of Maca Bana have created two new special interest tours which will allow you to learn more about the surrounding countryside, local agriculture and art.
From The Forest To The Plate
Enjoy a tour with one of the Maca Bana owners to land in St. David’s and discover all the different tropical trees and savour the fresh mountain water from the natural spring. Meet the farmers and have a chat with them, asking anything you want to know about local agriculture, the fruit trees and the organically farmed crops, and maybe even life in Grenada in general; refreshments are provided and who wants to can sample some local rum. You can then harvest ingredients for an evening meal to enjoy either in the Aquarium Restaurant or in your villa, prepared and served by one of our local chefs. You could opt for a private cookery lesson in your own kitchen during which you will learn how to prepare a typical Grenadian dish and the chef will be happy to share some of his well-kept culinary secrets. This tour highlights the ‘slow food’ approach to cuisine, where you can literally follow the produce from field to plate.
The first part of this experience is the guided trip to the country (approximately 2 hours) and costs US$30 per person and the second part (optional) is the food consumption which is priced according to your wishes (just the meal cooked and sampled from the restaurant menu at the standard a la carte price, on the villa deck private catering or cookery lesson in the villa’s gourmet kitchen).
Nature, Tastes & Art Appreciation
This tour is about connecting the lush Grenadian nature with art appreciation and is with Maca Bana owner and resident fine artist, Rebecca Thompson. Your personal landscape tour is through the rainforest where you can collect nutmegs from the amazing, year-round fruit trees and see cocoa pods growing straight out of the tree trunks. Picnic and refreshments will be included, offering the opportunity for a relaxed chat with the farmers and local products such as Grenada Chocolate (now internationally exported) or De la Grenade Liqueur (made from an old Grenadian secret family recipe including the flesh of the fruit of the nutmeg). Following this short tour you will be driven back to Maca Bana where you can visit Rebecca’s studio and discuss landscape painting over a glass of fresh fruit juice and/or prosecco.
The price of this guided trip (approximately 3hours duration) is US$40 per person. |
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The Villas
The two one-bedroom villas are Paw Paw and Rock Fig, and they sit on the lower level of villas, at the far end, so they have the best ’exposure’ and the finest view. They are almost a mirror image of one another and while they are not open plan, the interior walls do not reach up to the ceiling so the rooms roll into one another.
Two of the two-bedroom villas, Mango and Pineapple, stand next to them ‘below’. These are laid out over one storey. Their view is slightly restricted because they are tucked slightly more into the cove, but they have large and very attractive decks which look onto the tropical greenery and the view north. There is a sitting area between the two bedrooms.
The other three two-bedroom villas , Avocado, Cherry and Coconut, are set in two storey buildings, ‘behind’. The bedrooms are downstairs, linked by a spiral staircase to the living rooms upstairs, where they get the best of the view. The kitchen and dining area are at the rear of this upper room. The huge balcony, with its rustic balustrades and the whirlpool, stretches out to the front to get the best of the view.
The kitchens are fitted with wooden cabinets and good quality European stainless steel appliances – fridge freezer with ice maker, gas stove top, oven, dishwasher (in the two-bedroom villas), microwave, Nespresso machine and a regular coffee machine, kettle and blender. The two-bedroom villas have a central island which is used as a breakfast bar. The bedrooms are air-conditioned. The soaps in the bathrooms are made by the local company Spice Isle Plantations, which uses many of Grenada’s spices. |
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Dining
The villas are equipped with full kitchens, so you are able to cater for yourself if you wish. However, if you wish to dine down below at The Aquarium Restaurant, you are permitted to sign bills to your room.
Their Chef Service enables you to choose dishes from the menu at The Aquarium Restaurant to be served in your room. Unlike typical room service, in which the dish is delivered hot to your room, here a cook will come to your cottage and cook the meal and then clean up for you.
The Aquarium Restaurant and La Sirena Beach Bar:
The restaurant has an undercover dining room and an outdoor deck which look through the palms right onto the beach. It has a good mix of international dishes and fresh local food. La Sirena Beach Bar is at the front of the restaurant, right above the sand. It is set on a pretty deck through which palm trees grow and it is surrounded by tropical greenery. It offers simple and lighter daytime fare. |
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Weddings
Maca Bana is a delightful spot for a Caribbean wedding. You can choose to tie the knot on a classic Caribbean beach at nearby Aquarium Beach, against a backdrop of tropical blooms within the resort’s tropical gardens, by the infinity pool, or in the privacy of your own villa. A basic wedding package is on offer, which can be adjusted to suit your specific requirements.
The wedding package includes: The services of the in-house Wedding Coordinator, transfer to and from the Ministry to arrange your Marriage Licence. The Marriage Licence fee and the Marriage Officer’s fee. A two tier Wedding Cake, Hors d’oeuvres (for wedding couple and 2 guests) and a bottle of Champagne. A Bridal Bouquet of tropical flowers, a Groom’s Buttonhole and tropical flower arrangements for the wedding venue. Photographer during the ceremony. 1 hour massage for the bride and groom, a honeymoon breakfast prepared by one of the chefs, and one FREE night’s stay for a return visit on your 1st Wedding Anniversary (minimum 5 night stay required). Package cost US$1,450.
Optional extras include: steel pan music, a folk group, a sunset cruise, an intimate dinner for two on the beach or in your villa, hairdresser and selected beauty treatments.
Please see here for information on the legal requirements for getting married in Grenada. |
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Useful Hints
Because of its layout on steep land, Maca Bana is not terribly suitable for very small children.
The road down to the beach is really very steep so you will have to make arrangements to go down by car if you have mobility difficulties.
There is a no smoking policy inside all villas. |
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Practical Facts
Annual Closure Dates: open year round
Dress Code: smart casual
Facilities: saline swimming pool. The Aquarium Restaurant (closed Mondays) and La Sirena Beach Bar.
Complimentary: snorkelling equipment and ocean kayaks. Welcome fridge stock (breakfast items) and airport transfers. WiFi access throughout the resort.
Other Services: Chef for private in-villa dining on request @ US$45 plus menu selection/provisions. Personal breakfast service US$25 per person per day plus 10% Service Charge. Shopping service US$20 surcharge plus cost of provisions. Daily maid service. Private cookery lessons available on request at US$65 per hour plus ingredients. Art lessons from US$190-220 for 3 hour sessions (field trips and studio work) or for complete package of 3 sessions (9 hours) at US$560. Wedding co-ordinator. In-house spa and beauty therapist – extra charge. Yoga and Pilates classes on request – extra charge. Laundry service for personal items - US$10 half load and US$20 full load. WiFi access throughout resort.
Children: Welcome over 12 years. Under 12 accepted with the signing of a liability waiver form. Unsuitable for young children due to hillside location
Weddings: Wedding package for US$1,450 with optional extras available – see under Wedding information above
Accommodation: 7 villas
Villas: All villas are individually decorated and feature a private sundeck with Jacuzzi hot tub, ceiling fans, air-conditioned bedrooms with en suite bathroom with double vanity and shower, fully equipped kitchens with fridge freezer and ice maker, gas stove top, oven, microwave, coffee maker, Nespresso machine, kettle and blender, wall-mounted flat screen cable TV, CD player, wireless internet access, direct dial telephone, safe, iron and ironing board. 5 x Two-Bedroom Deluxe Villas with 3 two storey (Coconut, Avocado and Cherry) featuring two bedrooms downstairs with the Master bedroom with a king size four poster bed and the second bedroom with two queen size beds and both with walk-in closet within its en suite bathroom. Spiral stairs lead up to an open-plan living room with sitting area and the kitchen with an adjoining dining area to the rear. Glass sliding doors lead from the sitting area to a large decked balcony with a 6-seater hot tub, sun loungers and a covered dining area. The 2 single storey deluxe villas (Mango and Pineapple) are as above but have their living area located in the second bedrooms. All of the two bedroom villas have the added feature of a furnished reading area, a central cooking island with breakfast bar and hob in the kitchens plus a dishwasher, and a separate utility room with washing machine and dryer. Maximum occupancy 4 persons. 2 x One-Bedroom Villas (Paw Paw and Rock Fig ) have a bedroom with king size four poster bed, writing desk and upholstered window seat with bay views, sliding doors lead onto sundeck with hot-tub, loungers and a covered dining area. Fully equipped kitchen. En suite bathroom with double vanity, shower and separate WC. Maximum occupancy 2 persons
Credit Cards: VISA and MasterCard. |
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Rates
| | Number Of Nights | One Bedroom Villa | One Bedroom Deluxe Villa | 2 Bedroom Deluxe Villa | | | | 1-2 persons | 1-2 persons | 3-4 persons | | 01 Jul-31 Oct 2009 | 1nt | 295 | 391 | 487 | | 7nts | 1,962 | 2,600 | 3,239 | | 14nts | 3,841 | 5,091 | 6,341 | | 01 Nov-14 Dec 2009 | 1nt | 395 | 488 | 580 | | 7nts | 2,627 | 3,245 | 3,857 | | 14nts | 5,143 | 6,354 | 7,552 | | 15 Dec-14 Apr 2009-10 | 1nt | 490 | 581 | 673 | | 7nts | 3,260 | 3,864 | 4,475 | | 14nts | 6,380 | 7,565 | 8,762 | | 15 Apr-14 Jun 2010 | 1nt | 395 | 488 | 580 | | 7nts | 2,627 | 3,245 | 3,857 | | 14nts | 5,143 | 6,354 | 7,552 | | 15 Jun-31 Oct 2010 | 1nt | 295 | 391 | 487 | | 7nts | 1,962 | 2,600 | 3,239 | | 14nts | 3,841 | 5,091 | 6,341 | All rates are quoted in US$ per villa, on a room only basis and are subject to 8% Government Tax (10% from 31 January 2010) and 10% Service Charge. Rates include airport transfers and welcome fridge stock. Personal chef and provisioning services are available on request for an additional charge – personal breakfast service available for US$25 per person, per day plus 10% Service Charge. All rates subject to change without notice. A 25% deposit is required to confirm all reservations, with an additional 25% due 30 days prior to arrival, with balance due on arrival. Cancellations received 90 days prior to arrival will not incur any loss of deposit paid. Cancellation penalties are: cancellation within 90-40 days prior to arrival incurs charge/loss of 25% deposit, within 40-10 days of arrival will incur a charge/loss of 50% deposit and within 10 days of arrival total loss & charges equal to 80% of the total booking value. No-shows or cancellations upon arrival will incur a 100% charge/loss. |
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Special Offers
January Special - Free Night/s
Book to stay at Maca Bana during January 2010 and stay for 7 nights but only pay for 6 or stay for 14 nights and only pay for 12. Offer valid for new bookings only from 01 October 2009 for stays exclusively during January 2010 and must be booked directly with Maca Bana. |
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READERS' OFFER
Definitive Caribbean has teamed up with Maca Bana & the Aquarium Restaurant to provide our users with an exciting READERS’ OFFER.
If you stay a minimum of seven nights you can claim a complimentary three-course meal to include The Aquarium Restaurant’s popular twin SIGNATURE DISHES. Terms and conditions apply (see below).
Maca Bana & the Aquarium Restaurant’s tasty Callaloo Cannelloni is the starter Signature Dish and the mouth-watering Deep Sea Palm Tree of shredded coconut shrimp with a Pineapple & Curry Sauce is the main course Signature Dish, which you will be able to enjoy as part of a complimentary three-course meal at The Aquarium Restaurant. While you stay at Maca Bana, you can meet Chef Randy Daysant personally or even co-owner Ulrich ‘Uli’ Kuhn (who originally created the dishes) and get insider tips on how to prepare them. If you wish to have the special arrangement of having the meal prepared by a chef in your villa, you can book the chef service for this at a cost of EC$120/US$45, which is payable locally.
To claim your complimentary meal, all you need to do is to send us an email requesting a Coded Voucher.
Terms and Conditions:
1. This Reader Offer is exclusive to Definitive Caribbean but will be available to everyone that books to stay a minimum of 7 nights at the relevant hotel/villa, whether you book direct or via a travel agent or tour operator, so long as you have read it on Definitive Caribbean.
2. In order to collect the reader offer, you must apply to us by email for a Coded Voucher, which you must print out and present to the resort on arrival. No advance notice or prior correspondence will be required (unless you wish to book the services of a chef) and the offer will be made available at a mutually suitable day/time to be arranged directly.
3. The Maca Bana & Aquarium Restaurant twin Signature Dishes consist of a starter of Callaloo Cannelloni and a main course, Deep Sea Palm Tree of shredded coconut shrimp dish with a Pineapple & Curry Sauce, which will be offered as part of a complimentary three-course meal for up to 2 adults (per hotel room or villa). For the villa with additional occupancy, the Signature Dish will be offered on a complimentary basis to all adult occupants but other courses forming part of the meal will be at your expense. The offer does not include beverages and ingredients may be subject to availability and a suitable alternative used.
4. This Reader Offer is open-dated so may be taken up at any time but only one voucher is available per reservation. |
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How to Book
If you wish to make further enquiries or a reservation, please use the WEB LINK or DIRECT EMAIL ENQUIRIES facility at the top of this page to make contact with Maca Bana in Grenada, or if you wish to telephone them, their telephone number will be revealed if you click on the CONTACT TELEPHONE NUMBER link. |
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UK Tour Operators
If you wish to book through a tour operator or travel organiser, please follow the TOUR OPERATOR link below.
See List of UK Tour Operators
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Locality
Maca Bana is just ‘beyond’ the airport, slightly further along the Point Salines peninsular than the terminal building. You head straight out of the building up the hill, follow the road round to the left and it is just on the right, an easy walk if you need to. The Aquarium is the only restaurant and beach bar in this direction (there is an all-inclusive hotel farther down), but there are others along the northern side of this peninsular. Try the Beach House. There are also several good bars on the peninsular, for instance True Blue and D’ Big Fish.
The island’s main beach is Grand Anse, which is a ten minute drive along the main road. Beyond Grand Anse it is a further ten minutes into the island capital, St George’s, which is probably the prettiest harbour town in the Caribbean. You will find many bars and shops here. The other main centre of the tourism industry in Grenada is L’Anse aux Epines, where you will also find restaurants and bars among the hotels. This is in the south of the island. Farther along the south coast there are some very pretty bays with excellent beach bars which make for a lovely trip for the day. Try la Sagesse and Petit Bacaye. |
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Meet & Greet
Maca Bana will arrange for you to be picked up on arrival at the airport, by a driver with a Maca Bana sign. The ride is less than two minutes. You will be dropped back at the airport on your departure.
If you are travelling with a tour operator/travel organiser then it is likely that you will be met at the airport by the company’s local representative. |
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Getting Around
Hiring a car to explore the island is easily arranged and is a great addition to a stay in Grenada anyway. You can travel to some of the remoter beaches and the island’s excellent beach bars, and then out to eat in some of the other restaurants around the island in the evenings. If you will want a car only for a couple of days at most, then the Reception at the hotel will be happy to help you. Otherwise we recommend that you make a reservation in advance through your travel organiser or through Y & R Car Rentals, who will deliver the car to the property and issue your Grenadian driving licence (price EC$30). Vehicles can be returned at the airport or at the hotel. Be aware that at the height of the season between December and April and around Carnival in August cars can be booked up on the island, so it is a good idea to reserve one in advance. Also book early if you want one for a week or more because the rate will be better.
Taxis are easily available through Reception at the hotel. Buses come down to the airport very irregularly. Catch one if you can. |
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