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by Barbara Penny Angelakis
SPICE ISLAND BEACH RESORT
Grand Anse Beach
St. George’s, Grenada, W.I.
www.spiceislandbeachresort.com
A deluxe hotel is internationally defined by rating-specific criteria i.e. the design of the physical plant and public spaces, ratio of staff to guests and the level of service, attention to detail, luxury of furniture and appointments, etc. But, how do you classify a smile or the warmth with which you are welcomed by perfect strangers who make you feel that your comfort is their primary life’s goal? Add the smile factor to a luxury property and you get a truly outstanding home away from home experience. The AAA Four-Diamond rated Spice Island Beach Resort on the tropical Caribbean island of Grenada is a perfect example of a deluxe property with the smile factor in abundance. “Spice” is a family owned and operated enterprise with Sir Royston Hopkin K.C.M.G at the helm. Wife Lady Betty Hopkin, son Ryan and daughters Nerissa and Janelle, have all contributed their efforts towards visualizing Royston’s dream of an outstanding luxury resort on the beautiful golden sands at Grand Anse Beach.
Royston earned the rare distinction of being honored by Queen Elizabeth with knighthood for his outstanding service in the development of the hospitality industry on the island of Grenada. But don’t let his title fool you; Royston is a dedicated advocate for Grenada whose personal style is reflected in the gracious hospitality you find in abundance at “Spice”.
Enter through the white bell-tower shaped entrance, sparkling against the cerulean blue sky, into an open-air reception hall with a striking view of the beach  beyond. Here you are greeted with cooling drinks and warming smiles and directed to a desk for registration. Once registered in the system you will be greeted by name throughout your stay by all staff members. After the formalities are concluded, you are walked to your room all the while being provided information on the services and facilities available at the resort. I found it hard to concentrate on the welcoming speech as I was so enchanted by the sheer beauty of the surroundings. This boutique resort lists sixty-four rooms but most are in fact individual villas set in spectacularly beautiful gardens, where every blossom waves to be admired and every bird sings for attention.
There are individually gated garden villas given spice and nut names, i.e. Royal Ginger, Royal Mace, Royal Clove, Royal Sage and Nutmeg, Almond, Cinnamon, and Saffron, that are private self-contained romantic hideaways with plunge pool, lounge area and dining terrace, some even contain a sauna. The Sea-Grape suites open directly onto the beach and are situated so that whenever you are inside you have a view of the beach and water, framed by the beach trees that gave name to the category. This is true even from the bathroom with its louvered  window opening that provides a wide-angle view past the bedroom and sitting area onto the beach and azure water beyond. In addition to the beach or private pool suites, there is a two-story block of rooms that afford either a balcony view of the sea or a patio set in the tropical garden.
“Spice” has recently completed a $12 million dollar renovation and expansion that was underway when hurricane Ivan barreled full force into Grenada in 2004, swamping the work already accomplished and overwhelming the beachfront property. But from that devastation grew the major expansion of the resort and the addition of the beachfront suites. All rooms  were refurbished and contain California King sized beds; a sitting area; dressing room with full length mirror; bathroom with whirlpool tub - in some suites large enough for two - and Rainmaker shower heads; every luxury from Italian Frette linens, bathrobe and slippers, to a Molton Brown 3oz size amenity package, to flat screen TV and complementary high-speed wireless internet access. The furniture throughout is custom-made and the design is strictly Grenadian, down to the original artwork displayed in suites and public areas by artist Susan Mains, whose work evokes the island and its people.
And because “Spice” is an all-inclusive luxury resort, you can take your meals in  your villa, by the pool, on the beach, or in the dining room, as you wish. The bar is included and you can sample any number of specialty drinks created at “Spice” with or without liquor, as well as the house wines whenever and wherever you fancy. Complementary also are non-motorized water sports such as hobie-cats, kayaks, and snorkel gear for use on a beach that features some of the most beautiful waters in the Caribbean. There is even a library of books and movies available for guests and a boutique for shopping. And for those families traveling with children there is the Nutmeg Pod play area, where supervised activity is available for children aged three to twelve, from 9 to 12 and 1 to 5, seven days a week. Baby-sitting services are also available at additional cost.
But for the ultimate in personal pampering, reserve time for a rejuvenating body treatment at Janissa’s Spa. I had the delightful experience of receiving my  Janissa’s Signature Massage and Prescriptive Facial from the Spa’s Director Tricia Thomas, who often takes turns working on guests to keep up her level of skills and to see firsthand the results of the various botanical extracts and fruit enzymes she blends for use in the massage treatments at the spa. For facials, Tricia uses Dermalogica formulas and products exclusively at Janissa’s and trains her staff in the fine art of skin analysis so that each client receives the prescription facial suitable for their individual needs, hence the name Prescriptive Facial. The same holds true for the body treatments. An investigation of what the client hopes to achieve is analyzed to select the best blends for that purpose and Tricia is always available to design a personalized treatment for those with special requests.
Breakfast at “Spice” can be a traditional English meal, with table service and items cooked to order or a self-service continental buffet, according to your taste.  Lunch and afternoon tea are offered at the Sea and Surf Terrace and Bar, and every evening, a plate of toothsome hors d’oeuvres is delivered to your room to tide you over till your dinner at Oliver’s, “Spices” gourmet restaurant looking out over the sea and the night sky filled with stars, as seemingly close away as your fingertips. Dinner at Oliver’s was a cross between a epicurean extravaganza and an adventure into the mysteries of Grenada’s cuisine. There are several selections of appetizers, soups or salad for starters, and meat (Pave of Port Tenderloin with a pineapple and christophene puree and cheese Coo-Coo or Roast Shoulder of Lamb with pickled pumpkin, goat cheese and basil gnocchi), fish (Seared Mahi Mahi served on a tempura of okra and christophene with a poppy seed and orange dressing) and vegetarian (Spinach and Dasheen  Cakes with spiced chana, lentil and eggplant purses) options for entrée, with many desert choices, all from the imagination of Executive Chef, Mark Banthorpe and his blending of international fare and island traditional dishes. A sample dinner for me consisted of Twice Baked Callaloo Soufflé with a cherry tomato confit. Callaloo is a large green leafy vegetable with a distinctive taste that each Caribbean cook prepares in a slightly different fashion, mostly as a soup. This version is based on Royston’s mother’s recipe and was both subtle and delicious for a vegetable that usually requires acquiring a taste over a long period of time. A Lemon and Gin Sorbet was the perfect segue to clean and prepare the palate for the entrée, a Lemon Pepper Chicken Brochette that was savory, tender and juicy, and cooked to perfection. The accompanying vegetables were fresh local produce, and each was flavored differently unlike the usual gray tasteless mélange found on many dinner plates. The meal ended with a Chocolate Rum Pudding with a citrus cream dressing and coffee.
Spice Island Beach Resort was everything promised and more, but when the memory fades of luxury accommodations and marvelous meals what will remain is the brilliance of smiles and the sheer beauty of the natural setting. Go see for yourself!
© January 2008 LuxuryWeb Magazine. All rights reserved.
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