Tasteful Caribbean luxury in an intimate, beachside setting. Calabash Hotel is known for its award-winning food & service. But what’s it like to stay in this world-class boutique? Read through our experience at the Calabash hotel and why this place needs to be added to your travel wishlist.
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About Calabash Hotel Grenada
You can tell that this place knows what they’re doing. From the service to the thoughtful room touches, amazing menu, and photogenic, tropical grounds. It’s not hard to see why this 30-room, luxury boutique has won multiple awards, including the #1 Luxury Hotel in the Caribbean 2019 (Trip Advisors Traveller Awards).
It has the beautiful amenities you’d expect at a five-star resort with the added bonus of a small community feel. The intimate setting has a classic, tropical exterior, and the rooms all open up to a large, green expanse filled with flowers, birds, and even the occasional bright, green Iguana.
Since 1987 the Garbutt Family has owned and operated the hotel. They are on-site to assist and keep the vibe of the place very personable.
Where is Calabash Hotel?
Located on the southeast coast of Grenada in a calm, beach bay, Calabash Hotel is approximately 10mins by car from the airport. It’s also around 10mins by car to the world-famous Grand Anse Beach (Grenada’s most famous and popular beach).
If you do feel like taking a walk outside of the property, it’s a nice beach to stroll along. Alternatively, just a 5-minute walk from the gate is the West Indies Brewery.
The Rooms at Calabash Hotel
While the hotel’s exterior has a classic feel, the suite interiors are super modern with clean and modern finishings. The neutral tones are highlighted with splashes of beach-themed elements.
There are a few different sizes and styles of suites, however, they all open up to a balcony that overlooks the gardens and beach.
Our Room – The Pool Suite
We stayed in the Pool Suite which (as the name suggests) has its own plunge pool. The hotel itself has an amazing main pool area, but having your own private pool means…floating breakfast if you want to. Which we did.
It has all the modern amenities you would want from a stylish hotel room. Huge bathroom, seating area, minibar, front deck with seating & even a back area with seating, but our favorite part about it had to be the outdoor, standalone bathtub!
We spent most of our time in the room, outside. Which is really what you want in the tropics. The outdoor area even opens out to the front of the hotel, so you can walk in and out without having to go through the lobby area.
If you’re looking for a getaway within a getaway, the pool suite might be for you. However, if you’re happy with the main hotel pool and the beach for your swimming needs you will not be disappointed.
About Your Stay at Calabash Hotel
It’s one thing to look at photos of beautiful gardens, stylish exteriors, and mouthwatering food options, but what’s it really like to stay at an award-winning, luxury boutique?
Here’s an example of some experiences you could expect.
The Welcome
Just seeing the Calabash Hotel entrance sign changes your day to ‘stylish mode’. White, clean, and open-air the lobby looks out through the restaurant to the main garden area and beach.
Friendly and helpful staff make the process feel seamless and it is a relatively short walk from the lobby to the rooms, so there is no need for a golf buggy.
We had a glass bottle of rum punch waiting on ice, with some homemade cookies and flowers on the bed. Just the right amount of Caribbean welcome.
The Staff
From the moment we arrived and were greeted at the security gate, we knew that these were the kind of staff that enjoyed coming to work every day.
It didn’t take long before it felt that like we knew all the staff well. They take pride in knowing the guests by name and it seems with so many returning guests annually the staff get to know guests well over time.
The Restaurant
If you’re a foodie, looking for a boutique, Caribbean getaway, this is definitely a place to consider on your next trip. The menu at Calabash Hotel is a major drawcard. And while we’re typically not ‘fine dining’ goers, the very accommodating experience made it a memorable one for sure.
Not only is the food made with incredibly fresh, local, and organic ingredients, it is creative, fresh, and exciting.
There are two restaurants at the hotel and they both have unique dishes (and settings/dress does).
The Beach Club
While the Beach Club is on the beach, just steps away from the water, it is not a typical, super-casual walkup. It is “elegant casual”. So, not really a burger and fries kind of beach bar (though they do have an incredible bowl of wedges with parmesan and truffle).
The staff are knowledgeable and are happy to whip you up a cocktail to your liking. Try the Caribbean Martini.
Tapas plates are the best way to go at the Beach Club, as you get to try a little bit of everything. There are great flavor combinations, textures, and photogenic plating presentations with an incredible ocean backdrop.
Alternatively, you can sit in the white, marble-top bar or your choice of high tables, all with uninterrupted sea views.
Rhodes Restaurant
This is a fine dining restaurant with a formal dress code. If you’re looking for quality, seasonal food that’s done in interesting ways this restaurant knows how to turn it on. We asked about Lion Fish (which are actually an invasive species in the Caribbean wreaking havoc amongst the marine environment). Chef Castillo had one caught that day and prepared it for us, steamed in a banana leaf with a unique blend of spices (off-menu item).
Another dish that blew our minds was the Beetroot “tartare”. It was presented to look like beef tartare with a soft “egg yolk” on top. However, the egg yolk was actually a mango purée inside a kind of gelatine ball and it burst just like an egg.
Things to do at Calabash Hotel
We walked right around the property just to enjoy the tropical vibe and found some great little spots to take photos, however, if you’d rather kick back in holiday mode, here are a few options to consider.
Shuffle Board
While you normally see this game on cruise ships, it’s actually quite an enjoyable activity that can even be done with a drink in hand. The shuffleboard location is surrounded by palm trees so it’s truly a tropical experience if you want to do “something” that’s not going to require too much energy.
Afternoon Tea
The hotel provides an afternoon tea in the main lobby area which makes for a great sun break and change of scenery. Here you will be treated with a range of sweet and savory treats, alongside a cup of tea.
Lounge by/in the pool
This has got to be the hotel’s highlight for us. The in-pool lounge chairs make the perfect afternoon hangout location. Staff from the main bar can even bring up cocktails and ice buckets, so there’s really no reason to leave.
From the pool chairs, you can look out over the gardens to the beach and soak in the sunshine or kick back under an umbrella.
Spa
The spa building itself is very photogenic. The vines ‘pop’ on the white walls making it a great photo backdrop. Inside the spa, you can get a variety of treatments from facials to the “Caribbean Rescue” deep tissue massage (there is a range of fees for treatments).
Yoga
Yoga seems better with the sound of the sea and birds chirping in the background. It’s a great way to get the day started and is held on a shaded deck on the main lawn.
Scuba Dive
The hotel has its own dive shop called ScubaTech Grenada. You can do a variety of dives from this location or even do your PADI dive course.
Tennis & Gym
The hotel has a tennis court and an indoor gym (by the pool area) for those who want to sweat it out and exercise during their stay.
Gift Shop
The on-site boutique store has a variety of locally made and handmade items from jewelry to baskets and clothes.
Private Picnic
Feel like a private beach picnic for two, under the stars? The Calabash staff were more than happy to pack a picnic basket and set up a beautiful spot on the beach for us.
Calabash Hotel Sustainable Practices
Whilst they don’t call themselves an eco hotel, there are a few notable sustainable practices that are helping to encourage the green potential of luxury living.
- Solar Farm: the hotel has 180 solar panels which add to its electricity supply.
- Solar Water Heaters: Supply the hotel’s hot water
- Rainwater Harvesting: The hotel harvests rainfall to fill the tanks which supply the hotel. The water is treated on-site, so it is safe and drinkable.
- Restaurant & Menus: Calabash collaborates with local farmers, fishermen, and suppliers as well as their own family estate, L’Esterre. They only source fish from fishermen who line catch (do not use nets which collect a lot of by-catch, therefore line catching is hugely better for the marine environment) and only source fresh produce from farmers who they know use organic, sustainable agricultural practices with no use of fertilizers or pesticides.
- Mosquito control: the hotel has a member of their team inspect the property every day for standing water which mosquitos breed in. They remove the water by either pouring it out or adding table salt to the water. Mosquitos cannot breed in saltwater. This method is called source control. When the breeding areas are removed, it is less likely for adult mosquitos to be around. In addition, they fog the hotel weekly with an eco-friendly repellent of thyme, eucalyptus & mineral oil.
- Charitable Initiatives include Grenada Schools Foundation & Pack for a Purpose
Hotel Awards and Certifications
As mentioned, the hotel is highly regarded in The Caribbean and has won a number of awards. Here are some recent ones (sourced from Hotel Website).
- Trip Advisor Traveler’s Choice Awards: No.2 Hotel in the Caribbean – 2021
- US News & Travel: #13 of Relais & Châteaux Hotels Worldwide – 2021
- Caribbean Hotelier of The Year: Leo Garbutt – 2020
- World Travel Awards – 2020
- Grenada’s Leading Boutique Hotel
- Trip Advisor Traveler’s Choice Best of the Best – 2020
- AAA Best Housekeeping Property – 2020
- Haute Grandeur Excellence Awards – 2020
- Trip Advisor Traveler’s Choice Awards – 2019
- No. 1 Luxury Hotels in the Caribbean
- No. 2 Hotels in the Caribbean
- No. 4 Hotels for Service
Pros and Cons of Calabash Hotel
We really couldn’t find any cons of staying at Calabash, with incredible service, delicious food, and thoughtful touches, it made the perfect stay. However depending on your travel style and budget, here’s a quick reference to some pros and potential cons:
Pros:
- Beautifully styled property
- A real sense of guest care with an intimate feel
- Incredible food from breakfast right through to dessert
Cons:
- Quiet area, away from the more touristy areas
- The food prices are on the higher end (but the quality is there to back it up)
What to Pack
The dress codes for dining includes closed shoes and collared shirt for men at Rhodes. For the Beach Club, it’s a swimsuit coverup for women and no sleeveless shirts for men.
While there are dining dress codes, it is still a beachfront hotel. So, beach attire is what we spent most of the time in (or swimsuits by the pool). The overall vibe of the hotel is relaxed and very friendly.
We didn’t have an issue with mosquitos while there, however, there was repellant provided in the room. Do use reef-safe sunscreen if you go in the sea. There are sea turtles swimming in the bay (it is seagrass from about waist deep) and a reef-safe screen is better for everyone!
Why you Should Stay at Calabash Hotel
Calabash is unique in that it feels both high-end and exceptionally welcoming at the same time. For those who want to experience a classic touch of Caribbean hospitality in a setting with a kind of understated elegance, this place may be for you.
It’s easy to see why this is an award-winning hotel. They’ve got the formula down. Beautiful place, friendly staff, incredible food all wrapped up into an intimate beachfront setting.
Things to do in Grenada
Grenada is a beautiful and relatively untouched, Caribbean Island. There are amazing beaches, waterfalls, and rainforests to explore. Check out these guides for more information on:
- The 5 best beaches in Grenada
- The 5 best Grenada Waterfalls
- And a list of other things to do in Grenada, including sailing, snorkeling & shopping!
Learn more
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Disclaimer: Our stay at this venue was considered a press trip. With digital content created in exchange for a 3-night stay.
