Spice Island Beach Resort

Grenada’s two-mile-long Grand Anse Beach is grand indeed. And Spice Island Beach Resort, spanning some eight acres of beachfront real estate, isn’t too shabby either. This family-owned resort was rebuilt after a hurricane a little more than a decade ago, and in the process it was reborn as something rather more high-end — a quietly contemporary, subtly luxurious all-inclusive, all-suite escape.

The 64 suites open onto breezy terraces facing the gardens or, in the best case, the beach; some, set back from the beach, center around private plunge pools instead. All are outfitted in a contemporary style with clear Caribbean-colonial roots, but all studiously avoid floral-print kitsch or seashell cutesiness — it’s a sober, dignified look from top to bottom, and the tactile comforts are more than up to the task.

Oliver’s combines Caribbean fine dining with a lively Grenadian atmosphere, to the sound of steel drums, while the Sea and Surf Terrace & Bar is a touch more casual. Safe to say it’s several steps up from ordinary Caribbean hotel fare, making good on the all-inclusive promise, kids’ club, tennis courts, and all. St. George may not be quite the marquee name that some other Caribbean destinations are — but that’s entirely to Spice Island’s benefit.