Calabash Hotel

There are flashier Caribbean destinations, but the tranquil charms of Grenada are perfectly embodied in this family-owned and -operated hotel. When its current owners took over in 1987, Calabash was already, in some ways, a luxury boutique hotel, even before the world had the phrase to describe the concept. And now, some decades on, it’s evolved with the times, but gently; it might be more accurate to say that the rest of the world has caught on to the idea of luxury hospitality on a modest, human scale.

In practical terms this means a mere 30 suites, spanning at least 565 square feet and furnished with comforts both high-tech and low, from Amazon Echo smart speakers to Elemis bath products. Some have plunge pools, some have hot tubs, and many have views of the sea. And the style is subtle, but noteworthy: it’s clearly Caribbean in the colonial lineage, with no pretensions to urban minimalism, but it steers equally clear of island kitsch. In a word: tasteful.

In fact, that might be the word that best sums up Calabash’s appeal. There’s a spa, a gym, and a yoga program, as well as an infinity pool in the garden, and the white sand beach is just yards away. The beach is home to one of the casual restaurants, the other being poolside — and in the evening, the more formal Rhodes restaurant and piano lounge is a charming throwback, complete with dress code.