Spent the day at Shell’s beach bar - Felix is a wonderful gentleman and a credit to the resort. He made me feel very welcome and even helped me to make a reservation at one of the other resorts on the island. He and his staff were extremely attentive, food was delicious.
Flew via private plane from Barbados which took 20 minutes. Met by hotel staff and our personal butler. Our villa was very spacious with own pool and golf cart to get around the estate. All the staff were extremely friendly especially Felix and the hotel beach staff. We ate at all the restaurants and food was excellent. Alcohol very expensive but was expected on this private island. Hardly anyone here and we were the only people playing golf. The pro Adam was always on hand and our buggy was set up to go every morning with iced water etc... Everywhere we went we were greeted by our names - goodness knows how they remembered us. Cannot wait to go again.
Stayed July 2018 in a 2 bed estate house with beautiful views over the bay. Restaurants on the estate beaches were both first class also dined inside the Mandarin Oriental a couple of evenings. Lunch at Shell Beach was always excellent. Breakfast at the Mandarin was also good
The beach at the Mandarin was best for swimming though like many places in the region that can suffer from the floating seaweed..
The golf course runs through centre of the estate and there was barely a player all day
We enjoyed the stay would recommend the estate houses with club car rather than Mandarin which is a little too overdone for us (similar to Sandy Lane architecture style, not surprising given original owners
Catamaran trips to Tobago Cays and bbq lunches on desert islands are a must, as is booking the hotels private jet for transit into Barbados
We have been to Canouan numerous times over the years (as part of our Quintess membership) and have obviously been following the never ending changes on the island...from Raffles to Canouan Resort to Pink Sands, Mandarin and Canouan Estate.
We unfortunately feel that things are going downhill currently and are unsure if we will ever return to the island again.
Service is not what it once used to be, particular comparing to our visit in 2017 and this runs unfortunately across all areas. You always have to wait and even wave to get attention, particular at the beaches. Shell beach isn’t as nice anymore as it used to be; sand is rock solid and water is full of algae. Prices in the restaurants are beyond ridiculous and not in line with the provided quality. It almost felt as if they were trying to rip those few people around totally off as there are limited options on the island. We ended up home cooking more frequently than we would normally do as the restaurant experiences were frustrating with the almost laughable pricing everywhere. The restaurant at the marina charges far less for the same (also not great) quality / service.
The golf course has been in very bad shape and while I understand it is dry season, we have never seen it like this. There wasn’t even a golf pro around.
The facilities in the “old resort” part (not the Mandarin hotel) are in very bad condition and seem to be falling apart. Nothing I would ever associate with a five star resort.
The villa was also not in the condition it used to be and it almost seems as nobody is looking after those houses any longer.
It’s such a shame since we clearly know what the place used to be and what its potential is, but it seems to me that management / ownership have a different agenda. They gave me the impression that my comments didn’t really matter and that they knew what they were doing, which doesn’t seem to be the case to me. The local staff is very nice and eager to please every guest but they also seem fed up with the constant change in direction and lack of attention by management / ownership to solve the real issues instead of creating new ones with those constant changes.
My husband treated me to a special birthday lunch on the beach at Canouan resort.
It was nice to go down to the beach and enjoy a lovely lunch on the sand. Service was top class and the food was amazing! Presentation was superb and everything was delicious.
The price of drinks is astounding by the average Joe’s budget with a glass of red wine setting us back US$50! Expect major mark-ups but this is how it is on islands where everything has to be flown or sailed in. Food costs become astronomical!
Still, one can't always watch the price, but focus instead on the experience. And what a fantastic experience it was indeed! Fantastic setting in complete serenity!
Whilst most people may not be able to afford to stay here, if you're visiting Canouan and looking for a truly unique place for a meal then this would be it!
If you’re staying at sister property Tamarind Beach Hotel, then you can access and tour the resort by doing the island tour for $25 / person.
Security is tight at the resort and they swipe your credit card at reception as you arrive. By the time the shuttle dropped us back to reception to meet your external transport, our bill and credit cards slips were all ready for our signature! Such efficiency! (Thanks to Melissa who arranged everything for us!).
This birthday meal will truly remain one of the most memorable…ever!
