We stayed at the amazing Laluna Boutique Beach Hotel and Villas at an interesting time in world history... (duh duh duh) COVID. We were required to fill out an official form for entry into Grenada and took a PCR test 72 hours prior to travel. It was more prep work than usual for a week-long vacation, but it was well worth it.
We landed at the airport, filled out more forms, and took our cab to the beautiful Laluna. We were met by the staff immediately upon arrival, were handed a rum punch (um... be careful with those!), given a tour of the facilities, and were escorted to our room - Room 1, the Deluxe Beach Cottage, just a few paces from the beach. The room had a wonderful front deck overlooking the water, a nice-sized room with all the amenities we needed. The outdoor bathroom was such a great touch... taking a warm shower while feeling the ocean breeze is such a delightful way to get ready for an amazing meal at the restaurant.
For the majority of our stay, only three of the 16 cottages were occupied. We felt like we had the entire place to ourselves, however, we made friends with the other guests (and the service staff!) as the week went on.
The resort is nestled between steep hills and cliffs on three sides with a lovely beach looking out at bright teal and turquoise water. Palm trees line the property, which provides many options for sitting and staring out into the beautiful ocean, whether near the beach or in and around the lounge area.
The staff was simply amazing. Ticia (or Tricia?, sorry it's been a month or so) was amazing. She greeted us, took special care of us at dinners, and gave us a nice parting gift. Jamal and Dwight make incredible drinks and are great conversationalists. We would sit at the bar and drink and talk about life, politics, travel, COVID (of course) with them. Urban is hilarious and was so nice the entire time. Arvonel and others were so helpful. What a staff this hotel has put together!
The restaurant was just incredible. We ate so much at each meal. We couldn't stop eating. The bread - oh, the bread! We asked who made the bread and they said Albert made it at night. We never met Albert, but he is an artist. This is some of the best bread in the world. Whether breakfast, lunch, or dinner, we ate delicious foods until we couldn't eat anymore. Then we had more drinks.
On the downside: COVID. Because of the restrictions in Grenada, we were quarantined to the restaurant until the 7th day. The Ministry of Health came to the hotel on the 5th day to administer a PCR test. And if it were negative, we would be out of quarantine on the 7th.
Being in quarantine at Laluna was full of relaxation, refreshing rum drinks, and delicious food. Unfortunately, being in quarantine, we could not participate in the daily yoga sessions or schedule an appointment in the spa. So my wife and I opted for yoga on our large front porch overlooking the ocean - not a bad consolation prize.
On the 7th day, we were set to depart back to the US. We received our negative test results. When I say 'we' received it, the Ministry of Health actually called the hotel to let them know we were clear, but we didn't receive the test results via email until about an hour and a half before our flight... and we needed those results to board our flight back to the US. Anyway, the Ministry of Health called and gave us the 'all-clear', and the staff scheduled us a tour of the beautiful Island of Spice, which we loved. They took us to the airport, we finally received our test results from the Ministry of Health so we could board our flight, and we came home... where we've been looking at property in Grenada for retirement aspirations.
