Mount Cinnamon Resort and Beach Club in Grenada is a luxury boutique hotel overlooking Grand Anse Bay.

The Caribbean island of Grenada beckons with velvety soft beaches, lush rainforest, scrumptious culinary scene, and historic sites galore. And rum.  

There’s much to discover about Grenada, but first you’ll need a place to stay. I was recently invited on a media trip that anchored at Mount Cinnamon Resort and Beach Club, a luxury boutique hotel with 31 guest rooms and suites overlooking world-renowned Grand Anse Bay.

 

Mount Cinnamon Resort and Beach Club is owned by international entrepreneur, yachtsman and philanthropist Peter de Savary.

I was charmed by the resort’s stunning tropical setting and also the warm hospitality of the staffers, who remembered everyone’s name and who always had a moment to chat.

Mount Cinnamon Resort and Beach Club is an enclave of pristine white stucco buildings capped with salmon-colored tile roofs. On the main clubhouse level are the welcome desk, upscale-but-casual Savvy’s restaurant, cocktail bar, Cinnamon Spa, and swimming pool with waterfall.

 

Across the street and beyond perfectly manicured gardens is Grand Anse Beach, a mile-plus arc of velvety white sand. Loll the day away beneath golden sunshine, or chart calm waters via kayak, paddleboard or snorkel gear. If you prefer, you can spike a volleyball or make your moves on the human-scale chessboard. Dine and imbibe at the Beach Cabana restaurant and bar.

One morning I booked an appointment for the 60-minute Cinnamon Signature Massage at the spa. Faith, my therapist, stroked my body with cinnamon- and nutmeg-infused oil, leaving me relaxed and renewed. Treatments are given in both in the clubhouse or in the open-air cottage on the beach. 

“Most people go to the beach spa because they enjoy the sounds of the birds and the surf,” Faith said.

I stayed in one of the Cinnamon Suites, a lovely two-room retreat decorated in a refreshing palette of white, blue and turquoise. The king-size bed was dressed in crisp linens and a cloud-like comforter. The spacious sitting area opened to a private covered veranda with a captivating view of the bay. The suite also held a desk, refrigerator and beverage station. The spa-like bath was appointed with an oversized shower with rainhead and generously stocked with environmentally friendly toiletries. 

Awaiting my arrival was a plate of tropical fruit slices and the Mount Cinnamon signature banana bread.

Grenada has long been known as the “Spice Island” for its abundance of nutmeg, mace, cinnamon, cocoa and other culinary flavorings. You’ll find them in myriad variations on menus everywhere, even when you don’t expect them. 

At Mount Cinnamon Resort and Beach Club, farm-to-table cuisine features a sophisticated mix of Indian and Caribbean traditions, with locally grown fruits and vegetables.

Breakfast is served at Savvy’s, where the menu features made-to-order eggs, seasonal fruit, banana bread and cocoa tea with cinnamon. From mid-morning until sunset, the Beach Cabana offers up light bites, sandwiches, sweets and beverages. 

Then for dinner, it’s back to Savvy’s, transformed into elegance by candlelight and white tablecloths. 

One night I ordered the curried shrimp with chickpeas, basmati rice and sauteed vegetables, which was delectable. Another time I had the seared yellowfin tuna with herb couscous in a wasabi ginger soy emulsion. The complex tastes were outstanding.

 

For a nightcap, we headed to the poolside bar to sample the local rum with Mount Cinnamon bar manager, Antonio. Two popular brands are Clarke’s Court, which makes more than a dozen flavors and variations, and River Antoine Estate, which has been operating since 1785. Both are distilled in Grenada.

Antonio told us the two most popular drinks at Mount Cinnamon Resort and Beach Club are rum punch and pina colada. Why rum? “Rum brings people together,” he said. “It has health benefits, and it relaxes you. Rum makes you happy.”

(Many thanks to Mount Cinnamon Resort and Beach Club and the Grenada Tourism Authority for hosting my visit!)