Paradise is preserved: Maca Bana Villas, Grenada
Grenada resort is known for sustainable features and rainforest luxury
Stepping off my connecting flight from Barbados to the nearby Caribbean island of Grenada, I was ready for a luxury holiday that only the Caribbean affords – sun, sand and solitude. I was heading for Maca Bana Villas, just a five-minute drive from the airport.
The evening sky is awesomely clear, lit by stars overhead. Only the faint roar of waves far below me can be heard as I enter my private villa located high on the cliffside overlooking Magazine Beach. “This has to be the closest place to heaven,” I sigh, and my friend agrees, as we relax on the terrace gazing at the view.
Privacy is ensured, with only seven villas cut into the rainforest. The resort is known for its sustainable designs and features, which include an organic farm and solar panels, making Maca Bana something of a trendsetter in Caribbean eco-luxury.
On my first morning, I explore the tropical garden before taking a swim in the infinity pool overlooking the beach, then head for a yoga class offered by the spa. The spa oils and treatments are infused with spices and fruits sourced on Grenada.
Feeling renewed, I head for the beachside Aquarium Restaurant, with its mouthwatering menu that fuses West Indian flavours with European dishes. I try the seafood – shrimp cooked in coconut, washed down with a glass of chardonnay. “A perfect choice,” my waiter agrees.
The restaurant uses vegetables, herbs and fruit grown in the on-site organic farm, fertilised by compost made from the resort’s food waste. I take a tour of the farm, where I am inspired by the pesticide-free way of cultivation.
Luxury amenities are featured throughout the villas and include a state-of-the-art kitchen with European appliances, full phone and internet connectivity, and a surround sound system, to name just a few. My bedroom has a four-poster king-sized bed with overhead ceiling fans. The rooms are separated by three-quarter-high walls to allow for natural air flow.
Maca Bana sets a local standard for eco-tourism by installing solar panels to cover most of the resort’s electrical needs. Other green initiatives by the resort include the planting of 30 coconut palms along Magazine Beach to create a palm avenue, and root protection for sand retention.
Part of the pleasure in visiting Grenada is the feeling that you are truly at home, thanks to the strong emphasis on residential-style accommodation. Maca Bana’s owners and founders, Rebecca Thompson and Ulrich Kuhn, first arrived in the late 1990s to open a restaurant, then expanded into eco-luxury accommodation in the aftermath of Hurricane Ivan in 2004. Their approach to creating an exclusive villa experience is consistently green and an inspiration not only to the guests, but also to small hoteliers throughout the Caribbean.
Maca Bana Villas - Magazine Beach, Point Salines, St. Georges, Grenada. Tel: + 1 (473) 439-5355; www.macabana.com
