For years, sun-seeking tourists have flowed through Grenada on the well-known circuit that includes swimming in turquoise waters at Grand Anse, traversing the colourful streets of St George’s and staying at Calabash, a family-run boutique hotel known for its luxury offering and delicious food.
Leo Garbutt and his wife bought the property in 1987 and developed it into the award-winning Relais & Châteaux property it is today. Now his three daughters, Adèle, Beth and Bobbie, have taken the helm (under his mentorship) and are building a brand with sustainability and community at its core.
“The majority of our fruits, vegetables and spices come from here,” Adèle Garbutt-DeCaul, company director of Calabash, tells me as we drive through winding roads to L’Esterre, their family plantation in the northern parish of St. Andrews, two hours from the capital. The air feels fresher in the mountains of St. Andrew, a part of Grenada brimming with historic plantations dating back 400 years. At the heart of the organic-certified farm is a colonial house where Adèle’s aunt, Lauren Ramdhanny, still resides. It still oozes old-school charm, while the interiors, decorated with photographs and antique furnishings, tell a story of a multi-generation home.
Adèle remembers spending days here as a child with her maternal grandparents, Lawrence and Gladys Ramdhanny, who started growing nutmeg and cocoa on the estate after acquiring it in 1949. The family have built on their legacy by using sustainable means of farming like agroforestry and intercropping, where fruit trees like banana and mango grow between other crops enriching the soil and giving the product a unique flavour.
“These are cocoa trees,” Adèle points out as we walk around a designated path within acres of land covered in flowers and fruits. “Most of our produce is pesticide-free, and we use composting to nourish our soil as much as possible. All of the people who work on the farm are from surrounding villages- many of them have worked here for years,” she says. Along the bottom of the plantation sits a barge where workers lived back in the day and a large warehouse where cocoa dries on giant wooden trays that trolley in and out.
In 2021, Bobbie Garbutt started a small-batch enterprise producing chocolate buttons and bars from beans that grew on the plantation. Harvested beans are turned into nibs and shipped to the UK, where Bobbie hand-tempers the chocolate for the final product. The model eliminates the need for a middleman, and the ownership remains within the estate.
Food & Drink
Back on the tranquil stretch of L’Anse aux Epines, Calabash has adopted the farm-to-fork model for a while now, enabling them to guarantee the freshest produce on the plate and to support local, small-scale producers in Grenada. Under the expert watch of executive chef Ramces Castillo, the hotel serves beautifully presented, flavoursome cuisine using seasonal vegetables, fish and meat sourced locally where possible.
The three restaurants within the property include the renowned Rhodes restaurant, opened in 2004 by celebrity chef Gary Rhodes. Here guests can sample the flavours of the Caribbean with Michelin star finesse. On the menu is a wide variety of meat, seafood and freshly prepared Italian dishes accompanied by goat cheese from the island and herbs grown in-house. Desserts are produce-led and seasonal, with soursop panna cotta, basil cake and lots of chocolate on show.
Lunchtime at The Beach Club is a much more relaxed vibe, with uninterrupted views of Prickly Bay and its bobbling yachts. Sun loungers lay around this light and breezy daytime eatery where you can sample regional dishes like roti, a wrap-style sandwich filled with curried meat or vegetables. A brand-new addition to Calabash’s culinary offering is Izakaya, a Japanese restaurant along the main pool. Chef Castillo has curated the menu that reflects traditional flavours like sushi rolls using speciality products.
The Garbutts have taken a 360-degree approach to sustainability beyond just food production; it includes water conservation, minimal single-use plastic, generating an eco-friendly energy source, and empowering the community within this tiny West Indian island (only 134.6 sq miles in size). Rainwater is stored and used for laundry service, while a solar farm on the property provides a third of the electricity.
Which room?
A large manicured lawn, which doubles as a yoga studio in the morning, is at the heart of the property. This large patch of lush green is the first thing you will notice when you enter, along with the live orchids hanging from the ceiling at Rhodes. It is all about celebrating the great outdoors: the sound of the ocean and the rustling of palm trees. Nestled within these green spaces are 30 suites, divided into several two-storey colonial-style detached buildings.
From Westside to Presidential, the suites vary in size, but all are airy and spacious and come with a living area and patios that look over the soothing turquoise waters. Pool Suites allow guests to swim in a private setting with a freestanding outdoor bathtub, whereas Deluxe Suites are larger and have refurbished modern bathrooms.
For the ultimate romantic escape, book the Penthouse Suite, where refined luxury is the order of the day. Interiors are pared back and white-washed with hints of nautical colours in soft furnishings and paintings. There is extensive use of natural materials like wood throughout, with modern light fittings to give it a contemporary look.
Facilities
You can spend hours relaxing on the white sand beach within Calabash, perfect for kayaking, swimming and paddleboarding. For a change of scenery, head to the large infinity pool with garden views, conveniently located next to the gym and a top-of-the-range spa.
The Spa at Calabash has an elaborate menu of relaxing and rejuvenating treatments using natural ingredients like lavender and lemongrass and celebrated spa products like Elemis. Get a flavour of the land with a soothing cocoa facial, or indulge in a full body wrap using chocolate mouse body polish.
Extracurricular
From bustling markets to world-class scuba diving sites and birdwatching to beach bums, the tiny island of Grenada has something for everyone. Grand Anse is the liveliest beach of them all. It’s the perfect place to have some quiet time during the day and a conversation with the locals by night. Estates and plantations throughout the island are steeped in history and are worth visiting to learn how the island got its nickname: Spice Island.
Grenada boasts excellent diving sites that rival its neighbours. Molinere Underwater Sculpture Park is a unique aquatic experience and eco-experiment designed to revive sealife after hurricane Ivan hit the country in 2004. Among the 75 works of art are a ring of children holding hands, a man sitting on a desk with a typewriter and even Jesus Christ.
Details
Stay at Calabash Grenada start from £600 per night, including breakfast. Book at calabashhotel.com
For more information on Grenada, visit puregrenada.com
