ST. DAVID'S HARBOUR, Grenada -- It's interesting and edifying to
visit a property on the eve of its opening for business. Such was
the case with Bel Air Plantation which, when I saw it in late June,
was readying to accept its first guests.
Although an unrelenting, pounding rain had delayed the
installation of the concrete roadways connecting the resort's
villas and cottages, the 11 units that stood ready for guests shone
like pastel jewels on the hillside.
Bel Air did celebrate its opening last month, and construction
on the roadways is well under way.
Susan Fisher, owner and manager of Bel Air, is a patient woman
who knows what she wants, which was evident in the finished
portions of the resort.
When Fisher purchased the 18-acre property in 1995, the site was
a tropical jungle. She said she had three men with machetes clear
out the land to see exactly what was there. "I wanted the privacy
of a home with the conveniences of a hotel," she said.
Accommodations now comprise one- and two-bedroom villas and
cottages painted in colorful pastels.
"I felt we had to set ourselves apart from other hotel
offerings," said Fisher. "I wanted traditional Caribbean buildings
that reflected local architecture but with modern amenities."
All units have verandas that span the length of the structures.
The larger villas have full kitchens and the one-bedroom cottages
have kitchenettes.
Bel Air's Water's Edge restaurant served some of the best meals
I'd sampled in the Caribbean.
A reception and guest building are now open; a market/deli and
cafe open later this month.
To contact reporter Claudette Covey, send e-mail to [email protected].
Room Key: Bel Air Plantation
Address: St. David's Harbour, Grenada
Web: www.belairplantation.com
Phone: (473) 444-6305
No. of Rooms: 11 villas and cottages opened this
year; another six suites and three cottages will open early in
2004. The resort will be able to accommodate a total of 50
guests.
Location: The southeastern corner of Grenada, 25
minutes from Point Salines International Airport.
Rates: From $250 to $450 per room, per night,
double, through November; from $300 to $575 from December to
April.
Commission: 10%
Noteworthy: Comfortable accommodations, fabulous
food and a jewel of a setting.
Not Worthy: Roadways connecting guest units to
other resort facilities are still a work-in-progress. Expect a lot
of mud when it's raining.
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