Mandarin Oriental, Canouan

This is far and away the most beautiful resort we have ever visited. The rooms are beyond spectacular and the views are sublime. It is very remote so you do have to get on well with your companion! Every one of the staff are there to make your stay perfect and nothing is too much trouble. All you have to do is message your Concierge and the job is done! Food at breakfast and lunch was excellent and we ate a couple of times at the Lagoon Cafe in the evening, which was also very good (if empty) This is a stunning location and perfect if you need to just “flop”. Stand out Staff wise were Gideon, who gave us a fantastic tour of the island and our two delightful Concierges….Iola and Kia. Highly recommend ,

We have just spent a blissful 10 nights at this spectacular hotel. The staff look after you so well and are a pleasure to be around. So helpful and always smiling. Nothing is too much trouble. The hotel is a footprint of the wonderful Sandy Lane in Barbados, also one of our favourite hotels. Same decor and furnishings . The food in all the restaurants was outstanding with lovely fresh tropical foods from the Island. I’ve never felt so well looked after and relaxed from a holiday. The hotel and Island was quiet as it was November time but I understand festive holidays and Easter are very busy but we actually enjoyed the peacefulness. We will definitely return to this very special Island and Hotel.

Our congratulations to Resort Manager Alexandre Ribola for overseeing the incredible staff at this island paradise. On our first night we enjoyed a sumptuous dinner cooked by a private chef in our villa. Our butler Iola started pampering us right away and didn't stop all week long. She is absolutely made for this job - friendly, efficient, precise in everything she handles - she is a gem. When we could tear ourselves away from our incredible private poolside view, we ventured around the island. So pristine were the beaches we found - untouched and gorgeous. Shell beach is a charming spot for lunch and a nice walk. Even if you are not a golfer, you must venture to the course - the views are amazing. The spa is awesome!!! Supreme relaxations as you are massaged and pampered as the waves are crashing right outside - it is divine. My thanks to Warni for some of the best massages and facial that I have ever had. While we ate in the villa several nights we also ventured to L'ance Guyac where we had a leisurely and delicious lobster dinner. Also went to Soho House which is highly recommended. One night we ventured out to a local restaurant and it was quite fun! Hotel car is always available to take you anywhere you want to go. By weeks end I was more relaxed than I have been in years and sadly had to leave our lovely oasis. The Mandarin has done an outstanding job with this property. If you have an opportunity to visit - do so without hesitating.

Let's start with why we picked Canouan. We didn't want to make the long journey back to Bora Bora from AZ BUT we wanted to have a similar vibe. Crystal waters. Remote surroundings. Intimate resort / accommodations and lots of R&R. Canouan fit the bill. Although still not a one stop flight it was much easier to get to from a time standpoint. The MO even has their own Jet that you charter to pick you up from one of the other islands. We choose to start in St Lucia to hike the Gros Pitons and from there MO scooped us up. A quick 18 min flight and we were in Paradise. All transportation needs were handled by MO and to say the staff is friendly is an understatement. Everyone is pleasant and engaging. They make it a point to know who their guests are. We were lucky enough to be on property with only 28 other guests so our interaction with every member felt like a one on one. Frank then manager was even there waiting as we pulled into our villa to great us. We had the privilege of spending our 7 day stay in Villa 8 aka Sabal. Now all the rooms on the property are lovely but if given the opportunity to stay in the hill top villas DO NOT HESITATE. You will have your own golf cart to use, go to and from the beach etc. You will also have a butler assigned- Roshana was a gem. She went above and beyond to make our stay truly a memorable experience. She would take the initiative to surprise us throughout the stay. On my birthday after a (surprise) private dinner at the steakhouse arranged by Roshana, we can back to our bathroom covered in flower petals and an intoxicating bubble bath already drawn. Just one example of how unique their service experience was. and of course there are the turtles. enough said. They roam freely and are fun to interact with. Mo even has a sanctuary for the babies to ensure they grow up safely before being released back onto the property. Our villa had a very special house turtle who would come to the glass doors every morning for breakfast - apples were the favorite and he would follow you around when called. The food was superior to Bora Bora ten fold ( one of our main complaints with BB) and would be considered top tier around the world. Food prices are high - but with that in mind there is a market just a quick car ride down the hill ( which MO provides) and you can stock up on snacks or food to prepare in your villa. We cooked several meals ourselves after a market run. The resort also offers to have a private chef come to you and create a dinner experience if you so choose. The options are endless. Wine and alcohol selection was premium quality+ and the staff was very knowledgeable on their offered selections. We rarely repeat destinations but we fell in love with Canouan and everyone at MO that we are already planning to come back. Everything about MO Canouan exudes luxury.

We travelled by plane from St Vincent and was greeted by staff at the airport with refreshments and taken to the hotel. This hotel is what you call luxury! Absolutely amazing rooms. As it was my birthday we were upgraded to a 2 bedroom suite. The butler was good but sometimes hard to get hold of but that wasn’t really an issue for me. Once arrived we had coconuts with our names engraved which was such a thoughtful touch! We joined the mandarin club so got breakfast included which was really handy! The pool was immaculate as was the beach. I would say for me personally I wouldn’t stay for longer than 3 days unless with a partner as there’s not much to do but as we were there for carnival, our duration of time was perfect. The rooms were beautiful and finished to a high standard with marble everywhere. The shower was incredible and I wanted to live in there! The mirror tv was also a lovely touch. We also received complimentary champagne and snacks on arrival. Food is pricey but was expected, also it was hard to get around the island and once anyone knew which hotel we were staying at, they upped the price. I would recommend going to town or The dock to look for cheaper prices for excursions as the hotel prices were extremely expensive. Everything in the room was complimentary including all snacks and drinks Would definitely come back when visiting st Vincent again. Even if it’s for 1 night Also check out the little turtle hut, if not there’s turtles everywhere on the island anyway Check out my travel TikTok Jaylovestravel for more travel tips and info

We visited to play the golf course, huge mistake- on arrival we found out that the green fee was US$500 per person. Having already got a boat trip to the island figured we should pay it - assuming it must include rental of all equipment… oh no. $200 later we had rented clubs/buggies/shoes and had to buy balls and the rest. All of our shoes fell apart after 9 holes. With the price of the fee I expected legendary course conditions but in reality the greens were fluffy and slow, the fairway sprinklers were on all day and soaked our buggies multiple times. The fairways were waterlogged in places from overwatering so balls plugged all over the place. The tees were tired and patchy as were many of the greens. The staff were on the whole unfriendly and unhelpful from arrival to departure. The only saving graces of the day were the spectacular surroundings we enjoyed and the pro Adam… who was helpful and actually made the effort, including getting us beer and lunch on the back nine.

My husband and I had the absolute pleasure of visiting and staying at this amazing piece of Paradise. Our Butler, Christal was so attentive and planned everything so eloquently. MO truly did not miss a detail!! From the pickup at the airport to our arrival and departure from the resort. We're accustomed to such service in the US but in the Grenadine Islands?? No, but they convinced us that when we visit MO is a must even when we visit the mainland!! I can't say enough above the suite, views and service. Gideon was so on point with the tour of the island. There are not enough words to express the wonderful time we had at the resort. I wish I could remember the managers name who greeted us upon arrival. It was wonderful and we will certainly visit again and again!!!

So this is really a 4.5 star. Half a point knocked for food because the dinner here is really their weakest aspect. I’ve been to MO all around the world and this hands down is below standard. And there was check out delays because of their MO rewards system. But for the price of this hotel, I am torn giving it a 5 star. Literally it needs to be a 4.5. Other than the food at dinner and really stressful check out, it was magnificent. Pros: Concierge. Their owners boat is amazing. Beach relaxing. Pool with music is great. Pool food and beach service is solid. Kids club great for the family. The rooms are just phenomenal. Beds are divine. The location can’t be beat. And definitely do the spa. Cons: Dinners. Go to soho house for dinner. You will understand the difference. It’s like MO hasn’t figured out how to tap into the local foods. Trying to be euro and international with subpar quality food is not working. Make local favorites and adjust. Unfortunately , dinners were just not good. The best dinner we had was when we caught fish and asked them to prepare it simply. Recommends: Rent the owners boat. It’s amazing. Head to shallows and enjoy a day on a calm beach with phenomenal simple food. Do a deep sea fish day. But expect choppy rough waters. Grenadines sport fishing crew was great. Bring golf clubs if you like to golf. Definitely let the young kids have a day at the kids club. They will enjoy a morning there. All the above were handled by the MO team. Spa it up. I highly recommend the 4 hands treatment. The recap: We flew in private so transfer to the hotel was super simple. The concierge team is hands down one of the best. We worked with two: Zeynep & Burak. They processed us quickly. They did the check in for a large group in my room. It made my life easy. They set up a whats app and we were directly linked all trip. Makes life super easy. Can’t say enough about these two. Made the trip great for us. The rooms are phenomenal. I walked in and was wow’ed. I’ve been to many of the best hotels around the world. This one I really didn’t expect to wow me. Photos don’t do it justice. They have a nice snack set up. Very chic. It’s got tons of marble in the room. Ample closet space. Good vanity set up. Bedroom is like a Carribean princess room. High tech with a mirror tv that retracts. Beautiful set up with a sitting room and terrace. I was beach front so I stepped right out to the beach. I recommend oceanfront. We had 3 dinners on premise and would not recommend. Big mistake. Maybe the bbq set up is nice. But it’s not as special as you would think. I really wish we ate out more. My note to the hotel: Get over the typical MO menus & approach. Embrace the local cuisine. Get creative. You are one of the best with food. This hotel was a huge disappointment in food. We don’t go to a private hideaway and expect great lamb chops. It simply doesn’t compete with other MO like nyc or lake Como. Because the quality ingredients

We traveled to Canoun and stayed at the Mandarin Oriental. It was our first time to the Grenadines. Getting there was tough (no direct flights, multiple covid tests to get in, 2 separate customs/immigration stops, etc) but the hotel offers a concierge option- TAKE IT! It's worth it and makes everything easy. The property itself is great, the water spectacular (especially for snorkelers) and the service top notch. I'd say the spot is better for older kids, but my 11 and 8 year old were very happy there and so were the parents :). A butler was provided to us, and I believe every family gets this complementary service. ASK FOR AKEAH. She was wonderfully attentive, never on top of us, and made it so easy for all of us to enjoy everything this wonderful resort has to offer. Would have given the 5 stars but I must say the island is so remote that the markup is profound, especially on property. About 30% more in general than off property, so would recommend checking out other restaurants (Soho Club, Shenanigans, and Foxy Jacks all VERY Good!). enjoy.