LaSource Resort in Grenada

From Lars Hanna

LaSource pool view from the Great House restaurant.

LaSource.

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LaSource in a Nutshell:

Until recently the Southern Caribbean nation of Grenada was best known perhaps for a Reagan-era military invasion and for Hurricane Ivan, which devastated the volcanic island in 2004. Though storm damage to some fine Georgian-style houses and churches is still evident in the capital St. George’s, the Spice Isle long ago recovered from both traumas.

Near the capital, at the southwestern tip of the island, the all-inclusive LaSource went through several phases of upgrades in the mid-2000’s. The most dramatic decision by the Elite Island Resorts ownership was to add a stone breaker that transformed waters off the property’s Pink Gin Beach into a calm, enclosed swimming cove.

Quietude can be found on shore as well with low-impact holistic activities scheduled throughout the day, from tai chi, yoga and pilates, to meditation and sleep training. Guests may sign up for full-week mind-body programs that incorporate those practices with cardio training and nutrition education.

Guest Rooms at LaSource:

The resort’s 100 rooms are spread over several three-and four-story red-tiled buildings. For those hours of the day when sitting on the balcony gets too warm, guests can retreat behind dark wooden jalousie shutters which not only block the sun from coming through the room’s bay windows, but give the rooms a colonial ambiance. Ceiling fans are a welcome alternative to those who find the room’s air conditioning too chilly. Four-poster king beds have simple white covers and are raised so high you might need a footstool. Marble bathrooms have tubs with a shower. Wedding and honeymoon couples should opt for larger Luxury Ocean Front Rooms or Suites.

Dining at LaSource:

Tropical plants outside the windows make the Garden Restaurant a bright spot to relish an enormous breakfast spread. It also serves buffet lunch, and a la carte dinner with an emphasis on Italian and French cuisine. Open from 11am-4pm, the Deli not only has smoothies of all variety—how does a cucumber, watermelon, ginger combo sound?—but enough small offerings like salads, pastas and sushi to make for a light alternative to lunch.

With spicy fried fish and other seafood dishes, lunch is more substantial in the breezy, open air Oscar’s beachside restaurant, and its bar is open for between-meal cocktail savoring. As the seating is tight, guests at Oscar’s can reserve one a la carte dinner per week.

The Terrace Lounge serves afternoon tea where guests can sip in plush oversized sofas. At the Great House, dining is tablecloth style with dishes from swordfish to sirloin brought inside or on the verandah (some international wines come with an additional charge). For a surcharge, wedding couples can schedule romantic beach dinners with white-glove service.

Weddings and Honeymoons at LaSource:

By law, couples must be in Grenada three working days before their destination wedding. LaSource’s wedding coordinators arrange document processing and magistrate’s fees and will provide a maid of honor and witnesses if necessary (in accordance with local law).

A wedding arch on the beach is decorated with local tropical flowers. A sparkling wine reception is served, followed by dinner for up to ten guests on the evening of the marriage. The wedding package is complimentary with a stay of 7 nights or longer.

Photography and video and live music can be arranged. Honeymooners receive a bottle of sparkling wine and fresh flowers on arrival, plus a complimentary couples massage.

Activities at LaSource:

The all-inclusive concept is taken to the max at LaSource, with no added charges for any activities. Every day of their stay, guests may enjoy a deep-tissue massage, facial, or other treatment at the Oasis spa. Likewise, divers get three dives per week with Aquanauts, the dive shop owned and operated by a German couple.

In addition to the holistic program, the resort offers plenty of vigorous land sports like Zumba, golf, tennis, and beach volleyball, as well as aquatic fitness in the pool. The “master class” programs include more esoteric subjects such as circus training and bar mixology lessons. At night the Terrace Lounge comes alive with a steel pan group performing, or a DJ spinning music.

Nearby LaSource:

A twenty-minute taxi ride takes guests along Grand Anse Bay and into the St. George’s Inner Harbour where couples can visit several forts that ring the town. On Young Street, the quaint Grenada National Museum is located in a former barracks and displays artifacts that made the colonial economy hum.

Visitors can also watch a documentary on the sinking of the Bianca C, an elegant Italian cruise liner that went down in the harbor in 1961 and is a popular dive spot today. Several shops on the street sell batik fashions and artisanal jewelry. A stroll through the capital’s small downtown and along the Carenage, or boardwalk, makes for a pleasant evening.

By traveling up the west coast and into the island interior, couples can hike around the Grand Etang volcanic crater, as well as past waterfalls in the surrounding thick forest reserve. A later stop into the Dougaldston Spice Estate makes for a relaxing contrast; staff explain nutmeg and cocoa production and drying techniques and give demonstrations of how workers used to “dance the cocoa” to polish the beans.

LaSource organizes Friday evening excursions up to the village of Gouyave for its popular fish fry and trips to the Northern point for leatherback turtle watching. In August, Grenada’s carnival is one of the most dynamic in the islands.

What to Keep in Mind about LaSource:

LaSource cautions guests that long distances within the property and the heights of some guest room buildings can be problematic for those with mobility issues. Those with connectivity issues, i.e., those who can’t live without constant online contact, should know rooms are internet-and TV-free (wi-fi is available in the Terrace Lounge and a media room has computers). The property is located just a few minutes from the airport, but a ridge shields it from aircraft noise.

Vibe at LaSource:

The property takes its adults-only policy seriously: No kids under 16 are allowed, with the exception of summer when 10-up is the limit. Depending on the time of year, Canadian and British vacationers make up a large number of visitors.

Nearly twenty percent of LaSource vacationers are solo travelers and any wedding party members or guests who come alone are welcomed to join the special solo travelers’ dining tables and activities. Along with its wide range of low-impact, recreational activities, the hotel promotes its holistic approach in small ways that touch on sustainability: It provides refillable water bottles and guests are encouraged to make a $1 contribution to the island’s Tourism Fund for youth training.

LaSource Info and Reservations:

LaSource
Pink Gin Beach
St. George’s
Grenada
473-444-2556
Hotel Web Site

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LaSource is a five-minute drive from Maurice Bishop International Airport and less than a half hour from the capital, St. George’s.

As is common in the travel industry, the writer was provided with complimentary accommodation and meals for the purpose of reviewing those services. While it has not influenced this review, About.com believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest. For more information, see our ethics policy .