Petite Anse Beachfront Hotel & Restaurant Grenada

A lovely English couple had dreams of living by the sea in the Caribbean, and fell in love with this quiet, unspoiled area of Grenada. Five years ago, they opened the friendly Petite Anse Hotel, a quaint, peaceful seaside retreat with just 13 rooms -- 11 cottages and two suites attached to the main building.

The antique furniture gives the place a charming, old-fashioned vibe, while the lack of TVs or other technological distractions contributes to a slower pace of life. (Though free Wi-Fi is available.) The atmosphere of the hotel is very warm and inviting, and you may even feel like you are staying in the guest house of an old family friend. The main common area area of the hotel consists of a cozy, open bar and restaurant with a large veranda perched on a bluff over the sea, with several steps leading down to the serene golden-sand beach below. The hotel is situated in natural tropical gardens that aren’t overly groomed, lending to a unpretentious, casual, yet romantic setting.

Off-the-beaten path is an understatement for this secluded location on the far northern tip of the island, a windy drive of about an hour-and-a-half up the coast from the airport. Probably not the spot for party-goers, Petite Anse is rather quiet and far away from any outside bars or restaurants. Those looking for nightlife should consider a hotel nearer to Grand Anse.

Located just outside of Sauteurs, a small village on the far north side of the island, Petite Anse is likely the most remote and isolated hotel on Grenada. The drive from the airport is an adventure of its own. It takes about an hour and a half, along a long, narrow, very windy road tracing up the west coast of the island, which passes through charming little villages and lively markets, and offers glimpses of the blue Caribbean sea. Petite Anse is one of the few places around that features great views of the Grenadines, a cluster of islands just to the north of Grenada.

The north side of the island is more undeveloped and less populated than the south side of Grenada, where almost all of the hotels and resorts are located. The plus side is that guests get exposure to unadulterated, unspoiled nature and a serene setting like no other. But the downside is that it’s a long journey to reach the hotel, there are no nearby bars or restaurants to visit, and reaching any sights on the island requires a long taxi ride or drive in a rental car.

The warm, intimate setting of Petite Anse is provided by both the quiet, secluded location and the small size, as there are just 13 rooms. There are 11 cozy chalets situated over the side of the hill and two Honeymoon suites, which are attached to the main building. Several steps and pathways lead from the rooms down to the beach below. The rooms are decorated in a simple colonial style with antique wood furniture and other traditional touches. The hotel features historically themed art and old photographs, which show buildings and scenes from around the turn of the century. Rooms have romantic, canopied four-poster beds and Victorian-style writing desks.

The bathrooms are basic and dim, but functional, some featuring hand-painted porcelain sinks. Each rooms has a patio with seating and an ocean view. Coffee and tea facilities and mini-fridges are provided. There are no TVs, iPod docks, or radios in the rooms, or anywhere on the property -- which is meant to promote a true unplugged feeling -- but if you do want to connect, there is free Wi-Fi.

Set among lush gardens with many tropical trees, the main building can be found just past a small office/reception area. It consists of a cozy bar and lounge, a large table offering magazines and reading materials, and a romantic restaurant featuring continental cuisine. Hand-painted murals around the bar area give a nice personal touch. The highlight is the veranda, a large patio area with lots of seating and great sweeping views of the beach below and the Grenadine islands to the north.

Just a little farther on outside, there is a nice, small pool area with a large hot tub. The pool has plenty of shaded areas and lounge chairs, and also has great views out to the sea. Petite Anse is situated on a hillside, so there are paths with many steps that connect the different buildings, and there is a long staircase down to the beach. In this secluded location, with no other hotels nearby, guests typically have the entire stretch of palm-tree lined golden-sand beach to themselves. It is a very peaceful, quiet setting, but the beach can get windy on this unprotected northern shore, and the water will be choppy at times. Water sports are limited on the beach, but there are several nice nature trails close by for a pleasant short hike.