Catch me in the Caribbean and I’m out every night of the week whether it’s for a bite to eat or social drink. Yesterday afternoon we visited Mount Cinnamon resort to check out a new weekly cocktail and canapé night called M2 Mondays. Event’s Manager Sarah Caroline, who recently moved to Grenada from New York aims to inject some of that 24/7 buzz into Grenada’s social scene and co-launched the night with the help of Sales & Marketing Manager Jadine Ferguson.

Entranced by the cool surroundings and vibrant decor, we were eased into relaxation by the endless trickle of the water feature and decided to stay well after the bar dried up from the successful outcome. Before settling down for dinner at the resorts restaurant Savvy’s, Jadine took us on a tour of the luxury villas and one-bedroom Hacienda suites, which we needed the aid of a golf buggy to view due to it’s location on a lush hillside offering panoramic views of Grand Anse beach.

Each villa had a homely feel, one of the features being the elevated beds, which level guest up to a perfect horizontal view of the beach, while the colourful interior complimented the blue sky, lined by tropical flora that framed each private balcony.

The most impressive property on the premise was the luxury 3 bedroom home, which sat proudly above the villas, boasting an entrance only accessible by a wooden bridge built over the private pool. Air conditioned and tastefully furnished the property was spacious and open plan with each room owning a private living room in addition to a communal living space. Beach collectables composed by artists adorned the walls adding to its Caribbean feel, while it possessed the comfort and warmness of an English cottage. The most well thought out aspect of the design was the breath-taking views in each room of a white sandy beach that cradled the rich blue ocean.

By the time it came to dinner we were as comfortable around Mount Cinnamon as a frequent guest. The staff were friendly and talkative and we enjoyed hearing the funny tales of barman Sheldon Vincent. The accents of colour in the dinning area were consistent with the furnishing of the villas, lounge and pool area, making it a semi-formal dinning experience.

To start we had shrimp cocktail and a light salad tossed in Thousand Islands dressing, the influence of the British owner Peter de Savary. For the main I choose tenderloin steak glazed with a mango chutney sauce and cooked to perfection by Chef Roy. We chatted, laughed and unwound, occasionally checked on by the attentive barman Sheldon, until we finally finished the night with a mousse made with organic Grenadian chocolate.

Mount Cinnamon defines itself as ‘contemporary luxury meets the ultimate Caribbean experience’ and that description is spot on. We lounged around sharing stories with guest, staff and locals undisturbed by the formality of hotel etiquette, but did so in a sophisticated and stylish setting.

If you work hard and save enough, living on an island gives you the opportunity to buy land and build your dream home with an enviable view. Driving around the island always turns into a spot the amazing house game as we stare in awe at the scale and opulence of some of the newest builds. These are homeowners seeking quality of life, but Developer Perry Douglas and Artist and Interior Designer Petal Douglas, CEO’s of Beyond Luxury Vacations decided that this experience need not only be reserved for the Caribbean homeowner.

With a collective of villas across the Caribbean, Beyond Luxury Vacations provides a package holiday in the comfort of a home setting. Imagine staying at the Art Gallery villa in Grenada, arriving to a fully stocked fridge, enjoying delicious Caribbean-gourmet food cooked by your own chef, a private yoga class, or a refreshing swim without any interruptions or inhibitions.

I met up with Concierge and Brand Manager Lucille Sylvester for a tour of the villa. Upon opening the front door you are thrust into the view of the bay by a cleverly elevated entrance and surrounded by the charm of Caribbean chic. The kitchen flows into the lounge and the lounge into the verandah, which is the selling point of the house.

Inspired by Caribbean plantation homes, the accents of colour and paintings around the house reflect the right amount of light that is slightly muted by the dark wood furnishing created by local Grenadian craftsmen. With the interior Petal focused on sustainability, so that they could provide local workmen with employment opportunities. Lucille added that it was suitably named Art Gallery because it represents the other artist who are involved, from the hand crafted furnishing to the beautiful paintings on the wall, some of which are painted by Petal and available to purchase by guest.

CEO’s and Creative Director’s Perry & Petal Douglas have taken everything into consideration and maximised on the stunning view. I already got a taste of modern interior design in Grenada, but visiting the Art Gallery villa  was like experiencing authentic island life with a touch of class. Using his expertise in the investment industry and experiences around the world Perry wanted to develop a concept that accommodated the traveller who works extremely hard and wants the very best out of a vacation, peace and tranquility, plus the opportunity to be apart of island life.

Considering this concept it was clear to see why Lucille originally from London, was so enthusiastic about presenting the property and her role as Concierge. Having lived in the UK she understands the feeling of being in the freezing cold and dreaming of the Caribbean and being in the Caribbean and not taking advantage of what it has to offer. Overseeing the bookings, guests and maintenance of the villa, she also makes it her responsibility to ensure that the on site chef, gardener and villa assistants are as well-informed as an experienced tour guide. ‘I frequently take staff out on a motorized dingy tours around the island and do lots of outings so that when the guests arrive they can suggest the best experiences for them. I believe it is very important for us as host to enjoy and embrace our island so that we can share it with others’, she passionately proclaimed.

With a diverse range of guest originating mainly from the USA, Canada, Europe, specifically the UK, Germany and Austria, Lucille notices that everybody who chooses a holiday in Grenada generally has a curiosity for life. She admits that sometimes the word luxury is mistaken for unattainable, but with Beyond Luxury Vacations the word luxury refers to the charm, authenticity and hospitality. ‘When a family stays at our homes we find out from each family member what they like doing and create a tailor-made experience for them intermingled with relaxation and the chance to embrace the natural surroundings’. She advises that it’s much more than fancy thread counts, unique one-off furniture and amazing art. All the services are executed with a sense of authenticity/Grenadian pride  and always a smile – it’s about an unforgettable experience for you and your family.

Find out about their Villa’s across the Caribbean here

What do you do when you’re on a holiday that consists of seven family members? How do you keep everyone happy in the same place and at the same time?

Well you spend a day at LaSource, an all-inclusive resort, which sits on the southern tip of Grenada. Its five minutes away from the international airport, but the ambiance is so peaceful and quiet you can hear a pin drop. That is of course until ex-kick boxer and fitness instructor Andy starts the aqua exercise (Aquacise) session and the gasping of exhausted beach loungers fills the air.

We arrived just in time for Aquacise an activity Duty Manager Ginelle says is the most exciting offering among the 30 activities to do throughout the day. Observing from the cool and comfortable surroundings of the terrace lounge complete with over-sized furnishing which added to it’s grandeur, I watched as Andy instructed his troops to jump and flick their heels to their bums in the water. The aim is to help guest tone the muscles but judging by the stunned expressions it was exercising their facial muscles instead. There is an activity every 15 minutes and a wide variety to choose from. The men played rounds of snooker, table tennis and used the facilities at the gym while my female relatives joined me for the Caribbean dance class. The music shot up to the peak of the high ceiling and the sounds of the dancehall beat echoed through the resort. As we took our positions Andy appeared yet again with bags of energy and a loose waistline that put all us women to shame.

When we did reunite it was to have a tasty lunch from a choice of two restaurants and drink cocktails (my favourite being the non-alcoholic ‘Grenada Mama’ – a blend of every exotic fruit under the sun). We huddled under a straw beach cabana on Oscar’s Beach Bar choosing from a menu that served up lambi, roti and fried fish, staying true to island cuisine. After lunch we lounged in the shade to digest and had a swim in the private beach, formed by the ocean trickling through large boulder rocks to make sure it was always calm and pristine.

We swam, tanned, exercised, ate, drank, laughed and joked to our heart’s desire. When I was fed up of the sun I sought my solitude in the terrace lounge complete with a large bookshelf and lots of reading material. We walked around in our sarongs feeling completely at home and couldn’t help but notice the strong presence of British holidaymakers. Ginelle had mentioned earlier that it is becoming more diverse now that Elite Island Resort has taken over the running of the resort, but it was nice to speak to Mr. Taylor who envisioned LaSource and share a drink at the bar with him. With a bold domain name like theamazingholiday.com you can be assured that what you get and experience is nothing short of amazing. The staff members are attentive, and friendly and for a family day out it is the perfect recipe that ensures that everyone can get a taste of something they like.

Today we set out on a traditional island tour of Grenada with Sunsation Tours who has operated on the island for 20 years. With six other members of my family spread across London, New York and Jamaica, we decided to choose the ‘Tutti Frutti’ tour, which included a bit of everything such as stunning views, touristic hotspots and agriculture and heritage sites.

Our tour guide Carl, also known as ‘cousin carl’ and a favorite with Grenada’s Mona monkeys has operated tours for 19 years. He was very familiar with the steep meandering roads we met on the journey from the capital St. Georges to the other 5 parishes of Grenada. Warning us about every s-shaped road he would ease the dizziness and tardiness with funny facts about Grenada that had us in fits of laughter, like churches being strategically placed opposite rum shops, so that drunkards can stumble in to repent their sins (fact).

We drove along the picturesque West Coast, which after a few minutes became obscured by the unexpected heavy rain during dry season. Nevertheless we jumped out at our first stop Concord Waterfalls situated on the edge of the forest reserve. With the rain beating down, the water ice-cold and the rocks dead slippery it was the most exciting stop we made and unbeknown to us, the only stop we were going to make.

By the time we got to Gouyave, the birth place of athlete Kirani James and home of ‘Fish Friday’s’ (vendors set up stalls and serve up the fresh catch of the day) the rivers were raging with muddy water gushing down from the mountains and turning the blue sea a murky brown. One of Sunsation Tours top tips is to bring a camera with full batteries and empty cards so we snapped and recorded away while the daring fishermen rowed their tiny wooden boats into the rough sea topped up by the raging river.

We hit the hills to avoid the minor floods and sped down the old abandoned Pearl’s Airport, but our Tutti Frutti tour soon became thrill-seeking-cascading-river-tour when we got to the 17^th century plantation Belmont Estate. We stopped off and ran in to sample Grenada’s organic dark chocolate from the Grenada Chocolate Company and by the time we had a taste of the guava and passion fruit chocolate bites, the raging river was a rich brown and on the same level as the bridge we needed to pass to get back on route. Carl remained calm and continued the tour so we could get a taste of Grenadian rum at River Antoine Rum Distillery, but we turned back when we saw a large up-rooted tree floating along the wrathful river like a feather in the wind.

The first sign of rain on any Brits holiday is unfortunate, so floods spark seriousness. But to our surprise it ended up being the most exhilarating tour any of us had ever been on and an experience none of us ever had. Even though our lives were in danger when the river peaked we felt safe because our tour guide Carl never panicked and literally went with the flow.

Complexd Women and Managing Director Johanna Kostka, featured in our Island issue, prides her company on being innovative and one step ahead of the competition. She also acknowledges that the perseverance, hard work and determination of her staff have ensured the longevity of the company. Sunsation Tours offers a variety of tours on land, sea and by air but who knows what you might get!

‘Maca Bana is for an individual, unique ‘getaway’ to just be and to enjoy life, not another hotel room’

Watching the sunset and sunrise from the comfort of your bed is a truly magical experience, but watching it from a private massaging hot tub is sensational. When owners Rebecca Thompson and Ulrich Kuhn designed the seven villas on 2 acres of hillside, their personal dream was to share the beauty of the relaxing Caribbean life and inspire their guest.

Each ‘Bana’, meaning place of dwelling is privately placed giving guest a home-away-from-home feel and untouched views of the ocean. Our Bana called Rock Fig named after an indigenous fruit in Grenada boast a beach and ocean view, our petite but fully equipped kitchen features the artwork of owner Rebecca Thompson and our French sliding doors maximize the views and welcome the cool sea breeze.

The Maca Bana staff are scarce but extremely helpful and the General Manger Nickson is always on hand and easily contactable on his mobile, but the beauty of it is  the privacy and intimacy. Having worked for the Grenada Board of Tourism for six years and twelve years in destination management Nickson had a wealth of experience and knowledge about the island, which was an asset quickly spotted by owner Rebecca.

The view is unimaginable and definitely one of the unique selling points but it’s the consciousness of the owners that sets it apart among other boutique resorts on the island. Each bana is solar powered so all electrical facilities such as the cooling air conditioning and brand name kitchen appliances are powered by solar energy. Friendly reminders are doted around the room to encourage awareness of the environment and Nickson added that the note that personally greeted us into our room will be shredded and used by the owner for her artwork.

Maca Bana villas is a small family business and the mastermind behind it is Rebecca Thompson. It has been executed so fantastically you would think there was an elite luxury hotel group behind it. The good thing about a home-grown business is that as they develop the aim is to become more environmentally friendly and preserve the paradise that is Grenada rather than destroy it.

Look out for a full feature with owner and artist Rebecca Thompson in Complexd Magazine and find out more about Maca Bana here

At 133 sq. miles, my home country Grenada is a small, but beautiful island untouched by major developments and chain hotels. This is why when Architecture and Design company Hywel Evans built Prickly Bay Waterside on one of Grenada’s many ports, it stood out as one of the most contemporary developments on the island and won multiple international property awards for best development, architecture and marina.

Original sketch

I love modern architecture and interiors so much so that I was adamant I was going to forge a career as an Architect or Interior Designer. Even though I abandoned those plans I still enjoy admiring sophisticated and innovative design, so today I met up with Sales Director Gillian Baptiste to view Prickly Bay’s luxury residential community.

A guided tour with Sales Director Gillian Baptiste 

All of the 18 properties ranging from 1-5 bedroom apartments take advantage of the breath-taking views of the ocean with an indoor/outdoor living concept. The 3 floor Spinnaker apartments, which boast a rooftop garden and infinity pool, definitely had the wow factor and judging by Gillian’s easy vibe it was clear that the apartments are not hard to sell.

The majority of the property is rented by medical students, studying at the neighbouring St Georges University who enjoy the nautical theme, open plan living and views of the bay. Judging by the students studying while lounging I was definitely convinced! Gillian moved from Toronto to Grenada six years ago and expressed it was the quality of life that sold the Caribbean lifestyle to her. There is always more time for friends and family and living on a small island means that everyone is no more than a 10-minute drive away.

Gillian strongly believes the island is progressing in terms of design and architecture and moving towards more of a modern feel. She admits that people regularly visit the property for inspiration for their own homes and it just might have the potential to change the fashion in the way people live in Grenada.

View more images of the developments here

I’ve always wondered how I would maintain the ‘hair situation’ if I lived in the Caribbean. In colder climates women can enjoy a window of time to hibernate, re-grow or bask in their hippy hairiness before a visit to the beauty salon, but in warmer climates your body is constantly on show.

Before every holiday I undergo a list of grooming treatments to make sure I am beach and hot pants ready. Like most women I stay loyal to my threader who shapes up my eyebrows, the beauty spa and therapist who does my waxing and the nail technician who looks after my finger and toenails. It’s all about familiarity and being comfortable with the place and women who maintain the most intimate parts of your body. A large part of it is reassurance – knowing that they will do a good job makes it easier to lie down on the treatment bed and just relax.

Joanne (center)

Yesterday I desperately needed a maintenance check for the second week of beach lounging, so I was pleased to find out about Le Conch Health & Beauty Salon and even more pleased to know the owner Joanne Davison, originally from the UK, had trained in London. Looking at the treatment list added to my pleased state of mind when I came across the Vjazzel and Brazilian bikini waxes. That was the first time I had seen these kind of waxing treatments being offered in Grenada and I was curious to find out more.

The spa is popular and frequently booked up, but it wasn’t too hard to be seen, especially if you don’t mind waiting a few minutes and listening to the funny banter and girl talk between the clients and therapists.

The treatment rooms are dimly lit and air-conditioned, beauty therapist Navon applied the wax and used muslin cloth cut into strips to suit the shape and grooves of my body and for my legs she used larger cuts of cloth. It was the first time I had seen this technique and I was very impressed by how quick and pain-free the experience was.

Navon, who started out doing beauty treatments for friends and family was trained professionally by Joanne and now enjoys doing a wider range of treatments such as facials and massages and body treatments. The clientele, which consist mainly of students who enjoy preening through intervals of study gave Joanne the push to open a second spa in True Blue Bay Resort which is five minutes away from the medical school.

I am just happy that I can put my high leg H&M bikini bottoms back on and when I’m back on the island again, I have a new trusted beauty therapist to run too.

If you ask me as a Writer; Journalist; Editor  or Creative what inspires me, I would say, ‘people’ every time. Over the past few months we have connected with a lot of interesting Complexd Women for the 2nd anniversary issue and the most enjoyable part of it was the interviewing process. We feature women from all over the world, but when I can meet our UK interviewees it is the most fulfilling experience. It’s the anticipation, excitement, the thrill and satisfaction of knowing that you got on well and the interview was successful. In a feature I did for Iamthenublack I said that people (friends, relatives or strangers) are my icons for making an impact in their own way and in their own world. What I love about the experience is the moment when they search deep down for the most clever answer. The expression they make gives me a glimpse of the real person behind the smartly formulated sentence and that single moment is extremely inspiring.

This video by Benjamin Reece seeks to explore human connections through people and place is a perfect example of what it’s like to be the interviewer.

portraits by Maxi Kohan