Canouan Island, St. Vincent & The Grenadines
Mandarin Oriental, Canouan
Secret Island
What it is
A 26-suite, 13-villa paradise on 1,200 private seafront acres ringed by coral reefs.
What it isn't
Well-trammeled. You may not have heard of Canouan, which is part of the charm. (You’ll arrive by special charter flight, the resort’s jet—or your own, touching down on their 5900-foot illuminated runway).
What we think
Face it: there are very few untrammelled places left to explore on this earth. The five square mile island of Canouan was once deemed “the place where billionaires go to escape millionaires,” and it wasn’t entirely wrong; every inch of the place feels rarefied and exquisite, and that’s doubly true at the new Mandarin Oriental, Canouan, set within 1,200-acre Grenadines Estate. For starters, the introductory-level room category here is a suite—and a sweet one at that, with all a minimum 1,200 square feet. Each is decked in a traditional, neutral palette that makes the blues beyond the windows—which overlook the pristine white powder sands of Godahl Beach—all the more vibrant. Service is pampering enough to wow those billionaires; you’ll have your very own butler, housekeeping twice a day, and gratis use of pool cabanas and the flotilla of non-motorized water sports gear (if you’ve ever wanted to try windsurfing within a quick sail of a beachfront spa, now’s your chance).
You're here because
You are very much a foodie, and the resort maintains five restaurant gems that stand up to the most persnickety critics, even in the middle of a waterlogged nowhere. Among them: a pool bar set on an infinity pool that seems to fade into the sea and pan-Asian restaurant Asianne, where dishes include Panjabi Samosa with mint chutney and tamarind.
The Moment
In your hilltop treatment suite in the spa, you nearly fall asleep to the sound of waves. Not from a wave machine, but from the splendor crashing just beneath you, a symbol of life eternal. You’re forcing yourself to stay awake, though, for every moment of this bliss: a four-hand Oriental Harmony massage after a warm scrub down. What jet lag?
Restaurants & Bars
Romeo - Pan Asian cuisine featuring an open kitchen.
Juliet - European fine dinning.
Lagoon Cafe - Mediterranean infused seafood and tapas.
Turtles - Pre-dinner cocktails and live entertainment.
Pool Bar - Peruvian Nikkei inspired cuisine.
Location
In the midst of a hush-hush Caribbean paradise, you’re just 7 minutes (on the resort’s own jet) from St. Vincent, though commercial flights will take merely 15.