My wife and I had a 9 night stay at the Tamarind Beach hotel in Canouan in January / February 2007. We chose a ground floor suite (Room 308) and also selected a breakfast and dinner meal plan as we assumed (rightly) that there would be few restaurants on such a small island. The hotel was very quiet when we were there – possibly 50% full at most and much less than this on most days.

As previous reviewers have highlighted the hotel is located (literally) on a beautiful, quiet beach looking out onto a picturesque bay where the small ferry boats arrive from St Vincent and Bequia and also where various sailing boats are moored. The beach has palm trees along the front of the hotel which both provides shade and also makes an attractive setting when viewed from the sea. Although the hotel doesn’t have a pool the beach gently slopes in to the clear blue water and so is generally very safe for all ages except when strong winds generate large waves. Each day the beach was cleaned by the hotel staff and which was needed as parts of the beach did get seaweed at times. There were a number of water sports available on the beach which are free of charge to hotel guests including windsurfing, hydrobikes, pedaloes, canoes / kayaks along with snorkels and fins.

Our bedroom was well furnished with a huge king size+ bed and TV with a vast array of channels, a bathroom with the largest bath we have ever seen in a hotel room as well as a toilet and a separate lounge with 3 piece suite with a another toilet off the lounge. The walls and ceilings were in a grey coloured wood panel some of which were showing signs of discolouring or dampness. Every other day the bed had fresh linen and we had clean towels twice a day. Our room was situated on the ground floor of a two storey building (one of three such buildings each holding about 12 to 15 rooms – the hotel has about 40 rooms in total) that had a veranda that was overlooking and gave access to the beach.

Meals were available in the main restaurant (Palapa) or in the Pirate Cove which was a bar serving light meals and snacks. We only ate in the Palapa Restaurant where the food served was of a good standard. Breakfast had a choice of juices, cereals, fresh fruit, croissants and other freshly cooked pastries along with various cooked breakfasts to order. For dinner the fresh lobster was excellent and the pasta dishes and pizza were also very good. These along with a selection of fresh fish and a steak, lamb, chicken, veal dish, 3 salads plus a selection of six starters and deserts were on the menu every day. We thought that it would be good if there was always a ‘daily special’ as the menu gets a little repetitive after about a week – even the lobster!. Wines were mainly Italian and by Caribbean standards were excellent value most being between $25 and $30 a bottle. The Palapa Restaurant clientele was both hotel guests and those who had moored for the night in the bay. We also met a few Raffles guests there who told us that the food at Tamarind was better and much cheaper than at their five star resort.

All the hotel staff were very friendly and most of the time the service was good. As another reviewer highlighted, the Tamarind’s Italian Food and Beverage Manager (who was married to the hotel manager) was in the main restaurant most evenings checking with diners about the quality of the food. The hotel manager responded promptly to our request to see her and quickly resolved a query we had about the price of a private aircraft charter we had to Bequia. In addition to our trip to Bequia, we also booked through the hotel an excellent day trip on a catamaran to Mayreau and Tobago Cays where the snorkelling and scenery are quite stunning.

We have holidayed in the Caribbean many times and, for us, this hotel and its location are about as good as it gets. If you want a quiet, relaxing beach holiday on a small Caribbean island then the Tamarind could be just about perfect for you. We just hope it never changes.

The pictures give you an idea of the beauty of the Tamarind. Upon our arrival we were greeted as throughout our stay with some of the best genuine customer service we have ever recieved. The rooms are wonderful, the beach is private, safe, secluded, and the water crystal clear. Water bikes, floaties, wind surfing, etc... were at no charge. They have internet too for those who still need to communicate.
There are a couple places to eat. Both are reasonable considering you are on an island that imports everything. That being said the food was AWESOME. The gentleman that heads up the food and beverage made it a point each day to see how our stay was and ask if there was anything else they could do.
The only suggestion I would make is to walk the ten minutes into town to buy beverages and snacks. It can save you a lot of money .
There is no real nightlife to speak of, but if you are in to reading, relaxing and reconnecting with your family or significant other and enjoy a slow pace....The Tamarind is a place that can make it happen in a serene, safe, and memorable setting.

Cheers!

I've just returned from a solo trip to Canouan, having spent 5 nights at the Tamarind. I almost hate to talk about what a great place this is because much of the island's charm results from its obscurity, and I'd selfishly love to keep it that way.

I arrived by plane (at least a day-long exercise for those of you not arriving by the more common sail boat--it took me 3 flights to get there). This being the case, be prepared to endure the hassle of the travel--it's worth it.

The resort is competent, friendly, comfortable, and situated on a postcard-perfect beach. There is a restaurant, beach bar and larger bar connected to the restaurant. The food is perfectly fine, nothing extraordinary, but nice--my favorite discovery was the conch samosas (little pastries filled with seasoned conch meat).

Traveling alone, I made efforts to befriend the locals and find out what island life is really like. I found most people here to be exceptionaly warm, kind, sweet, and possessed of a calmness I've never seen anywhere else--surely a result of living in an utterly stress-free environment. Crime seems virtually non-existent. (You couldn't get away with doing anything bad on this island, because everyone knows everyone!)

The sea surrounding the island is so blue, you'd think they put food coloring in it. I was in stunned disbelief--and this was not my first trip to the Caribbean. Rent a kayak and go for a spin around the lagoon.

I have nothing bad to say about the Tamarind, and plan to go back very soon.

We stayed at the Tamarind for 1 week in November 2005 and it met all our holiday criteria of a peaceful, relaxed beach side holiday on a quiet Carribean Island.
We stayed in a deluxe beach front room (the lowest class) which was plenty big enough with powerful yet quiet air-con. The beach was at our patio doors. The sea could be noisy for some at night as the doors and windows are made from wooden slats.
The beach was deserted most of the week, but the staff were ever present to provide towels and cushions for the sun loungers.
Nice bar on the beach, open from 10am 'til 5pm.
Only one restaurant which served excellent local food but had a staple menu of pizza and pasta since the manager/owner is Italian. I suggest you stick to the local specialties especially the lobster which was sensational.
Staff typically Carribean in attitude, they take their time and often appear over relaxed but that adds to the experience.
Not much to do in the evenings if that's your thing.
Prices as expected for this part of the world, $5 for a beer with service charge.
Dive Centre right next door for those into SCUBA.
If you're looking for peace and quiet, this is the place for you.