Our third time at Raffles, Canouan Island, and better each time we stay there. The golf is fantastic, if you only have time for 9 holes, the back nine is the best, more corporate business' are finding it, and when the new runway is open, expect this place to be FOUND. The management works hard to make your stay awesome, rooms are awesome, service is awesome, we stayed two weeks, and are already talking about coming back next year, it is pricey, good things are, food at the restaurants is better than most caribbean restaurants and O'Neil at La Varenne is at his best. Casino is so so, save your money, spend it at the restaurant,. Very european, so many languages heard, russian, french, irish, italian,of course, english. More children this year, not a problem, go for the golf, come back for the service, and just enjoy the spa, one of the best in the caribbean. Next stop, two weeks at Harbour Village, Bonaire.

Having not been to the Carribean before we didn't know what to expect. The Raffles Resort is outstanding, absolute stunning to the eye.

We stayed at the resort for Christmas and New Year and although full, it felt half empty. The staff are so accommodating and will deal with anything for you. I have a fish allergy which was catered for without me having to worry about anything, food was prepared cooked seperate nothing was too much trouble (have to say I wasn't the only one there with allergies and we were all looked after incredibly well).

We stayed in a garden view room which was huge, very clean with lovely views. A golf cart is provided for all rooms to travel around the island. And the spa treatments are a must!

I can not recommend this resort enough for the pure pleasure of visiting a beautiful island but also for the warm welcome and service you receive throughout your stay.

We stayed for 2 weeks over Christmas, with 3 young children who are full of energy. Having read the reviews here on TA we were a little worried given the range of 'moans' that we saw especially given the resort was going to be full over the festive period.

Now it seems normal to give a list of previous resorts/hotels stayed at to give an idea of the quality expected, so here goes, last year we stayed for Christmas period at the Burj Al Arad (will not do that again), previous two Christmas periods were at Sandy and the 2 before that were at the wonderful Saint Geran. So we have rather high expectations is probably a fair statement.

The cost of Raffles is on par with the aforementioned, but the experience is unique. The beauty of the island and the amount of space on the resort is astounding, when we arrived it was 40% full, i would have said it was just us and a lot of staff, and our main concern was when the resort filled, but not once did we have to queue at the most spectacular buffets, or unable to get a table in any one of the good restaurants at any point.

The restaurant staff even opened the restaurant 1 hour early every day in the evening for our youngest to eat, a meal which the prepared ad hoc every day off menu, and this was done with a smile. Obviously small island cuisine can often be limited, but somehow the kitchen staff excel themselves each and every day, to give you an idea of how serious they take the food preparation, whilst there a new sushi lounge was opened, and to prepare the food, 2 chefs were brought over from Japan.

Another usual grumble of the caribbean is the relaxed service, all i can say is that this was closer treatment to what you would hope for in Singapore Raffles, the real kindness they showed the children was also the reason for a kids club that relied on activities and sport rather than the usual tv and games found elsewhere, we could not keep our eldest from the club!

My love was the golf where the pro Wayne certainly took my money but it as one of the most challenging courses ever.

As mentioned by several accounts Captain Phil and Nichola are well worth spending a day with on the boat, great trip!

In short

check-in - great, bags taken from plane to room, very friendly, usual cold drinks and towels etc

food - exceeded expectations

Rooms - very large , only complaint of holiday but soon remedied was initially the rooms were only 'swept' and the tiled floors were not hoovered and mopped each day

Staff - did everything to help our holiday go well

Weather - bad first 2 days, then great, was a littled concerned about wind but nowhere is always perfect

Beach(s) - great, worth securing a spot if the hotel is full.

Pool - big and next to kids club

Check-out - for once, no problems

Connection - always a concern with young children is the changing planes in Barbados, but company was outstanding and not a worry for next time.


We will be going back next year!!!

Raffles Resort is paradise.
Everything from the amazing suites (I stayed in a Garden View Orchester Suite) to the little golf buggys you get was fab.

I was lucky enough to get the Raffles private Jet from Barbados and this was the first of a 2 centre holiday. It was beautiful.

If you managed to get here you need to be prepared to pay a price for everything, there's no beach shack snack bar here. The restaurants are all pretty pricey but if you're on honeymoon it's perfect.

The pool is the longest in the Caribbean and is lovely and very quiet (I went slightly off season) and the sea is crystal clear. There wasn't any children when I was there and I although they allow children I can't imagine it would be over-run.

Jambus is good for breakfast and Godahl good for lunch (although the music played there is a little dubious). The upmarket restaurants La Varenne and the other one's name escapes me were lovely but cost the same as a top London venue.

You must go to the Amrita spa, I had a great Elemis massage ($179), there are 2 rooms with glass floors above the sea.

All good, except one thing, don't bother with the casino, it's looks good from the outside but is not nice inside. Souless and painted a dreadful orange colour.