Laluna is the small, design-minded retreat that Grenada honeymooners keep recommending to each other. It has 16 thatched cottages scattered down a hillside above its own little beach on Portici Bay. Every one of them has a private plunge pool. There is an Italian restaurant on the sand, a sunset bar, an Asian-style spa and complimentary yoga each morning. That is roughly the whole list, which is the appeal.
The hotel sits about two bays south of Grand Anse, so you can be on Grenada's most famous beach in five minutes by car and back in your own pool before lunch. The airport is only 10 to 15 minutes away, one of the shortest transfers in the Caribbean. Children under 12 are not accommodated in the cottages, so the mood is quiet and grown up without being stiff.
It suits couples who want style and privacy at a human scale rather than a big resort with a dozen bars. It is less ideal if you want an all-inclusive buffet scene, nightly entertainment or a long walkable beach strip outside your door. Laluna is a Design Hotels member and a recent Tripadvisor Travelers' Choice winner.
Highlights at a glance
- 16 thatched cottages, each with a private plunge pool
- Italian restaurant right on the beach
- Ten to fifteen minutes from the airport
- Daily yoga and non-motorized water sports included
- No children under 12 in the cottages
Why Couples Love Laluna
Most of the magic here is in the scale. Sixteen cottages means the beach rarely feels busy, the bar staff know your drink by the second night and dinner never turns into a production. The cottages are built with Balinese timber, thatched roofs and open verandas, so you spend much of the day outdoors: coffee on the deck, a dip in your plunge pool, a nap with the sea breeze coming through.
The beach is public by law, as all Grenadian beaches are, but the access point sits at the far end and the sand is usually quiet. The water in this part of the southwest coast is generally calm, which makes swimming and paddleboarding easy for most of the year. Couples also mention the art studio, the sculpture garden and the gentle, slightly bohemian personality the place has kept through its 25 years. It feels owned rather than managed.
Which Cottage to Book
All cottages sleep two and all have a plunge pool, so the choice comes down to privacy, views and how many steps you are willing to climb.
- Cottage Suites sit on the upper tier above the road. They are semi-detached, sharing a wall and veranda with a neighbor behind a privacy curtain. They sit about 60 steps above the main house. They have the widest sea views and the lowest rates.
- Deluxe Cottages sit directly above the beach, roughly 30 steps from the main house, in Ocean View and Garden View versions. Some are freestanding.
- The Beach Cottage Deluxe opens onto the lawn a few steps from the water. It is the most private room on the property.
For a honeymoon, a freestanding Deluxe Cottage with an ocean view is the sweet spot. Book the Beach Cottage if you can. Also ask about the honeymoon package, which has included a free upgrade to a Deluxe Cottage.
Food, Drinks and the Spa
The restaurant sits on the beach and cooks Italian food with a Calabrian accent, using Grenadian fish, herbs and fruit. It is open from breakfast through dinner, so a long lunch at a table on the sand is easy to arrange. The Sunset Bar and Lounge runs a daily happy hour and faces west, which on this coast means the evening light does the work. The casual Monkey Bar opens on the beach from Friday to Sunday afternoons.
Meal plans must be booked with your reservation. Laluna offers breakfast only, half board and an all-inclusive plan with drinks by the glass, all priced per person plus tax and service. Couples who plan to eat most meals in should choose a plan up front.
The spa has an Asian style, with massages and wraps. There is also a separate wellness center. Daily yoga in the beach pavilion is included, with a mat left in your room.
Why guests fall for it
Things to Do Beyond the Cottage
Hobie Cats, kayaks, paddleboards and snorkel gear are included. The cove is calm enough for beginners. Grand Anse Beach is about five minutes by car for a long walk on two miles of sand, beach vendors selling spices and a lively lunch shack scene.
Farther afield, hire a driver-guide for a day in the interior. Grand Etang's crater lake and rainforest trails, Annandale and Concord waterfalls, a nutmeg processing station in Gouyave and a chocolate estate make a full and varied day. Divers and snorkelers can visit the Underwater Sculpture Park in Moliniere Bay, a short boat ride north. St. George's, with its horseshoe harbor and steep streets of red-roofed houses, is 15 minutes away and lovely for a morning wander and a rum punch overlooking the Carenage.
If you arrive in August, expect Spicemas carnival crowds and plan around them.
Getting There
Maurice Bishop International Airport (GND) is about 10 to 15 minutes from Laluna. US nonstops come from Miami and New York JFK, with some seasonal winter flights from other cities. You will not lose a day to transfers, which matters on a short honeymoon.
Laluna's private transfer costs around $44 each way for two people and is not included in the rate. Taxis also wait outside after arrivals at fixed fares. Most couples do not need a rental car. Roads on Grenada are steep and narrow with tight bends and traffic drives on the left, so a driver-guide for day trips is a better bet. Taxis to Grand Anse and St. George's are short and inexpensive.
Mosquitoes can appear around dusk, especially after rain. Pack repellent. If you're pregnant or hoping to be soon, check CDC travel health notices for Grenada before you travel. Hurricane season runs June to November, so buy travel insurance for those months.
Is It Worth It?
For couples who want privacy and character, yes. Laluna's meal-inclusive Chillout offer has started from about $645 a night for two in a Cottage Suite, plus tax and service, which is reasonable for a private plunge pool on a quiet Caribbean beach. Rates vary by season, so treat that as a rough guide. The hotel has also run summer discounts of around 20% outside the August carnival peak.
The trade-offs are real. Cottage Suites share a wall and veranda, the hillside means plenty of steps and there is one main restaurant, so a week of dinners can feel repetitive unless you eat out in Grand Anse. If you want a big pool scene, several restaurants and everything bundled, look at the all-inclusive resorts near Grand Anse instead. If you want a long beach right outside your door, stay on Grand Anse itself. Laluna is for couples who would rather have a cove and a quiet bar.
Insider tips
- Ask for the honeymoon package when booking; it has included a free upgrade from a Cottage Suite to a Deluxe Cottage.
- Book a meal plan with your reservation; Laluna asks for plans to be chosen at booking rather than on arrival.
- If steps are an issue, request a Deluxe or Beach Cottage close to the main house rather than an upper-tier suite.
- Plan at least one dinner in Grand Anse or St. George's to break up the single-restaurant routine.
