Guana Island - Unspoiled paradise
Written: Jan 08 '03
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Product Rating:
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Pros: If you want to relax and unwind on vacation, you will not find better.
Cons: None
The Bottom Line: If you want to relax, unwind and escape the pressures of modern life - then Go!
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| teamw23's Full Review: British Virgin Islands |
ScubaMom has already written an extensive review of Guana Island and I see no reason to duplicate that excellent effort. However, my wife and I spent a week on Guana recently, and we had a wonderful time. It was really quite an exceptional vacation. We returned from our week together on Guana Island rested, relaxed, and rejuvenated. The worst thing about our vacation on Guana Island was leaving at the end of it. There are a lot of vacation resorts that promise you an unspoiled paradise, Guana Island actually delivers.
Since we had such a nice time, along with posting our photo album from the trip, I decided to also write a small piece about the island to share with prospective guests. Rather than follow the typical format of a travel review, this piece is focused on trying to help people decide whether Guana Island is the right vacation for them. If you are looking for the kind of vacation they offer, there is really nothing better. However, it is certainly not for everybody. The following may help you decide whether Guana Island is the right vacation choice for you:
Do you want your vacation experience to be genuinely relaxing?
A relaxing, quiet interlude from the hectic pace of modern life is the essence of what this place offers. There are no phones in the rooms and no televisions anywhere. There is no night life, so you go to bed early at night and get plenty of rest. There are plenty of activities such as snorkeling, sea kayaking, tennis, water skiing and the like, but reading quietly under a shady tree by the ocean is also a fine way to spend a day. It is difficult to imagine a more relaxing and soothing place to spend time.
Do you like spending time in an unspoiled wilderness?
Guana Island is the kind of place for you. The entire island is a nature preserve with a wonderful variety of fauna and flora. The rooms are placed high on a hilltop, with spectacular views of the island and water below. There are a huge number of hiking trails leading all over the island, letting you get right into a pristine Caribbean island. However, you should beware, since this is not the Disney version of nature. You should bring hiking boots, because some of the trails are quite challenging. You have to beware of cacti, etc. The snorkeling is excellent, and watching the Brown Booby birds diving for fish is quite amazing.
Do you expect white glove service, a personal butler waiting on your every whim, etc?
Guana Island is probably not what you are looking for. The staff is genuinely friendly, helpful and interested in helping you have a nice time. However, this is an unspoiled wilderness in the middle of nowhere. It is not a five star hotel in the middle of a major city. There are some little service things that you won’t find in a simple place like this. For example, there is no room service, dinner is served at set time, and there are typically only two entrees to choose from every evening. The food was quite good and we didn’t have any problem with the service levels while we were there. Big refrigerators at the clubhouse and beach were always fully stocked with a huge variety of drinks, there are plenty of fluffy towels at the beach, the bars were stocked with top shelf liquor, etc. Further, the ratio of staff to guests seems quite high and we found the staff, particularly at the beach, to be unusually attentive. If you are willing to do little things like mix your own drinks, you’ll be fine. Just understand that Guana is a rather unique vacation experience, and that minibars and HBO should not be expected or missed.
Do you want to wear elegant gowns, tuxedos and fancy jewelry to dinner every night?
This is definitely not where you want to be. The entire place is designed to help you relax, and leave the stresses of everyday life behind. The guests certainly tend to be financially successful (this isn’t a low-budget vacation choice), but they tend to be the kind of people who don’t put on airs about their success. This isn’t a place to show off. A nice sport shirt and kaki pants for dinner is about as fancy as it gets (at least the week I was there).
Are you somebody who has trouble getting around due to disability, etc.?
This may not be the best vacation choice for you. Although there are some ramps and a little truck to run people up and down the hilltop regularly, the property was built a long time ago. There are a lot of steep steps, etc. that could cause problems to somebody with a disability. You should talk to the staff if you have this issue before you book, since some of the cottages appear to be far more suitable than others for persons with disabilities.
Are the quality of the furnishings, décor of the room, etc. important to you?
Guana Island is not necessarily for you. The floors are painted concrete, the walls are white stucco, and the furniture very simple and sparse. It’s all tasteful and fine, but quite rustic and simple. It isn’t at all unpleasant, just very understated and sort of a classic, old-school Caribbean. The main house is apparently built on the ruins of an old plantation, and it retains a lot of that rustic charm. One exception to the sparse furnishings are the beds, which are excellent. The views from your windows or patio are breathtaking, and all the rooms are spacious and private. The water pressure in our room was excellent.
Do you insist that your fellow guests be approximately the same age as you are?
My biggest surprise in spending a week there was the variety of ages amongst the guests. The week I was there, guests included retired people in their late 70’s, honeymooners in their late 20’s and almost everything in between. Everybody seemed to get along quite well the week I was there. You do have cocktails and dinner with the other guests every night, so you get to know them somewhat better than you might at other resorts. Guana doesn’t appeal to everybody, so the people who do choose a vacation experience like this seem to have more in common.
Do you plan to bring your children along on your vacation?
Guana Island is probably a bad choice for you. There is fairly little for children to do on the island and it is not a particularly child-friendly environment. I believe small children (under 12) are not even permitted. This is a place for adults to relax and unwind, and the entire experience is focused on that.
Would you like to save some money on your vacation to Guana?
Who wouldn’t? Particularly in their off-season, you can find packages for Guana Island on Luxurylink occasionally. We saved enough off the posted prices by going through one of their auctions to pay our airfare.
to see photos go to:
http://www.home.earthlink.net/~jwfrost/Guana.htm
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Couples
Best Time to Travel Here: Dec - Feb
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Epinions.com ID:
teamw23
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Reviews written: 47
Trusted by: 4 members
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