Last month I had the opportunity to discover the luxuriously secluded paradise in The Caribbean that goes by the name of Palm Island.
A small and stunning island situated in The Grenadines that, from the moment you step foot onto it’s pristine white sandy beach, your heart is captured.
An island so small that it can be explored in minutes on a push bike, yet an island large enough to create brand new adventures and memories each day. With powder white beaches surrounding the island, all with their own unique character, the island has a calming yet alluring way of making you feel like you are the only two people on whichever particular stretch of sand you decide to call yours for the day. This unique seclusion within the lively islands of the Grenadines is what makes Palm Island the perfect getaway for those wanting a holiday with serious WOW factor.
I travelled to Palm Island with my friend Emma at the beginning of May after a short stay in Barbados. We travelled via a small passenger aircraft (Grenadines Air Alliance) and after a short 30 minute flight across the ocean we landed on Union Island, the nearest airport to Palm Paradise 😉
Palm Island Resort
As soon as we landed we were met by a representative of Palm Island Resort and our bags were whisked off to the resort’s private boat. With our luggage in tow we were transported across the small stretch of sea that separates Union and Palm Island and greeted with beaming smiles from the resort staff at the resident jetty.
On arrival it was clear that Palm Island was a true gem of the Carribean, with white sands and enviably turquoise waters that we hadn’t seen in Barbados just hours before.
With a welcome cocktail in hand and the lovely resort manager by our sides we were taken to our home for the week, a chic yet authentically decorated large double room that was literally 10 steps (I counted!) from the beautifully blue ocean.
Whilst staying at the resort we took full advantage of the numerous activities on offer for guests to enjoy. The resorts exceptional manager, Katie, was aware of my love for water and nature and therefore suggested and within minutes arranged, a number of boat trips for my friend Emma and I. We traveled out to the famous island where Pirates of the Caribbean was filmed, swam with turtles and sting rays, visited a small manmade island called Happy Island and even found ourselves on a private sandbank one morning, all of which I’ll be writing about in my next blog post about this amazing trip!
As well as external excursions though the island itself is calling out to be explored, bikes are available to all guests free of charge, all we had to do was simply collect one from reception as and when we fancied a ride. We actually chose to keep our bikes by our room for the majority of our stay as we loved nothing more than starting and ending our days riding to a completely new and secluded spot on the island to watch the sun rise and settle.
There are four listed walking trails that are marked on the resort map, each easily managed at any point of the day without the need of a guide or pro walking gear. At the top pf each trail is an incredible view of both the island and the stretch of cobalt and turquoise blue waters that surround the land. From one particular trail (turtle point) you can even spot sea turtles bobbing up and down, just to make the already magnificent view even more spectacular!
The hotel serves breakfast lunch and dinner as part of the all inclusive package that is offered to guests staying in the resort. There is also an afternoon tea spread and super yummy cocktails at every call 😉 There is also a restaurant that is open to the external guests that may perhaps swing by the pretty island whilst island hopping on a yacht of their own. The hotel has rather nicely placed this hotel to the right of reception with all guest facilities to the left so you don’t realise when external day guests come over to the island.
The Spa
With everything on the island built to reflect the beauty of the island’s natural appeal, the spa is a great modern contrast to the rest of the resort. It’s crisp white design and trendy decor makes the two room spa really stand out as a luxury edition and the inside of the spa is pristine. There are two treatment rooms that are large enough for two to enjoy a treatment at the same time and both rooms feature a patio leading on to the beach. One has a hot tub and the other a stand alone white porcelain bath. After enjoying one hour body massage on the second day of our visit we were recommended the island newest addition to the treatment menu, The Hibiscus Indulgence. This signature treatment involved a luxurious petal bath with the most amazing view of the sea as part of the package, followed by a full body scrub and polish, followed by a full body massage and then to complete the two and a half our treatment a luxury facial.
It. Was. Incredible. Everything from the design of the spa to the cute petals in the bath, the amazing skill of the masseuses (my golly was mine ahhhmazing!) to the gorgeous smell of the hibicius, it was all truly perfect! The ultimate indulgence for relaxation and preparation for the glorious sunny weather on Palm Island.
The Smaller Details
Whilst we were staying at Palm Island the resort was at full capacity and yet, it felt like the majority of the time it was just Emma and I. The expanse of the island and the amount of opportunities to enjoy and discover means that even in full capacity seclusion and romance is paramount at Palm.
On a unique a special note, Palm Island was the host of my first ever silent disco. One evening the team set up what was quite possibly the best way to watch a film ever! On the beach a huge projector screen was raised and beach beds arranged in front with head phones and a blanket laid out. We watched Pirates of the Caribbean (Very apt as we had visited the location it was filmed that day!) under a blanket of stars with the gentle lapse of the waves in our peripheral vision. I would recommend this hotel purely on this experience alone 😉
The Verdict
Cinema aside, this hotel well and truly exceeded my expectations. I’ve travelled to a few locations within the Caribbean and I am very confient in saying that this was my favourite island so far, as small as she is!
It’s an amazing holiday if you are looking for a romantic break with morning views to take your breath away, it also for me, had the right mix of idyllic beaches to relax on and enjoy but still enough mild adventure within the resort to keep you from going crazy!
I wrote about Palm Island in last month’s Female First Column and I mentioned that it was The Maldives of the Caribbean, I stand by that. If you are looking for seclusion, stunning beaches and relaxation but have always been weary of visiting The Maldives because of the few activities and options within your resort then Palm Island could be the perfect place for you. It has the romance and the island style of living but there’s so much to do on and surrounding the island itself, it’s best of both worlds essentially.I’ll be making a video soon of what Emma and I got up to, in the mean time keep your eyes on my social media as I am currently exploring a whole new part of the world, Tanzania 😀
Palm Island Resort is available to book as an All Inclusive package with Virgin Holidays here.
My friend stayed here and absolutely loved it too!!
Looks amazing, may have to be added to the bucket list ?
“Loving this post, thank you for sharing this!!!
”
xx,
Hadasah Love || http://www.styletolove.com
oh wow this place looks incredible! don’t think you can take enough pictures! x
http://sweatshirtsanddresses.com