In general, service at the front desk and at restaurants is about one or two beats slower than what one is accustomed to in the United States. Sit long enough in the open-air lobby watching cows and goats graze the open field across the street and someone will ask if you would care for a rum punch. The bar makes one of the better concoctions in the Caribbean, tart with lime and spiced with nutmeg. Across the courtyard is the open-air dining room, with a kitchen that doesn't quite reach the heights of other Caribbean resorts but takes some laudable stabs at island dishes such as callaloo and braised chicken with nutmeg. Breakfast and a five-course dinner are included in the room price.
Lunch comes only on the optional all-inclusive plan .
After dinner I walked along the beach, smoking a Cuban cigar and watching a crescent moon, much like the Cheshire cat's grin, disappear into wispy clouds on the horizon. It would have been churlish to ask for a more perfect end to a lazy day. Rates include breakfast and dinner for two persons, unlimited use of nonmotorized water sports equipment, tennis and nine-hole golf. This sister property of Spice Island Beach Resort has the upper hand on dining, focusing on West Indian fare, served on a veranda with a view. The casual dining room features hearty local cuisine, overlooking the harbor.