Dates of Stay: 05/24/09 - 06/07/09 (Although I was hotel-hopping on this trip, Lance Aux Epines Cottages was my home base and I went back and forth between the other hotels and my apartment at LAE Cottages.)

Traveling alone without hubby in tow, there was no doubt that LAE Cottages would be my home base on the island. It’s a place that I am confident I would be taken care of like family and I would be able to count on any one of the staff to bail me out if ever I was in trouble. It’s my 5th visit to Grenada and it is my 5th time staying at LAE Cottages (Sept 2007, Dec 2007, Oct 2008, Dec 2008, June 2009). That’s how much I love this place. And clearly I’m not the only one as I have met other travelers who have been coming to the cottages each year for 15+ years! I think that says a lot about the place and its staff as there are numerous other places to stay in Grenada that may have more amenities or may be less expensive than LAEC. This place is truly special and that’s why it draws so many repeat guests year in and year out.

I was in the Kite apartment, our usual spot. It is located on the 2nd floor which provides for a wonderful view of the beach and the gardens. The apartment has everything that you would need, with a living room area, dining area, full kitchen, bedroom, and a huge bathroom. It is particularly nice that they have a large bottle of water chilling in the fridge for guests when they arrive. (Although I now drink the tap water as it is perfectly safe and we’ve never had problems in the past and it helps save the environment from plastic bottles!) Since I arrived late and the front office is already closed, the night security guard gave me my keys and carried my heavy suitcases upstairs to the apartment.

The Good
- Beautiful property with the cottages nicely spaced apart that it never feels crowded
- Directly on a nice, calm beach
- Walking distance to some restaurants
- Well-equipped cottages/apartments at a very reasonable price
- Hi-speed internet connection in the cottages/apartments
- Enough beach loungers for all guests that you don’t need to get up at the crack of dawn to save a chair like other hotels
- Delicious local home-cooking can be arranged with the housekeepers
- Game room with computers with internet access if you don’t have a laptop, a ping-pong table, pool table, foosball
- Fantastic staff who will do what they can to make your stay a special one

The Possible Downsides (depending on your preferences)
- No TV in the cottages/apartments…only in the central Game/TV room
- Bed is too firm for my preference
- No pool (if that’s important to you)
- A car would be helpful to have as it is located in a residential area and it is a long walk to the main road where you can catch a bus. Of course taxis are just a phone call away.
- The water on the beach is not that clear…it seems to be clearer certain times of the year as it was clearer when we were there in the month of Dec, but not so clear in Sept/Oct.
- A/C is only in the bedroom

The staff is what makes LAE Cottages extra special. From Thaneia (I think she is the assistant front office manager?) who handles the reservations and acts as a concierge… to Josepha who was assigned as the housekeeper to my apartment and who cooked a delicious oildown lunch… to David who provided me taxi rides to the airport… to Tim (the Manager of the hotel) who provided some good conversations so I didn’t get too bored by myself… to all the other housekeepers (Eva, Berril-Ann, Celia, Ann, Elsa, Joann) and gardeners (Patrick, Kevin, Lindon) who always made sure I was enjoying my stay…they all are just wonderful people. They truly embody Grenadian friendliness and hospitality.

I would highly recommend Lance Aux Epines Cottages to anyone looking for a laid back, relaxing vacation. Would I stay here again? Absolutely! We will always come back to Lance Aux Epines Cottages even as we hotel-hop across Grenada.

My husband and I got married on the grounds of the cottages in July, 2008, and I couldn't have asked for a more ideal setting for our wedding! The ceremony was held on the beach by the water, with the Lance Aux Epines bay as a backdrop. The gardens and grounds are large, and there was plenty of room for our 120 guests to mingle, dance and dine. We set up tents, a steel band, tables and seating and a dance floor, and there was still lots of space for the natural beauty of the gardens and beach to shine through.

The owner, Tim, and his staff were exceedingly gracious and accommodating throughout the planning process of the wedding and beyond. We had about 35 of our guests staying in the cottages for the week surrounding the wedding, and they had nothing but wonderful things to say about the colourful cottages, the friendly staff and the location of the cottages directly on the beach. Many of us rented vehicles to get around the island, and the cottages provided a great base for all of our adventures, and a cozy, private escape to return to at the end of each day.

I can't recommend the Lance Aux Epines Cottages enough! I recommend them to everyone I know who is travelling to Grenada on holiday.

The service was really great....the maid service was excellent.

The 2 bedroom cottage is fully screened so is mosquito proof. I think that most of the cottages are screened. The bedrooms are air-conditioned with adequate cupboard space. The beds were comfortable.

The kitchen was very well equipped and when we wanted something extra, it was not a problem. In fact, we had a dinner party one night as we know several people on the island and we were provided with extra cooking pots, chairs, an extra dining table etc at no extra charge.....they could not have been more helpful to us.

The bathroom was small but adequate and clean.

The living and siting area were comfortable, very roomy and attractively decorated. A nice touch was the plastic container at the front door to wash off one's feet rather than track sand inside.

There is a lovely hammock for each cottage and a picnic style table also for each cottage. The is a shared bar-be-que on the spectacular grounds. There is also an outside shower on the grounds for rinsing off the salt and sand.

The location is not remote yet gives the impression of being remote. There are restaurants within walking distance and a night club.

The beach is lovely but the sea is a bit hit and miss. Can be crystal clear at times and at other can be a bit sedimenty. However, I just swam out beyond that area and it was lovely. The scenery is stunning.

The games room is a great place to meet other visitors and it is well equipped....a really nice touch.

This would be a great place for a group of people to all stay in one place - family reunion, wedding, etc. Great for children as the grounds are large.

Would always recommend hiring a car to see the island. There are many lovely waterfalls, beaches, restaurants etc. Garfields bar on Grand Anse beach is a must especially for people who like to party.

Would I return - no - only because we now own our own holiday house on the island! Yes, we loved it that much! Otherwise, a definite yes.

I was in Grenada for a 2 week family holiday in December 2008. We had 1 week at The Rex Grenadian and 1 at Lance Aux Epines Cottages. The Rex would be our much preferred choice and that's not just because it was a family holiday.
The downside to LAX Cottages is the location and beach. Although it is in the more up-market part of the Island (actually it's more Chav than sophistication) it is not a particularly attractive area. The beach is dissapointing and swimming very poor. The bay is full of (unused) yachts and the water is murky and full of sediment - definately no snorkelling here. Some of the photo's I have seen published of the beach deserve a creative award! Don't be fooled - this is not an idillic tropical cove. The grounds of the cottages are nice and well kept and the games room is well equipped - however they do insist that children are accompanied by parents - which is sort of defeating the object. Internally the rooms are fine, but again I do feel the price is not justified. One niggle was on the day of departure - Christmas Day, our flight was later in the afternoon. We asked if we could stay another hour as no one was coming in that day and it wasn't as if it would even be cleaned for a couple of days as staff were on holiday. The response was that we could if we paid another $40 odd. We declined - more out of principal. 5 minutes prior to the due time to vacate the premesis the secutity guard arrived to inform us that we needed to be out in 5 minutes. We had just spent the best part of $2500 with them! I know business is tough but you do need to reward customers and entice them back again. We will be going back to Grenada next year but staying at the Rex. Here the accomodation although a bit worn around the edges is very clean - the staff exceptionally helpful and friendly and the beach and water sublime.