“My wife and I just spent a glorious, relaxing week in Canouan for our 20th anniversary. First of all, don’t be afraid to travel to the Caribbean in “hurricane season.” We had about 20 minutes of rain the entire week, the water is very warm, and there are very few other people. Our Quintess, LRW villa was spectacular, as usual. We spent many hours just reading on the outdoor, shaded patio, listening to the waves and enjoying the view. The highlight of the week was our snorkeling trip to the Tobago Cays, where we swam with turtles in crystal clear water. The Cays are a 20-minute boat ride from Canouan and could be seen in the distance from our villa. My wife snorkeled for the first time. Although Canouan is a little difficult to get to, it was well worth it. We flew through Barbados, where a Raffles representative met us and whisked us through the Barbados transfer with no lines – an added bonus.”
Member Carl Ross

“I had a four-hands massage in one of the hillside spa palapas, which is built right into the cliff. It is so relaxing; you hear the sounds of the ocean and feel the breezes. It was total self indulgence and I loved it!

There is a typical island-time feel of other Caribbean islands; the service tends to be slow, the extra effort isn’t necessarily put forth, things take longer to get done. But the staff on Canouan was amazing. They were always there five minutes early with a bright smile on their face, they always seemed to hustle to get what you needed done, we always heard ‘this is our home and we love it, so we want you to love it too and come back soon.’

We were coming home from Canouan on a Saturday and had commitments at home the next day. Our flight itinerary went: Canouan, St. Lucia, Puerto Rico, Miami, Houston. When we arrived in Puerto Rico, the pilot for our flight had called in sick. By the time the airline could find a replacement, we had missed our connecting flight from Miami home, and it was the only flight leaving that night. We called Quintess, LRW late Saturday night in a panic and Cecelia, a Member Travel Advisor, walked us through the whole ordeal. She checked the whole situation out and while there wasn’t another flight available, she did advise us of our rights as passengers and had us make sure to get dinner and hotel vouchers. She was prompt in her actions, informative and very reassuring.”
Member Lisa Cannon

“Canouan Island Villa #20 is beautiful. You feel like you are in paradise. Everyone is very helpful, the service is wonderful, and you feel extremely safe. We never heard ‘no.’ The spa is very nice, as is the golf course. There is also a complimentary kids center for children four-years or older that is very well equipped and supervised; for younger children you can easily hire a sitter for $15 per hour.

The whole island is very relaxing. Once they finish the airport expansion it will be an easier destination to get to, but in the meantime, I suggest staying for at least a week. I totally recommend a vacation there.”
Member Franklyn Weichselbaum

“Canouan is one of our favorite relaxation destinations in the world. We have been to the resort twice prior to it being Raffles and twice since it has been Raffles. The first time we were ever there we recognized it as a gem. As fabulous as the original resort was the changes have been amazing. For all the years we have traveled in the Caribbean we have never seen another place so pristine and yet so luxurious.

The Quintess, LRW Villa #20 has the most perfect location. The views are so glorious one would think they were fake. It is rare to have a free standing home on such a gorgeous beach in the Caribbean; especially with all the amenities and services of a five-star resort and spa. Generally one would find condo complexes or more resorts. The Villa is of excellent quality, extremely well designed and decorated. The space for friends and family could not be better.

Canouan is not an easy trip. It is sure to improve when the runway is extended but the access will still be limited and the journey long. However, if there was ever a place that is worth that journey and the possible glitches that could happen along the way, Canouan is it.”
Member Jacki Hoyt

“First of all let me say that our Canouan experience was perfect! Our Destination Host, was so nice and very knowledgeable. She had answers to every question we had, she knew how to fix anything we needed fixed, and she had laminated cards in the Villa explaining how to use all of the appliances.

The Villa itself was beautiful, well laid out and extremely comfortable! It was stocked with games and DVDs. It also had spices, napkins, and olive oil and vinegar carafes. I know that sounds like a little thing, but it was actually very handy!

We love that the house is attached to the Raffles Resort and that we could use all the resort amenities: our kids love the Kids Club; the spa is wonderful; the restaurants are fantastic; the beaches are beautiful. There was nothing that could have made this trip better.

It was a little difficult to get to but I broke our travels down so we stayed in Puerto Rico on our way there and back. I think next time we go, we will go through Barbados and then onto Canouan, which is a probably an easier route.”
Member Christy Dimitriades

“Our friends, Mindy and Mike, gave us a trip to Canouan for a mini-honeymoon. Jennifer, my wife, and I brought five friends with us and everyone really enjoyed their experience. I am very familiar with the Caribbean and Canouan gives a great first impression. When I walked off the plane I was struck by the surroundings. I couldn’t believe that the resort was basically the island; it took over at least two thirds of the land. That is very unique.

Transport to and from the airport was interesting. They greeted us with cold water and fresh towels, which was great, but we didn’t realize how expensive the total cost would be and if there was a different option offered, we would have taken it.

The house is very secluded and the private beach is amazing. The landscape is beautiful and the two golf carts were helpful. We rented a third golf cart for a few days but probably didn’t need it. There are free bikes to use to get around the resort and it takes about 15 minutes to cycle from the house to the main resort, about 25 minutes to walk, because it is up and down the whole way.

Jennifer did a pre-arrival grocery order but we didn’t realize it would be difficult and expensive to do more of our own food shopping there. It’s the issue with an island; anything outside the basic scope was very expensive or hard to come by. We took a full-day catamaran ride, went snorkeling – some of our friends twice – and enjoyed barbecues on the beach. The weather was great and the water activities were fun.

The house was the highlight of the trip. I could have stayed in the house the whole week. It is very well equipped and appointed. I am a tech-person and got the laptop going right away and the TV was wonderful. The house was so hospitable and luxurious. Everyone had a private bathroom and there was plenty of seating throughout, it made the experience pleasurable for all seven of us.”
Member’s Guest, Jason Birnboim

“The day before we were flying to Canouan I pulled out my passport and realized it was going to expire during the week we were away. I called my office administrator who got through to our Destination Host to see what a Plan B would be if the Saint Vincent government wouldn’t let me through. The Host did a lot of research to see if I would be able to get in and out with my drivers license and a very recently-expired passport. As it turns out, I was able to travel and we had a wonderful vacation.”
Member Donald Steiner