Guest Report

[Adam Smith]

We have just come back from a week stay in the Grafton Beach and would definately recomend it to any couples or families with older kids. We had a great time there, all the hotel staff were very friendly and helpful with any thing we needed. We were met at the reception with fruit punch and helped to our room.

The room looked a bit worn but was clean and had everything we needed, air conditioning fridge and decent shower. We had some problems with the key card and fridge, but the maitenence guy came very quickly to sort the problems.We opted for a garden view room, but we still had a small view of the sea and and the hotel next door. This was not a great problem as we did not spend much time in the room.

The hotel was well laid out small pool with swim up bar, which we did not get to use, spent most of the time on the beach, great view around the bay with small fishing boats and dive boats and the fishermen pulling in the nets most mornings. One person on beach handing out sun loungers who disapered when all the bed were gone, only about 10 parasols on beach so if shade is important then you may need to get down before 10. Beach bar staff very friendly, all too easy to drink too much rum punch. We ate at the beach bar every day, similar menu most days but enough choice for us both, even my Vegetarian partner. Some beach traders but they are no real hassel, after the first day they get to know you and leave you alone, or just come round for a chat. Would recomend Dillon the artist on the beach and the jewlery stall, all very friendly people. The guy who carves the carabash is quite funny, wil come and chat for hours if you let him, mostly off his head. The beach massage was also good and the chef who does hair if you ask.

Food in the resteraunt was good every night and morning, different choice every night and was always replaced when it ran out. Always a roast to choose from, nice soups and local dishes. Choice of fruit and hot buffet in mornings fried plantane very good. Just watch the small birds if you leave any food on your table between visits to the buffet, remember to cover your juice glass!! Wine was good with the meal, I think it came from california, only tried the red, but was very drinkable and always filled up every time you returned to your table. If you do not drink alcohol and get bored of the fruit punch, ask for a fruit coctail, bit fancier with crushed ice, they are more reluctant to serve them due to extra effort but if you insist you will get one. No problems with drink measures, plenty of rum in everythink, if you are worried about things being water down, then just drink more!!!

I fished off the rocks most mornings right down to the left end of the beach, gate opens at 6, float fished with marinated tuna for bait, ask the staff and they can sort some for you. Caught small tuna, gar fish and some yellow spotted fish, not sure what they were. Some early morning joggers out on the beach and a few friendly dogs to keep you company.

We went on three trips with Barry, he willl find you on the beach along with the other three tour guides, they all come round for a friendly chat each day if you are sat on the beach. We went on Sunday school trip, which was quite entertaining, steel bands and then loud music and dancing till very late, beer about 80p a bottle Carib very drinkable in the heat!!Island tour in air conditioned minibus, very good tour, taken to every beach and cove along the coast, swam and snorkled at English mans bay, very beutiful, some history, forts and sugar plantation houses, lunch at Gemma's tree house suspended above the water, no beer there as they are 7th day adventists!! back down the oposite coast, short trip into the rain forest and swim in argile falls, need decent foot ware to get to top, we just swam around the bottom pool. Carribean coast boat trip was also good, short trip to next bay form hotel to get boat, with crate of beer and cool box. Trawled for Tuna and King fish up the coast past all the small bays and beach houses. Stopped for bbq lunch with fish we caught. Sent captin Loady off for more beer as we finished the first crate!! Stopped off for snorkeling and swimmming with rays. dropped back at hotel beach in time to see wedding on the beach, lovely family of 26, kept us all amused for the week!! Just like an episode of Eastenders!!

Would also recomend a walk up to Grafton bird sanctuary, 10 minutes up road to right out of hotel gate, feeding time at 8 and 4, nice circular walk through black rock fort Bennet, the band stand to the right of beach. Some good snorkeling on RHS of beach, plenty of fish and corral, saw two Barracuda small eels and small jelly fish.

[Alex Bindy]

thanks for an up to date report - we are off there in Jan, so good to know things are 'ok' at the moment!