An all-inclusive rate in Grenada can look expensive next to a room-only rate at a nearby hotel. The real question is what you would otherwise spend on food, drinks and getting around, and how much of the island you want to experience beyond the resort gates.
Grenada is an unusual case because so much of its appeal lies outside the hotels: roadside oil down, fresh fish at Gouyave, rum shops in the countryside, small restaurants in St George's and along Grand Anse. Eating out here is generally reasonable by Caribbean standards, especially at local places. At the same time, imported wine and spirits, resort restaurants and taxis add up quickly.
This guide sets out how to compare the two approaches with realistic ranges, the travellers for whom all-inclusive clearly makes sense, and those who would get better value and a richer trip without it. Prices change, so use current quotes and treat the figures here as orientation only.
The basic comparison
To compare fairly, start with the difference per person per night between an all-inclusive rate and a room-only or breakfast rate at a similar standard of hotel in a similar location. That difference is what you are paying for food, drinks and included activities. Then estimate what you would actually spend without the package, based on how you eat and drink on holiday.
Be honest about habits. Someone who drinks two or three cocktails a day, has wine with dinner and enjoys a beer on the beach will spend far more on drinks than someone who sticks to water and fresh juice. A couple who like long lunches and three-course dinners spend more than those who snack at midday and eat simply in the evening. Remember also that resort menus outside all-inclusive packages are priced for visitors, and that restaurant bills in Grenada carry VAT and often a service charge on top of menu prices.
Typical costs of eating and drinking out
Local lunch. A plate of local food, such as a roti, stewed chicken with rice and peas or fish with provisions, at a casual spot or cook shop is generally modest, often in the range of EC$15 to EC$40 (around US$6 to US$15).
Mid-range restaurant dinner. Main courses at mid-range restaurants around Grand Anse and the south coast commonly run from about EC$45 to EC$100 (US$17 to US$37), before drinks, tax and service.
Upscale dinner. At the island's better-known restaurants, including hotel restaurants, mains can exceed EC$100, and a three-course dinner for two with wine can reach several hundred EC dollars.
Drinks. Local beer at a bar is inexpensive, rum punch and cocktails cost more, and imported wine is noticeably pricey because of import costs. Local rum is far cheaper than imported spirits.
Getting around. Taxi fares follow an official schedule for common routes; a return trip from the south-west resorts to St George's or Grand Anse for dinner adds a noticeable amount per evening. Route buses are very cheap but stop running late at night.
When all-inclusive is clearly worth it
All-inclusive tends to win for travellers who plan to spend most of their time at the resort and who enjoy several drinks a day. If the holiday is about rest, a beach and a pool, with only one or two excursions, the package removes daily decisions and the cost of each drink. For couples on a honeymoon, it can also be a relief not to think about bills at all.
Families can benefit too, especially with children who eat and drink constantly, as snacks, juices and ice creams at resort prices add up quickly. Resorts at Point Salines are also some distance from restaurants on foot, so a room-only stay there means taxis for most dinners; the all-inclusive model makes more sense in that location than on Grand Anse. Finally, travellers who simply want certainty, with no surprises on the final bill, often find the premium worth paying even if the strict arithmetic is close.
When it is probably not worth it
All-inclusive makes less sense for travellers who want to explore. If you plan to spend most days on tours, hikes, boat trips or driving around the island, you may miss many of the resort meals you have paid for. People who enjoy local food and want to eat at roadside stalls, Fish Friday in Gouyave and small restaurants in St George's will spend part of the trip paying twice.
Light drinkers and those who prefer simple meals also tend to come out ahead with a room-only or breakfast rate. On Grand Anse in particular, many restaurants, bars and a supermarket are within walking distance of the hotels, so eating out is easy and does not involve taxis. Self-catering apartments and villas offer even more flexibility. Finally, food lovers who value variety may find that even a resort with several restaurants feels repetitive over ten days or more, while the island as a whole offers a much wider range.
A quick way to run the numbers
Use this method with real quotes for your dates:
- Get the all-inclusive rate and a room-only or breakfast rate for a comparable hotel, both including taxes and service.
- Subtract one from the other and divide by the number of nights and guests to find the daily cost of the package per person.
- Estimate daily spend without the package: breakfast if not included, lunch, dinner, snacks, soft drinks and alcohol.
- Add transport costs for meals out, such as taxis, particularly if staying away from Grand Anse.
- Count the days you expect to be away on tours or excursions, when resort meals would be missed.
- Compare the totals, then weigh the convenience and certainty of all-inclusive against the variety of eating out.
Factors the arithmetic misses
A spreadsheet comparison rarely captures everything. Quality is the first factor: a resort's included house wine and standard spirits may not be what you would order if paying, and a meal at a well-regarded independent restaurant may be better than the fourth night of the same resort menu. Conversely, the resort's included restaurants may be excellent, and paying for comparable meals outside would cost more than expected.
Weather is the second. In the wetter months, from about June to November, a few rainy afternoons can make an all-inclusive package feel like better value, since staying in costs nothing extra. Time is the third: on a short break of four or five nights, the hours spent finding and travelling to restaurants eat into limited holiday time. Finally, there is the psychological effect. Some people relax completely when nothing needs paying for; others feel obliged to eat and drink more than they want to get their money's worth. Knowing which type you are is as useful as any calculation.
Hybrid options worth considering
There is no need to choose one model for the whole trip. Many visitors split their stay, spending a few nights at an all-inclusive resort to unwind before moving to a room-only hotel or villa for the exploring part of the trip, or the other way round. Others choose a room-only resort on Grand Anse and take a half-board plan, with breakfast and dinner included, leaving lunch free for beach bars and local spots.
Some all-inclusive resorts also offer reciprocal arrangements with sister properties elsewhere in the Caribbean, which can be useful for multi-island trips. If you combine Grenada with Carriacou, remember that accommodation there is mostly small-scale and eating out is part of the experience, so an all-inclusive on the main island followed by a guesthouse on Carriacou gives a good balance. Whatever the mix, the guiding principle is to pay for meals where you will actually be eating, and to leave enough unplanned time to follow a good local recommendation when one comes along.
Frequently asked questions
Is food expensive in Grenada?
Local food is generally reasonable, with plates at casual spots and cook shops often costing EC$15 to EC$40. Restaurants aimed at visitors, hotel dining and imported wine are more expensive. Menu prices usually exclude VAT and often a service charge, so budget for those on top.
Is all-inclusive cheaper than eating out in Grenada?
It depends on how much you eat and drink and how often you leave the resort. Heavy drinkers and guests who stay on site usually save with all-inclusive. Light drinkers, explorers and food lovers often spend less on a room-only or breakfast rate.
Are drinks expensive in Grenada?
Local beer and rum are relatively inexpensive, while cocktails at resort bars and imported wine and spirits are much pricier because of import costs. If you drink mainly wine or imported spirits, an all-inclusive package can represent good value.
Is it easy to eat out near Grenada all-inclusive resorts?
Resorts at Point Salines have few restaurants within walking distance, so eating out usually means a taxi. Grand Anse has many restaurants and bars close to the hotels. Route buses are cheap but do not run late into the evening.
Should you choose half-board instead of all-inclusive in Grenada?
Half-board, with breakfast and dinner, suits travellers who will be out during the day and want lunch at beach bars or local restaurants. It costs less than all-inclusive but means paying for drinks and lunches separately, so compare based on your habits.
Do you need cash at an all-inclusive resort in Grenada?
Very little. Extras are charged to the room and settled by card at check-out. Carry some EC or US dollars for tips where allowed, taxis, local markets and small purchases outside the resort. EC$2.70 equals US$1 at a fixed rate.
