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NafeezaBaig
Georgetown, Guyana

Elysian Escape

Review of Manicou River
5.0 of 5 bubblesReviewed 27 Sept 2022via mobile
Tucked away in Portsmouth, Dominica you will find a small, paradisal eco resort called Manicou River. On 21 September 2022, at 10am, Aaron and I departed Guyana, transited through Barbados, and finally arrived at 6:30pm at the Nature Island - Dominica. In pouring rain, we rented a car and excitedly began our journey to find Manicou River. Making some stops along the way, and being careful on the winding, wet roads, we finally arrived at about 8:30pm. Kayola greeted us and we immediately knew she was going to be a great host. Dinner that night was perfection! Yolanda cooked up a three course storm and Aaron and I shared Manicou’s flavoured rum. We were thoroughly satisfied and this was jus the first night! We felt right at home. Kayola then showed us to our cabin which was completely eco-friendly and very cosy (we slept like babies each night here). We could not have asked for a more romantic escape. This was it. Since our cabin was tucked away in a mountain and within the trees, the next morning I shook Aaron awake at exactly 6am, “Look!”. It was the most beautiful, most serene, most utopian view I’ve ever experienced in my life. I am not sure the photos and videos I took can do this view justice, but then again, what camera can truly capture nature? That morning breakfast at Manicou was a spread and it remained that way until 25 September 2022 when we had to say our goodbyes. Oh, and you’ll meet one Miss Cleo (their dog)! She’s shy at first but nothing a piece of chicken cannot solve. After that you’re likely to be knocked over when she runs by to lick you or give you hugs :D Yolanda and Kayola have truly outdone themselves on our entire trip and they’ve helped us to feel right at home. I could not have asked for a better vacation than that experienced at Manicou River.
Date of stay: September 2022
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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Kate Leury Nielsen, Owner at Manicou River, responded to this review
Responded 1 Nov 2022
Thanks for being such great guests. We can't wait for you guys to come back.
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
The listings of booking offers for each property take into account the compensation paid to us by our partners. Prices shown may be for varying room types. Prices displayed are the lowest available, corresponding to the least expensive room type available, as provided from our partners as of the time of the user’s search.
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      Reviews (165)
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      All reviews eco resort open air mosquito net tranquil experience nearby beach love nature spring water pouring rain batibou beach visiting dominica peace and quiet very special place incredible views an adventure breakfast and dinner tucked away car rental
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      9 - 14 of 165 reviews
      Reviewed 1 May 2022

      If you are looking for a personalized, romantic experience, with easy access to the northeast of Dominica, look no further than Manicou River. Kate, Kayola, Yolanda and her team made the experience unforgettable. The eco cabin had the most thoughtful amenities, such as a full kitchen, coffee, spring water, and citronella bug spray. The incredible views from the bed and porch were unforgettable. We spent many hours relaxing and looking out over the water. Kayola deserves special mention for being available at any hour, and for any question or need. She helped us arrange tour guides, gave us beach and restaurants recommendations, and loaned us snorkeling equipment. We didn’t get to meet the owner, Kate, but she was in constant communication with us via email and phone. She even helped us make last-minute changes to our reservation when we decided to bring another person at the last minute, setting up another bed complete with mosquito net. We felt like we had personal concierge comparable to any 5 star resort! Yolanda made the most amazing food. We took advantage of having dinner at the restaurant two nights, and I cannot rave enough about the food. Both breakfast and dinner were mutilpe course meals including homemade desserts such as passionfruit sorbet, and fresh fruit grown on the property. I cannot recommend this place enough!

      Date of stay: April 2022
      Trip type: Travelled with friends
      1  Thank 154rebeccak
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
      Kate Leury Nielsen, Owner at Manicou River, responded to this reviewResponded 4 May 2022

      Hey Becca,

      Thank you so much for sharing the love! Our team loved having you guys. It means a lot to us that you enjoyed your stay.

      Come back soon.

      Team Manicou

      Report response as inappropriate
      This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC
      Reviewed 24 April 2022

      Manicou River is a very special place. It's a steep but fun drive to the lodge, with incredibly rewarding views. Absolutely loved the open air rooms. Could sit in the hammock and take in the stunning views forever! Also loved the peace and quiet atmosphere, almost feeling like you had all the hillside to yourself - and yet accessing town activities or nearby beach is quite easy. Food and staff were great. Would absolutely return.

      Date of stay: April 2022
        • Sleep Quality
        • Rooms
        • Service
      1  Thank H8266RYmorgang
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
      Kate Leury Nielsen, Owner at Manicou River, responded to this reviewResponded 4 May 2022

      Thanks Morgan!

      We believe Manicou is a special place so we love it when our guests feel it too. It's been a really tough few years for everyone so it brings us joy that our team to keep on creating great vacation experiences.

      Please come back soon,

      love and nature, Team Manicou

      Report response as inappropriate
      This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC
      Reviewed 20 April 2022 via mobile

      After very steep but short climb we arrived to a beautiful grounds of Manicue River. Our bungalow was half open, but very private and had amazing view. We were the only ones staying there for the most time and had 2 wonderful ladies cook us breakfast and dinner every day. The meals were delicious and they were able to adjust menus to our taste. That was our highlight of beautiful Dominica island

      Room tip: Make sure to rent 4x4 car
      Date of stay: April 2022
      Trip type: Travelled as a couple
      Thank chicagokiev
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
      Kate Leury Nielsen, Owner at Manicou River, responded to this reviewResponded 4 May 2022

      Thanks Dmitiry. We are delighted that you had such a good time. Please keep spreading the word and telling people what a great place Dominica is.

      And come back soon!

      Best wishes, Team Manicou

      Report response as inappropriate
      This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC
      Reviewed 16 February 2022

      We stayed at Manicou River for a week earlier this month and loved it. We woke up to a beautiful view every morning, followed by dramatic sunsets in the evening. Living in an open air treehouse-like cottage high up on the hill was a unique, wonderful, and tranquil experience – off the beaten path, private and quiet.

      The bed was comfortable, the shower hot, the staff helpful, and the food fabulous: we ate breakfast and dinner there every day we were there, and it was like having a private chef since we were the only guests for more than half the time we were there.

      What convinced me to book with Manicou, in addition to their photos and website, was a detailed TripAdvisor review from July 2021 (“So different! So fun! GO!) – and we pretty much had the identical experience on all counts, so I recommend reading that review also. One update is that while we were there, they reconnected WiFi to the cottage, which was convenient.

      We also rented a 4WD car, which Manicou helped us secure, and enjoyed the flexibility of being able to come and go as we pleased. Manicou’s driveway – and driving in Dominica in general – is a bit of an adventure, as the roads are narrow, often very windy and steep with deep drainage ditches on the side – plus they drive on the left. Not for the faint of heart, but we got used to it.

      We did daytrips both in the north of the island near Manicou and in the center and south. We enjoyed two local beaches: Tanetane beach and Batibou Beach (and the Keepin’ It Real beach restaurant); our guided nature/birding outing with Dr. Birdy was a highlight as well; and we did some amazing hiking in the center of the island, e.g. at Freshwater Lake. That same day we also went to Titou Gorge and the Ti Kwen Glo Cho hot springs in Wotten Waven, which was great after hiking. A quirky favorite at the southern end of the island was the Bubble Beach Spa in Soufriere - which is nowhere near as fancy as it sounds but we still got a kick out of it, much more so than Champagne Beach, plus there is a beautiful 18th century church right behind it.

      Date of stay: February 2022
        • Rooms
        • Cleanliness
        • Service
      Thank TfromNYC
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
      Reviewed 1 July 2021

      Manicou is beautiful. The view from on high is awe inspiring. Recently retired, we wanted to escape, to get away, to relax and just wind down a bit, and we did. There are exactly 2 wholly separate, private, open-air eco “cottages” at Manicou. We were in 1, the other was empty. There were 2 young ladies staying on property to look after our every need. That’s 2 guests and 2 staff; an incredibly nice service ratio! VIP treatment.

      To start, let me say that all of the pre-travel communication and questions were handled VERY professionally and quite promptly. Nice.

      Manicou arranged for our arrival transportation. Manicou met us upon arrival. Manicou settled us in, and Manicou cooked and fed us a delicious, multi-course, home cooked meal late, after we’d traveled all day. We watched the sun set during dinner, from their open-air restaurant, and then turned in.

      The bed is very comfortable. We used the Manicou supplied mosquito netting and had no issues. We fell asleep with cool breezes, to a symphony of frogs, birds and insects. I do not sleep well, typically get between 5 and 6 hours, but I slept 9 1/2 hours on our 1st night, 9 hours every other. A miracle.

      Manicou’s restaurant is maybe 25 yards from the cottage. We walked down to find an absolute smorgasbord of tropical fruits, fresh squeezed juices, fresh baked bread, and to-order eggs, plus coffee of course. All with a hummingbird flying in, out and about.

      We rested, read and relaxed our 1st full day in Dominica. Kayola and Yoli prepared us meals, on our schedule, and those meals were impressive. Each dinner consisted of an appetizer, a main course, 3 or 4 sides made from Manicou grown fruits and vegetables, and a dessert. These girls made us ice cream, they grilled pineapple, they produced multiple layered cakes and they made everything from scratch..

      We were taken care of. Manicou arranged for drivers and tours. We went on a river tour and a birding tour. Both favorites.

      On our 3rd day we ready to venture out on our own. Manicou arranged to have a rental car delivered. The wife and I drove to Batibou Beach and to Keepin It Real restaurant. Both are “must do’s”. The driving is different. The roads are in good shape but you are on the left and the roads are narrow. The good news is, Waze works in Dominica.

      We stayed 6 nights. I read 2 books and spent countless hours bird watching, all without moving a muscle.

      Our cottage had a kitchen, but we never cooked. We just could not find a reason to do so, what with the meals Manicou was producing.

      The sunsets are right there. We had intermittent rain during our week, but we never got wet, actually enjoyed the showers and saw maybe a dozen rainbows.

      Hopefully this review is pretty glowing, cause we were blown away with how nice Manicou, and the Manicou staff were. GO.

      Notes: Manicou is open-air, so at night, when you turn a light on, it will attract moths. We had a lizard living over on a side wall. He was pretty and he minded his own business - a good guy. The cottage had electricity, but no WiFi. WiFi was available in the restaurant. Dominica is not a rich country. They’ve pretty much recovered from Maria 3 1/2 years ago and Covid absolutely devastated their tourism, but they’re opening up, the island is lush and beautiful, and the people are very nice and friendly.

      Date of stay: June 2021
        • Rooms
        • Cleanliness
        • Service
      2  Thank deathroll
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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