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Eric D
Toronto, Canada

Really cool experience

Review of Manicou River
5.0 of 5 bubblesReviewed 31 May 2024
Manicou River was a really cool place to stay. We had a week in Dominica and split our time between the north and south. The views and just the experience of being 'outside' while in our cottage was really nice. In the south we stayed at a more typical resort (Jungle Bay), and it was a nice contrast between the two. If you're coming all the way to Dominica, it's likely for the nature, and this is the best way to experience it. The view at night of the lights from the yachts in Rupert's Bay and Portsmouth was really beautiful. We had a sundowner every evening at the main lodge and then a really tasty three course meal, mmm good.

The staff are excellent, and gave us suggestions on where to eat & stop for snacks. They got up early to make breakfast for us earlier one morning cause we had a birdwatching excursion.

If you have a rental, it's a bit tricky to find the cut-off from the main road to start up the hill. Eventually there are signs but i had use Google satellite view to figure out the initial turn. Once we figured it out it was pretty easy, it's very steep but not too bad.

It does get hot during the day in the cottage, but we were out touristing and just put the blinds down to prevent heat building up. Also, there was a strong breeze later in the afternoon that provides a nice cross-breeze in the cottage, which kept away almost all the bugs. The mosquito net is also good.

The shower is functional and really refreshing after a day out. The wifi in the room was excellent. There was just one plug to charge phones, but it had a 4-USB charger provided (or maybe a previous guest forgot it), so we were good to go.

It's a good base to explore the north end of the island, including around Calibishie, and birdwatching in Syndicate Nature Trail. It's about 90 minutes driving time to Soufriere, longer if you stop along the way as we did to sightsee and have lunch in Mero Beach.

Overall we really enjoyed our stay, and I would definitely recommend Manicou River, especially if you're splitting your time between the north and south.
Date of stay: March 2024
Room Tip: There are only 3 cottages so book early!
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
5.0 of 5 bubblesValue
5.0 of 5 bubblesRooms
5.0 of 5 bubblesLocation
5.0 of 5 bubblesCleanliness
5.0 of 5 bubblesService
5.0 of 5 bubblesSleep Quality
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    1 - 6 of 164 reviews
    Reviewed 11 April 2024

    An absolutely stunning and unique experience. Nestled high up in the hills, you have the most amazing views of the ocean and a sunset every night. The staff is amazing and so helpful. Traveling to and from this location can be tricky, but they provide drivers to get you anywhere you need to go. We highly recommend.

    Date of stay: March 2024
    Trip type: Travelled as a couple
    Thank Alex N
    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 30 December 2023

    We were blown away by the views from our open fronted cottage. It was more rustic that we thought but beautifully done. We very much enjoyed our stay. The food was local cuisine and very good. We were made to feel very welcome by Yolanda and Jennifer so a big thank you to them. Kate also thank you to you for your understanding as our flight was cancelled and we were delayed a day. There are just three cottages and we were only ones staying.

    Date of stay: November 2023
    • Trip type: Travelled as a couple
      • Value
      • Location
      • Service
    Thank Lanying B
    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 10 September 2023

    The place is incredible!!!!
    You have a global landscape view. You feel zen and very comfortable when you are in this place.
    People are lovely and definitely at your service.
    It's more than words. You have to live it. That's a journey to life. That's just beautiful.
    Thanks to all the team.

    Date of stay: August 2023
    • Trip type: Travelled as a couple
      • Value
      • Location
      • Service
    Thank I J
    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 16 May 2023

    What a unique experience we had at Manicou River Resort. Never having gone eco this was a treat for both myself and wife. We had a million dollar view and cool mountain breezes come through our windowless cottage. Kate and Patrick had an amazing staff so very friendly and warm. The place is special. One of my favorite parts was taking a nice cool shower and then sitting on our porch with the million dollar view. The bed was very comfortable and every one of our needs were met. Kayola, Yolonda , Jennifer and Jeff were the best. The island of Dominica is truly unique and a nature paradise. The people are so warm and friendly. Every morning Jennifer would make us a full breakfast to fill our bellies.. so very good and yolonda created excellent dinners. We rented a car from courtsey car rental and they delivered and piked up the rental car for a small additional which was so easy. Kate was extremely responsive to all of our emails and answered all of our questions. If you need a guide because you don’t like driving on the left which is a piece of cake, hire Jeff to take you where you need to go. Just add him as an extra driver on your rental agreement. You can miss Batibou Beach, Emerald Pool etc etc. Would definitely book Manicou River Resort again.
    Gene and Mary Haines

    Date of stay: May 2023
    • Trip type: Travelled as a couple
      • Value
      • Location
      • Service
    1  Thank hikerdood8117
    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 27 April 2023 via mobile

    Manicou River is so special! Our cottage was one of the coolest places we’ve ever stayed: a large, exquisitely designed, open air treehouse like structure perched over a cliff. The views are truly astounding and the sun sets right over the water in front of you! Magic. Also, while they keep it simple, the beds are super comfy and everything is really clean and well maintained. The staff are incredible. We ate most meals there bc my husband has a garlic allergy which is HARD. We’ve found only the best (usually most expensive) restaurants know how to make things taste good without garlic. Chef Yolanda hit it out of the park! The owners, Kate and Patrick were out of the country but Kayola cared for our every need as if she built the place from the ground up. All of the staff are deeply invested in Manicou and take great pride in sharing it with you. It’s truly special. We spent a full week there with plenty to do nearby. Our favorites were Indian River and snorkeling at Toucari Beach (go left and if you’re a strong snorkeler/swimmer, try to make it all the way to split rock in next cove.) and lunch after at Keepin it Real on Toucari Beach. Next time we would make sure to spend more time in the south as well bc it’s a lot of driving to go back and forth. That said, Manicou River is a rare gem that you don’t want to miss! We rarely go back to the same place twice but we know we’ll be visiting Dominica and our Manicou family again soon.

    Date of stay: April 2023
    Trip type: Travelled as a couple
    Thank Anne H
    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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