Dates for your Diary
MAY
1st May Day
2nd Labour Day
7th Official Launching of Vincy Mas Celebrations
JUNE
9th - 13th Canouan Regatta
13th Whit Monday
JULY
4th July: Carnival Monday - J’Ouvert
5th July: Carnival Tuesday - Mardi Gras
AUGUST
1st Emancipation Day

For those of you who have stayed with us here at Mariners Hotel, you know that there is no better place to be for your vacation, business or leisure than St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Our thirty two island chain provides the ideal environment for making your visit to the Caribbean a memorable one. St. Vincent and the Grenadines is rich in history, culture and a wide range of ecological delights, providing visitors to these beautiful islands with an array of choices to satisfy so many different interests. I call them our treasures, seeing that St. Vincent and the Grenadines is known as the Gems of the Caribbean. Many of you may have stayed with us on multiple occasion and not had the opportunity to “Discover Our Treasures.”

In this and upcoming issues of The Conch Shell Times we will feature a different one of our many treasures in our DISCOVER OUR TREASURES series. My personal favorite, well I have many: Wallilabou; Dark View Falls; Tobago Cays Marine Park (This issues’ featured treasure); La Soufriere Volcano; Black Point; Botanical Gardens.

Traveling for vacation or on business, your stay at the Mariners can be as restful or as lively as you want it to be.

So for those of you considering staying with us again or for the first time, whether you want to soak up the hot tropical sun around the cool blue pool or participate in one of the many fun activities that our hotel and St. Vincent and the Grenadines has to offer, either way I can guarantee your stay at Mariners will be the best and an experience you will never forget.

Best regards,
Fitzroy O. Glasgow
General Manager

P.S. Our Summer issue of The Conch Shell Times will highlight the exciting improvements that we are making here at Mariners to make your stay with us even more comfortable as part of our hospitality while providing excellent value.

The tweeting of early morning birds; quiet solitude; the sounds of gently lapping waves; and in the evenings – the opportunity to finally witness the elusive “Green Flash”.... The Mariner’s Family is happy to spread the news of the completion of the long-awaited “Villa Boardwalk” that now offers our guests the opportunity to experience all of the above and so much more.
Even when you think you’ve consumed too many of our gastronomic delights, the new Boardwalk offers the added advantage of having the best of both worlds. Enjoy the French Verandah’s extensive menu, and not feel guilty because you have the option of walking off the extra pounds before bedtime or before sunrise!
No longer would you have to walk along the main road to visit nearby shops, dive shops or restaurants. In essence, an entire new experience has been opened up for you with the completion of the “Villa Boardwalk”!

In This Issue:
The Tobago Cays
You may think that we are biased. We don’t think so. We do believe that we have been blessed with five (5) unbelievably beautiful totally deserted islands (except perhaps for one or two iguanas and lizards (the smaller cousins of the larger iguana) – Petit Rameau, Petit Bateau, Petit Tabac, Jamesby and Baradal. The island names are an obvious indication of our French past.

Believe it or not, words sometimes fail us when we try to describe ‘God’s special gift to St. Vincent & the Grenadines. So, we thought we would borrow some words from a recent Tobago Cays brochure.

“Five blow-your-mind islands. Perfectly uninhabited… Cheeky turtles cruise by ever so often to give you the flipper. (Yes, they’re back in glorious abundance.) frisky parrot fish dart around…Swim with reef fish that follow you around like young siblings. Snorkel with turtles, but give them room…Identify the country flags of boaters. Exchange greetings and promote world peace.

Declared a Wildlife Reserve and Marine Park by the government. Petit Tabac is where film star Johnny Depp’s character was marooned in the film “Pirates of the Caribbean”’

You will need to set aside an entire day of your Mariners Hotel stay to tour the Tobago Cays, which our front desk staff could assist you with. We recommend that you fly to Union Island; it’s a 20 minute flight and cost US$ 85.00 round trip, which when you consider the amazing views of the islands and the area it is a very small sum to pay. Once on Union, sail to the Tobago Cays either on a catamaran or schooner and it is not uncommon to have travelers from Grenada, St. Lucia and Martinique on your day tour.

Most day tours to the Tobago Cays from Union Island will also visit Mayreau, Morpian Island, Petit St. Vincent and Palm Island. In addition to the cost of your flight, your Cays tour will cost you just about US$ 50.00 per person. This price includes transfers, a full breakfast, lunch, all-you-can-drink beers and rum punch, and snorkeling gear. Yes, a few number of non-alcoholic drinks too.

The Mariner’s Family Says "Hi"…
"It takes a village to raise a child", and it takes a staff of committed and dedicated individuals to create an unforgettable experience – "Moments of Magic". Mariner’s Hotel continues to place our treasured guests at the centre of all that we do. We believe that the small things are as important as the bigger and more obvious needs and expectations of those of you who have chosen our little corner of the world.
In each issue of "The Conch Shell Times" we will keep you abreast of our efforts at continuous improvement. Whether it’s through the added attraction of a public boardwalk, new menu items, or upgraded rooms, the Mariner’s Team will be honored to serve you.

Back Row from left: Mr. Mc Fee Maintenance; Ayesha Front Desk; Nazinga Front Desk; Aaron Maintenance
Front Row from left: Judith Housekeeping; Gema Housekeeping; Crystal Front Desk Team Leader; Vivian Front Desk; Dawn Housekeeping