Described as one of the “few true eco resorts” in the Caribbean, the Manicou River Resort has captured the Eco Extreme Award for 2012.
This award is not easy to attain as criteria for being nominated include no A/C, no swimming pool and the other amenities vacationers tend to look forward to.
The resort, located near Savanne Paille and Tantan, boasts no A/C and no swimming pools, electricity or pipe borne water.
“We don’t receive bills from DOMLEC or DOWASCO,” owner Kevin Hunnebell told Dominica News Online. “We use solar lamps to light the pathways and gardens and we use candles, lots of candles and we catch our water from the rain.”
What makes the resort even more unique are the houses for guests. “They are actually treehouses and we have four individual tree houses available for guests,” he said.
Hunnebell said the houses were constructed using local material and local workers. “They are 100 percent eco and 100 percent organic,” he stated.
The resort is perched some 400ft high up on the mouth of a volcano in the foot hills of Mourne Aux Diables inside the Everton Hall Estate. Guests enjoy complete privacy, panoramic views of the Cabrits National Park and the Caribbean Sea. They also have access to the nearby Manicou River with a natural swimming hole for them to enjoy.
“Our aim is to be 100 percent natural so that when we are gone the only footprint left will be natural products rotting on the floor,” Hunnebell said.
The resort has been a hit for guests since its opening some three years ago. “I am a pro eco traveler and this resort went above and beyond my expectation,” one reviewer gushed on the resort’s website.
Another reviewer wrote, “Manicou River Resort is one of the most romantic places my husband and I have ever stayed.”
Hunnebell said he and his wife Terry are proud of the achievement. “We are very proud because somebody actually recognizes us,” he stated. “We put a lot of effort into being a true eco resort.”
The Eco Extreme Awards recognize what is described as the “creme de la creme of the Eco movement in The Caribbean.”
Well done to Manicou River, its good to see a true Eco resort getting recognition. I’m affraid the word ‘Eco’ gets used far to freely in Dominica and certain resorts are cashing in on peoples willingness to help try and save this poor planet.
Well done Kevin and Tess!
I really enjoyed working with you on the design of the resort and your success makes me proud to be both part of the Eco journey, our wonderful family and a Dominican.
congrats on a well deserved award
In order to get to Manicou resort you turn right by Poonkies bar in Tan-Tan and then take a lext and go all the way up to the top. It is located on the estate once owned by Mar Johnson in Tan-Tan
this is so beautiful,wow thats a beauty ,breath taking view.very romantic.
I cant believe I live in the area and its the first time I am hearing about this. Where is manicou river?
Manicou River is located in the valley between Tan Tan, Everton Hall and Savanne Paille and Guillette and flows into Douglas Bay north of Portsmouth, Dominica.
i just read about this resort, and hope to try it out very soon,
great job
Firstly, I would likle to congratulate the owners on a job well done. Secondly, is this this a Dcan owned business.
Although i’ll congratulate you all for such achievement,but it’s not 100 percent eco and natural.If i can see properly what the photo shows the zinc, plyboard and other materials is not an eco product.
stop being negative. sacway toneh man!
get real!!
Where is the thunbs up button when you need one…geez some people right?
No plyboard or zinc on the premises.
What you are seeing are shutters made from white cedar that was cut from the old tree that hung over the home for the aged in portsmouth. We purchsed the tree when it was being removed due to damage to the roof, paid a saw man to plank it with his chain saw and then our local carpenter made these wonderful shutters.
The roof is made from galvalume which is an ECO roofing product that does not produce toxic chemical.
The best thing here is the people and all of this wonderful island. We are all truly blessed.
I going and bring my woman there for a weekend…no TV, no internet…..garcon, you mad! She not seeing daylight until we check out. Super-logique for breakfast, lunch and dinner….even midnight snack too!
Awesome indeed!!
Congrats Tess and Terry you guys are the best
Congratulations are in order to the manager and staff of the Manicou River Resort. Awards are raining down on Dominica`s hotels and resorts. But the truth is,it`s the first time i am hearing about this place. Now Dominicans do not ask me where have I been living? Not under a rock! But the fact is we are so bless in Dominica with all those natural resources, but sometimes we hardly see or read about them. Not enough is being done to advertize these places to our local both living at home and outside of Dominica. Correct me if i am wrong.We should have billboards all over Dominica advertising those places why It`s only now I am reading about those places. This year I will only attened the forum hosted by our Government for visiting Dominicans under one condition. Providing they allow time for questions and answers not what they did last year. Invite persons throw stuff down and refused to allow questions, that was very rude by those concern. If time does not permit for such forum then do not have one. I am watching you all this year. Bare in mind we return home to paticipate and spend thousands of our hard earn Dollars therefore we deserve better. Take note. and I hope D.N.O. post my comments, If not then that will confirm what I suspect all along??????DA”see ya soon!
ADMIN: You know when people dare me to publish their comment, I feel more tempted to delete them. LOL
Billboards all over the place!!?? As an Eco destination, billboards should be banned in Dominica. They are ugly, intrusive and spoil the look of the landscape. Billboards are not allowed in Barbados for that reason. You can only put up a small sign directing people to your place and at the location.
There are many high quality eco resorts in Dominica that do not need publicity in this way because the market out there knows about them. They are not about attracting numbers its about quality and up market clients.
Dominicans however go and build their guest houses facing the road with all the balconies looking at traffic. So we like it. But the visitors do not. And the ‘hotels’ fail. And the stupid AID Bank that gives them the money because their loan officers do not know any better, find a whole lot of insolvent local hotels in debt to them.
Maybe one day we will learn papa.
D.N.O. Thats all part of your function! Thanks anyway. Without you I would be like a fish out of water. Do not take it personal! Continue the great job.
true
i agree with you DNO, you should delete the coment
Wow, i want to try that one.
Great job eco investor. We need more of these resorts. Are local, organic and eco dishes served?. Hope to visit one day.
Hey, well done to them. Anyone putting DA on the map is a good thing.
Possie getting all the new hotels eh?
CONGRATULATIONS FOLKS! U DESERVED IT!