By Richmond Keelson
My first encounter with Coconut Grove Beach Resort in Elmina was in 1995, some thirty years ago. At the time, I was a young journalist still carving out a space in the profession. I covered almost everything—sports, entertainment, lifestyle, tourism, the environment—so this assignment felt both challenging and thrilling.
“Hei, Keelie, you know your senior APSU man—Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom and his wife, Mrs. Yvonne Nduom—have opened a state-of-the-art beach resort in Elmina. Go and do a story on it,” my editor and boss, Kabral Blay-Amihere, instructed. Kabral, a proud St. Augustine’s College old boy, shared that bond with me. The assignment therefore carried both personal interest and professional curiosity.
What struck me first on arrival was the vast grove of coconut trees, standing tall like sentinels, swaying to the rhythm of the ocean breeze—nature’s own orchestra conducted by the sea. The proud owners were weaving chalet-style buildings through the grove, blending architecture seamlessly with the landscape. I remember thinking: What will this place look like in a few years?
I then encountered young attendants climbing gracefully up the coconut trees, plucking the fruit, and handing it to guests with bright smiles. There was no charge—only a small tip for their cheerful service. The coconut water, naturally cool and untouched by ice, was refreshingly pure, while the tender flesh carried the sweet simplicity of nature itself.
It was a gesture of hospitality so genuine and unpretentious that, remarkably, it still defines the resort today. Three decades on, the owners’ vision has not only endured but flourished. The clean, carefully curated environment and distinctive architecture now fully realize the dream I once imagined.
Coconut Grove Beach Resort has grown into more than a getaway—it is a living testimony to what happens when nature and imagination meet.
The warmth of Nature and tradition
The resort’s design seems to echo the rhythm of the Atlantic Ocean, which stretches from Greater Accra to the Central Region, embracing Elmina, its host city. At the shoreline, the sea is more than a backdrop—it is a living force that animates the landscape, making the place come alive even in stillness.
At the entrance stands the African Village, a cluster of traditional clay-sand chalets with thatched roofs. Designed for patrons who seek the purity of natural living, the chalets invite cool night breezes and warm daylight, untouched by modern air conditioning. Their welcome is authentic, echoing the proverbial Ghanaian hospitality of Akwaaba—‘Welcome.’ Here begins the true convergence of tradition, modernity, and nature.
Unique Features
From the Akwaaba entrance, Coconut Grove Beach Resort unfolds into a breathtaking landscape where elegant modern structures rise amid lush greenery and gently descend toward the Atlantic shoreline—seamlessly blending modern comfort with natural harmony.
Spread across 65 acres, the resort features a private beach, a serene poolside, and 73 well-appointed rooms, each equipped with air conditioning, minibars, satellite TV, Wi-Fi, and rainfall showers. Guests enjoy complimentary breakfast, airport transfers, concierge services, and daily housekeeping—making every stay both comfortable and memorable.
For business and social gatherings, the resort offers modern conference halls that host groups from 15 to 400 guests, providing an ideal environment for meetings, retreats, and celebrations.
Recreation is abundant. Guests can enjoy an 18-hole golf course, tennis and basketball courts, mini-golf, beach volleyball, horseback riding along the shoreline, and a fully equipped gym. Families and nature enthusiasts are also drawn to the resort’s animal sanctuary, home to crocodiles, peacocks, parrots, and rabbits.
Dining is a highlight. The Ocean View Restaurant, overlooking the Atlantic, is famed for fresh seafood and a fusion of local and continental cuisine—its grouper fish and chips a favorite among patrons. The bar complements the experience with a wide selection of reasonably priced local and imported drinks.
Everywhere, service is delivered with the warmth and efficiency that have become hallmarks of Coconut Grove Beach Resort.
Distinguished Guests
Coconut Grove’s reputation is reflected in its distinguished guests—Will Smith, the Crown Prince of Holland, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, and several other heads of state. Their presence underscores the resort’s international allure.
A Resort Rooted in History
But Coconut Grove offers more than leisure. Set in Elmina, its roots are entwined with history. This ancient town welcomed the Portuguese in 1471, who named it La Mina—“The Mine”—for its gold. In 1482, they built São Jorge da Mina Castle, now Elmina Castle, the first European fort in sub-Saharan Africa.
Centuries later, it became a haunting symbol of colonial ambition and the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Thus, a stay at Coconut Grove is more than a holiday—it is an encounter with history. It offers the soothing embrace of coconut trees and ocean waves on one side, and the solemn weight of memory on the other.
Elmina invites visitors not just to relax but to reflect, to enjoy nature’s gifts while standing on soil that has carried centuries of human stories. On visit, I came to appreciate the resort’s tagline: “Memories Worth Repeating.” Indeed, Coconut Grove Beach Resort is where tradition, modernity, and nature meet—an experience worth reliving time and again.
