Bags of herbs in hues of orange, green and yellow pepper the warm breeze with an exotic mood. Nearby, a man sitting on the ground leans back against a cool cement wall, hiding from the sun’s intensity, lightly tapping a primitive drum on his lap. How is it that two places, so far from one another, can evoke such an interchangeable image?

One could be walking through a Moroccan spice market in the streets of Northern Africa. One could just as easily be found in Market Square on the small Caribbean island of Grenada. Only 12 miles wide and 21 miles long, there are more spices in Grenada per square mile than anywhere in the world, thus the nickname, “Isle of Spice.”

So to me, the Middle Eastern facade of the luxurious villa, Azzurra Castle, seemed far from out of place on the southeastern shores of this island, only 100 miles north of Venezuela in the West Indies. True, Grenada is an English-speaking island where lush rainforest proves more common than barren desert, but both are a wonderful m?lange of different cultures. The creators of Azzurra Castle obviously followed this recipe to create the perfect villa escape.

Mustard-yellow ramparts edge the precipice over Coral Cove Bay like a neatly hemmed skirt. The simple concrete walls reminded me of an ancient Arab medina, where crenellated walls enclose a maze of narrow passages. The castle-like turret evoked a sense of fantasia. I half expected to see a princess letting her hair down, Aladdin to come flying in on a rug or at least a big-eared flying elephant.

When stepping through the front door of Azzurra Castle, however, it was quite apparent that this wasn’t exactly a Disney film. The room, wide and open, unlocked a gorgeous view of the ocean through Moroccan-style keyhole arches. Bench-style seating encircled the room bedecked with pillows and cushions covered in opulent fabrics. Ornrodate wrought iron filigree accented the windows and looked decidedly North African. I’ve been to Morocco and judging from the decor, it was quite apparent that the owners had too.

One can also see traces of other cultural influences, with art pieces from Far Asia to India. The on-site chef, Annette, can prepare cuisine from whatever corner of the globe you choose. It is impossible, however, to ignore the ever-present sovereignty of the surroundings—the turquoise ocean lapping outside and the splashes of lively color throughout. Azzurra Castle is crowned with Caribbean flair.

Nils and Bibi built this unique “fortification” two years ago. Their only designs were to reflect Bibi’s heritage in Northern Africa as well as create an “experience” as opposed to a luxury villa. They accomplished both. Of course this did not happen with little effort. In fact, Nils claims that on the average they built this villa twice, re-building some sections three or four times until they were just right.

It’s easy to see why building this villa was no easy task. Various layers of decks, patios and courtyards stack together to create the creative 9,500 square feet of living space, which fans out to touch the water’s edge. Icing on this wedding-cake effect is the 30’x12’ saline rectangular pool that flows over an infinity edge, through an arch and into a small children’s pool on the lower deck. Three Queen Garden Suites and a Master Suite face the pool area comfortably accommodating eight guests. Just beyond the garden, the Folly (located in the castle turret), hosts three more. The dichotomous decor of these unique quarters verges on either sleeping in a lighthouse, created by nautical accents or playing a protective knight in a medieval fortress. On the top level of the suite there’s an oversized bed, bar, kitchen, roof terrace, and BBQ area for entertaining and a spiral staircase leads to a double bed for an extra guest. The Folly can be rented alone during the low season when no one is renting the main house for an intimate experience.

For those seeking a more spacious oasis, the main house’s sprawling layout truly conjures up images of the movie “Arabian Nights.” I found this could be most easily reenacted in the tented smoking room. (That is if you happen to carry a shisha pipe, the funky bagpipe-looking apparatus used for smoking candied tobacco.) Pool decks and the living room are ideal for parties. Azzurra Castle “can host up to 200 guests without having to rent a single chair,” according to Bibi. The open layout lends itself well to dancing and group gatherings—if you need a place to entertain your royal harem for instance. The enchantment of this property, however, lies within the nooks and crannies where one can escape for a moment of solitude. “Throughout their stay, guests are constantly discovering new corners and little niches to retreat—sometimes even unable to find each other,” chuckles villa owner Nils. Besides this ability to serve as both a social playground and private haven, I discovered that the mood of Azzurra Castle also transformed after dark.

When the evening’s black veil covered the sun’s shining face, quietness and peace created a mystical allure. Sprawling across the jewel-toned rug, I lay motionless. Sheer gauze draped over the windows blew in the soft breeze as if being twirled from the arm of a belly dancer. Soft candlelight peeked through the hammered-metal sconces, casting starlight speckles across the ceiling. Wind chimes stirred in the distance like the ring of cymbals on a seductive woman’s fingertips. For a moment I felt as if I were floating and fairytale cliches suddenly made sense. It’s not the carpet that’s magical. It’s the experience.