Beach House - Review Page 3
Studio Apartments - Breadfruit Grove & Palm Corner
As previously mentioned, the lower floor of the house is divided into two self-contained studio apartments. The two apartments are virtually identical, although each has a slightly different decorative theme. Breadfruit Grove has a marginally larger kitchen and smaller bathroom than Palm Corner, but in every other way the following description applies to both.
Each apartment offers a reasonable total accommodation area of 370 square feet (230sq.ft. excluding the balcony). They are much more simply decorated and furnished than Coconut Heights, but the stunning location just a metre or so above the beach, with its glorious views out over Castara Bay, will be very much the main focus of attention of any resident’s eye.
Each studio is dominated by a Queen-sized double bed with attractive bedspread and four-poster mosquito net. Furnishings included a single chair, bedside wall lamps, a couple of wall mirrors, a small bookshelf with collection of reading matter and 34-inches of half-height hanging space, plus several open shelves for other clothing.
The small kitchenettes were clean, fully serviceable and equipped with a four-ring gas oven, spacious fridge/freezer, Black & Decker Toaster-R-Oven, coffee maker (cafetiere), kettle and a good supply of cooking utensils, crockery and glassware. The sinks are only plumbed with cold water [2008 Update: All apartments are now fully plumbed for both hot and cold water.]
Adjacent to the kitchen is a small integrated bathroom with washbasin, toilet and partially tiled shower. There is no shaver socket in the bathroom.
The apartments are not air-conditioned but a single oscillating multi-speed floor fan is provided. We had no need to avail ourselves of the fans upstairs and see no reason to believe that the downstairs apartments would be any less cool and breezy because the trees surrounding the house provide such magical shade to the entire building throughout the day.
The rooms are light and breezy with shuttered windows and/or doors on three aspects. Stable doors lead out onto a wide balcony the width of each studio. A connecting door in the dividing partition allows the balcony to be opened up when both apartments are occupied by friends or family. Each balcony is furnished with a small table, two comfortable padded deck chairs and a bench seat plus a large Mexican hammock. Each balcony has a drop-down Hessian roller blind which can be used to block the sun as it sets, directly across the bay. I have seen some stunning sunsets in Castara and you certainly couldn’t ask for a more beautiful viewpoint than any of the balconies at the Beach House with the sun dipping below the horizon, directly in the middle of the bay ahead of you.
Conclusion
Make no mistake. This is not accommodation that would suit everyone. The rooms here are not sealed air-conditioned cells. The entire frontage of the upper apartment is open to the elements, forming what I can only describe as an inside-outside balcony or terrace. Probably 80% of the entire outer wall space is open to the natural elements, either totally, or via simple wooden shuttered windows. 
The sun has just set and a large fruit bat has started his nightly patrol between the trees at either end of the house front. I could put my hand over the balcony rail and touch it, if it wasn’t far too clever and sensitive to be fooled that easily. A small chameleon came in earlier today and fascinated us with its changes of colours as it moved about the furniture, trying to disguise itself. I was nearly zapped by a tiny pair of courting yellow, black and white Bananaquits earlier today. A few minutes later they were mating in the breadfruit tree, just five feet away.
Those who love wildlife and who want a more “back to basics” holiday experience, but with good standards of comfort, will love the Beach House and Coconut Heights in particular. At this moment in time, near the end of our stay, I would say that we would prefer to return here rather than spend the final week of our 2006 tour of Tobago in the island’s most popular luxury hotel, as arranged. However, you adapt and you move on.
Possibly because of the décor, possibly because of the warm welcome of Graham and Carole, Porridge and Jeanelle, we felt immediately at home. Coconut Heights was just so ‘us’. It is with very much regret that we leave the Beach House tomorrow.
Review Page Links: Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3
Return to the search listing page
The buttons above present articles sequentially, in the order shown in the menu bar
at the top of the page. You are currently on the Property Review page in the Accommodation menu.
