Gloucester Place - Review Page 3
Essex Cottage - self-contained cottage
Located beside the main north coast road and just 50m from the main house, Essex Cottage is a charming small detached wooden house available on self-catering terms. The cottage can be rented as a one-bedroom apartment, or optionally with a second bedroom, located on the lower floor.
Offering a gross floor area of 54m2 (580sq.ft.), the one-bedroom cottage is of comfortable size and ideal for a couple. The layout consists of one large room with a dividing wall creating two separate living areas. The larger area (60%) is the living area, which comprises dining and kitchen areas leading onto a covered porch. The bedroom and bathroom are on the other side of the dividing wall.
The rear wall and one side wall of the cottage are made up of 1.2m-high wooden shuttered windows. The windows can be folded back, concertina style, ensuring that the cottage benefits from every last ounce of breeze. Whether lying in bed or preparing a meal in the kitchen, you can enjoy the 180° panoramicview of the valley and sea. And, oh what views they are! Sadly neither my literary skills nor the small photographs reproduced within this review can even start to do justice to them.
In keeping with the nature of the property, the furnishings are simple and practical. The kitchen area is small, but adequate. The large fridge-freezer will ensure that trips to the supermarkets are kept to the minimum. There is a four-ring gas stove and a microwave oven. Why not buy fresh fish from the local fishermen and slap it on the gas barbeque, stored just outside the cottage? A kettle, toaster and coffee filter machine complete the line up, supplemented by a reasonable selection of cooking utensils, crockery and cutlery.
Adjacent to the kitchen area is a small dining table with four plastic chairs. Other furnishings include a padded armchair and a small table (my work space for the duration of our stay) and a floor-standing electric fan which proved surplus to our requirements. Our only regret was that time prevented us from taking full advantage of the hundred or more books available in the cottage; a small sample of what was available in the main house.
An 11m2 covered balcony with open wooden balustrade leads off from the living area. The balcony is furnished with four wide and comfortable padded plastic armchairs and a table. An overhead ceiling fan supplements the cool sea breezes. The table and chairs can be moved aside and a fabulous Amerindian hammock slung across the balcony. Without any doubt this where you will find most visitors when they are not out exploring the neighbourhood or island. The balcony is shaded from the sun for all but the last few hours of the day. If looking for somewhere ‘to chill out’, this would indeed be a hard place to beat and even the distraction of the occasional noisy car or truck on the adjacent road seldom annoyed for more than a second or two. Visitors unfamiliar with Tobago need have no concerns about the cottage being so close to the main north coast road. The peak daytime traffic flow is probably about one vehicle (in either direction) every five minutes.
The bedroom area is dominated by a locally-made high double bed with wooden mosquito net support. The bed has bedside tables and lamps on each side. I am not a great fan of mosquito nets. They are invariably hot and stuffy and nothing is worse than waking up in the middle of the 
night and trying to get out of the net without disturbing your partner. I have to say, however, that if you are going to use a net, then this is by far the best way to fit them. It is far less claustrophobic than the pyramid-shape net of the traditional central suspension point.
The dividing ‘wall’ between the living and bedroom areas are actually two wooden wardrobe units. One is kept locked but guests have use of the other unit, which offers 1.25m of full-length hanging and shelving.
The bathroom leads off the bedroom and consists of a washbasin inset into a vanity unit – with lots of storage space both on top and beneath – plus a toilet and a walk-in shower. Both hot and cold water are provided throughout the cottage and there was good pressure and no shortage of hot water during our stay. There is also a tap and shower on the exterior of the cottage – a very useful facility when returning from the beach and which avoids the problems of sand over the cottage floors.
When renting Essex Cottage as a two-bedroom unit, the lower floor is brought into action. There is no internal access between the two floors; access is via steps beside the cottage. The lower floor 
comprises of a single 7.6 x 2.9m room with two single beds and an en suite bathroom with walk-inshower. Although the lower room has large windows, it does not have quite the same open feel as the upper floor.
It goes without saying that Essex Cottage is not air-conditioned. Apart from being unnecessary, installing artificial cooling would destroy the very point of the cottage. This type of property is about open living; getting as close to nature as is possible without physically bedding down amongst the foliage.
Our window shutters have been open since we arrived, day and night. During the day, birds regularly pop in to say hello. I love this; although I confess that my good humour did marginally slip this morning when I found that a bird had beaten me to the last of our bananas. It just teaches you to make sure that everything is put away – such an essential in the tropics. (Storing bananas in the fridge ruins them; microwave ovens represent ideal storage as long as you don’t switch them on!).
Many people would be put off by the moths and beetles attracted by electric lights at night, even when separated by a mosquito net. After the first night we haven’t even bothered with the net. Much to our surprise and pleasure, there has been a total absence of mossies and biting insects this year. Neither of us has attracted a single bite while in Parlatuvier. Maybe we’re just getting too old and dry to be of interest!
Yes, this type of living would not be to everyone’s taste. Thank heavens, or it would be almost impossible to secure a reservation.
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