Mangobird Villa - Review Page 2
Accommodation
Mangobird Villa offers a total internal floor area of around 1,400 square feet, split over two levels. This figure excludes balconies and terraces. Both the main living area and all three main bedrooms have wall-mounted split-unit air-conditioners and these proved both efficient and reasonably quiet in use.
The villa is well maintained and had been repainted since my first visit and mini-review in 2006. The interior walls are painted in relaxing pastel colours, relieved by attractive local paintings, prints and wall hangings. The cool terracotta floor tiles used throughout the house are relieved by cosy small rugs in the bedrooms. The beds are decorated with bedspreads, cushions, pillows and linen in colours complimentary to the walls. The overall impression is of a villa decorated to high standards and in styles that few guests would not find welcoming.
Ground Floor
The wide double doors of the villa’s main entrance lead into a formal dining area. A large wooden dining table provides comfortable dining for eight people, with enough space for the high chair thoughtfully provided and tucked discreetly away in a corner of the room when not required. The dining table looks out over the swimming pool and front garden, so dining here almost has the ambience of being al fresco when the front doors are fully open.
A line of cabinets and a breakfast bar separate the kitchen from the dining and living room areas. The kitchen is superbly equipped with a large fridge-freezer with ice-maker, electric toaster, coffee filter machine, kettle and blender, plus a big electric oven and the largest microwave that I have seen outside a commercial kitchen. A wide selection of pots and pans, cooking utensils and accessories, cutlery, crockery and glassware are housed in the numerous cupboards. I was particularly impressed to find that in addition to decent-quality china and glassware, there was a selection of plastic plates and glasses more suitable for younger members of the party and for use on the pool deck. A large ‘American’ dishwasher is provided and would be more than man enough to handle the mountains of washing up that could so easily be generated from this kitchen.
I don’t imagine that the average guest will spend much time sitting indoors, but for those who wish to, a very wide and comfortable three-seater settee and armchair is provided. These are grouped around a coffee table and provide an 
ideal spot from which to watch television – always assuming you can find anything worth watching on the countless sub-standard local and North American cable channels available in Tobago. A small CD/cassette/radio music centre and DVD player complete the entertainment centre, but be sure to bring some DVD/CDs or tapes.
One of the three bedrooms is located on the ground floor. A full bathroom with walk-in shower sits alongside and can be used either as a semi-en suite bathroom for the ground-floor bedroom, or as a general washroom for all guests. With maximum dimensions of 3.9 x 4m, the bedroom is furnished with two 41-inch single beds, separated by a single large bedside table with lamp and electric clock-alarm. Additional furnishings include a tall wooden chest of drawers, a small colour television, a metal suitcase stand, half-length mirror and a built-in wardrobe offering 0.9m of hanging space and shelves for clothing and shoes.
Upper Floor
A wide staircase leads upstairs to a large landing. Leading off the landing are two bedrooms with en suite facilities, a small bedroom suitable for children and a fourth bathroom with shower.
The master bedroom is of similar size to the downstairs bedroom at 3.9 x 4.1m, but add 2.1m to the width to include the en suite bathroom and walk-in cupboard. A Queen-size bed is flanked by bedside tables with lamps and an electric clock-alarm. The dressing table mirror guarantees amusement to occupants of the bed and the dresser provides enough storage for even the most fervent cosmetic user. The offers 0.9m of hanging and storage.As in the other rooms, a metal fold-up suitcase stand is thoughtfully provided. A small chest of drawers acts as a base for yet another TV.
The large walk-in cupboard offers more storage space than anyone but the long-term residents would need. The cupboard was fitted with a large secure security safe for documents and valuables, an ironing board and electric iron, plus ample space to store the suitcases of the entire party.
All three bedrooms are furnished almost identically. Whilst we liked the décor generally, we were particularly impressed with the bathrooms which had a particularly up-market feel, due largely to the wonderfully rich and tasteful floor and bathroom tiles and the matching fluffy bathroom towels and furnishings. The fully tiled walk-in shower was a pleasure to use and there was certainly no shortage of hot water. Shaver sockets and electric wall-mounted hairdryers are provided in each bathroom. The storage space around the basin vanity unit was limited, but with such a huge dressing table in the bedroom there was no need to store much in the bathroom.
All bed linen was of good quality and, like the house itself, clean and in excellent condition. Beach towels are provided.
Leading off the master bedroom is a smaller (3.5 x 2.8m) bedroom furnished with a standard double bed, single bedside table, bookcase, television and a cot for babies. Although legitimately a fourth bedroom, the owners prefer to think of this as a supplementary children’s room. It clearly lacks the size and comfort of the three larger bedrooms, but its cosy nature is bound to make it a popular choice with younger children. A second door leads from the room onto the main landing and/or to the immediately adjacent second bedroom.
This last bedroom is very fractionally smaller than the other two, at 4 x 3.7m. It is furnished with a Queen-size bed, like the master room. All other furnishing in both the bedroom and the en suite bathroom are identical to the other bedrooms and bathrooms.
All three upper bedrooms give direct access onto the 2.7m wide balcony that runs across the full width of the property. The balcony is furnished with a plastic all-weather table and two chairs and gives pleasant views both over the front garden and pool and surrounding neighbourhood.
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