Mary's Hill Lodge - Review Page 2
Accommodation
Mary’s Hill Lodge is a wooden house of fairly novel open design. Those who enjoy feeling ‘at one’ with nature will love it. Those who worry about lizards, birds and the occasional fruit bat flying into the living area would probably prefer an air-conditioned modern concrete villa.
The house is built on two levels but it feels more like a single-level bungalow. Built on a steep hillside, the lower floor is primarily a plinth to support the upper level. Louis, the owner of Mary’s Hill Lodge, is a carpenter and runs a joinery business in London, so I suppose it’s not surprising that the quality of the woodwork is quite exceptional by normal Tobagonian standards. His skills are also clearly demonstrated in both the design and construction of this lovely lodge.
The upper level of the house offers a gross external accommodation space of 19 x 6.75m (129 square metres / 1,380 sq.ft.) including the wrap-around rear veranda. It houses the two largest bedrooms, the kitchen and the living area. A further 16.7 square metres / 180 sq.ft. of floor space on the lower floor accommodates the third bedroom, second bathroom and a general utility area.
The front of the building is largely open to the elements. A decorative balustrade runs along the full length. Cedar louvered window shutters are featured in the two main bedrooms, which lie at the ends of the building. Beaded curtains are fitted along the balcony and can be released from their ties should residents have any concerns about birds and other creatures. Our only visitors were a few lizards. These are welcome guests in tropical homes as they help to keep insects under control.
The layout of the lodge is simple – a bedroom at each end and a large open-plan living, dining and kitchen area in the middle. Internal stairs lead to the lower floor and the third bedroom, second bathroom and general utility area.
Living Area
Measuring around 6.2 x 5.5m, the living area is spacious and adequate for the maximum occupancy of five adults. It is well furnished and the walls are attractively decorated with soca posters and carnival mementos. The overall feel is both comfortable and homely and far more reminiscent of someone’s home than a holiday rental property.
A seating area is furnished with leopard skin print upholstered chairs and sofas grouped around a coffee table. Nearby, a small television with DVD player and a small collection of recent films are available for entertainment. We were unable to get reception on the television, but given the abysmal standards of the local channels, this really was no loss. There is also a small CD/tuner unit and a comprehensive folder of visitor information notes.
Next to the front balustrade, taking full advantage of the views down the valley and giving the impression that you are dining in the tree tops, is a small dining set comprising of light alloy chairs and matching tables. Since our visit, these have been replaced by a far more appropriate wooden table and chairs and the aluminium set moved to the two balconies.
The kitchen area is functional and unobtrusive. A large fridge-freezer unit was partially stocked on arrival. Owners Louis and Laura had left the kitchen well stocked with basic essentials. It is surprising how many rental properties overlook this. With an empty kitchen, guests have to stock up on basics such as sugar, salt, sauces, dishwashing and washer/dryer supplies, etc. Most of these items are only available in bulk bags that would last a month or two.
Kitchen furnishings include a six-ring gas stove with grill and oven, an electric grill/toaster, a large conventional toaster, a liquidiser and an electric kettle. There was a reasonable range of cooking utensils, crockery, cutlery and glassware. The equipment did not rank amongst the newest we have seen, but it was all clean and everything worked as intended.
The kitchen boasts an unusual layout in that the kitchen sink is actually located outside the main building, straddling the back veranda. This is not as daft as it may at first sound. 
The kitchen has its own doorway onto the veranda and the sink is effectively an extension to the kitchen work surfaces; you soon ignore the external wall that runs down the middle of the work surface. The stainless steel double-sink is only plumbed for cold water. The sink has a filtered water supply. Somehow standing out on the veranda doing the washing up and watching the birds flitting about made the chore a lot more enjoyable.
A central island forms a useful breakfast bar, provides lots of storage and separates the kitchen area from the living area. One of the cupboards was home to a selection of board games, playing cards and puzzles, etc.
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