Toad Hall - Reader Reports & Opinion
These reports are a combination of questions and comment posted in our Toad Hall forum and visitor reports added via the 'Add Report' tab above. The votes awarded are weighted by volume and date to give a truer representation of reader satisfaction [more details].
Reader Satisfaction Ranking: 
Weighted ranking based on 9 votes = 3.8 (max 5)
Guest Report
Heidi And Holger from Germany visited in March 2009 and awarded 
We stayed at 'Toad Heights' for two weeks in March 2009. We found this spot using Google search for a location in Castara villige and so we got directed to Steves website.
The communication via e-mail was very straightforward, we were happy to made our reservation and curious how everything would turn out.
Everything we found was well above our expectations. We spent two wonderful weeks there, lived in the middle of a real Carribean village, met great people there and would have liked to stay longer.
If you are looking for details about the place itself, just check the reviews below. Sure, I have slept in more comfortable beds, there is no hot water, dogs are barking and sometimes the neighbours play their music loud.
So what? If we would have wanted a wellnes resort, we should have went to Miami...
We found true life, wounderful people and had a really good time.
Thank you Rita and Steve, we are looking forward to come back.
Heidi and Holger
Guest Report
Wojciech & Ewa from Poland visited in March 2009 and awarded
We stayed in Tadpoles for a week in March 2009.
As probably the cheapest accommodation available in Castara we find it really good value for money.
Spacious room with a double bed, fully equipped kitchenette, fridge and a fan - that was actually everything which we needed
during our holidays in Tobago!
It's situated in a lovely spot, which looks like the edge of a rainforest. You can see and hear lots of different
species of birds every morning. There are banana and lemon trees within the property - what a difference in taste! :)
Steven & Rita are very friendly and relaxed people, always willing to help.
Rainforest tour with Horace - also highly recommended!
Guest Report
Rachel And Matt from U.K. visited in March 2009 and awarded
We stayed in the Leapfrog apartment for 3 weeks. We only booked 2, but didn't want to leave. What a beautiful place Castara is and Steve and Rita who run Toad Hall were fantastic hosts. They made us feel so welcome, even invting us to a huge fish stew cook up with their friends and neighbours. Steve gave us a brief tour round the island and his staff looked after our every need. The apartment was lovely and comfortable with everything we could need and our hosts were more than happy to help us out with anything extra, for example, use of internet, charging our Ipods, lending of books and good advice. Weĺl be back there as soon as we can. Thoroughly recommended.
Guest Report
Bryan from U.S.A. visited in February 2009 and awarded
In the interest of preserving the sacred score of "5" for the most fantastic experience possible (which I have experienced only once in my life at a safari camp on the shore of the Zambezi River), I give Steve, Horace and Rita a 4.2. I found their establishment during a web search. I had not been to Castara before so was taking a bit of a chance but it worked out fantastically. Horace picked me up from the airport (and dropped me off too) and was timely, a very safe driver, and a very informative. I stayed in Tadpoles--the one room efficiency--and it was clean, comfortable, and put together with a very keen sense for what works in the tropics. Unfortunately I booked at the last minute and could only stay there for part of my trip, but I would have preferred to stay there the whole time.
I had to move down the hill when my reservation expired to another location to a more expensive place and was disappointed. It was right on the water, but smelled strange and i felt like for the extra 15 USD I would have rather had a fan and better furniture than the A/C. I can't speak for other establishments on the beach, but my experience was that it is more touristy and actually hurting the local economy by centralizing everything along a narrow strip of land. It is also going to be destroyed if there is ever another hurricane. One of the more well-to-do locals also filled in what must have been a fantastic mangrove swamp in order to put in a tiny grocery store. The upland places to stay, at least from my perspective, give visitors a better sense of day to day life in Tobago and disburse the tourist dollars more evenly throughout the community.
Guest Report
Spike And Rodney from U.S.A. visited in January 2009 and awarded 
This little spot in paradise is quite wonderful, and with a few more tweaks, will be almost perfect. The location is great. Off the road, in separate units so not too loud, you have your own flat with a kitchenette, a simple, though uncomfortable bed, and a simple bathroom with shower. There weren't any visitors staying above us; i think with the simple wood floors, it would be too loud hearing them walk back and forth above our heads.
You can't beat the price, but with it, you don't get hot water (not needed in the tropics, but it'd be nice to wash the dishes in warm/hot water, and for shampooing) and it's quite basic. But for us, fit the ticket. I'd suggest that instead of (or in addition to) mosquito netting around the bed, putting up window screens and a screen door would greatly improve our evening enjoyment. Instead, we had to close the glass windows at night and put on the fans, to keep out the bugs. It'd be far nicer to be able to keep the windows open during dinner and while sleeping.
Additionally, although all the towels and sheets were clean, they, and the bedding all smelled musty from the humidity. I appreciate the owners' attempt not to kill the environment by using bleach, but I think getting a dryer and putting up a clothesline would help, plus taking out the mattresses and pillows and putting them in the sun between visitors to freshen them up.
I must say that I told the owners my suggestions, and they were most responsive. They don't live on the property, so weren't aware of our concerns. But, they were flying in within the week that we left, and I'm pretty sure that they will take care of all our issues. I was most impressed with their response and efforts to make sure we were satisfied. Even as is, it was nice enough, and I look forward to coming back next year.
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