Tosca - Reader Reports & Opinion
Guest Report
Coombs & Hirst from U.K. visited in February 2008 and awarded 
We arrived at the airport and our personal taxi driver was there with our name card to take us to the villa.
On arrival at Tosca we were not disappointed. We entered the property through the lovely lounge and kitchen area. We looked around the whole house and it just got better and better, the upstairs is charming and I was very happy to occupy the Master Suite with the Super King bed, which was very comfortable, sleeping with the ceiling fan on helped to keep cool overnight.
The kitchen is perhaps in need of a ’spruce up’ but this is mostly associated with the humidity levels of the island. We visited a neighbouring property by invitation and discovered they had the same problem and it was symptomatic of the climate.
It did not cause us any problems.
The outside terrace with its most welcome splash pool and little decorative canopy lights that added ambience in the evenings was a lovely spot to watch, photograph and feed the local lizards, birds, bats and frogs and a very pleasant place to sit, read and watch the sunsets with a cool drink and some good healthy menus prepared by our resident chef (Dad a.k.a Frank) from a variety of fish available every day from the nearby Mount Irvine Beach fishermen AND some fish we’d even caught ourselves on our own fishing charter trips embarked upon from the Manta Dive Centre at Pigeon Point. We also sampled some good meat from the local organic farm.
The Hyundai Matrix that came with the villa was most advantageous to our holiday.
A very comfortable car in which we traveled round the island and saw so much more of the beautiful flora and fauna of Tobago that we might have otherwise missed.
Good thinking by Malcolm and Annie to provide personal transport! It gave us so much more freedom,
Catherine, our smartly presented housekeeper was such a pleasant and friendly lady. She would have cleaned every day if we’d wanted her to however we requested her services every other day, she did a great job all round and we only had to ask and she was happy to be of assistance with anything we required or any questions we had.
The villa is equipped with plenty towels and beach towels, there’s a great hammock to put across the splash pool which we took in every night to protect from any overnight rainfall, lots of reading books and plenty reference books on the fish and birds of Tobago. There is a nice little selection of CD’s for the player. The next time I hear that Beatles album my mind will be whisked straight back to the sun terrace at Tosca!
Malcolm and Annie have put some very nice personal touches into the villa creating a homely feel with pictures, their own personal stories and cartoons in frames, there’s books, music, bird feeders, wind chimes and decorative terrace lights.
Also very handy is a ‘Bible’, which kept being referred to in various notes (which we searched high and low for until we finally realised it must be the ring binder we had in our hands that we’d picked up from the coffee table!!) We found this most interesting and helpful with previous visitors comments and experiences about restaurants, beaches, shops, supermarkets, trips and entertainments etc.
To summarise: We had a fantastic time in Tobago. The island is truly stunning. There were friendly and not so friendly locals (this means some just didn’t smile). The villa is literally a sanctuary. You will find the odd little lizard around the house but he will be more cautious of you than you are of him. The occasional bird will fly into the house if you have the doors wide open and so he will also fly out in his own time, it’s all part of ‘how it is’ in Tobago. Enjoy these visits from the creatures you can’t see when you’re back at home in our chillier climate.
GENERAL OBSERVATIONS, HINTS & TIPS:
The loud noise in the mornings is the Cocricos – the larger brown birds that look a bit like a grouse. (I was woken by them on the first day and wondered what the heck was going on!!) They ‘call’ from tree to tree and the sound echoes all around the estate. You can’t see them in the trees very well however they will visit the sun terrace at some point and only make a gentle cluck noise in front of you.
Watch out when driving, the locals will just stop at the most inappropriate places to pick up, drop off or just have a conversation with another driver, oblivious of the hold up they are causing! You will get used to it and just laugh! You’re in Tobago! They pip the horn quite a lot too – it’s like a road language? Never sure what it was about? Just seemed to mean get out of my way or driving through, ready or not! The Tobagonians tend to drive at two speeds, slow or fast and rarely anything in between.
Don’t wait until you are hungry to go out and eat. You can wait a very long time in restaurants and cafes for your food to arrive! Things just happen MUCH more slowly!
Don’t photograph the locals without asking them first, they can get quite annoyed!
I found this a bit of a pity as I’d hoped to capture them naturally instead of them being aware of the camera. I learnt to take pictures with long zooms to remain surreptitious.
Always wear sunscreen. One day it was cloudy and thought I wouldn’t need it.
I was amazed at how closely I resembled a lobster by that evening!
Use a DEET insect repellent, I did not keep on top of it and we’d all accumulated a good few insect bites by departure
Guest Report
R Tarjani&a Mandykowska from U.K. visited in February 2008 and awarded
We just came back from Tobago this morning and decided to share our experience as soon as possible. First thing first, we would like to say a big-big thanks to our lovely hosts Malcolm & Annie Taylor for this unbelievably wonderful experience. As far as the report is concerned we truly don't know where to begin since there's a lot to say. Our stay kicked off with a prompt taxi transfer arranged by the Taylors which came extremely relieving as the last thing you want to do after an 11 hours flight is to fight for a taxi with hundreds of other holiday makers. Upon arrival at the Estate we could not do anything but to stare with open mouth. Tosca is located in such beautiful, peaceful surroundings that you simply couldn't wish for any better and is only a stone-throw away from the nearest beaches, eateries, local shops and a cash machine. The villa provides a relaxed , warm ambience soon as you enter and is equipped with everything you might need for a perfect holiday. Though we didn't use the fans and the A/C they might come handy for someone with a lower heat tolerance. You'll find a fully fitted kitchen, a spacious dining area and living room, three beautifully made-up bedrooms with own showers and toilets , a large, charming terrace with a splash pool and a barbecue corner. The view from the terrace is breathtaking.(You've got to see it to believe it) Thanks to Catherine the maid and Curtis the pool man the whole place is kept very clean . We found the open larder policy a great idea as we didn't have to go out to get some food after our long journey. And of course being greeted by a 6 pack of cold Caribs in heat of Tobago is such a kind gesture. One of the best things about Tosca is the use of the car which was waiting for us spotless with a full tank of petrol. We definitely made good use of the car, exploring almost every bit of this stunning island.
Even if you plan to take it easy and stay in you can watch the TV which has got many channels to entertain or simply sit on the terrace or cool off in the splash pool, enjoying the tranquility in the company of several species of lovely birds and lizards. There's also a good choice of books and all sorts of reading material and internet access upon request. We're grateful to our hosts for being so thorough in providing us with all useful information, maps and guides regarding eateries and activities and so on..
All in all you have everything in one amazing place, how can you beat that?
Finally a good advice: try not to miss those fabulous mornings on the terrace!!
Guest Report
Mark Gabbay from U.K. visited in August 2007 and awarded 
I hesitate to day how nice this was in case it becomes soo popular we won't be able to return!
Great location, well away from the overseas tourists who hog the airport perimeter, next to a bird sanctuary- well worth the sunrise tour. House is very comfortable, well stocked- the honesty kitchen is a great bonus. Everything works and all is confortable and tastefully decorated. The location is very peaceful and convenient.
The local beaches are quiet and borrowing the car enables one to fully explore the beauty of the island. Snorkelling is fantastic all around the island, and magnificent birdwatching, even if that's not what you would normally do, I defy you not to be enthralled by the tropical paradise that is tobago. Outside the 2m airport tourist zonem the real tobago awaits- Scarborough, the charming villages, tropical rainforest, magnificent trees, flowers and bush, reptiles, birds, fish- to watch and eat. The people are welcoming, honest, charming, and the culture informal and vibrant.
We had a great time, and will return!
Guest Report
Christopher Barran from Trinidad visited in August 2007 and awarded
A wonderful experience.
Sorry for the delay in putting up this report. I had planned on doing it as soon as I got back to "real life" in order to spread the good news about Villa Tosca as soon as possible. Not sure where to begin really. First of our stay at Tosca was excellent.
Location, Tosca is located in Sanctuary Villa Estate which is about 10 minutes drive from the airport.
The location in my view is excellent. You are away from the bustle that is Store Bay but still within easy access if need be. I really think the location to be ideal, the best of both worlds. Tosca serves as a good base to explore the other parts of the island.
Located at the bottom of the hill from Tosca are an ATM (godsend), and a small supermarket which will save you a longer run to say Pennysavers if you need anything.
The Villa...
We got to the villa on a Saturday morning after a good stint in traffic (caused by the throngs of people in and store bay due to the Great Race weekend) and we were very pleased when we stepped inside. The description of the Villa from the website pretty much matched what we found.
The villa is laid out in a very pleasing fashion. The kitchen was nice, the dining and living room likewise and the bedrooms were fantastic. While the dining and living room area may seem a bit cramped at times the rest of the villa is very spacious.
We especially enjoyed the verandah, and think that’s it really an added bonus that there are birds and lizards of all shapes and sizes that one can see without stepping out of the villa.
The plunge pool was enjoyed by all, nice when you want to relax after a “hard day” relaxing at the beach or if you prefer to turn turtle and never leave the villa at all during the day. This in itself is quite possible because the villa is so comfortable.
“The staff”
We arrived on a Saturday and thus if memory served correctly didn’t see Katherine until Monday morning. She is very sweet and pleasant and the kids loved her. I didn’t meet Curtis myself as I was running after two toddlers near constantly. Which brings up another point, I was worried that the villa would not be kid safe/friendly but alas we had no such problems. The gate at the bottom of the steps leading up to the second floor was something we appreciated as it served to stop our little adventurous one.
We also appreciated that the owners called us on Saturday night (the first night of our stay) to enquire as to if everything was ok.
The Car
One of the best things about Villa Tosca is the use of the car. It does save a lot of hassle, and you get an “all in one” holiday. We got the car with petrol in the tank and it was quite clean. We made good use of it, and while not 4x4 we had no problems on the drives we took.
The one fault that we can think of after our stay would be the finicky shower controls in the bathroom of the bedroom located on the ground floor. And that wasn’t really a major problem at all.
Recommendations
Just a little bit on what we think would be worth your while:
Drive to the upper Caribbean coast, all the way to Charlotteville if you can. If not, Englishman’s Bay is quite worthy a destination. Then the return drive through the rain forest
A day spent at Arnos Vale, excellent snorkeling and the added convenience of use of the hotel’s facilities.
Canoe Bay, quite underrated but excellent especially for children.
So to sum it up in one word: Excellent.
The only problem now, is that having stayed at Villa Tosca can’t think of visiting Tobago and staying anyplace else!
P.s. we were a party of six, three adults, and three children ranging from one up to eight.
Guest Report
Paige Santucci from U.S.A. visited in March 2007 and awarded
I cannot say enough @ Tosca, you have to go to believe it.
First of all, I want to commend Malcolm & Annie for their thoroughness in their website information. It felt spot-on to what was actual, which is not always the case. The place is kept very clean, which is important to me for the sake of "debugging". I have always got bit on island trips, besides all precautions I take. On this one, I was not really bothered at all. Heaven. The pillows and beds were very comfortable, and Catherine (housekeeper) was great at doing whatever towels and laundry we wanted and how much we wanted it done. The A/C's were a bonus, and plenty of fans. I picked the place also because of the private splash pool, and we made the most of it!!! Kept very clean and refreshing!
The location is great for snorkelers. Right at bottom of hill is Mt. Irvine wall, very shallow and great for novice and intermediate snorkelers when calm, which was alot while we were there for 3 weeks. Saw turtles, porcupine fish, parrot fish, a very small yellow tang which is rare, lots of schools of tangs, file fish, goat fish, lots of reef squid, lots of French Angelfish, and many more. Hardly ever anyone else there to snorkel. Also, Buccoo Reef is right there down the street and easy to jump on a local boat for a 5 minute ride out a bit to see lots more coral and more fish, we saw a stingray there as well.
One of our favorites was also Arnos Vale Beach at the Hotel of the same name. About 10 minutes to the right from bottom of hill of house. Private , very sheltered cove, but the water can get rough , always changes, just depends. Well worth it no matter what the tide was for me. Saw porcupine fish , huge and small, and one got scared and blew itself up like a balloon with its spikes out. Amazing. Also, wonderful coral there. Lots of French and Queen Angelfish, turtles, huge spiraling schools of little fish, and many more. Great Brain Coral there as well. We also saw double rainbows there. Lots of birds are there also.
The car at Tosca was a big bonus. Kept in great shape and well worth not having the extra hassle of another thing to keep track of. And paying Curtis to clean it at end is worth it. Driving is/can be a chore. One trip to Speyside was enough for us. We almost got killed 3 times on way back by drivers that constantly try to overtake others on very unsafe portions of road, which can get very narrow. There so much near Tosca, we did not feel we were missing out. The road up to Castara, etc. is long and windy. Once was enough and even then I could pass on it. I would have felt too isolated if we stayed up that way.
Having the place located in Sancturary Villa Estates is also a plus, because there is the security guard and gate 24 hours. I felt much better, not that it is dangerous, just more private and a good watch on things in general which I did not get the sense would be the case with other places I had looked into and then saw when we were there. Plus, it is a "third world country" aside from the "tourists hotels". There is a lot of poverty, darkness, sadness in people, and this causes temptations; which Tosca is out of range from. There was not any soliciting where Tosca is, so that is another bonus.
Having the space at Tosca was great for 2 pp. Four would be good as well. For me, six would be pushing it. I like space and different rooms and spaces to go to. The porch w/pool being another.
Thank you for the opportunity to review Tosca. Take care on your trip to Tobago.
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