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A 3-bedroom villa on the Sanctuary Villa Resort (listing)
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Paige Santucci

Guest Report

Post by Paige Santucci »

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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Paul Williams
Oh, so Sad!
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Post by Paul Williams »

Paige
I am extremely shocked at your perceived view of Tobago as a "third world country" and the fact that you seem to be only happy to spend your time in the secure and gated element of Sanctuary Villa Estates.
I spend my to spend chosen time in Castara which you feel is too isolated but having read your report I am not surprised.
The only time I see sadness in peoples eyes is when I am in the departure lounge and I look at those people who are having to go back to their lives in "the first world".
To those planning to go to Tobago get out and see the island and see the smiling faces and happy people.
Sorry about my rant but.......
Paul
David Watkins
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Post by David Watkins »

Paige,are you sure you went to Tobago?Poverty?Sadness?Darkness?
I have never met such a happy nation as Tobago,and I have ben to most parts of the developed,developing and third world.....in fact I would go as far as to say there is more abject and depressing poverty in many of the worlds most'developed'countries.
Please don't mistake a simplicity of life for poverty and backwardness-many things we take necessities in our lives are just extraneous in Tobago.
David :)
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Steve Wooler
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Post by Steve Wooler »

Paige

I must totally endorse David and Paul's comments.

I confess that I have never visited your home town of Fairfax, California, so can't comment on life there. However, I can say from personal experience that the 'poverty' in Tobago doesn't even start to compare with that which can be seen every day in some of your Californian cities. It is also deeply insulting to the people of T&T to call their country a 'third world country'. T&T is actually one of the wealthiest states in the Caribbean and is what is described officially as a "developing nation" - a VERY different cup of tea from 'third world'. As David says, don't confuse simplicity of lifestyle for poverty.
Steve Wooler
myTobago.info - the definitive Visitor Guide to Tobago
Grant Mchattie

Post by Grant Mchattie »

David,

Nicely put. I think you summed it up with the comment:

"don't mistake a simplicity of life for poverty and backwardness"

Grant
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