Arnos Vale Beach Warning. Admission Charge

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OllyFoster
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Arnos Vale Beach Warning. Admission Charge

Post by OllyFoster »

Half way through another fortnight at the Sanctuary Villas. Staying at Tosca this time (very comfortable).
I had read all the bad press about Arnos Vale but thought we would give the beach a go.

Arriving at the seemingly deserted hotel there was a new looking sign warning about admission charge for the beach. As soon as we parked up a young lad came out of a shed and asked for 20tt per adult and 10tt per child. I refused to pay for the kids and paid 40tt in the end. Is this a new thing? Had driven up to the carparklast year for a snoop but never noticed anything about entrance fee.

I can understand why Pigeon Point charges to get in. They have showers/toilets/cafe/bar/watersports/shops and lifeguards. The Arnos Vale Hotel is like a tropical version of The Shining. Walking down through the grounds the state of disrepair is almost criminal. I have no idea how this place is still operating.

A man was trying to clean the pool but it looked like a lost cause. The beach was clean in places but there was a pile of rubbish at one end. The whole reason we made the effort was for the snorkelling but even that wasn't that good.. Much better at Mount Irvine or Englishmans Bay. We spent 2 hours and left. We won't return.

Will post about our positive experiences at the end of our stay

Olly Foster
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Re: ARNOS VALE BEACH WARNING. ADMISSION CHARGE

Post by Ronald »

There's NO FEE to use the beach, the fee must benn for the car park.

It is not easy to reach the beach with a car, but it IS possible to get down by using local roads, NOT the hotel road down to the beach. There's a turn-around area only 10m from teh beach, and it is totally outside the hotel area.
I did write about this regarding Arnos Vale hotel & Beach
OllyFoster
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Re: ARNOS VALE BEACH WARNING. ADMISSION CHARGE

Post by OllyFoster »

when is the last time you were charged per/person to use a car park? definitely charging for access to the beach. there is a sign there that says so.
not everyone fortunate to know the back road down to the sea.

it's a rip-off
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Steve Wooler
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Re: ARNOS VALE BEACH WARNING. ADMISSION CHARGE

Post by Steve Wooler »

Hello Olly

They appear to have been doing this, off and on, for two or three years. In fairness to the hotel, they have a right to charge people to park on their land and effectively use their 'facilities' by providing the walkway down to the beach. I am sure they are NOT charging for use of the beach - that would be illegal - only for using their land to access it. Having said that, it is atrocious bad business - but frankly no matter than to be expected from the Bronte's who own the hotel and who appear to live in a time warp and allegedly still believe they own and run one of the best hotel's on the island.

The road that Ronald is describing is a little difficult to find if you don't know the area. However, you can park in the lane leading past the hotel (the Mot Mot Trail) and then walk back to the main road, turn right and after crossing the little irrigation ditch/stream that runs alongside the front of the hotel, turn right again. You will see a clearly defined footpath that leads back to the hotel and then down the side of the fence marking their border (left of the hotel, as you look at the entrance). It's an easy walk and takes you right down to the beach - and they can't charge you a cent.
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Re: ARNOS VALE BEACH WARNING. ADMISSION CHARGE

Post by Ronald »

Hi

As Steve say, it is diffucult to explain the road down to the beach, when using a car, as all roads there does not have any name sign! But here is what I did write in Jan 18 2011, a comment to a guest report written by Sue Smith on Nov 27 2010, regarding Arnos Vale Hotel.

If one come by car on the main road, the road down take off to the left in front of a high green area, a school area I believe. Than you turn right in front of a concrete wall wich split the road into two, after som 75m you choose left and next right again. It is difficult to explain as there are no street name, but there's peoples around beside the road. The road is OK all the way and it end with a small parking area beside the fense just 25m from the beach.

The beach is a nice place if you want to have a quiet day at the beach, but you need to bring everything with you, water, soft drinks a.s.o.
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Kurt.Halfyard
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Re: Arnos Vale Beach Warning. Admission Charge

Post by Kurt.Halfyard »

We spent a partial day down on Arnos Vale Beach, and wandering about the abandoned hotel. It is notable that 3 days prior there were some tourists robbed of some cash and an expensive camera. I didn't know this when my family was spending the day alone. There were some other visitors there that day. Some local men diving for fish, and a few other fellows who stopped by to Lime for a bit with beer. Another family (likely from Trinidad) came by, a young couple and their 5 year old daughter.

Halfway through our visit the TTPS showed up.

I was concerned they might cite me for trespassing on the grounds, but they were super friendly and pleasant, and warned me about the danger of wandering the derelict place solo. The police were having their lunch there, but I suspect it was at the behest of their superiors to keep an eye on the place for crime.

The Prime Minister was there for a visit at the new Police Station on Shirvan Road, and was disappointed there were a few incidents involving locals robbing tourists recently on Tobago. (See link at the bottom of this post)

I remain, perhaps, a little naive or over-confident in the safety and friendliness of Tobago and its citizens. After 6 visits over 10 years totalling approximately 80 days, I can safely say I've never felt threatened (outside a minor, slightly comical confrontation with a known miscreant in Plymouth). And I wander around Scarborough at night with the kids, and we are often on 'empty beaches' at the far end of the island.

no worries, but it pays to be aware, and be on your toes...anywhere in the world, even the lovely TOBAGO.

https://www.guardian.co.tt/news/rowley- ... c77e909270

My favourite is the quote here from the current owner of the Arnos Vale Hotel.
“ The place is not aban­doned as I have been pay­ing peo­ple week­ly to take care of the place, but when you are not on site to see how peo­ple treat your prop­er­ty, you some­times suf­fer,” Bronte added.

It's bloody abandoned, by any rational definition. There is broken glass and rotting mattress in the Jacamar Cottages. There are hundreds of bats in the kitchen and around the lobby area. Broken Computers and Printers and a vintage Olympus Point and Shoot Camera have been there for ages (I pop by the hotel whenever I'm on the island and take photos). If there were people 'caretaking' the property, one would think they would clean up the obvious junk around the place. This would literally take 1/2 a days work at most.
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Re: Arnos Vale Beach Warning. Admission Charge

Post by Ronald »

Hi all,
Kurt is very much correct about the Arnols Vale Hotel, it has been totally abandoned for many years. It was a very nice but over priced place when it was open, nice garden with many flowers, even peoples at the small gym!
When I was living in Tobago 6 months a year I use to be on the beach sometimes, a nice stop during a hot day when I was walking via Arnos Vale area, I only did see local peoples and peoples coming in by boat to dive there.

If you come by car you have to use the parking area of course, but there are also on other way to go by car to a small parking area, but then you need a local to show you how to get there. If you walk, you can walk by the track beside the fence, on the left hand when facking the parking area.

I use to travel every year to Trinidad & Tobago for almost 20 years, I still have some friends there, I use to take long walks all over Tobago on my own, and I never had problems during my walks, just these well known men in Plymonth.
But as I always walked alone every year, on many different areas, peoples did know that I was not a visitor, I was almost living there. But still I did take care when walking alone, always a cutlass on my back between my backpack and back and my army knife with me.

I feel sorry for these tourists that were robbed, but they were a target! Also, to take a lot of money with them including credit cars and so on, that is simply stupied! Only carry as much money you are expected to use during the day.
My major advice to peoples, where ever they are, when you are not at home, do not expect to be safe as you are at home.
Take care of yourself as you are alone in a foreign country!
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Kurt.Halfyard
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Re: Arnos Vale Beach Warning. Admission Charge

Post by Kurt.Halfyard »

We used google maps, and had no trouble going the 'back roads' to park in the little 'public space' by the beach. There were 3-4 other cars (and a few piles of rotting refuse, grrrrr) in the area. It's not difficult to manage at all if you have a phone and a data plan.

(Albeit the public path, walk in from Arnos Vale Road, is quite pleasant as well.)
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