did i make the right choice?

[Miriam King]

hi everyone. This site is brilliant and made me decide to choose tobago as the place to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary in november/december.I have chosen the karriwak village as i suffer from CFS(chronic fatigue syndrome)and i think the yoga and tai chi would benifit me. the only thing that i have since noticed is that it is in a busy area and hope that it is still quiet around there as this is definately a r and r holday for both of us (even if it will take me a few days to get over the flight!),as my husband will have just spent 6 months in the falklands with temps in the day of 2 degrees! my only experience of the carribean is on our honeymoon 10 years ogo when we went to dominican republic which i wasn't that keen on as i got food poisoning and also we were told not to go out at night.Is it safe to go out at night there it sounds like it is just wanting some reasurance i suppose as this choice was down to me and i don't want to get it wrong i'll never hear the end of it!!!Thanks

[Steve Wooler]

Hi Miriam

Welcome aboard!

Yes, the Kariwak is the most built-up, commercialised, busy area of Tobago - but it's all strictly relative. You're only talking about as "built-up, commercialised and busy" as a very small English village. Walk out of the Kariwak and I guarantee that you will not wait more than 10 seconds to be able to cross the road - and the same applies throughout most of the area.

Given what you say, I think you've probably made an excellent choice with the Kariwak. Inside the hotel you will NOT hear the road or any other noise. Even standing outside you will not consider it noisy. You're literally next door to the airport, but even that does not create a noise nuisance - there's only an average of one international flight per day, plus small "local" flights. There's no flights into/over night. I've never heard ANYONE complain about noise at the Kariwak.

Don't compare the Dominican Republic with Tobago. It's chalk and cheese. I always hesitate to say to people that it's "safe" to do anything. Let's just say that I regularly stay in that area and never hesitate to walk around at night - in fact after dinner we always make a point of going for a stroll and feel a damn site safer than I would in ANY British town/city.

Relax and enjoy!

[Miriam King]

thanks for your reply you have reasured me! we have chosen to go half board as the reviews for the food were good and being a vegetarian it sounded like i would be well catered for.
thanks again for your prompt reply!

[Kevin Hampson]

according to the Times last Sunday you made the right choice. They reckoned it was one of the best hotels on Tobago for the food and chillin'.

I hope they don't find out and put their prices up I am going there in October

I'm sure you'll have a really great time.

Rest assured Tobago is nothing like the Dominican Republic.

Regards
Kevin

[Sue & Arthur Hutchins]

We stayed at Kariwaks and had two seperate bookings during our two weeks there.

Cynthia and her staff are wonderful people and they looked after the needs of our party very well indeed.

I suggest if you don't get it on arrival, and are located in the area of the pool that you ask to be relocated to the gardens as they are the most tranquil setting on the site. The rooms around the pool are equaly comfortable and they are also peaceful, but the gareden rooms have the edge. We know as we had both.

Within 24 hours of arriving the first time we were relaxed and chilled totaly.

We also walked around at night and felt extremely safe and agree with Steve Waller in his comparative analogy.

[Miriam King]

thankyou all so much i have told my husband that i seem to have made the right choice and that i have found agreat web site! He phoned me tonight from stanley in the falklands where they have been having snow storms ! i didn't like to tel him how warm it was here!!! thanks again for all your help i shall probably have more questions nearer the time!