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17-room beachside apartment resort at Canoe Bay (listing)
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David m Smith

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Post by David m Smith »

We visited Canoe Bay Resort at the end of a fabulous holiday in Tobago with a view to booking apartments there for a family trip next year. We made it clear that we wished to look around first and then we intended to stay at the beach for the morning so would come across to pay the older gentleman on duty at the pay desk. We were shown around very courteously by the young lady on reception. We found the double room suites to be very dark and certainly not luxurious as described on the brochure. We then walked over the lawns to have a look at the facilties including the pool and beach. There was a small pool which was above ground with a very small wooden deck tacked on one end We were the only persons in sight apart from one couple already on the beach and in full view still of the pay desk. We stood back from the beach to take in the view before heading towards the pay desk which was at the bar to pay entrance for the morning. At this stage the elderly gent started waving angrily at us to come over to him which we did with the intention of paying. We explained to him that we had just been looking which he already knew anyway. (Our beach bags and swimsuits were still in the car at this stage). He then became very unfriendly and said we had to pay right now and that we had no right to walk over towards the beach. Even though we explained again what we had been doing he then said they had enough people staying there without needing our clientele – at this stage I might add we are a couple in our late fifties with our adult daughter accompanying us. He told us the owner was nearby and we spoke to him. Unfortunately even though we explained what we were doing to him he was just as unfriendly and basically said that if we crossed the lawn towards the beach it was not allowed and no photos were allowed either.

Does this establishment want guests?! This was our first experience of an unfriendly and frankly antagonistic Tobagonian and it was very upsetting and disappointing. Up to that point we were very interested in staying but nothing would entice us back there to stay now, or even visit the beach. Neither would we recommend it to anyone else from the UK as who wants to be treated the way we were.

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Steve Wooler
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Re: Visit Prior to Booking Canoe Bay Resort -

Post by Steve Wooler »

This message was posted through the "Add Report" facility of our Accommodation listings.

Reports posted via this facility are, in theory, limited to visitors who have stayed at the property. In that sense, this post is invalid. However, I am allowing it to remain because David has voiced a situation which I have known about for some time - in fact, have been on the receiving end of myself.

Over the past three or four years I have received several negative reports from visitors and white local residents who have had 'situations' with the staff at the beach bar and, possibly, with Mrs James, the owner.
Steve Wooler
myTobago.info - the definitive Visitor Guide to Tobago
John Rourke

Re: Visit Prior to Booking Canoe Bay Resort -

Post by John Rourke »

I have stayed twice at Canoe Bay and on both occassions took parties in excess of 40, in fact we took the whole resort. I agree that the attitude of the owners was to say the least a little interesting and uncaring to a paying guest. We treated her like a Basil Fawlty type character and ended up laughing at the antics. However, all of the other staff were fantastic and welcoming in true Tobogonian style.

I have been visiting Tobago since the mid seventies and have always found the whole island a brilliant uplifting experience and nothing I experienced at Canoe Bay dulled that feeling.

Whist David obviously had a very untypical Tobago experience, and upsetting I would urge him to reconsider. I am not sure where he stayed on his visit but some of the more upmarket sanitised hotels can create a false level of expectation from a small family run apartment complex.

Canoe Bay offers basic but comfortable accomadation in an unrivalled and safe location. I had no problem with any of my children (youngest being 4) playing in the sea. It is easy access to many great beaches and restuarants and a perfect location for families with members at all ends of the age spectrum.

As I said we had two great holidays there and would definitley re-visit. Canoe Bay is one of the few hotels locally owned thus all profit stays on the island unlike the multi nationally owned chains such as the Hilton or Rex where all profit is hived off to the country of origin. Tourism is pretty much the only trade Tobago has and every dollar spent by a tourist is vital to the economy, the owners of Canoe Bay could respect that point more, but maybe the fear of a non payer on the beach is greater, not suggesting for one minute that David had any intention of not paying, but I bet there are plenty of Trini's that might.

For what you pay, and it was reasonable, Canoe Bay will deliver and would have no hesitation in recommending it to anyone. Use it as a base, buy your essentials in the supermarket, including drinks and go out to other beaches, eat out everynight and see and experience all Tobago has to offer which is far more than the all inclusive hotels.

To sum Canoe Bay is a great location to explore from whilst offering a great beach, great staff and a maverick owner but don't be put off I have had two great holidays and will be going back.
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