Guest Report

[Paul Norris]

Before we went to Tobago, we had read the reviews on TripAdvisor and elsewhere of the Grafton Beach Resort Hotel. We were so concerned by what we read we seriously considered changing our holiday plan but having now returned from our 2 weeks staying at the hotel can only say how pleased we are that we went ahead with it. I can only wonder if those who wrote such negative reviews perhaps stayed at a different Grafton Beach. Put simply, the one we stayed at was excellent, probably the best beach resort we have stayed at in many years of holidaying around the world.

So, what made us think that .....?

The Hotel : has a an informal, relaxed and friendly style - very Caribbean - but at the same time offered excellent standards of accommodation, food and service (more on these later). Don't stay here if you want opulent furnishings, formal dining or obsequious staff but it has just about everything else.....

The Staff : are very welcoming, warm and friendly. Service is relaxed, but professional, efficient and always with a smile. They might seem a little shy or even reserved, but take the time to talk to them and they will quickly open up and add a lot to your holiday. They are very proud of their island and keen to tell you all about it if you ask.

The Food : Menus were very varied with lots of choice to suit most tastes. Good, fresh local ingredients expertly prepared and well presented. We loved the atmosphere in the open-sided restaurant which was always relaxed and peaceful. And the views are great too !

The Bar : now in an attractive open-sided lounge area adjacent to the pool. Varied program of evening entertainment which took place (on time !) either in the bar area or alongside the pool itself. Incidentally, those 'suspicious' dots on the bottles are not indicative of watered-down contents as has been suggested elsewhere but are simply indicative of which bar stock list they are on : green for the pool bar, blue for the main bar etc. Actually, our only problem in this area was asking the staff to reduce the amount of rum used in the excellent cocktail menu ;-)

The Room : simply furnished but perfectly adequate and kept very clean by the excellent maid service. Contrary to reports elsewhere, the AC worked fine and the bathroom ventilators in many rooms were actually replaced while we were there as part of routine maintenance – of which there was plenty of evidence. Our room had a balcony with good views over the garden and out to sea.

The Pool : Kept very clean, no hazy water. Great swim-up bar - though not always staffed. Loungers and sun umbrellas have been recently replaced.

The Games Room : Very well equipped and just perfect for the kids.

The Beach Bar : Yes, perhaps it is a bit faded but on the other hand its very casual & relaxed, with great views of the bay. Has a good snack menu which includes the local roti and fresh fish (and chicken & chips for the kids if they want).

The Beach : white sand, cleaned every morning so no litter etc. The sunshades have all been rebuilt and thatched with dried palm fronds. The sunbeds are rather tired but functional - new ones are on order apparently. The beach shelves quite gently into the water with no stones, weed or other hazards. The sea was great for body boarding in
the (big'ish) waves or swimming once beyond the waves. We enjoyed good snorkelling at the far right hand end on calmer days. We found the beach a very safe and relaxing place to be with almost no hassle from anyone, except for the occasional local tour operator trying to drum up a bit of business (but a polite 'no' works fine).


So, for us, an excellent hotel and fully deserving the one good comment I read beforehand that the Grafton is the "best combination of hotel and beach on the island". And, all this is not just our opinion. We talked to other guests, many of whom had similar concerns before travelling but, once there, were equally positive. If you are going to the Grafton and are still unsure, please let us have your tickets as we'd absolutely love to go again !

PS: we have no connection with the hotel, its management or its staff other than as very satisified guests.

[David Watkins]

Paul,it is very good to hear something more positive at last concerning the GBR,I've stayed there and found it quite pleasant.Glad you enjoyed your stay
David

[Carrie W]

Thank you for that wonderful review I'm off to the Grafton in June and must admit that we were a bit worried over some of the reviews, considering we had already changed our hotel from Turtle Beach because of the reviews from there
But you have made me feel much better and am looking forward to it even more now

[Wendy G]

Yes thankyou very much Paul for your review,you've put my mind and a few others at rest about GBR.I'm off there on may 4th,2 weeks time for 2 weeks,can't wait!