The Blue Haven... my opinion!

[Charlie Abbott]

Just returned from a week in Tobago, it is such a beautiful island and was the perfect place to spend our honeymoon.

We stayed at the Coco Reef for 4 nights and at the Blue Haven for 3 nights, it was great being able to do this as it meant we saw parts of the island we might not have got to if we had stayed in one place.

I loved the Blue Haven, the setting is amazing, we stayed in Room 20 and had a great view of the atlantic, bacolet bay and the pelicans!. The staff were really nice and helpful and like most people we met on tobago they had a great sense of humor. Our plane was delayed on the way back and they were more then happy for us to keep our room until later in the evening when the taxi was due to pick us up. This would not have happened in a lot of hotels.

The Room was lovely, it had been furnished to a really high stanard and is probably one of the nicest rooms i have ever stayed in.. the idea of having a window in the bathroom over looking the room/balcon/Sea is great ( there is a blind if you want to use it!) ...it is something else being able to have a shower watching the sunrise over the atlantic!

The pool could maybe do with being done up but it did not bother us..think the views are more important then the paintwork! Bacolet bay is only a couple of minutes away and is a beautiful half moon bay.

I would definitely recommend the blue haven, it is quieter then the coco reef and there are not so many restaurants etc about but there are enough options and it was actually quite nice getting away from the busy beach of the coco reef.. and it is worth it for the views!!

[Cher]

My boyfriend has booked at the Blue Haven Hotel for one week from December 7th, 2004 and after reading a review from Tripadvisor dated Sep 1st, 2004, I am so very worried about our choice. I chose Tobago over all the other islands because of this website and after booking Blue Haven from the Luxury link website was very excited until today.

Please help, tell me that we have made the right choice. We are so looking forward to this for his birthday and would not want to be disappointed.

I cannot get a refund from Luxury link. According to the review, Blue Haven looks like "the barracks".

Thank you

[Steve Wooler]

Hi Cher

Welcome aboard.

If I had a pound for everyone who queried the reviews on TripAdvisor (this is the second today) I'd be a very, very rich man. With respect, what do you expect from a site that allows un-moderated content from anonymous posters?

When I first started myTobago I did a lot of research on TripAdvisor – I read every comment about every Tobago property. With just a few weeks investigation and one trip to the island, I proved to myself that Trip Advisor is utter rubbish. In fact, I recently notice that a series of complaints on TripAdvisor about one Tobago property were removed a few days after they first appeared. Why? How can you trust them?

OK, the Blue Haven. I’ve had a look at the report you referred to.

First of all, why is someone who had chosen to holiday in Key West going to Tobago? Its chalk and cheese. I would go so far as to suggest that the sort of person who likes Florida is probably not best suited to Tobago.

Secondly, these people admit that they were worried by what they would find while in the taxi on the way to the Blue Haven. Why? I would suggest that they had already realised on arrival – or even before – that Tobago was not Florida and that they had made a mistake – for them. These people had decided it wasn’t going to be right for them before they even arrived.

To be honest, if I believed a single word of this report I would contact the hotel and ask for validation. They walked into reception and broke into tears. What utter and total rubbish. It’s a lovely reception – but again, if they wanted Florida, they were in the wrong place. The Blue Haven is far too discreet and sophisticated to be anywhere in America. What planet are these people from for God’s sake?

To say that the buildings resemble a barracks just shows the mentality of these people. Yes, the style is unusual – until you recognise the sailing theme which is carried through every part of the hotel’s livery – but ‘barracks’ – they’re utter fools!

One of the Blue Haven’s most unique features is the bathrooms, which have a large glass panel so that you can look out to sea. It is stunning. To describe these rooms as disgusting is a total joke.

I take it that you have read our review? Well with respect may I suggest that you take it very seriously, because I have no reason to alter a word of that report. To suggest that the hotel is in need of a “desperate make over” is beyond belief – it’s only just been completed.

I think I’ve said quite enough for you to know what I think of the report.

[Cornelia Montgomery]

I visited the Blue Haven for lunch last February and have had a chance before that to tour the rooms. It is indeed a low-keyed, charming hotel, and the rooms that we saw were very attractive and decorated in a sophisticated style. The lobby is very inviting; you pass through it onto a terrace with a wonderful view. I haven't read the TripAdvisor review, but I can't imagine describing the hotel as a "barracks."

By the way, I'm flummoxed by this comment from Steve:

The Blue Haven is far too discreet and sophisticated to be anywhere in America.

Rather an overgeneralization, wouldn't you say? (I'm trying for British understatement.)

[Cher]

Thank you very much for such a prompt reply.

I have saved your website as my homepage and since my boyfriend is looking for a tropical home, I have "studied" everything on your site. I am looking forward to it as we both love boutique hotels. I will trust you. My boyfriend (Wolfgang) loves Capri, Italy but I have convinced him to tryTobago because I prefer a more relaxed tropical paradise and I have offered to pay for this trip so I can convince him.

So far, Beulah has been very nice to help him with flights from Trinidad since we could not get a direct flight from Toronto. I hope to have some great pics to send to you when I get back.

Cher

[Steve Wooler]

Sorry Cornelia, no offence meant.

It was an over-generalisation. I should have qualified that with "in my experience".

[Cornelia Montgomery]

For traveling the Carribean with sense of humor, see this site:\\\http://grenadatravelforum.com/index.php ... orum.com/0


Look at the posts from brighteyes from wales. You will laugh out loud.

[Charlie Abbott]

...the blue haven is great.. you have made a good choice..look forward to it. It does not in any way look like a barracks

[Neil Roberts]

Dear Cher, My wife and I spent a week at the hotel in July this year. We loved it. The staff were charming and the situation is fabulous. I can think of no reason why you two will not have a superb time. Best wishes, Neil Roberts.

[Cher]

Thank you, Neil. We can't wait to get away (until school break), Canadian winters can be brutal and we are looking forward to the sunshine especially since we have not had much of a summer.

Again, thanks for making me feel better, Wolf (my boyfriend) said if you go on a vacation with a negative attitude, you will only see the negatives and no matter where he travels he makes the best out of it. We have made up our minds that even if it is not what we expected, it does not matter because most of the time we will be out of the hotel, enjoying the beaches and golf etc.

[Steve Wooler]

Cher

Read our review! If that is not what you are looking for, book somewhere else. Otherwise, go expecting to have a truly wonderful holiday - you will find it exactly as we describe.

[Cher]

Thank you Steve, I have read it over and over again including all posts on your website and I will be at the Blue Haven Hotel in December. We love your site and my sister is now planning to book a villa for 8 for her anniversary in March.

Thanks for all your help and I WILL be in touch with some great pics.

[Tony J]

Dear Cher

I can understand when you read reviews about certain places that you begin to worry.

We stayed there in June this year and the hotel and staff were wonderful. Anything you wanted, they would try and sort it out for you. The hotel lobby, setting and beach are wonderful and a great place to relax and unwind.

We have stayed elsewhere on the island, but this hotel with its setting and staff are hard to beat.

The pool is almost always deserted and lovely to swim in. There are wooden sunloungers dotted all over the property where you can sunbathe or take the shade. The beach is great and most of the time very quiet with perhaps yourself and a few locals having a swim.

This is a relaxed boutique hotel where the owners are always around checking things are running smoothly. The staff are always happy and will not interupt you at all. This hotel is not a five star glitzy place with chandeliers and gold leaf...it is understated and informal.

You will need a hire car to explore the area and to visit restaurants at night..dine at the hotel if you want to..but do experience the other restaurants as well.

The location is superb, with fabulous views over the sea and a very necessary cooling breeze! We are going back again in November so the hotel can't be that bad!

Enjoy your holiday, i am sure that you will want to return again, we have done ..twice already this year with our third coming up soon

Kind regards..Sara

[Cher]

Thank you so much. I can't wait for my exams to be over and then off to Tobago.