A Guided Option

[Tim Dawson]

Post Recreated: Originally posted - 03 March 2003

Steve

I visited ‘BRASH VILLA’ Tobago as a child and the memories have stayed with me as a true paradise. After seeing your site my first impression was of selfishness, not wanting to tell anyone about this paradise but after becoming addicted to the forum I would like to congratulate you on such a superb site and information store.

After reading you’re posting admitting that you ‘pick up very quickly on places where I am not welcome’ and ‘if I simply get the feeling or impression that my presence is not welcome, I don’t go there again’. I would like to pose a question on my planned trip. I would like to go to Tobago in September with my wife and son who will be 18mths. I have considered the following options from the Blue haven hotel, Top o Tobago, Heath House and Montgomery House villas.

I would like to ensure that our stay is not one that becomes one where we may feel uncomforble or unwelcome as I also pick up quickly on undesirable situations, I guess I would like to try to avoid the kind of events similar to the one that you had in Castara Bay. I hope to start to visit Tobago more frequently in the future. To this end would like the ability to have a guide on hand to help us if we wish on trips or transportation instead of taxis.

Do you have any suggestions?

[Steve Wooler]

Post Recreated: Originally posted - 03 March 2003

Tim

Welcome to the club! Maybe you read the home page of myTobago.info? You expressed my exact sentiments and it was only my love for the island that made renounce my selfish desire to keep quiet about Tobago.

Let me stress that as ‘sensitive’ as I am, I would never dream of being accompanied around Tobago. That’s why I love the island so much. It is one of the few places in the word that I feel truly comfortable wandering anywhere, at any time without local guidance. Please do not read anything into my story about Castara - at no stage did we feel 'threatened' or that our safety was in any way compromised. These sort of cases would not even be mentioned had they happened anywhere else, even back in the UK. Its simply that in comparison to the general atmosphere on Tobago, any rudeness or sullenness tend to stand out.

Being guided on a sightseeing tour is, of course, a different thing and an essential way to get the best of the island, particularly on your first visit or if you haven’t visited for a long time. For general sightseeing tours, or should you need/want a friendly and professional ‘personal representative’ on the island, you could not choose better than Yes Tourism (http://www.yes-tourism.com ). Obviously, I might have other recommendations or suggestions for specialist tours, such as bird watching.

You will have seen my brief review of the Blue Haven and a fully illustrated review will be added to myTobago.info in the next few weeks. Top ‘O Tobago has a good reputation. I don’t know Heath House (what price have you been quoted – we haven’t got a price in our listing?). I visited Montgomery House briefly whilst we were staying in Arnos Vale and was very impressed (search the forum for ‘Montgomery’ to see my comments).

Over and above these, what about Brash Villa? I shall be writing a mini-review of this villa over coming weeks and hope to stay there and do a full review on my next trip. We spent a couple of hours at Brash during my last visit and I really liked it. As one of the first villas built on Mount Irvine, its age shows and it might not be appreciated by those who like pristine concrete, glass and chrome (that is not meant as a criticism of anyone’s tastes, only to illustrate a point). However, I loved the lived-in hacienda-style feel. It was ‘real’. Don’t get me wrong – I’m not suggesting that it was run-down or in need of maintenance, it’s more a comment about how different it is to all the new villas on Mt.Irvine. Brash has the best views of Buccoo Reef and the Caribbean Sea that I’ve seen. Given you memories, I’m sure you will not be disappointed.

Hope this help.

[Jill Wooler]

Post Recreated: Originally posted - 03 March 2003

Hi Tim

Having read Steve's post, I just wanted to stress how much we fell in love with Brash Villa when we visted it together. However, I think that his comments that 'its age shows' might be misleading for some people, even though he qualifies this at the end by saying that it felt 'real' and 'lived in'. To me, it was tasteful, well-maintained and beautifully matured like a fine wine or vintage port. I was highly impressed with this villa and found everything about it - from its superb location with stunning views, tasteful design, well-appointed rooms that catch the cool sea breezes, swimmming pool and colourful, bougainvillea-filled garden - absolutely faultless.

[Tim Dawson]

Post Recreated: Originally posted - 04 March 2003

Thanks for that Steve you have re affirmed my hope’s of Tobago as the last undiscovered gem in the Caribbean. Yes tourism looks very professional I am sure we will use them for the odd tour on our visit though I now feel more confident about getting a car and doing our own exploring. I have prices of Heath house per week of mid 15 Dec - 15 Apr £1380 and 16 Apr - 14 Dec £1120. Brash Villa was a long time ago though parts of the trip still remain quite vivid: - The larger than life extremely friendly cook who seemed to think that there were 15 of us not 5! The gardener who took us to eat the ripening fruit straight from the tree’s, running round the large terraces round the pool and walking along Buccoo bay in disbelief at the fact that we were the only people! I remember thinking we must have been the luckiest people in the world to be able to walk along the edge of this paradise island in total tranquillity. At that age I wasn’t picky about weather or not the accommodation had marble bathrooms and to me now Tobago would be the reward rather that 5 star deluxe accommodation, though I do like a little opulence. I am quite keen to try Virgins new direct flights from May so any information posted would be greatly appreciated.

Tim Dawson

[Steve Wooler]

Post Recreated: Originally posted - 05 March 2003

Hi Tim - Sorry, been tied up with that horrible thing "work" so Jill's been holding the fort. Reading your post above made me have to respond - it could have been written the day we visited Brash. Obviously not the same cook/housekeeper as when you were there, but the housekeeper, Claudia, could'nt have been nicer showing us around. Gardner Carlton (who is rightly every-so proud of his Bougainvillia all around the property) came and rescued us down at the Mt Irvine golf course when we couldn't find the villa, showed us the way and then when we looked around, had climbed a coconut tree, chopped down four nuts and prepared a glass of fresh coconut milk over ice for each of us. The owner lives in Trinidad, so this was all off their own initiative. Buccoo Beach is still the same - a good 1200 yds of clean tropical beach without a sole. Like I say, your memory could have been today.

[John]

Post Recreated: Originally posted - 04 March 2003

Tim

I am flying out with Virgin on 05.05.03 so will post you a report on my return I have flown with Virgin many times and to me they are the best who else would give you ice creams during the film. The seat back entertainment is great along with the free drinks and service from fresh young staff. In all you can't go wrong BAs flight has extra rows of seats and Monarch flight A330 air bus they used is very cramped I flew 6 hours to Gambia in it GO VIRGIN.

PS Hope the shares go up now !!

[Tim Dawson]

Post Recreated: Originally posted - 05 March 2003

John

I hope you have a great time and I look forward to your report on your return.