Holiday Report 6 - Blue Waters Inn
Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2003 1:24 pm
Post Recreated: Originally posted - 03 February 2003
Leaving the popular but relatively flat and less attractive south-western end of the island, we took the 75-minute drive from Scarborough to Speyside, at the opposite end of Tobago.
Although we had never stayed there before, the Blue Waters Hotel has long been one our favourite watering hole when visiting the north of the island. The hotel is located in beautiful and secluded Batteaux Bay, just north of the small fishing village of Speyside.
The Blue Waters is a magical spot for divers. With a 5-star PADI dive shop on the premises and some of the best diving in Tobago only minutes away (including the largest brain coral in the world), the Blue Waters Inn is a wonderful base.
Bird watchers will also adore Blue Waters. The hotel is nestled in 46 acres of tropical garden absolutely teaming with birdlife. I’m no ornithologist, but could happily sit watching the birds for hours (now, now!). The hotel even has its own resident macaw, Trini. Whilst chatting to the owner of the dive shop, Trini marched past us and into the office, just as if he was about to answer the telephone that was ringing.
Rated at 3-star, the Blue Waters Inn is relatively basic but, in honesty, has everything you need. Our standard double room was spacious and perfectly adequate. As much as I like and appreciate ‘luxury’, I would have absolutely no hesitation in spending an extended vacation at the Blue Waters. The hotel’s ‘efficiency’ apartments are larger, with kitchen and dining area. There are also a number of really lovely self-contained bungalows.
To say that the Blue Waters is located right on the beach is almost an understatement. I doubt whether the balcony of any room in the hotel is more than 10 yards/metres from the beach. At high tide, you feel as if you could jump from your balcony into the sea. In fact herein lay a problem – our first holiday argument was whether we should sleep with the windows closed and the air-conditioner on, or leave the balcony windows open and listen to the pounding waves. Being on the Atlantic coast, the stiff sea breeze was too much for mossies. However, the 5am racket of the many cocricos that inhabit the grounds did dampen the pleasure of sleeping with windows opening listening to the sea a little.
The unspoilt natural sandy beach is relatively small (500-600 metres) and rather narrow, particularly at high tide. Given the small size of the hotel (38 rooms) and the fact that many guests are bird watchers and divers who will be invariably off on trips, the beach is never crowded. The swimming is very good and the hotel has shown remarkable consideration for visitors by marking an area with buoys to keep dive and glass-bottom boats away from swimmers.
Although on the Atlantic coast, Batteaux Bay is shielded by Little Tobago and Goat Island, so the seas are much calmer than further south on the Atlantic coast. The cooling breezes mean that this coast feels a few degrees cooler than the Caribbean coast, which has been very refreshing during the warm weather of our first two weeks.
One of the biggest and most pleasant surprises of our stay was the standard of catering. Given its secluded location, the hotel relies very strongly on local produce and we were delighted with the results. Although a very limited menu, we thoroughly enjoyed every meal – breakfast, lunch and dinner.
The staff at the Blue Waters Inn are typical Tobagonian – friendly, helpful and welcoming, if somewhat laid back and slow by European/North American standards. If you had to work in this heat, I guess you would slow down too – I certainly know that I have had to writing these reports.
Particular mention should be made of General Manager, Duane Kenny. Born and bred in Tobago, three years working for Disney in America is evident in his infectious enthusiasm. It is nice to come across a manager that leads from the front.
Without any shadow of doubt, we shall return to the Blue Waters Inn.
Leaving the popular but relatively flat and less attractive south-western end of the island, we took the 75-minute drive from Scarborough to Speyside, at the opposite end of Tobago.
Although we had never stayed there before, the Blue Waters Hotel has long been one our favourite watering hole when visiting the north of the island. The hotel is located in beautiful and secluded Batteaux Bay, just north of the small fishing village of Speyside.
The Blue Waters is a magical spot for divers. With a 5-star PADI dive shop on the premises and some of the best diving in Tobago only minutes away (including the largest brain coral in the world), the Blue Waters Inn is a wonderful base.
Bird watchers will also adore Blue Waters. The hotel is nestled in 46 acres of tropical garden absolutely teaming with birdlife. I’m no ornithologist, but could happily sit watching the birds for hours (now, now!). The hotel even has its own resident macaw, Trini. Whilst chatting to the owner of the dive shop, Trini marched past us and into the office, just as if he was about to answer the telephone that was ringing.
Rated at 3-star, the Blue Waters Inn is relatively basic but, in honesty, has everything you need. Our standard double room was spacious and perfectly adequate. As much as I like and appreciate ‘luxury’, I would have absolutely no hesitation in spending an extended vacation at the Blue Waters. The hotel’s ‘efficiency’ apartments are larger, with kitchen and dining area. There are also a number of really lovely self-contained bungalows.
To say that the Blue Waters is located right on the beach is almost an understatement. I doubt whether the balcony of any room in the hotel is more than 10 yards/metres from the beach. At high tide, you feel as if you could jump from your balcony into the sea. In fact herein lay a problem – our first holiday argument was whether we should sleep with the windows closed and the air-conditioner on, or leave the balcony windows open and listen to the pounding waves. Being on the Atlantic coast, the stiff sea breeze was too much for mossies. However, the 5am racket of the many cocricos that inhabit the grounds did dampen the pleasure of sleeping with windows opening listening to the sea a little.
The unspoilt natural sandy beach is relatively small (500-600 metres) and rather narrow, particularly at high tide. Given the small size of the hotel (38 rooms) and the fact that many guests are bird watchers and divers who will be invariably off on trips, the beach is never crowded. The swimming is very good and the hotel has shown remarkable consideration for visitors by marking an area with buoys to keep dive and glass-bottom boats away from swimmers.
Although on the Atlantic coast, Batteaux Bay is shielded by Little Tobago and Goat Island, so the seas are much calmer than further south on the Atlantic coast. The cooling breezes mean that this coast feels a few degrees cooler than the Caribbean coast, which has been very refreshing during the warm weather of our first two weeks.
One of the biggest and most pleasant surprises of our stay was the standard of catering. Given its secluded location, the hotel relies very strongly on local produce and we were delighted with the results. Although a very limited menu, we thoroughly enjoyed every meal – breakfast, lunch and dinner.
The staff at the Blue Waters Inn are typical Tobagonian – friendly, helpful and welcoming, if somewhat laid back and slow by European/North American standards. If you had to work in this heat, I guess you would slow down too – I certainly know that I have had to writing these reports.
Particular mention should be made of General Manager, Duane Kenny. Born and bred in Tobago, three years working for Disney in America is evident in his infectious enthusiasm. It is nice to come across a manager that leads from the front.
Without any shadow of doubt, we shall return to the Blue Waters Inn.
