myTobago – your questions, review and comment about Tobago

Hello all,

First post to this most useful forum.

We plan to marry Nov 05- originally in Sri lanka and honeymoon in the Maldives however due to tsunami, booking has now changed to Grafton beach resort for both wedding and honeymoon.

Upon reading all of the comments both good and bad about Grafton beach we are now considering changing to the Coco Reef Resort??

As its our honeymoon we would like a bit of luxury but nothing OTT. Also one of us is an experienced diver.
Can anyone give us any advice to help us reach our decision?

Thanks for any responses.

Brendan & Collette

I'd suggest you look into the Hilton. I'm not a fan of the Coco Reef personally, but do really like the Hilton. We rented a villa in the Plantations when we where there last year and really loved it. We had our own pool and it was divine! Coco Reef just has too much attitude for my taste...I found the Hilton to be more to my liking. When we visited the Coco Reef with our friends I was also disappointed to note that the facility was not in the best condition. The Hilton is newer...and well....a Hilton to standards are fairly high.

Another idea for you would be the Blue Haven Hotel. I haven't been but haven heard it is very romantic. Can't comment on the Grafton either.

Hope this helps. Feel free to email if you need more info. I'm still a newlywed (1.5 years) so I remember how important it is to have your wedding 'just so'.

Cheers!
Bryn
Vancouver,BC
[email protected]

Hello Brendan

Welcome aboard!

First, determine whether Tobago is right for you. I love Tobago to bits, but am also realistic about it. The island is not everyone’s cup of tea and if you expect Sri Lankan standards of service and servitude, you will be sadly disappointed by Tobago.

Bryn mentions the Hilton. We had five days at the Hilton during the last three weeks. The Hilton is an excellent hotel, but not a wedding resort. They have a problem at the moment in that as the only good hotel on the island with spare capacity, they have benefited enormously from tourists switching from Tsunami-affected destinations. As a result, they are experiencing a large number of moaners and complainers – people who expected Asian standards and got laid-back Caribbean standards. Having said that, they are also experiencing a lot of people who say they never realised how lovely and friendly Tobago is and will return. If you are a finger-clicker, then look elsewhere. If you are prepared to throw away your watch and not talk down to local staff, then you should be able to look forward to a wonderful marriage and honeymoon.

I would suggest you start by reading our reviews of the Coco Reef and the Grafton (see Reviews/Accommodation on the main menu bar). It’s also worth considering the Blue Haven, as Bryn suggests and Le Grand Courlan for more luxury than the Grafton. Our review of the Hilton will be published in about six weeks. Although a great hotel, it will appeal more to North American tastes than European (despite Hilton International being a British company). Remember that the Grafton is a somewhat basic 3* All-Inclusive resort whereas the Coco Reef is a 4*+ luxury resort, so you’re not comparing like-for-like.

One of the best dive operations on the island operates from the Coco Reef Resort. The dive shop at the Grafton/Le Grand Courlan is OK, but not particularly notable and certainly not among the top tier of Tobago dive operations.

Hope this helps. Come back to us with any specific questions.

Hi Steve

Thanks for the swift reply, taking into consideration your comments, we have now decided the Coco Reef will more than meet our expectations and just hope the travel agents can change the booking for us with minimum fuss.

I'm sure we will have other queries and will be in touch in due course. Cheers!


Brendan

Hello

I am not sure if you have changed your venue to coco beach yet or not but I thought I would let you know we are getting married in the Hilton Hotel in December this year and we had the same concerns. I couldn't believe your e-mail because we had exactly the same plans for January 2006 getting married in Sri Lanka and honeymoon in the Maldives !! We decided on Tobago after boxing day and was considering Coco beach and the only reason we didn't go with it was because it was quite a bit more expensive and we have a few members of our family coming with us that we had to consider. The only thing I am really nervous about is the weather in Tobago and especially the wind on the wedding day as the Hilton is on the Altantic side and I have read it can be quite windy (if anyone is reading this and confirm what the weather is generally like in December I would be really grateful if you could let me know). I am sure the Coco beach is lovely but if you decide to go with the Hilton and you are back before 1 December you will have to let me know how it all goes !

Best of luck

Tracy

Hi Tracy

I can only suggest that you look at our weather page (Tobago/Weather on the menu bar) to see average statistics for the month. December is at the tail end of the wet season. This year the rains didn't stop until mid-January, so its sods law.

Yes, the Hilton is on the Atlantic size and can be VERY blowy. Having said that, during our recent visit there were days when it was far rougher on the Caribbean side and the Atlantic coast was as calm as a duck pond.

However, based on average conditions my advice would be to forget a beach or beach-view wedding, particularly if you will be wearing any garments that are going to look less than perfect when blowing in the wind. This need not be a problem. The Hilton has two areas especially for weddings at the front (the sea is at the back of the hotel), where the buildings protect you from the wind.

The top shot below is the wedding arch, on the lawns next to the main ballroom. This is the nearest to the main Reception area and literally only yards from the building, but very private (no passing onlookers) and VERY sheltered on two sides by the buildings.

The second shot is a pavilion which, I understand, is decorated and used for weddings. It is at the back of the hotel, but literally 4-minutes walk from the main reception area. It is more exposed than the wedding arch.

Hi Tracy

Thanks for your comments.

We have booked the Coco reef today so hopefully all will be as good as the reviews. Although we are in a different hotel to you we will certainly be posting when we get back so you can see how it all went. Good luck with your wedding,it's a pity you aren't going in November we could all have met for a pre nuptial drink!!

Brendan and Collette

Tracy, have you though of getting married elsewher on the island if you are worried about the wind at the Hilton, the Hilton is a lovely base and you will enjoy it there, there is a lady (can remember her name sure it begins with M) but she owns Seagrape Villa that is on this website, the organises weddings if you contact her I am sure she can suggest other locations and go through all your concerns with her this is what she does day in day out so will know the best for you. If you cant find her name PM me and will get name and contact details.

I have stayed at the Hilton four times and have seen several lovely weddings there. I'm sure yours will be wonderful too.
I cringed a bit at Steve's comment: "Although a great hotel, it will appeal more to North American tastes than European (despite Hilton International being a British company)"
North Americans comprise only about 5 percent of visitors to Tobago. I have stayed at the Hilton, Le Grand Courlan (twice, pre-allinclusive days), and the Blue Waters Inn (three times). Each has plusses and minuses. But if only Americans liked the Hilton, it would be out of business by now. It has good rooms, good rates, a long walkable beach, large pools, good food. I'd guesstimate that about 85% of Hilton guests are British.
The water at times there is rough (but it's often treacherous on the Caribbean side, too), it is a long way to the nearest road, it doesn't have the tropical flowers that you see in more sheltered locations. I like the breeze -- keeps me cool and nonsweating, and we like that we can always find shade on the beach. There's also plenty of room to spread out under umbrellas and trees.
When Steve specified "North American," I guess that phrase included Canadians, who will probably resent being portrayed as equal in crass to us Americans.
I made some wonderful acqaintences with Brits this February at the Hilton -- I especially enjoyed meeting a couple from Bristol. He's a cop, and as I'm a fan of English mystery/suspense novels, he was able to explain a lot about procedures to me. We also thoroughly analyzed the Charles/Camilla thing, after we finished analyzing Bill Clinton with a couple from Arkansas. We all agreed that it was wonderful to meet people we otherwise wouldn't have met.
Sorry, but my feathers are ruffled.

Corneila, I really dont think Steve had any intention of ruffling feathers on his comment, but you have to think a wedding is meant to be a once in a life time dream.

You want it perfect and I have been to the Hilton on a windy day. The Hotel is lovely, food first rate you cannot knock it but if you want a picture in your bridal gown looking prestine, to be 100% sure maybe just look for having the wedding at a different location. The Hilton is more geared up when I last went to the American market than the European but that said it is a lovely hotel to stay at whatever your tastes. As all over the world different people from different countries look for different things in a holiday Americans would love the Hilton, Germans I cannot see liking the Rex Turtle Beach it is each to their own, but you try to take all risks out of a wedding because you want it to be your dream.

I have heard nothing but good reports on the Hilton service and food but then have heard good comments on 90% of hotels on the island, it is the 10% that complain for a number of reasons, they haven't checked out fully where they were going, the facilities were less than they expected, it was cheap but expected better for their money we can all complain, but if you do your groundwork correctly a lot of these problems can be resolved before you go and if you want to guarantee that it wont be windy for your wedding, you have to look elsewhere than the Hilton, if you want to guarantee excellent quick service, smiles and small talk you have to look elsewhere than Tobago each to their own. (Not saying Tobago isn't friendly it is very, but as Steve keeps saying you dont get the service as in Asia countries they are unique which I love.) To me wherever you choose to get married in Tobago it will be perfect, to others they might want to guarantee it will be perfect.

There are places where you can guarantee low wind and sur? I am curious== where?

Sharon,
I'm sure you are right. I'm just sorta pissed off by the anti-American sentiment here. Fight the next one yourself. Anyway, this stuff has left me with a bitter taste, and I will not return for my seventh visit to Toago. I've made reservations for Panama.

I don't think I understand. I don't see any anti-American sentiment here, i.e. at myTobago.

Cornelia

I’m sorry that you see my comments as “anti-American”. They were not meant to be. However you have to be realistic and appreciate that in so far as it is possible to generalise on these things, different nationalities do have different general preferences, standards and tastes.

Many aspects of the Hilton’s management and presentation are patently ‘American’ in style. Yes, only around 5% of visitors to Tobago are from the USA, but guess where 90% of them stay? In fact the day that we left the Hilton last month, over130 Americans arrived on two corporate shindigs, taking a third of the hotel’s total capacity. Why, if the hotel does not appeal to American tastes?

You used the word “crass” - not me. Do you see this as a feature of being ‘American’ in style?

Yes, I confess that I used the word ‘North American’ rather than ‘American’ in an attempt to be diplomatic (certainly no offence meant to Canadian readers, but I totally retract the comment if that’s the way they see it).

The reason I used the description is because it is a significant factor in trying to describe a hotel to people who have not visited it. I would similarly describe the Blue Haven and Mount Irvine Bay hotels as ‘Old Colonial’. These comments are factual, not derogatory – unless you want to see them that way. Different people have different tastes and being 'American' is a very clear style that some visitors will appreciate, whilst others may wish to avoid.

So, I’m sorry if I ruffled your feathers. I confess I was totally astonished by your reaction, but realise that you’re only joking. Frankly I thought my comment too subtle for most Americans to appreciate.


By the way, Sharon – the name you were looking for is Marie Dilworth of Tobago Weddings. Yes, she is by far and away the best wedding planner on the island.

Hello

Thank you all very much for your comments they have been really useful. If I think of anything else we need to know I certainly know where to come !

Speak to you soon

Tracy