myTobago – your questions, review and comment about Tobago

Location/View fantastic. BUT... This did not feel like value for money...I'm easy going and by no means a cleaning freak I have stayed in many places in Tobago but these apartments are in desperate need of a good clean. The kitchen and bathroom felt unhygenic and downright dirty... the bedroom thick with cobwebs... No good vibes from the owners got the impression they've grown tired of the business!... Another point if you're looking for privacy , look elsewhere! the neighbours will hear you & you them.

[Editor: Readers are strongly advised to read the Replies to this post before taking any notice of the above report]

dear linda
it is unbelievable that you really come here to write a bad report after the "show" that you put on when here.
this is a place to display guests opinions, so we would usually not come back and comment it, but in your case the "other side of the story" is far too interesting for the public to read and so we wont keep quiet!
We have been very friendly still (even gave your kids Christmas presents) although you and your friends tricked us into taking 8 persons in 2 rooms instead of the agreed 5. we went out of our way to make you all comfortable but with 5 kids in the house (two of them yours) we had to set some ground rules to keep the situation bearable for our other guests. From day one those rules were broken ALL the time.
Your kids, sprayed water in the hallway on a daily basis even after we asked you to not let them use it unattended, apart from the fact that your kids are about nine years old and should understand the simple rule not to spray water on other guests doors and into they rooms.
As for the hygiene: we gave the room to you in a spotless condition just to find that you kept it in a manner that a pig would not want to live there. Your various male local guests urinated beside the toilet bowl all the time and it took us days of bleaching and disinfecting before the room was back in a shape that we could rent it out again. during your stay your kids broke a mirror, a power socket, a mug, a waste bin, several beach toys (a big basket full of them was offered to you and we had to pick up all the leftovers on the whole of our bay after you left) …those are only the items we remember now.
As for the privacy. We always have kids in the house, but we never had any of them being so loud and rude and stare in other guests rooms even after being asked to stop it. We thank god that our other guests have been so patient, humorous and understanding although your being in the house almost spoiled their holidays. More than once we thought about asking you all to leave, but since the other guests kept being patient we did so, too.
We hope you will stay far away from Castara next time which is obviously not the right environment for you and your kind!

I feel in some way that even though I have not stayed at Sea Breeze I can make a comment with regard to this "review".
During our last stay in Castara we decided to go and have a look at the apartments just in case we decided to suggest to some of our friends that it would be a good location for stays in the future, one of the things I told people was that they were kept extremely clean.
I know of a number of people who have stayed there since my visit and nobody commented with anything but positive points.
Paul

This post is ludicrous. We've been at Alibabas Sea Breeze in December 2005 for ten days. The apartment was spotlessly clean and the owners one of the friendliest people we met on Tobago. I don't believe
that this has changed in a bit more than two years.

Steph & Brian,

I'm glad you responded to this post. When I first read it I thought they posted it under the wrong location as it is so far from the truth. We found Sea Breeze to be very clean and comfortable and the two of you to be very gracious, friendly and helpful hosts. I'm sure as people read thru all of the reports about your place that they will realize that this report is one from a vindictive mean spirited person.

Keep up the good work

Bill

This forum has really grown mature, so it seems. Without intervention of the editor, Forum-members do their job, just by sharing their thoughts on a basis of experience and knowledge. In this way a (potential) first time visitor would not get any chance (except for a few hours) to be mislead by false emotions.

I judge on a basis of daily reading (hardly) every post. In Dutch we have an expression that says more or less that the Forum functions so well "because of its self-cleaning capabilities" (powers ?).

Without having visited Sea Breeze (I'd like to have a look indeed) I feel free to express my confidence that this self-cleaning forum-power has been functioning adequately here.

Many regards, Roel

Steph and Brian,
From everything I've read about you, and from you, on this forum, I cannot imagine that you would inspire such quick and loyal responses from previous guests and contributors if you were running a bad business.
Best wishes
Carolnoe
xx

Also, read what Glyn Kirpalani (Beachcomber Cabins & Cottages) say about that woman, seems that she´s using different names every time.

And shes´s also using the fact that mostly peoples in Tobago don´t want to be rough against their guests, even if they behaive bad like some do.

I say, renting a place doesn´t automatically allow them to do whatever they want or to use bad language against others. The owners should tell them once, have a police there the second time and than trow the out if they doesn´t behaive. They often have children with them, and they are using them against the owner, "I can´t do so against the children".

Trow them out, that´s my opinion.
Ronald

I would just like to add my personal impression of the owner of this establishment, and it is simply thus-his heart and soul is as ample and generous as one ever could ask for. He has, without previous knowledge of me, without the slightest doubt helped me in a very pressing matter, thereby saving my entire holiday, and for no reward except an as-of-yet not served dinner! To implicate either Brian or Stephanie as running a bad business is, of course, complete bosh! I am sorry to add this reply, nut reading the allegations made me so angry. I could well imagine the scene, with hollering and totally run-wild kids destroing the holiday of others. I personally wish such guests to visit other interesting places instead, like Davy Jones´s abode.

I was staying at Ali-Baba's Sea Breaze at the same time as this family from hell.The parents had no parenting skills whatsover and allowed their brats to run around totally out of control whilst they were sunning themselves on the beach.I frequently came in to find my room awash where the horrors has been playing with the foot wash hosepipe.My next neighbour from the Us suffered even more with one of the little bXXXXXXs climbing out to the balcony rail and shouting into their apartment'
Finally,I have stayed with Brian and Steph many times and have always found them to be gracious,honest and pleasant.I have never had any comcerns about the cleanliness of the apartments.
These people ought to stick to Butlins!!!!!!!!
David

We were the US couple staying next door to the two families "from Hell", to quote David. We were quite pleased not only with our accommodations but also with our interactions with Brian and Steph. We were not, however, as pleased with our experiences with the neighbors in question. At the risk of being redundant with previous comments, we found them inconciderate of others. Children will play and be loud, however, its the parents' repsonsibility to remember that not all guests enjoy early morning wake up calls from screaming children or listening to the sound of several children running and screaming outside our door. Also, most guests (if not all) would not welcome a young stranger peering over the balcony into thier apartment and singing at the top of his lungs while they are getting dressed to go out for the evening. Even after the child had been asked twice (nicely, I will add) to stop-he continued his behavior until we finally had to shout accross apartments in search of the adults who were "supervising" him. The multiple broken items in the apartments is further evidence of inconsideration. We listened to the children running/screaming in the apartment, wondering where the adults were, for quite some time until the final large crash---turned out to be a mirror. Brian and Steph worked dillegently to keep these families under some sort of control and did their best to make all guests feel welcomed and comfortable-including the families who didn't seem to be unhappy with their accommodations until just about check out (payment time). We would stay at Ali Baba's again because of our pleasant experience with the owners and the accommodations, however, Ms Coomes, please drop a line as to where you plan to stay next year so we can avoid a repeat performance.

I have refrained from comment on the two Linda Coombes/Jenkins posts pending investigation.

Both reports were filed through our Accommodation listing “Add Report” function. These do not require forum registration; only provision of a valid email address. Both reports used the same email address. Both were posted from the same computer IP address. I wrote to Linda asking, as politely as possible, why she used different names. My concern was that this gave the impression that the reports were file by different visitors. One bad report is one thing; two from the same person seems suspicious.
I have received no reply to my email to Linda Coombes and must therefore assume that is WAS a deliberate attempt to mislead.

Our enquiry database has proved invaluable in identifying properties that this woman has contacted and stayed at. The reports would have been alarming had it not been for the fact that I was forewarned by the responses filed by Brian and Steph Taylor of Alibaba’s Seabreeze and Glyn Kirpalani of Beachcomber Cottages; and subsequently by independent visitors who witnessed the behaviour (or lack thereof) of this woman and her family.

I can only summarise my findings by saying that there are times when I am truly ashamed to be English.
I know the owners of both properties well. I have visited Alibaba’s within the past two weeks. The proof of their attitude towards tourism is self-evident in this forum almost every single day. Does Steph sound like someone who is ‘tired’ of tourism? (Mind you, she probably is after this escapade)

I don’t thing I need to say anything more other than to say that both sets of owners are fiercely proud of their properties and work incredibly hard to give visitors a wonderful holiday. If criticism is to be levied, it is simply that I suspect their disapproval will be clearly evident to anyone who abuses their hospitality, property or well-being of fellow guests. I’m sure that this is why Coombes/Jenkins filed her vindictive and malicious reports.

So, let’s close this sad topic by saying thank you to Linda Coombes and her family for providing Alibaba’s Seabreeze and Beachcomber Cabins with some excellent publicity and clear public endorsement of the excellent hospitality and service that they provide.

Linda, you have shamed yourself and our nation. Shame on you! I suspect that you will find Tobago a far less welcoming destination next time around.

to really let this topic come to an end:
we are not "tired" of tourism. lucky us the majority of our guests is just lovely (no matter what nation they are from, don't be ashamed you english, we had many just great guests from britain) and we are always happy to see them again! so far we only had two or three "guests from hell" and we are positive that it is not going to happen too often again... far too nice people seek out Tobago as their holiday destination!
thank you for all your support, we were really touched by so many people stepping in for us in an instant!
see you all sooner or later again in castara
steph & alibaba

Hello Steve
I have read your reply to this situation and agree with your points.
It is a requirement on the review section of this site that you must not use either an alias or a nickname when posting a review, I personally do not wish to see any form of censorship on the site but I feel that "Linda" by her actions has gone against the rules with regard to this and it would be correct to remove the 2 comments on what are both excellent establishments.
I wonder if others agree with this point or am I being too strong in my condemnation.
Regards
Paul

Paul,

I agree that the reviews in the "Accomodation" section should be removed, but feel that this thread in the forum should be maintained. This way Steph & Brian and Glyn won't have to suffer the potential lost business of someone who only reads the review page and will actually benefit from someone who reads the entire thread and sees how strongly loyal customers feel about them.

Bill

Hi Guys

Whilst I sympathise with your views and at a personal level feel exactly the same as you, the sad fact is that this woman, no matter how undesirable a person she might be, is entitled to her opinions. Removing her posts on the grounds that she had given a false name would be to censor the report on a technicality. As such, it could be seen as manipulation of the board.

In all honesty, the effect of her vote is insignificant as far as this property is concerned. With an average ranking of 4.6 out of 5, you don't get closer to perfection. If readers are daft enough to read the reports without taking notice of the responses, then they are probably/possibly not the sort of guests you would want anyway. I have, however, added a postscript to the Coombes post advising readers viewing reports via our Accommodation listings - where they only see the first post - to read the full thread before making opinion.