Rex Turtle Beach - July 2003

[Sue]

Comments on RexTurle Beach Hotel:

Before visiting Tobago and Rex Turtle Beach, I was fortunate to find this web site and Ian's comments on the hotel, which I found very useful. Ian has said almost everything there is to say, but I'd like to add some additional comments and highlight some improvements we found, particularly with the bar and restaurant service.

We - me, husband, daughter (15) and son (11) - visited Rex Turtle from 14th - 28th July 2003. We all had a very enjoyable holiday and would definitely return. We stayed on an all-inclusive basis and my children, particularly my son, enjoyed being able to order drinks and cocktails at the bar when they wished. (It was definitely value-for-money.) We found all the staff very helpful and friendly.


Service at the two bars was generally efficient and we never felt we had to wait too long to be served.

Service in the restaurant was, also, usually efficient. We were served promptly and able to order drinks with our meal. Sometimes refills were ordered during the meals. The service at weekends didn't seem to be so good but acceptable. Only on one occassion at breakfast did I have to ask for coffee and one lunchtime I went to the bar myself to get drinks. These two were the exception.

Food was good. We were going to order from the a la Carte menu when we didn't like the buffet choice, but never did. Even 2 choosy children found something to their liking every evening but preferred the lunchtime menu (burgers & sandwiches).

My main gripe was with the ceiling fans in the Reception/Cruise bar area and restaurant. These seemed to be for decoration only as they moved little air. The reception area could have been a cool, relaxing area to sit, out of the hot afternoon sun, but it was like sitting in a sauna. The adjacent bar area was deserted in the evening. It seemed that most people preferred the beach bar and to sit outside to eat in the evening as it was much cooler in this area. It was sometimes difficult to get a table!

The swimming pool - or puddle, as my daughter called it - was used mainly by children.
There was no organised kids club (despite what the brochure said) and there were no activities specifically for them. They had to be accompanied by an adult if they wished to use the kayaks and sailing boats (probably sensible).

I, my daughter and husband dived with 'Tobago Dive Experience' based at the hotel. It is run by Tobagons and all were professional, friendly and laid-back. The dive boat went out in the mornings (approx 10-ish) for 1 or 2 dives, returning to the hotel between dives if anyone was only diving once. Most dives were reef dives lasting between 40 minutes to 1 hour with max depth 25m. Visibility was about 15m. All dives were no-decompression dives but a 3minute stop at 5m was always done. There was 1 wreck dive- max depth 30m.
In the afternoon, the dive boat was used for snorkelling trips which went to the Coral Garden + Nylon Pool + Sandbank + the mangrove around Bucco and No Mans Land. Cost was $TT150 per person. It was excellent, the whole family enjoyed the trip and I would recommend it.

Virgin have a 'check-in, chill out' service whereby on the morning of departure at approx 09:30, airport security and check-in are completed and your suitcases are collected. You then have the day to do whatever you wish and are collected from the hotel at 19:00 for the 20:45 flight. At the airport, you have to go thru passport control and have hand luggage checked and x-rayed. It is possible to keep your room on the last day at a cost of $TT300. We paid for one of our rooms and found it worthwhile.

Hope this is useful

Sue

[Glyn Kirpalani]

Hi Sue

Thanks for sharing that with us. Could I ask if you plan to complain to the tour operator (Virgin?) about the lack of an organised kids club? I would urge you to do so as it is very poor indeed when a brochure promises something which simply does not exist. I understand that it may not have bothered you too much but you might be helping the next family enjoy their holiday more, but crucially - might stand to earn a few hundred pounds in standard Virgin voucher compensation if you complain. Steve will quite rightly point out that your post will help inform others' choices, but why should the tour operator and/or hotel get away with serious breaches of contract/deceptive advertising like this?

Up to you, tell me to mind my own if you like.

Glad you enjoyed it anyway,
Regards
Glyn

[John Hill]

We stayed at the Rex in May 2003 and I can't remember seeing a Kids Club in all I think there was only three kids that would have joined.
I have just looked in the Jan 04 - Dec 04 brochure

"Supervised Kid's Club"

I must also add the Virgin Rep in May was just like my old bike US. I do hope they have changed her.

[Sue]

Glyn,
You have prompted me to complain. I sent a letter to Virgin last week about the lack of the kids club and, also, pointing out that the brochure doesn't make clear which activities incur an extra charge (like diving).
Will post any interesting reply.
Sue

[Glyn Kirpalani]

Sue

Good for you. Let's hope this gets sorted out, plus you are suitably compensated - if you do get Virgin vouchers, then spend them on a flight back here again!

My ex-fiancee used to work for Virgin, and tipped me off that if you reject the first offer of vouchers they usually offer a higher sum second time, particularly if you slip in the odd word such as "BBC Watchdog", ABTA complaints procedure (check their website) etc....Food for thought.

Good luck
Glyn