Got back from our first visit to Tobago last week. We stayed at the Rex Turtle beach and thanks to this site I felt I already knew the Hotel – in fact it was slightly better than I anticipated.
Soon after we arrived we realised that our decision to go room only was exactly right for us – we wanted to see and experience the island, not sit in an all inclusive hotel for 2 weeks. In fact the extra cost to go all inclusive for 3 of us (one 11 year old) would have been £1000, we actually spent about £750 on all food and drink, so we still had money left over towards the 10 day hire of a jeep.
On arrival we immediately hired a fridge, then a 10 minute walk to the Black Rock supermarket the next day provided us with all we needed for breakfast and lunches, we then tried a different restaurant most nights – and I have to say we didn’t have one bad meal.
The Hotel was tired and in need of refurbishment, but the large rooms were kept very clean on a daily basis, the bed was the biggest bed I’ve ever seen (my 6foot 5 husband could have slept sideways!), the air conditioning was noisy but very efficient, we were so tired in the evenings that nothing would have stopped us sleeping. The service was excellent – room issues were sorted immediately. The pool was dreadful, VERY small and unattractive, but it has to be said that it was fine for children and my 11 year old spent hours in there, it was always full of other children and we felt quite happy leaving her there to play while we sat on the beach.
The location cannot be faulted, none of the other hotels we saw appeared to have such immediate access to such a large beach. It is a working beach and as such you will find lots of fishermen and traders around, but we didn’t experience any problems at all, we did get approached quite a lot but nobody was too persistant once you’d said no. The regular traders would only approach you once and were extremely friendly. My husband had a wonderful massage by Mary, and my daughter and I both had our nails done by Rachel.
We had breakfast in the hotel on the first morning – a huge buffet which was very nice but very expensive when on a room only basis (about £30 for 3), we also realised that we would no doubt over eat if faced with that every morning. We found the restaurant very hot as the ceiling fans were very ineffective and it was quite enclosed. Our breakfast of cereal, fresh fruit and fruit juice sat on our patio just feet from the beach, listening to the surf crashing on the sand was superb, and for us, a much better alternative.
We would definitely return to this hotel on a room only basis, it proved a perfect base for us to explore the island and a perfect location when we just wanted to chill. The hire car was essential to our plans and on a return visit we would hire one for the entire visit. This time we had the jeep for 10 days, but even on our last 2 days without car we took a taxi back to one of our favourite restaraunts for dinner (still cheaper including the taxi fare, than eating in the hotel!).
Thanks again Steve for such a great site that allowed me to prepare the perfect holiday, my husband was hugely impressed with my knowledge of the island and my ability to pick such good restaraunts! In fact I have so much to say that this will be the first of several reviews in different sections………..
Rex Turtle Beach - Room Only.
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Nora
hi jacqui, Thanks for your very informative review. We too are going to the Rex on a room only basis. Could you please advise me of your favourite eateries, black rock facilities and availability and price of taxis at night. We will be hiring a car but we both enjoy a tipple or two at night so will not be able to drive. We go in Dec and booked extremely early last Dec nipt a bargain £589 EACH , Weve paid more for 2 weeks in Spain! Best wishes Nora
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Jacqui B
Nora,
I’m sure you will love it. We too booked VERY early and paid about the same as you for a fortnight in August for 3…..what a bargain!!!
We walked to Black Rock on our first day, only a very small place but the small supermarket was quite well stocked and we got all the things we needed for breakfast and sandwiches. Once we had the car we shopped at Pennysavers, if you look out for it you will see this on your way to the Hotel from the airport, about 10mins away from the airport on your left towards the end of the shops and houses.
Black Rock also had a very smart looking bakery (bright yellow) opposite the supermarket we did take a picture of it but didn’t actually shop there (you have to leave something to do next time!).
There were two eateries in Black Rock, the Black Rock Café, which we didn’t get around to trying and Under the Mango Tree. This was a nice looking place which we tried one lunchtime. It only has about 5 tables inside but I believe you could also sit outside. It was quite nice but the food was fairly average compared with most of the other meals we had in Tobago (daughters pizza was excellent!), but the lady owner (?) was really quite a character and made the meal quite entertaining. I think it closed around 9.30pm, and in fact was never open when we passed in the evening, but for us this was more of a lunch time place anyway.
We didn’t eat anywhere else that was within walking distance they were all car rides. We only had a taxi once, and that was when the car had gone back on our penultimate day – we had had such fabulous meals out that we really didn’t fancy eating in the hotel (it did seem rather expensive compared to what we had been having out). There is a taxi rank at the hotel so I don’t think there’ll be a problem with getting one, we took one to the Polo Bar for Sunday lunch (approx £10 return) at 12.00pm and that was his first job of the day!!….mainly due to the largely All Inclusive nature of the Hotel.
Other places we ate at were: Patinos, Indigo, Polo Bar (twice), Seahorse Inn, Sure Things (twice), Bonkers, and Café Coco (twice) but I will do a review of these in the dining section in the next day or two (promise!)
By the way, I took some plastic bowl, plates and cutlery with me, but these were all readily available in both supermarkets.
If you have any other questions please ask.
Regards Jacqui B
I’m sure you will love it. We too booked VERY early and paid about the same as you for a fortnight in August for 3…..what a bargain!!!
We walked to Black Rock on our first day, only a very small place but the small supermarket was quite well stocked and we got all the things we needed for breakfast and sandwiches. Once we had the car we shopped at Pennysavers, if you look out for it you will see this on your way to the Hotel from the airport, about 10mins away from the airport on your left towards the end of the shops and houses.
Black Rock also had a very smart looking bakery (bright yellow) opposite the supermarket we did take a picture of it but didn’t actually shop there (you have to leave something to do next time!).
There were two eateries in Black Rock, the Black Rock Café, which we didn’t get around to trying and Under the Mango Tree. This was a nice looking place which we tried one lunchtime. It only has about 5 tables inside but I believe you could also sit outside. It was quite nice but the food was fairly average compared with most of the other meals we had in Tobago (daughters pizza was excellent!), but the lady owner (?) was really quite a character and made the meal quite entertaining. I think it closed around 9.30pm, and in fact was never open when we passed in the evening, but for us this was more of a lunch time place anyway.
We didn’t eat anywhere else that was within walking distance they were all car rides. We only had a taxi once, and that was when the car had gone back on our penultimate day – we had had such fabulous meals out that we really didn’t fancy eating in the hotel (it did seem rather expensive compared to what we had been having out). There is a taxi rank at the hotel so I don’t think there’ll be a problem with getting one, we took one to the Polo Bar for Sunday lunch (approx £10 return) at 12.00pm and that was his first job of the day!!….mainly due to the largely All Inclusive nature of the Hotel.
Other places we ate at were: Patinos, Indigo, Polo Bar (twice), Seahorse Inn, Sure Things (twice), Bonkers, and Café Coco (twice) but I will do a review of these in the dining section in the next day or two (promise!)
By the way, I took some plastic bowl, plates and cutlery with me, but these were all readily available in both supermarkets.
If you have any other questions please ask.
Regards Jacqui B
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Nora
thanks jacqi, it sounds great and ill certainly try a few of those restaurants. Good to hear about the supermarkets-i love breakfast on the balcony. Just one more question though- were you able to swim in the sea - ive heard its a bit rough. Also are the gadens as nice as they sound and do the hotel provide sun loungers ? On other holidays ive enjoyed sunbathing in hotel gardens - just as much as on the beach - its a lot quieter normally. Oh thats 3 questions tut tut! Thanks again Jacqui for all your information it really is very much appreciated Nora
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John Hill
Rex
Nora
Can I come in here the Gardens are super they are also the beach so the best of both worlds the gradener does a trip around his gardens once a week and points out all the flowers etc. Yes Sun Loungers are Free and plenty of them also Beach towels. Yes you can swim in the sea it gets deep quick if however you are not that good a swimmer just walk up the beach to the right and its much shallower. We had a lady with us who was not to sure but she love it further along the beach. By the way forget the POOL its just a water feature. Enjoy you stay and when you visit under the mango tree have a pina colarda they are the best you will taste.
Can I come in here the Gardens are super they are also the beach so the best of both worlds the gradener does a trip around his gardens once a week and points out all the flowers etc. Yes Sun Loungers are Free and plenty of them also Beach towels. Yes you can swim in the sea it gets deep quick if however you are not that good a swimmer just walk up the beach to the right and its much shallower. We had a lady with us who was not to sure but she love it further along the beach. By the way forget the POOL its just a water feature. Enjoy you stay and when you visit under the mango tree have a pina colarda they are the best you will taste.
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Nora