Guest Book

April 2008

We had a wonderful holiday in Tobago, and really appreciated the privacy and tranquility of the villa. I especially liked being able to pick grapefruits for juice each morning, as well as lounging around in the hammocks. I camped out to get some shots of the hummingbirds that frequent the flowers around the pool; I ended up getting sunburnt but the resulting photos were worth it!

The morning wake up calls by the parrots were fun, and just part of the beautiful setting that provides such a stark contrast to London.

We drove down to the 'D Lime' bar in Castara and were welcomed by the locals, who even ended up cooking some crab and dumplings for us in a firepit outside! We ended up doing a lot of driving round the island, seeing all the sights, and it was nice to come back to the villa for some relax time with all the facilities (binoculars, books, snorkelling gear - the snorkelling is excellent at Englishmans Bay).

Would recommend this to anyone.

thanks a lot

-Alex and Claire, NW London

July 2005

Dear, John

I am sorry that it has taken so long to get back to you with a some feedback on our wonderful holiday in Tobago.

Benjamin taxi was most helpful, and vary concerned that we did not stop to shop on the way back to the villa. He stopped twice to check that we had enough for the children to eat. After a long flight, it was really useful to be escorted up to the house. The fridge had been stocked by Riccardo Johnny in accordance with our shopping list, and this, too was a real bonus for us, not having to shop on arrival after a long flight.

The gardens and the gazebo were stunning. The day after we arrived, it was my birthday, and I think that it wad the highlight of the whole time was to sit and open my birthday presents in the gazebo.

In the evenings, the children used to like to sit and play cards in the gazebo, or read a book until it got dark and the insects began to descend.

Our youngest, Matthew, aged 6, was fascinated by the tropical fruit that was growing in ins garden. The children had mangoes and banana for breakfast every day.

Everyone that we met was very friendly and helpful. Some joked with us that if you meet anyone on Tobago who is not friendly, it bust be because they are from Trinidad .......

We loved Tobago, and we loved your house. It was like being in paradise. We would love to return one day.

Best wishes.

Sharon Inglis

Jan 2005

We wanted to recommend this villa where we spent a superb week in October.

The villa is above Englishman's Bay with views of the Bay and rainforest. This is a great place to be, near enough to Castara for all its facilities but out of town and utterly peaceful. It also appeared to be very well situated if you wanted to do any good walking up and across the ridge. There was lots of local guides, I am guilt ridden because I have forgotten the name of our (very nice) guide, but we found him on the road coming into Bloody Bay from the Windward Side direction with his mother(?) who had cakes.

The villa was huge for four people (and therefore super huge for Just two of us). It was extremely well designed and practical The kitchen was superbly faced out (just a coincidence that the owner is a French speaker?) and we were able to make excellent food. The garden was beautiful. It was also very easy - good facilities, snorkelling gear to borrow etc. There is a gazebo where we spent most of our time watching the birds and bats and playing backgammon. This is especially useful in the wet season when you Just watch the rain for hours (nice in a way). ...

The beach was a little steep for small children but great for everyone else. There was supposed to be good snorkelling but the viz was lousy when we were there (the rain I presume). Nice, very friendly cafe.

Buying food we worked out that it isbest to go to Scarborough for vegetables, nice drive and you can give local ladies a lift from the roadside, we had quite a haul by the time we got to town. At Scarboorough market, the people ware the friendliest we met, the choice is much better and you can get Italian ice cream (and illy coffee) in town. Fish is super slow at Castara and faster at Parlatraver. Tasted glorious where ever.

The owner John was very friendly and very very efficient, right down to ringing us when we arrived. Very concerned to make his guests happy and comfortable. For anyone worried about security in isolated villas, (sad to have to put this down) there are other villas in sight, there is a phone line and mobiles have a signal so we had no worries at all.

Any disadvantages? Not really. Of course you don 't get to be in the middle of a community and see village life. We thought that by Tobago standards it was excellent value and would recommend it for one or two couples or a family. We don t have children so we don 't look at things which parents might notice but I thought that it looked good for kids, the garden has some terracing, but then again, it is on a hill.

I shall always remember the nights in utter silence under the full moon watching the bats, the lights of ships out at sea and the smell of the tropics...

Juliette Nash, London

August 2005

Dear John,

We have returned from enjoying the most special holiday at the Parrot Estate villa. The villa is quite exceptional, we enjoyed every moment there; it certainly is as picturesque as it appears on your web site; we may have to return as soon as we can, and will certainly recommend it to friends and family before then!

I don't think we'd have found our way in the dark and rain if it hadn't been for the careful Guidance of Benjamin when we arrived on Saturday evening. Early next morning we had breakfast in the Gazebo, accompanied by a Hummingbird, who had welcomed me as soon as I had opened the, door. Magical. We were the first people on the beach at Englishman's Bay ~ and still had the bay to ourselves after an hours snorkelling. Sunday lunch at the Riverside restaurant in Pardatormer was delicious (but expensive).

We spent many happy hours at Englishman's Bay snorkelling, swimming, splashing about In the surf. Harry was Incistant on shopping in Scarborough for a Machete (Cutlass) and rope (available by the 'Pong' (?)) and 3 days later became locally known as 'Raft Boy', paddling across Englishman's Bay on his bamboo raft with his younger brother and sister giving some extra paddle power. Give a teenager a beach in paradise and nothing to do ......!

Whilst in Scarborough we walked up to the Fort and stopped to buy a smoothie at the juice bar outside the hospital. The view is pretty good and the breeze very welcome . We bought a wide selection of fruit and vegetables from the market and further groceries from the supermarket.

A couple of days later Johnny stopped by to suggest we stayed at the villa for the day - the news on the radio was of Hurricane Emilly due to hit the Island later that day. It rained and the wind blew but it was not until the evening that the storm really became noisy. The generator kicked in. We felt safe and snug inside the villa, the weather raged all night. The following morning we had to hack our way out under a fallen tree across the road up to the villa. We drove over to Roxborough to the Argyle falls, marvelling across the rainforest at how prickly the roads were being cleared. Argyle Falls was completely deserted when we arrived~ but undeterred we followed the path and the river; the going became a little tough and the path hard to follow but I was egged on by the boys. The storm had brought down lots of the bamboo, the path almost impossible to follow, the water was a torrent of muddy, water and engulfed one hot and slippery son (quickly hauled out by an anxious father under the instruction of an overwrought mother) it was time to turn back.

We arranged some SCUBA diving in Speyside at the Manta Lodge for the following Week and unsuccessfully tried to buy supper again from the fisherman at Pardatormer. Visited Englishman's Bay on the way home; dark by now the fireflies were amazing and the, moon very bright. Harry did 3 days on the open water dive course at Santa Lodge. Huw, and Wizzy did their course over 2 days, so for the middle day we spent at Charlottesville, Swimming at Pirates Bay that almost rivals Englishman's Bay, before a leisurely lunch in Charlottesville. Still no luck with the local fisherman, more chicken for supper.

We had another excellent hot sunny day at Englishman', Bay, amazing how many hours can be whiled away doing very little, we even tried the ice cream from a visiting ice cream seller delicious cherry and coconut; too good to share.

Nov 2000

I wrote about a trip to Tobago in Jan. of 2000. I am now updating my
travels to Tobago with another look at the island after a second
visit with my husband in Nov. 2000.

In Jan. 2000, on a trip with 2 friends, we stayed in the southern
part of the island in a very nice villa with neighbors all around.
Most of our time was spent in the area, where it was crowded and
expensive. Many nights we cooked in the villa which saved some
money. It was a nice trip and we loved the island.

I can say now that I love it even more. In Nov. 2000, I traveled to
Tobago with my husband and two girlfriends of ours. This time we
stayed near Englishman's Bay in Parrot Estate Villa, in the
northwest end of the island. Unlike the first villa in Jan. 2000,
this villa was surrounded by gorgeous gardens on the property and
jungle everywhere else! The only other house in site was on a
mountaintop across a small valley.

The whole area was just what we wanted: peace, quiet, few people,
and the beauty of the island around us. The gardener came every day
and kept us supplied with fresh bananas and limes from the trees on
the property. Other times of the year there are avocados and
mangoes.

Each day we watched the parrots fly back and forth, up and down the
valley. At night the bats came out and fed on the old bananas that
we put in the bird feeder. We could sit in the gazebo and watch the
birds and bats, and also look out on the amazing gardens. It was
like we were in a resort!

The villa was great, There were 14 sets of double doors, with a view
to the ocean from half of them. In the 2 bedrooms were comfy beds
with mosquito netting! It was so nice going to sleep at night,
knowing the bugs wouldn't be after you.

The northern end of the island is beautiful, full of mountains,
jungle, birds, and few people. It was here that we found the even
more wonderful people of the island! Each day we would drive the 10
minutes south to the fishing village of Castara, where we could
either have dinner for $20-$24 for all four of us including a drink,
or buy a fish for $4, big enough to feed 8 people! It was mighty
tasty cooked on the grill back at the villa!

Ten minutes north was the beautiful Englishman's Bay, where the
waves washed up on a gorgeous beach surrounded by palm trees. To get
to the beach you have to drive down a short dirt road and through a
grove of giant bamboo. There is a nice little food stand and a
couple vendors selling bamboo birdfeeders and planters. We have
heard rumors that a resort will be built on the site! What a shame
if that is true.

We did drive around the island and saw all the other sites, but our
favorite times were spent at Englishman's Bay and Parrot Estate
Villa. They are why Tobago has become my favorite Caribbean island!

-HERR LENI