Villa Rental Description

Parrot Estate Villa is situated on Bamboo Ridge in the Englishman's Bay area on the Windward coast of Tobago. The main face of the house and the gazebo offers a panoramic view of the Caribbean Sea. The entrance of the villa looks up to the Tobago Main Ridge Reserve, the oldest protected rain forest in the Western hemisphere. The villa is surrounded by over an acre of well maintained gardens with many flowers and mature fruit trees.

The villa is located approximately 45 to 50 minutes drive from Tobago’s Crown Point International Airport and car hire is essential. The nearest village is the picturesque fishing community of Castara about 2 km from the villa. About 1 km away is the pristine Englishman's Bay. This beach is referred to Tobago’s jewel and has often been called the best on the island. Earlier on in the day it is often deserted.

Elegant Caribbean style would be the best description of the villa itself. It is well ventilated with screened roof dormers and screened louvered windows. All doors and windows are crafted from beautiful local hardwood. Large ceiling fans in each room assist the wonderful regular trade winds to ensure the villa remains pleasantly cool.

The villa benefits from 4,000 sq. ft. of roofed living area including a wide terra cotta terrace which surrounds villa and connects to the gazebo. There are 12 wall mounted lights around the terrace all controlled by dimmer switches. To enjoy both the terrace and gazebo, there are cushioned chairs and benches. For the ultimate in relaxation there are three oversized hammocks. Caribbean living in Tobago mostly takes place outdoors and so, whilst you are at the villa, the tiled veranda will prove to be your outdoor retreat from sunrise to sunset and beyond.

During this time you will be attended by a spectacular display of Tobago’s humming birds, bananaquits, corn birds and parrots with the smaller jungle birds coming in to feed from the overhanging bougainvillea baskets around the roof.

Villa Rental Amenities

There are two double bedrooms, one with a mahogany post bed and one with two queens which can be joined if required. The beds are surrounded by fine mesh drapes. Each room has an ensuite bathroom with a hair dryer and all linen provided.

The main living area inside the villa is a 600 sq. ft. open plan room with an integral well equipped kitchenette fitted with quality appliances; a large hob and oven, a fridge freezer, a toaster, a coffee maker, a juicer and a blender.

Seating in the villa lounge area comprises of a comfortable three seater rattan couch and three generous matching single chairs. The breakfast bar is faced by four matching rattan cushioned high stools. For dining inside there is a teak table and four chairs. There is a 26” flat screen TV with multiregion DVD and a comprehensive supply of about 300 movies on DVD. Around the walls are hand woven South American hangings. The room opens on all sides to the garden by four large double, hardwood doors.

A gas barbecue is set on its own stone pad, close to the gazebo. To make outdoor catering easier there is a trolley to take dishes out to the gazebo, and portable cool box for the beach or for carrying frozen food from the supermarket. Beach towels and beach mats are at the ready by the villa entrance.

In the unlikely event that the urge takes you there is an ironing board and iron provided in the closet. Attire at all but a very few of the islands restaurants is, to say the least, casual with the only code being “no bareback”.

Should you wish to contact the outside world there is a telephone and a fax machine. Local calls are free. There is reasonable mobile phone coverage for international phones on “contracts” but unfortunately no service for “pay as you go” phones.

For welcoming guests to the villa, the gate is lit and equipped with a buzzer to the main living room. The driveway is 80 ft. long with enough room for 2 cars.

The Tobago mains electricity is 110 V with several sockets all accepting North American style plugs. In the all too common event of mains power failure there is a 10 KW generator with an automatic switch and a timer. You are never without electricity.

Tobago Activities and Attractions

Mt Irvine International Golf course is about 30 minutes from the villa by car.

Swimming, scuba diving and snorkeling is probably the most popular pastime on the Tobago Caribbean coast and equipment is provided at the villa. Snorkeling is particularly good in the cove on the southern side of Englishman’s Bay. More information about scuba diving on the island.

Trekking and bird watching is spectacular all around the Tobago “Main Ridge”. For casual excursions a book called "Trekking in Trinidad and Tobago" is provided in the house. One of the listed trails passes very close to the villa. For a more thorough exploration of the island it is best to use a guide. Guides in Tobago should have a “Trinidad and Tobago Tourism Industry Certification” (TTTIC) and should carry the relevant license.

For a good general overview of Tobago and all activities available see:
http://www.mytobago.info
http://www.simplytobago.com/default.asp