Castara, Tobago
We have 2 identical bright & airy Studio aptmts, one being the mirror image of the other. Both are located on the lower ground level of our house Carpe Diem Villa.
Each studio has a separate entrance & they share the 45ft Balcony which is perfect for Al fresco dining, birdwatching & sunsets!
The Queen size bed is made of local red cedar & has a 'Four poster' style canopy/mosquito net & Sprung mattresses.
We have a pull out single bed & a cot for a child that can be requested.
Large Whirlpool fridge/f, Saffire stove with integral grill, toaster, electric kettle, cafetière & liquidizer. Crockery/cutlery for 4 + pots/pans.
Small Personal safe. Cotton bed linen & towels are provided.
You can see the view without getting out of bed!
2 sets of louvred red cedar doors open out onto the 45ft balcony.
The bathrooms are 'Wet rooms', fully tiled and of a good size.
The rooms are naturally quite cool but there is a portable and a ceiling fan.
The ceiling are high and with the tiled floors stay quite cool throughout the day.
Up here we hardly have many mosquitoes at all and a breeze blows most days.
We are surround by a good variety of local birds such as MotMots, Ant Shrikes & 5 varieties of hummingbirds. The vegetation is quite lush and we have mango, banana, paw paw and fresh herbs etc growing in the garden.
Wi-fi access throughout is very good & perfect if you need to work remotely.
Carpe Diem Villa was completed in late 2007. Half timbered construction over a block ground floor. It is our house and was designed for US to live in and constructed of local materials using all local labour. The whole point of the house was to take advantage of the view of Castara Bay. It is set back and 80 feet above the Northside Road in the village of Castara, a small unspoilt fishing village on the Caribbean coast of Tobago.
The 2 Sandy beaches are safe and kept clean by the villagers.
Lifeguards are on duty during the day. Come & Swim or snorkel with the Stingrays or Pull the Seine!
Walk to the local Waterfall to cool off in the heat of the day
We invest in the community & can help you organise personalised tours into the rainforest, visit waterfalls, take you fishing & then to a BBQ the catch on a secluded beach. Or tours to Nylon Pool & Buccoo reef, Sunday school, visit Little Tobago & Goat Island, Bio Luminance tours, Being with Horses, Chocolate making & so much more
The local bars are friendly with locals, expats and visitors all 'liming' together.
Come here & write that book you always meant to write! For more reviews (130! ) and photographs check out what guests have said on Trip Advisor !
We had a really happy stay in this comfortable apartment with wonderful, helpful and informative hosts Chris & Yvonne . The apartment is set in a wonderful tropical garden with spectacular views over the ocean, whist being surrounded by hummingbirds and all tropical life. Castara village has has a large selection of restaurants , events and friendly local businesses, set on two soft sandy bays. The nearest to the apartment has a fantastic coral reef full of tropical fish such as Angel fish, Stingrays and Parrot fish, located only 20 metres from the shore , making it great for snorkelling or swimming . It is only 100 metres walk downhill from the apartment.
Carpe Diem is set back a little and up the hill from the beach. This provides lovely views and a measure of tranquility. The birds are prolific when you put a bit of food in the feeders, and besides the normal village noise, the birds are about the only 'disruptions'. The room is very pleasant with two double doors that made most of it open to the sea view. We were very comfortable. Chris and Yvonne were not around when we stayed, but their manager Carolyn was attentive and helpful. The room was spotless when we arrived and communications were great. The only thing I can think to advise is to be aware of the mosquitos - get some bug repellant and citronella candles and you'll be fine. I get bit everywhere I go and the Castara mosquitoes are a lot less of a problem than most - the itch goes away quite quickly. The swimming was great at Castara with some waves for enjoyment, but nothing overwhelming. There is a reef that was fun to explore with fish and an occaisional sting-ray. Numerous local 'events' and local eating places made for a very pleasant stay. We would love to return.
For the fourth time we visited Castara staying at Carpe Diem Villa for our family holiday and as has always been the case we weren’t disappointed. The local people are incredibly friendly and welcoming and in no time at all you feel fully relaxed and like you belong. Carpe Diem villa is an amazing house with everything you could possibly need for a holiday in paradise and a real taste of Caribbean life.
Another return visit to Carpe Diem so that should tell you how special this place is. Wake up in the morning to spectacular views from your bed. In the evening it's lovely to watch the bird/wild life from the terrace with a G&T. So handy a location as you feel like you're in the rain forest but are just a few minutes' walk from the beach and local restaurants. Yvonne and Chris (Prof) are helpful but not intrusive. This year we hired a car to check out the rest of Tobago but are now happy we've found the perfect place!