For more pictures - Click Here
|
Style: Comfortable, spacious, hillside family home with lovely views, and an alfresco poolside living area
The Beach: Two sandy beaches at Mount Irvine Bay about 5 minutes by car
The Rooms: 5 bedrooms with en suite bathrooms. 2 bedrooms have kitchenettes
Key features: Good Tobago villa for golfers, Swimming pool (15ft x 30ft), wet bar, cable TV, CD player and barbecue
Children: Welcome
Staff: Housekeeper, night watchman, garden and pool maintenance staff |
| |
Description
Raintree is nestled within almost an acre of sloping gardens within the well established residential Mt Irvine Estate on Tobago’s northern shore. Its name comes from a splendid saman tree, locally known as a rain tree, which dominates the sweeping driveway. Numerous luxury villas have been constructed over the years in the Mt Irvine Estate, many of them homes rather than rental properties, but over the recent years more and more have come onto the rental market, They are scattered around the golf course and around the hillside above the Mt Irvine Bay Hotel. Raintree looks down to the golf course and hotel to the west, across to Buccoo Reef in the distance.
With a contemporary design based on traditional Trinidadian architecture, Raintree is an unusual split level residence with entry to the upper floor. Its foyer extends to a gallery overlooking the capacious living area, with its vaulted wood ceiling. A dark stained mahogany staircase leads down from here into the living area, the ‘great room’, which naturally has a spacious lofty air, and the formal dining area to one end. At the opposite end is the sitting area, with a number of large comfortable sofas in cheerful coral pinks. Beneath the staircase is a cable TV and small library of books. Much use has been made of dark stained mahogany, including all French doors which lead to the terrace from the main room, the windows to the stairway and a large display cabinet which takes up the entire wall of the dining area.
Stepping down from living area you come to the covered living terrace, which is framed by the white columns that support the veranda above. This area has been furnished in rattan and features a wet bar. An adjoining, slightly lower level dining terrace can seat up to 12 persons and has views to Buccoo Reef (as do the rooms above). A large, all white, well equipped kitchen with breakfast table and a multitude of preparation areas is located off the formal dining area, and adjoins the terrace. It also has great views from the kitchen sink. There is a separate laundry room.
Designed as an additional outdoor living space, the pool area below is a popular place to spend the day. Steps lead down from the terrace (about twenty five steps, which can be locked off when children are in residence) through the sloping gardens, first to a raised deck with benches, called a ‘limin area’, and then down again to the pool and surrounding sun terrace. Guests can choose to have lunch around the pool or in the dining gazebo, located to the side. The unusual egg shaped pool, with bowl-like deep end, has an infinity edge with a convenient shelf so that you can loll about and enjoy the sun setting over Buccoo Reef.
There are five bedrooms in total at Raintree, and they have been located to offer a certain amount of privacy one from another. The owners recommend the villa as suitable for three generation families. The Master bedroom is located to the right of the main entrance, on the upper level. It is a typical plantation style bedroom with varnished pine floors (the rest of the villa is tiled), a white vaulted wooden ceiling, and a king size, antique mahogany bedstead, with matching bedroom furnishings, finished off with a bold leaf printed fabric for the spread and drapes. It has a dressing room and en suite bathroom with shower, and a private balcony with stunning views of the coast. The balcony has a wrought iron table and 2 chairs and leads to sun terrace with cocktail area, which is known as the sundowner terrace. Downstairs, immediately beneath the Master bedroom, are two more bedrooms, accessed from the living area. These are simply furnished with double pine beds and en suite bathrooms with showers. On the opposite side of the Great Room, above the kitchen section, are a further two bedroom suites which again are simply furnished in pine. They have double beds and en suite bathrooms with showers. They also have a TV and a private balcony with concealed kitchenette equipped with microwave, fridge, sink and kettle. |
| ^ back to top |
Beach & Swimming
Mt Irvine Bay Hotel’s beach facilities and public beach facilities, known as Surfer’s Beach, are located on Mt Irvine Bay within a five minute drive of Raintree. The swimming and snorkelling there are good and during the winter season it is a popular spot for surfers. Raintree has an ovoid shaped, infinity edge swimming pool measuring 15ft by 30ft with a bowl-like deep end. It is around 6ft at its deepest point and has a surrounding shelf extending to the shallow end, with entry steps – ladder to the deep end. |
| ^ back to top |
Sports & Recreation
Tennis and an 18 hole golf course are available through Mt Irvine Bay Hotel and watersports are available through the beach across the road form the hotel. The Tobago Plantations Golf & Beach Resort, with an 18 hole 72 par PGA championship course, is approximately ten minutes by car. |
| ^ back to top |
Locality
The Mt Irvine Bay area has most things within relatively easy reach and the facilities of the hotel are within a short drive. In Bethany is Gourmet Foods, also known as R T Morshead’s where you can find groceries, otherwise there is a mini-mart called Marie’s Place on the way to Stonehaven Bay as well as a fast food outlet. The main supermarket for shopping is Pennysavers, about ten minutes drive on the way to the airport. There are a number of good restaurants within a ten minute drive which include the Seahorse Inn, MeShells, Melange, La Terrasse and La Tartaruga. |
| ^ back to top |
Useful Hints
Complimentary, initial food supplies (breakfast items, soft drinks, beers and rum) are placed in your villa for your arrival, however should you wish the villa to be fully stocked or you require specific items, you should ask your travel organiser or the management company directly to make the necessary arrangements. You will be billed for these items by the villa management company on arrival. If your villa has a cook, a simple welcome meal can be prepared on request, again food items will be charged for. Cooks can be arranged at a cost of US$15 per meal. If you request staff to shop for you during your stay and they are able to do so, a US$15 service charge will be added to all shopping bills for each trip. Laundry is charged at US$5 per load if you don’t wish to do it yourself.
Rental rates for villas in Tobago do not include ‘tips’, about which you will find advice in the guest information book at the villa.
Raintree is not suitable for people with mobility problems as villa is on three levels and has approximately 25 steps down to the pool level. |
| ^ back to top |
Rates
| | LOW SEASON 01 May-15 Dec 2009 | PEAK SEASON & JAZZ FESTIVAL 16 Dec-06 Jan 2009-10 | HIGH SEASON 07 Jan-30 Apr 2010 | LOW SEASON 01 May-15 Dec 2010 | | Raintree 5 bedrooms 3 bedrooms 2 bedrooms | 600 550 550 | 750 750 750 | 700 600 550 | 600 550 550 | All rates are quoted in US$ per night per villa. There is no tax on villa rentals on Tobago and no service charge has been included. All rates are subject to change without notice. A deposit of 25% of the total rental is due on booking with the balance payable 4 weeks prior to arrival. If the booking is made less than 4 weeks prior to arrival, full payment is required. The deposit is non-refundable. The balance is refundable up to 2 weeks prior to arrival. A booking form and wire transfer details for the deposit will be sent to guests and the booking confirmed on receipt of the returned form and deposit. |
| ^ back to top |
How to Book
If you wish to book direct, bookings should be made through the local managing agents, Caribbean Estates Lands & Villas by using the WEB, TELEPHONE OR DIRECT E-MAIL links at the top of this review. You will need to send a deposit equal to 25% of the total rental fee to confirm a reservation and payment of the remaining 75% is required 4 weeks prior your arrival. If you are booking within 4 weeks or less prior to arrival, full payment must be made to secure the booking. Deposits are non-refundable and balances are refundable up to 2 weeks prior to arrival. Read a review of Caribbean Estates with details of their services. |
| ^ back to top |
UK Tour Operators
If you wish to book through a tour operator or travel organiser, please follow the TOUR OPERATOR link below.
See List of UK Tour Operators
|
| ^ back to top |
Airport Meet & Greet
If you are booking direct ask the villa management company to send their representative and a taxi to meet you at the airport. Your airport transfers are paid for locally and take approximately 10-15 minutes. Alternatively, if you would prefer to be taken care of from the minute you arrive at the airport until the time that you leave, with a range of services that can include a personalised Concierge Service and transfers, please click here for Yes Tourism.
If you are booking through a travel organiser, it is likely that their representative will be at the airport to meet you. This service and your return airport transfers are usually included in the cost of your holiday if you have made a flight inclusive booking. Please check at the time of booking. |
| ^ back to top |
Getting Around
Although most things are relatively close at hand, a hired car is strongly recommended for all private villa holidays. Public transport is sporadic and not a convenient option. A car will be useful if you want to dine out at night or do lots of sightseeing and particularly when it comes to shopping for groceries. Book car hire via your travel organiser or direct with Thrifty Car Rentals and ask for your vehicle to be delivered to the property approximately 2-3 hours after your scheduled time of arrival on Tobago or, if preferred, the following morning. Vehicles can be returned at the airport or be collected from the property at a pre-arranged time on your departure day. |
| ^ back to top |
Have you found this page useful?
We appreciate your feedback on our service.
I found this page useful
I would like to make a comment
This review forms part of our Tobago Travel Guide. All the information on this site comes to you free of charge and we do not receive commission for your reservations so it is always helpful to hear if you think we are doing a good job, or if you have any constructive suggestions. Please also remember to mention DefinitiveCaribbean to your friends so that we may be of help to more people looking for an enjoyable Caribbean villa experience. |
| ^ back to top |
|
Print
page
www.realestatetobago.com
